How to Share Your Pet's Routine With a Sitter

To share your pet's routine with a sitter, write the day down as a timeline, add the feeding details, the quirks and your vet's contact on the same page, and go through it together before you leave. A good sitter knows animals. They don't know how your pet's day runs, and guessing is where small problems start. A page they can follow fixes that.

This guide is about handing over the routine you already have, not setting a new one. It won't tell you how much to feed or when. Those answers belong to your vet. For the wider list of things to leave, see our travel and sitter guides.

Why does your pet's routine matter to a sitter?

Because a familiar day keeps your pet settled, and a settled pet is easier to care for. The RSPCA tells owners to pass on details of the usual routine and the importance of sticking to it as much as possible. The AKC makes the same point for dogs: keeping the same schedule while you're away can make the transition easier.

There is a second benefit. The ASPCA says that describing your pet's normal day helps the sitter keep the animal comfortable and notice when something is off. A sitter can only spot a change if they know what normal looks like. Your page tells them.

How do you write the day as a timeline?

List the day in time order, from the first thing in the morning to the last thing at night. Each line is a time, a job and a short note. Here is a layout to copy:

Fill in your own times, because every household is different. The RSPCA's checklist includes how and when to exercise your pet, so add the usual play or walk time and the places your pet likes to go. Our dog walk schedule guide shows one way to build that part. If you want a fuller list of what else to leave, the pet sitter instructions template covers it.

How exact should the feeding details be?

Exact enough that the sitter never has to ask. The AKC suggests writing feeding instructions that cover portion size, how many times a day your dog is fed, and special considerations such as the feeding order for multiple pets. Copy these from what you already do, or from what your vet told you. Don't change them for the trip.

A few more points that save a phone call:

• Label the containers if your pets eat different food.
• Name the treats and say whether they are allowed.
• Say where to buy more. The RSPCA asks owners to include where to buy fresh food if your pet needs it.
• Say who eats first when there is more than one pet.

If you already keep a feeding log, print or share the last few days. It shows the sitter what a normal day looks like better than a description does.

What should the sitter know about your pet's personality?

Anything that would otherwise take them a day to work out. The RSPCA lists behaviour, meaning your pet's personality and how the sitter should interact with them, as part of the written instructions. A few lines are enough:

• How your pet greets strangers, and what helps them relax.
• Games, toys and habits they love, and the ones they avoid.
• Where a nervous cat tends to hide. The ASPCA suggests pointing out usual hiding spots, since a nervous cat may retreat there and be easy to overlook.
• A familiar item. The RSPCA suggests a blanket or a worn piece of clothing for dogs and cats, or used, unsoiled nesting material for rabbits and small animals.

Then show where the supplies live: food, bowls, leash, bags, litter, carrier, and anything else. The AKC advises leaving them where your sitter can find them but your dog cannot.

What vet and emergency details should you leave?

Leave your regular vet, the nearest emergency or out-of-hours clinic, and a way to reach you. The RSPCA says to leave the name and number of your vet and an emergency contact for you. The ASPCA adds your itinerary, and an emergency contact who knows your pets and can make decisions if you can't be reached. The AKC says to give contact details for at least 1 trusted person who can decide for you, and to ask that person first.

If your pet takes medicine, write down what it is, when it is given and where it is kept, exactly as your vet set it. The ASPCA suggests going over it in person. Our vet-ready record guide shows how to keep those details tidy.

The ASPCA also recommends writing down the Animal Poison Control Center number, 888-426-4435, next to your vet's. Finally, write down what the sitter should do if something goes wrong. The ASPCA puts it this way: decide in advance and put the plan in writing. Keep the plan simple: who to call first, which clinic, and who can agree to care while you're away. What happens medically is for the vet to say, so the plan should lead the sitter to the vet, not replace them.

How do you walk the sitter through it?

Meet before you leave, and go through the page together. The RSPCA advises meeting any sitter before you hire them, and arranging introductory sessions so your pet can get used to the new carer. The ASPCA suggests walking through the routine, medication schedule and emergency plan in person.

Use that meeting to check the page, not just hand it over. Ask the sitter to say back the morning and evening routine, and watch where they hesitate. Those are the lines to fix before you go.

How do you keep it all in one place?

Keep the routine on one shareable page, so there is one version to update. The AKC recommends putting feeding, medication, vet, emergency and home-access details in 1 clear document. Scattered texts go stale. The sitter then can't tell which one is current.

Paw Crew, coming soon to iPhone, is built for this kind of record. The Day Ledger keeps each day's meals, walks and medicines in one place, and household sharing through iCloud lets the people who care for your pet see the same routine. Paw Crew logs and reminds. It doesn't give advice, so questions about amounts and health stay with your vet.

Bottom line

Write the day as a timeline, spell out the feeding, add quirks and contacts, and walk through it together before you go. Keep it on one page, and ask your vet about anything that touches your pet's health.