How to Choose a Dog Sitter: Questions to Ask First

The right sitter is someone your dog is happy to see, who wants to know your dog’s habits as much as you want to tell them. Meet at your home with your dog there, try a short trial, and leave your vet’s details before you go. This draws on advice from the RSPCA, the American Kennel Club (AKC), Humane World for Animals and Pet Sitters International, checked on 21 October 2026. Still deciding between a sitter and boarding? See pet sitter vs dog boarding.

Where to look

Start with people who already know dogs. Humane World for Animals suggests asking friends, relatives and neighbours, and your vet, and looking at professional pet-sitting associations too (Humane World for Animals). A sitter someone you know has used, and whose dog came home happy, is a good start.

Meet first, with your dog

A meet-and-greet is the normal first step. The RSPCA’s advice is to meet a sitter before you go away, so you’re confident they can care for your dog’s needs (RSPCA). The AKC suggests the meeting happens at your home (AKC). Let your dog say hello in its own time, and watch how the two of them get on. Humane World suggests asking for a trial walk, to see how the sitter handles your dog.

Good things to ask:

• Which dogs have you looked after? Big, small, puppies, old dogs, dogs on medicines.
• Would you do drop-in visits, or stay over? For visits, how long is each one, and how many walks a day? The RSPCA advises leaving a dog alone for no longer than four hours (RSPCA).
• Can you give medicines? Tablets in food, eye drops, injections: say exactly what your dog needs.
• Who would step in if you couldn’t come? The AKC suggests asking whether the sitter has a back-up, and meeting that person too.
• What would you do if my dog was sick in the night? Humane World suggests talking through a scenario like this.
• How would you keep me posted? Humane World suggests asking for a note or photos after each visit.

Questions a good sitter will ask you

A sitter who asks a lot of questions is taking your dog seriously. Pet Sitters International, a group for professional sitters, suggests sitters ask about health and behaviour, not just dates and times (PSI). Be ready to answer:

• How does your dog behave when you’re away?
• Does it have hiding places?
• How is it with children and other pets?
• Does it have any health problems to watch for?
• Has it ever bitten or snapped at anyone, person or dog? PSI’s own form puts it gently: “Is there any reason I should approach your pet with caution?”

Add what an experienced dog walker would want to know: whether your dog pulls, comes back when called, slips out of open doors, or reacts to other dogs on walks, and what scares it, from thunder to fireworks.

Try a short trial first

The AKC suggests asking the sitter for a single day, going out, and seeing how your dog is when you get back. The RSPCA says introductory sessions with your dog’s new carer before you go away help your dog settle in. If your dog will stay at the sitter’s home, ask for a trial day there too, so your dog gets to know the place and any pets who live there.

For the vet and emergencies

• Leave your vet’s name, number and address, with their out-of-hours service, and the number of a friend or family member who can help (RSPCA; AKC).
• Decide what they can spend at the vet. The AKC notes that some sitters ask you to set a spending limit for emergencies, and suggests offering one if they don’t.
• Leave medicines in their packs, with the doses written down. Much of our dog boarding packing list works for a sitter too.
• Check the ID tag on your dog’s collar has a number that will reach someone during the trip.

Go through the plan together

Before you leave, walk the sitter through the day:

• Meal times and amounts. The AKC suggests keeping your dog’s usual schedule and leaving detailed feeding instructions.
• Walk times, where you go, and whether your dog stays on the leash
• Where the leash, poop bags, food and bowls are kept. The AKC also suggests leaving a set of keys even if you have a keypad.
• House rules your dog knows: sofa or no sofa, where it sleeps
• When you’re back, and how you’ll stay in touch

Writing it on one page saves the sitter guessing. The RSPCA’s holiday checklist covers routine, food, contacts, health and medicines, behaviour, exercise, and something that smells familiar.