The Dog Sitter Checklist: Everything to Leave Before You Go

A complete dog sitter checklist covers four things: written care instructions (feeding amounts and times, potty and walk schedule, medications, house rules), emergency information (your contact details, a backup person, your regular vet and the nearest emergency vet, and the microchip number), supplies staged where the dog cannot reach them, and home access details. Print it, leave it on the counter, and walk your sitter through it before you go.

This is the document you hand over, not the training you do beforehand. Getting your dog comfortable with the sitter, keeping calm at the door, and tiring the dog out before you leave all belong to preparing your dog for a pet sitter. This page is the paperwork and the physical stuff: the exact list of what to write down and what to stage so a sitter who has never met your dog can step in and get everything right.

Why a written checklist beats a quick verbal handoff

Telling a sitter the routine at the door feels efficient, and then you are on a plane and they cannot remember whether the morning scoop is one cup or two, or which door the dog bolts through. A written checklist removes the guesswork. Care.com's dog sitter guidance recommends building a single folder or sheet with the daily routine, feeding details, medication instructions, and emergency contacts so the sitter has everything in one place rather than scattered across texts, per its ultimate dog sitter checklist. A printed sheet also survives a dead phone battery, which is exactly when you do not want your instructions to be trapped in a group chat.

Think of the checklist as four layers stacked from most-used to break-glass: the daily care instructions the sitter reads every visit, the emergency page they hope to never open, the supplies they physically need, and the home details that let them actually get in and be comfortable. The table below is the fast version. The sections after it explain what goes in each line and why it matters.

Layer 1: written care instructions

This is the page your sitter reads at every visit, so make it specific and boring. Vague instructions create anxiety and mistakes. Dogster's vet-approved checklist stresses writing down not just what the dog eats but how much at each meal, how many treats are allowed per day, and whether chews are part of the routine, so the sitter is not guessing, per its complete dog sitting checklist. Cover these lines:

• Feeding: exact amount (one cup, not "a scoop"), what food, morning and evening times, where the food is stored, and how many treats are okay. Note any foods that are off-limits.
• Potty and walks: when the dog goes out, roughly how long, the usual route or backyard routine, and how the dog signals it needs to go. Note pulling, reactivity to other dogs, or a tendency to eat things off the ground.
• Medications: the drug name, the exact dose, the time, and how it is given (with food, hidden in a treat, and so on). Only your sitter should give medication exactly as you and your vet have written it. Do not leave a sitter to improvise a dose. If the dog has a condition that could flare, say so and put the vet on speed dial.
• House rules: is the dog allowed on the couch or bed, which rooms are off-limits, is crating part of the routine, and what the dog is not allowed to have (the kids' toys, the trash).
• Quirks and triggers: fear of thunder, guarding food, hating the mail carrier, an escape-artist habit at the front door. These are the details that prevent a bad surprise.

Keep the tone reassuring rather than a wall of warnings. Your sitter wants to do a good job, and clear notes are how you help them. The exact feeding math is worth double-checking against your vet's guidance if you are unsure how much your dog should get, since portions vary a lot by weight and activity.

Layer 2: emergency information the sitter must have

This is the page nobody wants to use, which is exactly why it has to exist before you leave. Hill's Pet lists microchip information and up-to-date medical and vaccination records as core items to hand a sitter, along with a pet first-aid kit, so the sitter is prepared if something goes wrong, per its pet sitter checklist essentials. Your emergency section should include:

• Your cell number and the address or hotel where you are staying, plus your travel dates.
• A local backup contact (a neighbor, friend, or family member) who can show up in person if you cannot be reached.
• Your regular veterinarian's name, address, and phone number, and the hours they are open.
• The nearest 24-hour emergency animal hospital, with address and phone, because your regular vet will be closed at 2 a.m.
• The microchip number and which registry it is with, plus confirmation that your contact info on the chip is current.
• Pet insurance details if you have a policy, and how the sitter should handle payment for an emergency visit (many owners leave written authorization and a way to cover costs).
• A recent, clear photo of your dog that shows its markings, in case it gets out and you need a flyer fast.
• A short list of symptoms that mean "call the vet now" versus "call me first." Anything medical is the vet's call, not the sitter's, so make the escalation path obvious.

