Dog sitter checklist: meals, walks, and the handoff
A dog sitter checklist should cover more than food. Explain the walking setup, toilet routine, behavior around people and animals, and the way your dog settles at home. Use your dog’s actual routine rather than a generic schedule.
What should I leave for my dog sitter?
Leave clearly labeled food, bowls, the correct lead and harness, waste bags, cleaning supplies, familiar bedding, and written care instructions. Make veterinary contacts and your backup contact easy to find.
- Label meal portions, times, and food storage locations.
- Identify treats that are allowed and any individual food restrictions.
- Show how the harness fits and which lead to use.
- Point out the carrier or transport setup if it may be needed.
Make walks and toilet breaks specific
- Give the usual walk times and familiar route.
- Explain the toilet routine and how your dog asks to go out.
- Describe reactions to other dogs, traffic, visitors, or loud noises.
- Write down recall limitations and any off-lead restrictions.
- Agree on how the sitter should handle a missed walk or changed conditions.
Explain the things that help them settle
Record where your dog sleeps, whether they can be left alone, what comforts them, and which doors or gates must stay closed. Explain the exact cues you use rather than assuming the sitter uses the same words.
Example: ‘She carries a toy when she greets you. Let her keep it. Her bed is beside the sofa, and “place” means go to that bed.’
Agree on care notes and updates
- Supply current owner, backup, vet, and emergency-vet contacts.
- If prescribed care is needed, give the veterinarian’s exact written instructions and confirm the sitter can follow them.
- Choose when you want messages and what each update should include.
- Ask the sitter to report a change from your dog’s normal eating, behavior, or toilet routine.
- Review the checklist together before the first solo visit.