What to Pack When Your Dog Is Staying With a Sitter

The short list

• Food. Enough for the full stay plus one extra day, in a labeled container, with the amount per meal written on the lid.
• Medication. Original packaging, dose and times written clearly.
• Collar, harness and lead. The ones your dog already walks on.
• Bed or blanket. If it travels easily. Often skipped, and always the most appreciated item.
• One familiar toy. Not the whole basket.
• A worn t-shirt of yours. Unwashed. This is the cheapest anti-anxiety tool there is.
• The instructions sheet. Routine, food, medication, quirks, vet details.

The information that matters more than the bag

A sitter can replace a forgotten bowl. They cannot guess your dog's routine, whether a growl at the door is normal, or that a certain noise sets off a panic. Write the following down, even if you also say it out loud:

• Feeding times and amounts, and how your dog behaves while eating.
• Walk times, usual length, and whether your dog pulls or reacts to other dogs.
• Sleeping preference: crate, bed, hallway, or in the bedroom with company.
• How your dog signals that they need out, and how often.
• Commands your dog actually knows, and the words you use for them.
• Anything that frightens your dog: thunder, doorbells, lawnmowers, small children.
• Your vet's name, address and phone number, plus an emergency contact.

Label everything

Sitters host more than one dog over a season, and bags look alike. A strip of tape with your dog's name on the food container, the lead and the medication box saves a phone call. If your dog has a food allergy or a resource guard around food, label that too.

What not to bring

• The irreplaceable collar or a sentimental bear. Chewing happens.
• A new food, a new treat brand, or a new toy your dog has never seen. New things add stress.
• Bulk: three beds, the full toy basket and your dog's wardrobe. Smaller bags settle dogs better and are easier to keep track of.
• Anything valuable or easily swallowed.

Drop-off day

Hand over the bag, the instructions and your dog's lead in one go, keep the goodbye short, and ask for a photo within the first few hours. That is the whole list. Everything else is optional.