Put this page at the front of the folder or pin it to the fridge. In a real emergency the sitter should not have to hunt for the emergency vet's number.

Layer 3: supplies to stage before you go

Written instructions only work if the physical items are where the sitter expects them. Stage everything the night before, and put anything the dog should not raid (food, treats, and especially medications) somewhere the dog cannot reach. Pre-portioning food into labeled bags or containers is the single easiest way to remove feeding errors: the sitter grabs the bag marked "Tuesday PM" and there is no measuring to get wrong.

• Enough food for the whole stay plus a little extra, pre-portioned and clearly labeled.
• Treats (with the daily limit noted), plus any chews and the rules for them.
• Food and water bowls, cleaned and set out.
• Leash, harness or collar, and a tag with current ID. Confirm the tag info matches the microchip.
• A full supply of poop bags in an obvious spot.
• Medications in their original containers with the written dosing instructions attached, stored out of the dog's reach.
• Cleaning and stain-removal supplies for accidents, and where the mop and paper towels live.
• A pet first-aid kit. Hill's recommends basics like gauze pads, nonstick bandages, and other simple items so the sitter is not scrambling.
• A comfort item, favorite toy, or the dog's usual bed to keep the routine familiar while you are away.

If your dog is also being cared for through drop-in visits rather than a live-in sitter, make sure the supplies cover every scheduled stop, and confirm the plan for how many times a day the sitter will visit so there is enough food, bags, and medication staged for the full run. The staging logic is close to what you would prepare for a facility stay, and our what to pack for dog boarding list is a useful cross-check if you also board sometimes and want a single reusable kit.

Layer 4: home and access details

A sitter cannot do anything until they can get in and get comfortable in your home. The American Kennel Club's guide to prepping the house for a sitter covers the practical side: how the sitter gets in, where supplies live, and how to keep the home running smoothly, per its advice on how to prep your house for a pet sitter. Write down:

• How to get in: key location, lockbox code, or garage code, and how to lock up.
• The alarm code and how to arm and disarm it, if you have a security system.
• Wifi network name and password.
• Thermostat instructions so the house stays comfortable for the dog.
• Where everything lives: food, treats, leash, cleaning supplies, and the first-aid kit.
• Trash and recycling day, and where the bins go.
• Any house quirks: a door that sticks, a gate that must be latched twice, a room to keep closed, or which lights to leave on.

If a sitter is staying overnight, add the guest basics (clean towels, where to sleep, how the shower works) so they are comfortable enough to focus on your dog rather than fumbling with your house.

Make it printable, then walk through it in person

The most useful version of this document is one page or a short stapled set that lives on the counter or fridge, not a 2,000-word essay the sitter will not read. Use the four categories above as headers, keep each line short, and put the emergency page on top. A printable grid the sitter can glance at beats prose every time.

Then do the walkthrough. Hand over the sheet during the meet-and-greet or on the morning you leave, and physically show the sitter where the food is, how the leash clips, and which door the dog rushes. This is also the moment to trade any last questions, and it pairs naturally with the vetting conversation covered in our list of questions to ask a pet sitter. If this is your household's first time handing the dog off to someone new, the checklist plus a calm walkthrough is exactly what turns nervous into confident, and our guide to leaving your dog with a sitter for the first time covers the emotional side of that first trip.

What owners most often forget

Even careful owners tend to miss the same few things. The nearest emergency vet (not just the regular one) is the most common gap, because the regular clinic is closed exactly when you would need the other. Written authorization and a plan for covering an emergency bill is another, since a sitter who has to front hundreds of dollars may hesitate at the worst moment. People forget to confirm the microchip contact info is current, so a lost dog gets scanned and the number on file is three phones ago. And many leave the food but not the exact portion, which is why pre-portioning is worth the ten minutes. Run down the four-layer table one last time before you head out, and you have closed the gaps that actually cause problems.

Frequently asked questions