Free Dog Sitter Instructions Template
Everything your dog sitter needs, walks, meals, meds, the vet and all the little quirks, on one friendly page. Fill it in below, then print it or save the PDF. Not sure what to write? There are worked examples for every section further down.
Type to fill it in, watch it build on the right, then Print / Save as PDF. Or download the blank to print and fill in by hand. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
If you need me (and my backup)
Vet & emergencies
Feeding
Walks & routine
Medications
All about my dog
Around the house
Anything else
Dog Sitter Instructions
for your pet
If you need me (and my backup)
Vet & emergencies
Feeding
Walks & routine
Medications
All about my dog
Around the house
Anything else
Made by pupline.app, the best business software for pet care professionals.
Fill it in, print it, done.
1. Fill it in
Type into the form and watch the document build live. Nothing you enter leaves your browser.
2. Print or save the PDF
Hit Print / Save as PDF, only the document prints, formatted clean to the page.
3. Hand it over
Give it to your sitter or client, or download the blank PDF to print and fill in by hand.
Instructions for a dog sitter: what to write in each section
Not sure what to leave for your dog sitter? Here is what good dog sitting instructions actually say, section by section, with example wording you can copy and adapt. Amounts, times and lead manners matter far more than tidy handwriting.
Your phone number, and a backup contact
Start with the two numbers a dog sitter will need. For example: 'Alex Rivera, (555) 123 4567, call or text any time, I answer texts faster. If you cannot reach me, call my neighbour Sam on (555) 765 4321, he has a spare key and Bella knows him.' Add the full home address, because a sitter may have to read it out to a vet or an emergency locksmith.
Your vet, the emergency vet, and what you authorise
Name both practices with numbers and hours, and say yes in advance. For example: 'Regular vet: Maple Animal Hospital, (555) 222 3333, open until 6pm, Bella is registered and her records are there. After hours: City 24h Pet ER, (555) 911 0000, four miles east on Route 9. You have my permission to take her in for anything urgent, up to $500, and to call me from the waiting room.' A dollar limit and a clear yes are the two things sitters say they wish every owner wrote down.
Feeding: food, amount, times and what is off limits
Be exact about amounts, because 'a scoop' means nothing in someone else's kitchen. For example: 'One level cup of the dry food from the grey bin, morning and evening, around 7am and 6pm. Half a spoon of the wet food stirred into dinner only. Fresh water topped up twice a day. Two training treats after a walk is plenty. No chicken bones, no cheese, and please push the bin lid all the way down, she can shoulder it open.'
Walks, potty breaks and exercise
Dog sitting instructions live or die on the walk routine. Write how many walks, roughly when, how long, where, and how your dog behaves on the lead. For example: 'Two walks a day, about 30 minutes each: after breakfast and around 6pm, plus a quick garden potty break last thing at night. She pulls left for the first five minutes then settles. Harness, not collar, it is on the hook by the door. Off lead only in the fenced yard. Please skip the dog park on Saturdays, it is too busy for her.'
Medications, one line each
For each medication write what it is, how much, when, and how you get it into your dog. For example: 'Half a 50mg tablet with breakfast, hidden in a pill pocket, she spits it out if you use cheese. Flea treatment between the shoulder blades on the first of the month, pipettes are in the kitchen drawer. If she misses a dose, do not double up, just carry on the next morning and text me.' If there is more than one medication, a separate medication log is easier to initial than a note in the margin.
Quirks, behaviour and house rules
This is the part dog sitters thank you for: the things a stranger could not guess. For example: 'She leans on your leg when she wants a fuss. Terrified of the vacuum and of skateboards, so cross the road if you see one coming. Barks once at the mail carrier then stops. Not allowed on the sofa, though she will try. Knows sit, wait and leave it, and works for reward only, no telling off please. She will not eat while you watch, so put the bowl down and walk away.'
The home: keys, codes, supplies and the jobs
Finish with the practical details so nobody texts you at 9pm. For example: 'Key in the lockbox by the side gate, code 4821. Alarm panel in the hall, 0000 to disarm, press hash to set. Wi-Fi: HappyHome, password paws1234. Food, leads and poop bags in the hall closet, towels in the bathroom cupboard if she comes back muddy. Trash out Tuesday night, and the ferns need water once mid-week.'
Good to know.
What information does a dog sitter need?
Your contacts and a backup, your vet and an emergency vet, feeding (food, amount, times), the walk and potty routine, any medications and how to give them, your dog's likes, dislikes and quirks, known commands, and home details like keys, alarm code and where the leash and food live.
Is this dog sitter instructions template free and printable?
Yes. Fill in the live form and print it or save it as a PDF for free, no account needed. Empty fields print as ruled lines, so the downloadable blank PDF is ready to fill in with a pen.
Should I leave instructions for an overnight dog sitter?
Always. Whether the sitter stays at your home or boards your dog at theirs, a one-page sheet covering feeding, meds, the routine and emergency vet details prevents the 9pm 'how much does he eat?' text and keeps your dog on schedule.
Can my dog walker or sitter store this digitally?
If you book with a pro who uses Pupline, your dog's details live in a Care Card they can open on their phone any time, no paper. This template is the printable equivalent you can leave on the counter.
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Never re-type care notes again.
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