An instruction can seem obvious during a quick goodbye and become confusing when you are unavailable. A short written handover gives a relative or professional sitter somewhere to check the routine. Describe the care already established for your dog instead of introducing a new diet or treatment during your absence.
A useful handover makes it easy to find the routine, the supplies and the right person to contact.
Put contacts at the top
The RSPCA recommends clear instructions, veterinary details and an emergency contact. List your number, a backup person and the clinic's arrangements outside normal hours. Confirm those arrangements directly rather than copying an old number. If you are travelling across time zones, say when you can realistically answer, so the sitter does not mistake a silent phone for a reliable emergency plan.
Describe the established meals clearly
PDSA advises written information about usual food amounts and timing. Copy the routine you currently follow, including existing individual veterinary instructions where relevant. Avoid vague phrases such as a normal portion. Identify the food precisely and show the equipment used. The sheet records an established plan; it should not ask a sitter to calculate a new diet from a general internet guide.
Practise the handover
Our suggestion is to prepare a meal together before departure. Ask the sitter to find the food, read its storage directions and explain what they understand. This rehearsal can uncover a problem hidden by written instructions: two similar packs, a missing scoop or a cupboard they cannot access. Correct the sheet immediately and leave one clearly dated version, rather than several contradictory messages.
Create a readable daily layout
The RSPCA includes usual routine, exercise and behavioural information in its handover advice. Our worksheet divides the day into morning, daytime and evening, with space for brief notes. Include familiar equipment and relevant precautions. This is a communication tool, not a rigid timetable that overrides a dog's needs or existing veterinary directions. Keep important information visible instead of burying it in a long travel itinerary.
Arrange food deliveries in advance
If a subscription box is due, identify who will receive it and where its instructions can be found. Confirm that the sitter can carry out the actual storage arrangements. Do not expect them to guess how an unfamiliar chilled package should be handled. If the arrangement is impractical, change the delivery before you leave. No brand's delivery coverage is assumed: check the address and local service directly.
Adapt the sheet to your location
This worksheet can be used in the US, UK, Canada and Australia, but the linked charities are British sources of general handover advice. Their references to professional licensing or local organisations are not universal requirements. Check a paid sitter's relevant local arrangements separately. Write dates and times unambiguously and preserve units exactly, especially if your sitter normally uses a different measurement system.
Agree how updates will work
Choose one channel for ordinary updates and clarify that urgent veterinary concerns should not wait for a message reply. For prescribed treatment, provide the original professional instructions and ensure the sitter can follow them. This article supplies no medicine doses or treatment protocol. When you return, review any confusing points together and update the sheet for next time.
| Section | Write down | Show in person |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Owner, backup, clinic and emergency arrangement | Location of the sheet |
| Meals | Exact food and established routine | Food, equipment and storage |
| Daily care | Usual routine and known precautions | Leads, access and supplies |
| Deliveries | Date and responsible person | Instructions and storage space |
Your practical checklist
Tick items as you read. Your answers are not sent or saved.
Frequently asked questions
Is a digital sheet enough?
We suggest keeping an accessible local copy too, in case a phone or connection fails.
Is an absence a good time to try a new recipe?
This handover prioritises the established routine. Organise any necessary change beforehand with the relevant people.
Sources & scope
Original handover template using general welfare advice. British professional licensing references are not applied to other countries. No treatment instructions are supplied.
Editorial source check: 2026-11-13. No paid links in this edition.
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