What Do I Need To Tell A Pet Sitter?

When you leave your Pet in the hands of someone else, you trust that your Pet is taken care of. This is especially true if you have a Dog sitter that may not be as familiar with your Dog as you are. It is always good to have a document that lists these items a least.

What do I need to tell a Pet Sitter? If you leave your Pet with a Pet Sitter, you need to make sure your Pet sitter is at least aware of the following: any medical issues and/or food allergies your pet has, a list of medicines/vitamins your Pet takes and what they are for, a list of current shot records, the contact information for your local Veterinarian and Emergency Veterinarian Hospital, a list of current shot records, and the contact information of where you are going to be in case of an Emergency.

What Parts Of The House Are Off Limits?

We keep our Pets away from different parts of our house for many reasons. We simply may just not want hair and slobber all over that room. The office may contain items that are harmful to our Dog, like batteries, chemicals, or breakable items that could severely injure them. It is a good idea to inform your Pet Sitter of any room or areas in or around your house that may be hazardous your your precious Pet. (See also “What Do I Give My Sick Dog?“)

Some Cautious Things To Inform Your Pet Sitter

Table Foods Very Harmful to Dogs	Onion, Garlic, Caffeine, Chocolate, Avocados, Macadamia Nuts, Xylitol, Fruit Pits (Peaches & Plums) For Complete List, See Article on What Table Food and Wastes will Harm My Dog?
Caution around our Pool, lake, body of water	Drowning, Poisonous and Dangerous Animals, like Frogs/Toads, Water snakes, Alligators, Sharks, etc
Caution around shed/garage	Dangerous Chemicals, like Fertilizer, Sharp items, like saws, small items, like screws, nuts, and bolts, etc.
Caution around Trash Cans and Grills	Trash – may contain sharp objects, Harmful Food, Bones, etc. Grease – Too much can lead to Pancretitis For More Detail, See Article on What Should I Do If My Dog Eats Grease?

Out Of The Box Items To Inform Your Pet Sitter

How often can your Dog have a Treat?
What is their favorite Dog Park or favorite route to walk?
How often to go for a walk and how far should they walk?
Where is the leash located?
Where is the portable dog bowl located? Needed for extended walks/runs.
Is your pet Scarred of anything?
Is there anything your Pet keeps trying to get into, like the garbage, pantry, etc?

Document Items To Give Your Pet Sitter

When we have a Pet Sitter come into our home, I always create a document that lists the following items. It is good to verbally tell your Pet Sitter, but if they forget, they can always refer to this document. It is always good to have a different document for each Pet if their routine is different (See also “How Much Are Pet Visits?“).

Dog Name
Schedule – Wake up time, Feed Times, Potty Times, Walk Times, Sleep time, Etc.
Food Amount – How much to feed and how often?
Medical Issues or Food Allergies
Medicine/Vitamins – What are they for and How often do they get them?
List of Current Shot Records
Local Vet Contact Info – Company Name, Doctors Name, Address, Phone #
Emergency Vet Hospital – Name, Address, Phone #, Animal Poison Control– #888-426-4435, Pet Poison Hotline – #855-764-7661
Your Personal Contact Information – Name and Cell
Contact Information of where you are Traveling to
An Additional Emergency Contact if you are unavailable
Any Additional information your Pet Sitter should know