Pet sitter instructions: what to write so a stranger gets it right
Good pet sitter instructions should let another person complete one normal day without calling you to decode the routine. Write exact food and medication instructions, where supplies are, what behavior is normal, which veterinarian to contact, and what the sitter should do when something does not match the plan. The test is simple: could someone who has never cared for your pet follow the page while you are unavailable?
Key takeaways
- Write actions, amounts, times and locations instead of shorthand such as "usual dinner."
- Separate each animal's instructions so nobody has to remember which rule belongs to whom.
- Copy medication directions from the veterinarian rather than rewriting them from memory.
- Explain what is normal for your pet and what should trigger a call.
- Give the sitter a clear contact order for questions and emergencies.
- Test the instructions once before you actually need them.
Start with one ordinary day
People often write pet sitter notes as if the sitter already knows the household.
Breakfast as usual.
Walk after lunch.
Give Bella her pill.
Those sentences make perfect sense to the owner.
They can be almost useless to somebody else.
Instead, imagine you will be unreachable tomorrow.
Your sitter opens the instructions at 7:00 a.m.
What do they need to do first?
Write that.
Then the next thing.
Then the next.
A useful pet sitter page is not a description of your pet.
It is an operating guide for the day.
Put each animal in a separate section
If you have more than one animal, do not mix their routines into one paragraph.
Use names.
For example:
June — cat
Morning food: [your actual instruction]
Evening food: [your actual instruction]
Medication: [veterinarian's instruction, if applicable]
Litter: [your routine]
Normal behavior: [useful observation]
Archie — dog
Morning food: [your actual instruction]
Walk: [your routine]
Evening food: [your actual instruction]
Medication: [veterinarian's instruction, if applicable]
Normal behavior: [useful observation]
This removes one of the easiest mistakes: doing the right thing for the wrong animal.
It also matters when two pets eat similar-looking food or take different medications.
Write feeding instructions as actions
"One scoop" sounds precise until the sitter finds three scoops in the kitchen.
"Half a can" sounds clear until there are two sizes of cans.
Write enough context to remove the guess.
Include:
- which food;
- where it is stored;
- the amount you normally give;
- the time or part of day;
- which bowl belongs to whom;
- any ordinary preparation you normally do;
- what to do with leftovers if that matters.
Do not turn this into a nutrition plan.
The sitter needs to reproduce the routine you already use.
For example:
"June's wet food is in the left kitchen cabinet. Use the small white bowl marked June. Follow the portion written here."
That is easier to execute than:
"Feed June normally."
Medication needs its own block
Medication is where casual shorthand becomes risky.
Do not write:
"Give his heart pill."
Write down the medication information exactly as you were instructed by your veterinarian, including the details another caregiver needs to follow that existing instruction.
If the veterinarian changes the medication, update the sitter page.
Do not ask the sitter to improvise a missed dose.
Do not invent an alternative if the pet refuses the medication.
Do not convert veterinary instructions into your own medical advice.
Instead, give the sitter the contact they should use when the written instruction no longer fits the situation.
For example:
"If you cannot give the medication as written, call the veterinary clinic rather than changing the dose or timing yourself."
Doggy is designed to store the instructions you were given so another person can read them.
It does not decide what medication your pet should receive.
Tell them where everything is
A sitter can understand the routine perfectly and still lose 20 minutes looking for the carrier.
Include locations for the things they may actually need:
- food;
- bowls;
- leash and harness;
- litter and cleaning supplies;
- medication;
- carrier;
- waste bags;
- towels or cleaning items;
- other routine supplies.
Be literal.
"Carrier: hall closet, bottom shelf."
is better than:
"Carrier is in the closet."
If an item is difficult to find, consider moving it before the sitter arrives.
Instructions should not compensate for a scavenger hunt you could remove.
Explain the behavior that looks strange but is normal
This is where a good sitter note becomes personal.
A stranger does not know that Pepper hides under the bed for the first hour after anyone enters.
They do not know that Theo refuses breakfast occasionally but normally eats later.
They do not know which door the dog waits beside when he needs to go out.
Write the behaviors that help another person interpret the animal correctly.
For example:
"Pepper usually hides when someone new enters. Do not pull her out. She normally comes out after the apartment is quiet."
That is useful.
But be careful not to turn your observations into veterinary conclusions.
If a sitter is concerned about illness, injury or an unexpected change, give them the appropriate veterinary contact rather than asking them to diagnose it.
Write what they should never do
A short "do not" section can prevent mistakes.
Only include rules that genuinely matter in your household.
For example:
Do not let Milo onto the balcony.
Do not walk Archie off leash.
