Planning
What to Leave a Dog Sitter: A Complete Handoff Checklist
A sitter should not have to reconstruct your dog’s care from twelve text messages, three food containers, and a warning delivered while you are backing out of the driveway.
Start with the contacts and decisions
List your phone number, a local backup person, regular veterinarian, nearest emergency clinic, microchip information, and where the carrier, leash, and records are stored. State who may authorize veterinary care, how payment should be handled, and what the sitter should do if you cannot be reached.
Write the routine another person can follow
Record exact food amounts, feeding times, bathroom habits, walk expectations, sleep setup, commands the dog understands, and normal behavior. Include where supplies are kept and which doors, gates, rooms, or yard areas require special attention.
Name the risks plainly
Describe escape habits, resource guarding, fear triggers, dog or stranger reactivity, separation problems, food restrictions, allergies, and anything the dog may swallow or destroy. Do not soften a safety warning to avoid sounding dramatic; clear information protects the sitter, the dog, and everyone they may encounter.
Handle medication and emergencies carefully
Provide medication only in the original labeled container with the veterinarian’s current directions. Leave a written dose and timing record, but do not ask a sitter to improvise missed doses or medical decisions. Make poison-control and evacuation information easy to find, and confirm the sitter can safely transport the dog if necessary.
Sources and standards
What this guide is based on
This article translates established veterinary and reward-based behavior guidance into practical household steps. Sources are provided for transparency; this page is educational and does not replace care from your veterinarian.
Reviewed September 19, 2026. Informational only; not veterinary diagnosis or treatment.