Words of advice for a dog sitter

[sweet_ceana]

This weekend Chris and I are headed back to CO for a wedding. Unfortunetly pups are not invited..... so lucky me I work with someone who is a dog sitter! She's a great person, and even better she had an uncle that had loads of BCs! Hooray someone who knows what they are in store for....kind of. She watches dogs because she loves them but does not have time for one now. Besides the typical games she likes sheadual and commands info.... is there anything I should make sure I tell her? I have never left Ceana with anyone but my mom and mother in law to be. The vet's info is on the fridge, there will be no off leash when we are gone.... I am scared I will forget something. Anyone had their dogs "sat" before with suggestions?

 

 

We are having a meet greet and eat tomorrow night. Ceana keeps looking at me thinking "What's a Leslie?" because I keep saying that Leslie is coming to see her.

[Guest pax]

A map to the closest emergency vet on the fridge door.

 

Your cel phone number, and the name of the place where you're staying, in case your own phone doesn't work.

 

Show her how you lure her into the car. It is my fail proof method for catching most loose dogs.."Let's go for a ride".

 

The number of a local friend you think she might come to, if she did get loose and the car trick didn't work.

[RaisingRiver]

Great advise. I always leave a list of commands as well. Also quirks like the dogs might not eat while I'm away - likes to cuddle while you watch TV, allowed on furniture or not, etc.

 

Have a great time!

[Guest WoobiesMom]

A warning about the poopsplosions maybe? I've never had a dog sitter before, so that's all I can add.

[Carson Crazies]

Typical schedule, where the dog is to sleep or be confined in her absence, any meds needed info, how much and when to feed, any important quirks (like thunderphobia)... phone numbers - cell, land line where you're going, and a friend/neighbor in case of emergency. Don't forget to leave her a key, disable the alarm (if you have one). Hope you guys have a great time.

[nancy in AZ]

I always leave the house sitter with info on my neighbor who has a key to my house. And I always Email a copy of all the instructions and contact numbers to the sitter as well as having them printed out at home. One time I came home from a trip, my house was locked up and the key was left on my kitchen table along with my instructions/contacts sheet. I thought, what if I had been delayed getting home or been involved in an accident. The sitter would no longer be able to get into my house, or have access to any of my contacts info.

 

I also always point out where the shut-off valves are for water and gas, and the location of the circuit breaker box.

[aljones]

Folks have already given a lot of excellent specific ideas. I'd just add one general rule of thumb that comes from having been on both sides of this situation (I pet/house-sat a lot when I was a student and couldn't have pets of my own, and now I sometimes hire petsitters). If in doubt, write it down!

 

You've probably already thought of this, but I was always amazed when I'd go to someone's house to meet the pets and "learn the routine," and we'd run through things in 5-10 minutes and that would be it. Obviously, it's all old hat to the owner, so he or she would just expect me to get it all instantly. Maybe I'm just not too quick on the uptake, but I was always relieved when the owners left me detailed written instructions about how to care for the pets...particularly when those instructions were broken down chronologically (instead of by individual pet). So one list of "morning/breakfast" stuff and another of "evening/dinner" stuff was much appreciated. No matter how many notes I would take on my own or how many questions I'd ask, without clear written instructions from the owners, I would always be afraid of overlooking important issues for the pets.

 

Hope you have a great time at the wedding and that all goes smoothly at home in your absence.