The first time you head out of town and leave your dog with a pet sitter for a few days can be a little nerve-racking. You want to be sure your dog is happy and calm while you are away, as well as be safe and well taken care of.
If you have already done the hard part of finding a pet sitter that you can rely on for your dogs, you now just need to make sure that your pet sitter has everything they need while you are away.
What to Provide for Your Pet Sitter
One of the best parts of in home pet care is that your dog gets to stay in a familiar place with all his toys, beds, and everything else that will help him feel more comfortable while you are away. As long as your dog sitter has everything they need to take care of your dog, there should not be any problems as you travel. What you should provide in order to make a pet sitting visit as stress-free as possible includes:
- Emergency Information - Including your contact information is a must. You should also include your vet’s name, phone number, and address, the name and location of the closest emergency vet, any insurance information for your pet, medication details, and a brief medical history so that your pet sitter will have everything they need to get medical help for your dog in the unlikely event that it becomes necessary.
- Your Dog’s Things - It is helpful to leave out anything that your dog might need. This includes food, medication, treats, favorite toys, brushes, leash, and poop bags. Make sure you have more than you expect to need. Then set everything out where it will be easily accessible to your dog sitter, but not your dog.
- Detailed Instructions - Provide your dog sitter with detailed instructions about your dog. Writing this down is the best solution so that no details are forgotten. The information you provide should include your dog's routine in terms of when your dog goes out, eats, and goes to bed, which will help your dog feel more comfortable with a new person. You should also include how much your dog eats and medication dosages. Finally, provide any additional information such as what your dog likes and what should be avoided. When you are writing information about your dog, sharing info about your home can also be helpful, such as any door codes or tasks that need to be done around your house.
- Let Your Neighbors Know - If your neighbors know you will be going on vacation, let them know that a dog sitter will be stopping by so that they can be aware of which cars and people to expect and which might be suspicious.
- Clean Up Your Home - You may know what to expect from your dog, but your pet sitter will not. Go through your house carefully and make sure any foods, cleaning supplies, trash cans, and other potential hazards are secured against your dog.
If you are relying on a pet sitting company to watch your dog, they will likely already have a process in place for getting all the information they need. This can give you an added layer of reassurance that you have not missed anything important before you set off on your vacation. Either way, taking care to manage all of these steps before you depart will help increase the comfort of both you and your dog in any petsitting situation.