Do not feed the cats together because June takes Archie's food.
Do not give medication differently from the written veterinary instructions.
Avoid writing twenty minor preferences.
If everything is marked critical, nothing looks critical.
Give them a contact order
"Call me if anything happens" fails when you are the person who cannot answer.
Give the sitter an order.
For example:
Routine question: call or text me.
If I do not answer: contact Sarah.
Veterinary concern: call the veterinary clinic listed here.
Immediate emergency: contact the appropriate emergency veterinary service or local emergency resource according to the plan you have provided.
The exact contacts depend on your situation.
The important part is that the sitter does not reach a dead end after one unanswered phone.
For emergency medical decisions about your animal, follow your veterinarian's guidance and the arrangements you have made with the veterinary practice.
Separate pet instructions from home-security information
The sitter may legitimately need access to your home.
That does not mean every copy of your pet instructions should contain the alarm code, spare-key location or other access details.
Keep those permissions separate where possible.
This matters especially if the pet information may later be shared with another helper.
Doggy follows the same principle.
The pet-care page can contain the information about your animals.
Home-entry instructions are protected behind a separate verification step and cannot be reached from the QR code on the printed door or wallet card.
Someone who learns how to feed your cat does not automatically need access instructions for your house.
Add the information a sitter needs if you do not come back
Normal pet sitting assumes a return date.
Emergency care may not have one.
Add one small section:
If I am not back when expected:
Who should the sitter contact?
Can they continue another day?
Who takes over if they cannot?
Who makes decisions about boarding or another temporary arrangement?
This turns a vacation note into something that can survive an unexpected absence.
It also connects the sitter instructions to your larger pet emergency plan.
Do not make the sitter install your system
If someone becomes the caregiver unexpectedly, every extra setup step creates friction.
Doggy's guardian page is designed to open from a link.
The person does not need to install Doggy or create a password.
They can read the information you prepared about your animals.
That matters when the person helping is not your regular sitter.
It might be a neighbor.
A relative.
A friend of your daughter.
Someone who agreed to cover tonight because the original caregiver cannot.
The information should travel better than your normal routine does.
Test the instructions on a real person
Before a trip — or before relying on the instructions as part of an emergency plan — give them to somebody who does not know every detail.
Ask them:
What does Luna eat tonight?
Where is the food?
Does she take medication?
Where is the carrier?
Who do you call if I do not answer?
Which veterinarian has her records?
What do you do if I cannot return tomorrow?
Do not explain while they answer.
Every question they cannot solve from the instructions shows you exactly what to fix.
What we would suggest
Keep the sitter page short enough to use.
A practical order is:
1. Animals: name and identifying details.
2. Food: what, how much, when, where.
3. Medication: only the instructions provided by the veterinarian.
4. Routine: walks, litter, sleep and other necessary care.
5. Behavior: the few things another person could misunderstand.
6. Supplies: where to find them.
7. Contacts: you, backup person and veterinarian.
8. If you do not return: who takes over next.
Then connect it to the rest of the plan.
A pet emergency card helps someone discover that animals are waiting.
The sitter instructions tell the person who arrives what to do.
Those are different jobs.
Frequently asked questions
What should I include in pet sitter instructions?
Include each animal's feeding routine, medication instructions from the veterinarian, routine care, important behavior notes, supply locations, veterinarian information, backup contacts and what to do if your return is delayed.
How detailed should dog sitter instructions be?
Detailed enough that the sitter does not need to interpret phrases such as "normal walk" or "usual food." Focus on actions they must perform rather than writing a long description of your dog.
What should I write about pet medication?
Record the instructions you received from your veterinarian. Do not create new dosing, timing or treatment instructions for the sitter. Give them a veterinary contact for situations the written plan does not cover.
Should I leave my house key information in the pet sitter notes?
The sitter may need an authorized access arrangement, but it is safer to keep home-security information separate from copies of pet-care information that could be shared more widely.
What if my pet sitter cannot reach me?
Give them a backup person and veterinary contact before you leave. If the plan only says "call me," it stops working as soon as you are unavailable.
Can Doggy replace a pet sitter?
No. Doggy stores and transfers the pet information you prepare and can alert your chosen contact after a missed check-in. A human still has to provide the actual care.
The bottom line
Pet sitter instructions are successful when somebody else can reproduce the important parts of your routine without you standing beside them.
Write actions instead of shorthand. Separate each animal. Copy veterinary medication instructions accurately. Show where supplies are and give the sitter somewhere to go when the plan stops matching reality.
The goal is not a perfect document.
It is a stranger getting tomorrow right.
*Doggy is not a medical device and does not replace emergency services. If someone is in danger, call 911.*