When you are preparing for a pet sitter, you’ll need to make sure you have everything in terms of information, schedules and even a favourite toy so your beloved canine relaxes and enjoys their time away from you. (There’s no better way to make your dog a home from home!) Take a look at our sitter kit as an example of everything a sitter would need to look after your prized pooch!
Walking Schedule
Your pet’s exercise is important while you are away. Why not give a walking schedule to your care provider tailored to your pet’s needs. PetMD suggests that:
Take a look at our walking schedule template below if you’ve not prepared one for a dog walker before:
Alternatively, you can fill out the schedule for walks when you sign up for DogBuddy and you register your dog. Remember – with that link you can get £10 free credit for any service! With our DogBuddy App you can take this to the next level, you can see your sitter sticking to the routine that you have laid out for your pooch, thanks to our GPS tracking!
Eating Schedule & Dietary Requirements
Diet and exercise go hand in hand, so you’ve got to make sure your beloved pet is not going to eat anything they’re allergic to. By providing a list of dietary requirements and a meal schedule you can rest easy. Check out our list of common canine diseases affected by nutrition:
A product of overeating and not enough exercise, obese dogs are far more likely to develop arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer.
Dietary fat tends to be one of the causes of pancreatitis in dogs, so it is definitely something to monitor at the correct levels.
Bladder stones can be caused by a buildup of various types of minerals, so no one bladder stone is the same. They can cause urinary accidents, urine discolouration as well as straining during urination.
This can regularly become an issue if your dog’s diet is unbalanced, especially if there is an unusually high concentration of sodium in their food. Excess sodium can cause high blood pressure and a bulging heart!
Dogs tend to suffer from two types of diarrhoea, small and large bowel diarrhoea. While small bowel is more commonplace, large bowel is identifiable by your dog straining for a small amount of watery stool, which can occur frequently throughout the day.
If you spot any of the above, your first step should always be to consult a vet over the phone. They’ll be able to advise you about the best treatment and whether your dog needs to be checked in person by a vet. Also, if you see these problems and your pooch consistently has any of the issues we’ve listed, notify your sitter or caregiver. Preparing them to protect your dog’s health will help your dog stay happy and healthy (and you can rest easy on your sun lounger!) Take a look at our simple and easy to use template for feeding schedules:
On the other hand, you could just fill out this information in the ‘Eating Schedule’ section when you sign up your dog for DogBuddy, with £10 credit on us!
Important Contacts
When you’re away it’s important that your sitter is able to contact the right people/services in an emergency. When you book with DogBuddy, our sitters have access to an 24/7 emergency vet line – nevertheless, you need to be prepared for any eventuality.
We recommend that you also provide your caregiver with:
Remember that professional sitters will often have access to their own emergency vet, but it’s a good idea for your dog sitter to have all the information they might need.
List Of Commands
When you leave your dog at the sitter’s house it’s important to leave your sitter with a list of commands that may prove useful. Knowing whether or not a dog can sit, lie down or even shake paws can change how your sitter approaches caring for your dog. Plus, they’ll be able to brush up on your dog’s obedience and tricks while you’re away.
If you can’t think of all of the commands that would be useful for a sitter, here are some to jog your memory:
So your dog has mastered the basics – here’s some extra tricks for you to teach your pooch! Kudos to those who have already mastered the following commands:
- Watch Me
- Wait
- Come
- Off
- Take It/Drop It
- Out
- Leave It
- Bed
- No
- Settle Down
Home Comforts & Toys
Toys have an important role in mental stimulation and development, especially when you are leaving a puppy alone for the first time. This is how toys activate different parts of your doggy’s development:
- Fetch Toys
These are your classic toys that can be interactive (squeaky). This game with these types of toy help to build the relationship with the dog and it’s master, instantly rewarding the dog for bringing the toy back to you. - Tug Toys
Toys like a flexible stretchy rope, or a tug fleece toy (i.e. something that can be pulled on, but is not likely to rip at the first sign of a canine’s tooth!) help in obedience training – although steer clear of these toys and this game if a new puppy is teething! - Puzzle Toys
This type of toy can be filled with all manner of delicious dog treats to keep your pet occupied, and more importantly, mentally stimulated for a long time. Unless of course you have a ‘Houndini’ and no puzzle is going to stop them for very long! - Chew Toys
Chew toys work much the same as the puzzle toys, but require your dog to chew to get the treat. Plus, there are many chew toys out there that can provide some much needed dental care for your dog.
For more on the benefits of a range of different dog toys, head on over to Why Does My Dog.
For even more on holiday dog care options, head on over to our full guide.