Pet Sitter Instructions Template: A 29-Page Handover Workbook

A good pet sitter instructions template turns everything you know about your dog into clear, practical guidance that another person can follow. It brings the daily routine, feeding plan, prescribed medication, behaviour notes, home instructions and emergency contacts together in one place, so your sitter or boarding provider is never left guessing.

This Canadian guide explains what to include and how to prepare a calm, complete handover. It accompanies a free printable workbook you can complete at your own pace and share with anyone who cares for your dog.

Download the Pet Sitter and Boarding Handover Workbook

The Paw Privileges Pet Sitter and Boarding Handover Workbook is a 29 page printable PDF with 116 guided prompts and generous writing space on every page. It covers your dog's profile, daily routine, meals, prescribed medication, behaviour, walks, home access, boarding arrangements, emergency contacts, caregiver acknowledgement and the return home debrief.

Download the free Pet Sitter and Boarding Handover Workbook (PDF, 29 pages)

No account is required to download it. Print the pages that apply to your arrangement and make extra copies of the individual dog and daily log sheets if you have more than one dog or a longer booking.

When to use a pet sitter information sheet

Use the workbook for a weekend with family, scheduled home visits, overnight sitting or a boarding stay. It is just as helpful when a trusted friend already knows your dog. Being familiar with a dog's personality is not the same as remembering the current food portion or knowing which emergency clinic is open overnight.

Complete it before the first booking and update it whenever care changes. A written handover is far more reliable than a long thread of text messages, because it gives both of you one current reference and brings questions to the surface while there is still time to answer them.

If you are still choosing a provider, start with our guide to choosing dog walkers, daycare, boarding and pet sitters in Canada. That article helps you assess the caregiver. This workbook helps you explain the care once you have found a good match.

What the information sheet should cover

• Your dog's name, age, breed or description, identification details and a recent photo.
• The address where care takes place and the dates and times of the booking.
• Your contact details and an authorised local backup contact.
• The regular veterinary clinic and the nearest emergency clinic.
• A short summary of anything the caregiver must never do, such as offering a food your dog cannot have.

Prepare the handover before departure

Give yourself time. A rushed handover on the morning you leave is where details get lost. Ideally, arrange a meet and greet a few days before the booking so your dog can get to know the caregiver and you can walk through the workbook together.

Demonstrate practical tasks rather than only describing them. Show how the harness fits, how the food is measured, how the door locks and where supplies are kept. Ask the caregiver to explain the essential instructions back in their own words, and add any agreed changes to the workbook straight away.

The BC SPCA AnimalKind pet care questions encourage owners to ask about humane handling, emergency responses, time spent with the animal and how a provider reads animal body language. A completed workbook supports that conversation. It does not establish a caregiver's qualifications on its own.

Describe the daily routine from morning to bedtime

Write out a realistic ordinary day: waking, toilet breaks, meals, walks, play, rest and settling for the night. Note how long your dog will be without a caregiver between visits, rather than assuming that an overnight booking means continuous company.

Explain the familiar cues and places that help your dog feel secure. Where do they sleep? Which door is used for toilet breaks? What helps them settle after activity? Small details like these make an unfamiliar week feel much more normal for your dog.

For planning gaps between visits, read how to build a dog home alone care plan. Your booking and your written instructions should describe the same level of care.

Routine details worth writing down

• Usual waking time, toilet break times and the preferred toilet area.
• Walk times, typical duration and the energy level your dog is used to.
• Rest periods, favourite resting spots and anything that helps them relax.
• Bedtime routine, sleeping location and whether a crate or gate is used.
• Adjustments for age or mobility that your veterinarian has already advised.

Write feeding instructions that are specific and measurable

Give the exact food name and recipe, meal times, portion size and measuring unit. A phrase such as one scoop is only useful if the labelled scoop is supplied and its measure is written down. Explain where bowls are kept, whether dogs need to be fed apart and whether anyone should supervise meals.

List approved treats and anything that must not be offered. A kind snack from a caregiver's own cupboard can conflict with an established feeding plan. Label every supply and follow the manufacturer's storage instructions. If your dog eats raw food, keep raw and cooked foods clearly separate and say so in writing.

Agree on what should happen if supplies run low or a meal is refused. The caregiver should contact you or your backup rather than change the diet. The workbook records your established routine; it is not a place to introduce a new nutrition plan.

Details to record on the feeding page

• Food name, recipe, meal times and measured portion for each dog.
• The bowls and labelled measuring tools to use, and whether dogs eat separately.
• Permitted treats, known restrictions and the location of spare supplies.
• How fresh water is provided and how food should be stored.
• Whom to contact if your dog refuses food or the caregiver is unsure about a meal.

Explain behaviour, triggers and comfortable boundaries

Describe your dog as they really are, not as you hope they will behave with a new person. Note what they enjoy, what worries them and how they show stress. A caregiver who knows the early signs of discomfort can step back before a situation escalates.

Be honest about triggers such as other dogs, children, bicycles, handling of paws or ears, loud noises or visitors at the door. Explain the approaches that already work for your dog, and ask the caregiver to avoid situations you have not agreed on, such as dog parks or group play.

Behaviour notes for your sitter

• Known triggers and the situations your dog should avoid.
• Body language that signals stress, fear or a need for space.
• Cues your dog understands and the rewards that motivate them.
• Rules about greetings with people, children and other dogs.
• Escape risks, such as door dashing or slipping a collar.

Medicine only as prescribed by your veterinarian

Medication is the part of the handover where precision matters most. Supply every medicine in its original labelled packaging and copy the prescribed name, strength, amount, route, timing and storage instructions exactly as your veterinarian has written them.

