A dog sitter needs more than a lead and a feeding schedule. Walking routine, triggers, commands, and what's genuinely normal versus worth a call — miss any of it and you've handed over a dog, not a handover.
The short answer
Cover feeding, the full walking routine, commands and triggers, medical and emergency info, and anything that looks like a problem but isn't. Most issues during a dog-sitting stay come from a sitter not knowing what's normal for that specific dog.
1. Feeding
- Food type, amount, and times
- Treats — what's allowed, and any limits
- Water — where the bowl is, how often it needs refreshing
2. Walking routine
- How long, how often, and roughly what time
- On or off lead, and where it's safe to go off lead if relevant
- Any routes to avoid (other dogs, busy roads, specific triggers)
- Recall reliability, honestly — not how you'd like it to be
3. Commands and behaviour
- The actual words that work, not the "correct" version
- Known triggers — other dogs, specific sounds, certain types of visitor
- How they behave around strangers, kids, and other animals
- Anything that looks concerning but is completely normal for them
4. Medical and emergency
- Vet name, clinic, and phone number
- After-hours or emergency vet
- Medications — what, dose, when, how
- Allergies or conditions
- Written permission for emergency treatment, and a spending limit
- A backup contact if you're unreachable
5. House and logistics
- Where things live — food, lead, medication
- Off-limits rooms or furniture
- Sleeping spot and any nighttime routine
- Spare key, alarm code, parking
The bit that's easy to get wrong
A lot of handovers cover the facts and skip the personality — the specific quirks that determine whether a walk goes smoothly or a sitter spends twenty minutes confused about why a completely calm dog just froze at a letterbox. The facts keep a dog fed and safe. The quirks are what make a sitter actually confident, not just informed.
Quirks & All keeps both — the practical checklist and the specific stuff — on one link, current the moment anything changes.