Leaving your pet behind can be stressful, even if you have a responsible sitter. Writing them some really good instructions will not only make things run smoother, but also give you some piece of mind. Here are five tips to write good pet sitting instructions.
Pet routine and habits
Help prepare your sitter by giving them lots of information about what your pet is like. Does your dog get on well with other animals or start barking like crazy when it sees another dog? Does your pet ever try to escape? The more the sitter knows about your pet’s habits and personality, the better equipped they will be to look after your furry friend. What are your pet’s sleeping habits? Does she sleep in your bed or in a crate? What time do you usually put your pet to bed? “If your pet has health issues your sitter also needs to be made aware of them. Does your dog take medication before bed? Are there bandages that need to be changed?” advises Theresa Faust, writer at BoomEssays and EssayRoo.
Exchange information
Leave your contact info with the sitter so they can contact you in the event of an emergency. Give them your landline, cell phone number, and the email address you check most often. But contact info isn’t just for when something goes wrong, your sitter may also want to check in with you and ask a question. You’ll also want to give a spare key to a neighbour or friend, so they can let the sitter in should they lose their key.
Feeding your pet
“Give your sitter some instructions for feeding your pet. Write down how much your pet eats and make sure the sitter knows it’s important not to overfeed or make any changes to the diet,” suggests Norma Grasser, writer at UKWritings. Your pet will already be a bit stressed out with you gone and a stranger looking after them, so now is not the time to spice up their diet with new food. Maintaining their same feeding schedule is one way to keep a bit of normalcy for them while you’re away. Make sure your sitter knows where to find the food and bowls.
Gear, and where to find it
In addition to the food and bowls, let your sitter know where any important items are. Medicine, treats, leashes, waste bags, and litterboxes should all be shown to the sitter before you leave, or their locations described in detail in your instructions. You should also include in your instructions where important things such as the breaker box are, as well as cleaning stuff such as the broom, vacuum, and garbage bags.
Write the instructions out
Write clear and concise, but detailed instructions to your sitter. Confirm the dates the sitter will be responsible for in your instructions. Explain how often you would like them to come and check on your pet and how much time they should spend with the animal. Write out some activities your pet enjoys. Explain what the procedure is for disposing of pet waste. How many times should your dog be walked? Warn the sitter if there are people who will be stopping by to collect your mail or clean the pool. The more information you can provide, the happier your pet and the sitter will be.
Conclusion
Nobody wants to leave their pet behind, but sometimes it’s necessary. You can help out both the sitter and your pet by writing out some good, detailed instructions. Remember to let the sitter know what your pet is like, its habits, its schedule, and where all the necessary pet accessories are located.