The caregiver should never adjust a dose, skip a dose, substitute a product or give anything that has not been prescribed for your dog. If a dose is missed, refused or vomited, they should follow the written instructions from your clinic or contact the clinic and you. The CVMA's guidance on extra label drug use is a useful reminder that medication decisions belong with a veterinarian.

Record known allergies or sensitivities separately, along with what must be avoided. Distinguish confirmed diagnoses from observations that are still awaiting veterinary assessment, so the caregiver has facts and a contact plan rather than a request to diagnose.

Medication record checklist

• Medicine name and strength exactly as shown on the pharmacy label.
• The prescribed amount, how it is given and at what times.
• Storage instructions and where the medicine is kept.
• A log for the caregiver to note each dose given.
• The prescribing clinic's telephone number for questions.

Contacts every caregiver needs

List contacts in the order they should be tried. Include your own number, a local backup who is authorised to make decisions if you cannot be reached, your regular veterinary clinic and the emergency clinic that is open outside normal hours. Call each one before you leave to confirm the details are current.

Ask your clinic what information and authorisation it needs when someone else brings your dog in. Arrange payment with the clinic privately rather than writing card numbers in the workbook.

Plan for emergencies before they happen

An emergency plan is about knowing who to call and how to get there, not about treating your dog at home. Note the route to the emergency clinic, how your dog can be transported safely and where the carrier, spare leash or other equipment is kept.

Keep identification details and a recent photo easy to find in case your dog goes missing. Discuss with your veterinarian in advance what should happen if you cannot be reached during an urgent situation, and write down only what has actually been agreed.

Keep urgent information easy to find

• Your dog's name, identification details and the address where care takes place.
• Current telephone numbers and addresses for the regular and emergency clinics.
• Your number and the authorised backup contact, in the agreed calling order.
• Safe transport arrangements and the location of the carrier or equipment.
• Any written veterinary instructions and consent arrangements relevant to the stay.

House rules and home instructions

For in home sitting, explain how to enter and leave, lock up, set any alarm and secure gates or fences. Note rooms that are off limits, furniture rules and where cleaning supplies are kept. Share only the access information the caregiver genuinely needs, and avoid publishing your address or travel dates online.

Agree on boundaries for the caregiver as well. Confirm whether visitors are allowed, whether a substitute caregiver may step in, how often you would like updates and which incidents require an immediate call. Record any extra charges you have discussed so there are no surprises.

The workbook includes a caregiver acknowledgement page. Before signing, the caregiver should read the relevant pages, ask about anything unclear and confirm the tasks they have agreed to carry out. A signature records that conversation. It is an educational communication aid rather than a legal contract, so use your provider's own service agreement for formal terms. The BC SPCA's humane pet service guidance offers further questions to discuss.

Boarding versus in home pet sitters

The essentials of the handover stay the same in both settings: accurate feeding, prescribed medication, behaviour notes and emergency contacts. What changes is the practical detail around them.

Choosing boarding

For boarding, confirm sleeping arrangements, the level of overnight supervision, how compatibility with other dogs is assessed and what alternatives exist if group play is unsuitable. Ask which health records and belongings the facility accepts, and check that your feeding, medication and rest instructions can genuinely be followed there.

Pack enough of your dog's usual food for the whole stay plus a small reserve in case collection is delayed. Label food, medication in its original packaging, walking equipment and any accepted bedding with your dog's name.

Choosing an in home sitter

For in home sitting, focus on access, the gaps between visits, household safety and a named backup caregiver. Familiar surroundings can be reassuring for many dogs, but they do not remove the need for clear supervision and an emergency plan.

Final pet sitter checklist before you leave

Use this checklist in the last hour before departure. If an essential task is still unresolved, take the time to sort it out. A caregiver who cannot safely follow a necessary instruction needs a different arrangement, not a more hopeful worksheet.

• Review the current workbook together and remove any outdated pages.
• Demonstrate the harness, door locks, feeding measure and any agreed medication task.
• Count food and supplies together and confirm where records are kept.
• Confirm the next meal, toilet break and prescribed medication time.
• Test the agreed way of staying in touch and confirm the backup contact.
• Agree on the collection time, what happens if you are delayed and how keys and belongings will be returned.

When you return home

Ask how meals, rest, toileting and medication went, and look over the daily log together. Collect keys, belongings and any incident notes. Keep the first evening calm and familiar. If the caregiver reports a health concern, or you notice a significant change, contact your veterinarian rather than trying to interpret the log yourself. For wider household preparation, our responsible dog ownership checklist helps you keep important records current.

Frequently asked questions

Is this dog sitter checklist printable and free?

Yes. The workbook is a free 29 page PDF with 116 prompts and writing space throughout. No signup or payment is required, and it is designed to be printed and completed by hand.

Do I need to complete all 29 pages?

No. Complete the pages that apply to your dog and your arrangement. Write not applicable where a section does not apply, so the caregiver knows it was considered rather than forgotten.

Can I use it as a dog boarding checklist?

Yes. The boarding pages help you record what the facility accepts, what you are packing and how collection will work. Always follow the facility's own intake requirements as well.

Does it replace veterinary instructions or a sitter contract?

No. The workbook records instructions that your veterinarian and provider have already given. It does not replace veterinary advice, a clinic consent form or a provider's service agreement.

What if my dog's routine changes after I complete it?

Update the relevant page, date the change and give the caregiver the new copy. Remove older versions so only one set of current instructions is in use.

Download your free handover workbook

A thoughtful handover gives your dog consistency and gives you peace of mind while you are away. Print the workbook, complete it with your caregiver and keep it somewhere easy to find.

Download the Pet Sitter and Boarding Handover Workbook (PDF, 29 pages)