How to Create the Perfect Dog Care Instructions for Your Sitter

1. Your dog in one line

Name, age, breed, weight, and one sentence about personality. For example: Biscuit, 4, cockapoo, 22 lb, sociable but nervous of loud noises. That single line frames everything the sitter reads next.

2. The daily routine

3. Food and water

• Brand and amount per meal, written in cups or grams.
• Where the food is kept and where the bowl goes.
• Treats allowed and any limits.
• Whether the dog guards food, and how to manage it.

4. Medication

• Name, dose and time for each item.
• How it is given: in food, in a treat, directly.
• What to do if a dose is missed.
• Where the medication is kept, in the original packaging.

5. Behaviour and handling

• How your dog is with other dogs, cats, children and strangers.
• Any guarding, nipping or escape behaviour, and the trigger.
• What frightens your dog, and what helps.
• How your dog shows stress, so the sitter spots it early.
• Cues your dog knows, with the exact words.

6. Sleep and comfort

• Crate, dog bed, nearby, or in the bedroom.
• Whether your dog is used to sleeping alone.
• Favourite toy or blanket, and where it is packed.

7. Health and vet

• Vet name, address and phone number.
• Emergency contact, with a phone number that will be answered.
• How much the sitter may authorise for treatment without reaching you first.
• Allergies and any ongoing condition.

8. Contact and handover

• Your mobile number and a backup.
• How often you would like updates, and by which channel.
• Your return date and time.

A note on tone

Write it as instructions, not as warnings. The sitter is on your dog's side. Keep the sheet factual, keep it to one page, and update it if anything changes mid-stay.