What to put in a puppy’s sitting notes
When a raiser hands their puppy to a sitter, the puppy’s training goes along too. A sitter who knows the routine keeps it going. A sitter who has to guess can undo weeks of work without meaning to. Good sitting notes are the simplest way to prevent that, and they let the raiser relax while they’re away.
These are the sections worth writing down for every puppy. Your program may have its own rules too, so follow those first.
Contacts at the top
Start with the raiser’s phone number, a backup person to call if the raiser can’t be reached, and the puppy’s vet. Add any emergency contacts your program asks you to use. A sitter shouldn’t have to search for a number when something goes wrong.
Commands, in the exact words you use
List each command the puppy knows, with the exact word and any hand signal. Note which ones are solid and which ones the puppy is still learning. Small differences matter here. If the raiser says one word and the sitter says another, the puppy gets mixed messages.
Feeding and potty routine
- How much the puppy eats, when, and where the food is kept.
- Whether treats are allowed, and which ones.
- When the puppy usually needs to go out, and the cue you use.
- What to do if the puppy has an accident.
House rules
Write down where the puppy sleeps, whether it’s crated and when, and whether it’s allowed on furniture. Mention how it does with stairs, other pets and children, and which toys are fine. Sitters often mean well by being a little more relaxed than the raiser. Clear rules make it easy for them to stay consistent.
Going out in public
If the sitter might take the puppy out, say which places the puppy is ready for and which it isn’t yet, which gear to use, and anything that tends to distract or worry it. When in doubt, a sitter should keep outings short and simple.
Health and anything unusual
Note any medication, allergies or recent vet visits, and anything to watch for, like a sensitive stomach or a habit of chewing on things it shouldn’t. If the puppy is in a phase, such as testing boundaries, say so. The sitter will be glad to know.
Keep the notes current
Puppies change quickly. Update the notes when the routine changes, a new command is learned, or something stops being a problem. Old notes can be as confusing as none at all.
Sitting notes in Canidary
In Canidary, every dog’s profile has sitting notes built in. A new profile starts with sections for the raiser’s phone number, emergency contacts and a checklist of common commands, and the raiser can rename sections and add their own. Files like feeding instructions can be attached to the profile.
Before a sitter can apply for one of the dog’s shifts, they confirm they’ve read each section and answer any check questions the raiser has written. Read more about organizing puppy sitting or see everything Canidary does.