You've booked the pet sitter, and they're showing up tomorrow. So now you're standing in your kitchen at 10 PM trying to remember everything they need to know and get it all onto paper.
You know that your dog eats at specific times. You also know that your cat has opinions about which water bowl is acceptable. And there's that also thing with the back door where you have to lift while you turn the handle or else it just won't lock properly.
So to help you make sure you remember everything you need to, here’s a checklist you can use in advance of your McKinney pet sitting service.
1. Feeding instructions
"Feed twice daily" sounds like a simple enough instruction. But there’s a very good chance that it could lead to your sitter standing in your kitchen at 6 PM wondering how much food goes in the bowl.
Write down specific amounts such as “one cup of kibble” or “three-quarters of a can plus dry food.” Include brand names if you've got a picky eater who'll stage a hunger strike over the wrong variety.
Consider also special care instructions. For example, does your dog need food soaked in warm water for ten minutes? Or does your cat only eat if you shake the bowl? Will they refuse breakfast unless you stand there watching?
These are the sorts of details that prevent the sitter from panicking when your pet skips a meal.
Be explicit about treats. Some dogs have unlimited privileges. Others are on restricted diets because extra snacks cause problems.
2. Medical information
At minimum: write down your vet's name, phone number, and address. If something goes wrong, they're calling your vet first.
If your pets need medicine, you’ll want to write down the medication name, dosage, timing, and how to administer it. Be specific because instructions like "blue pill morning and evening" may not be helpful if there are three blue pills in the cabinet.
List any health conditions worth knowing about, including arthritis, allergies, heart murmurs, and anything else that impacts how your pet acts. Your sitter won’t need to diagnose your pet, but they should at least be able to recognize if something is off.
3. Notes on how your pets behave and interact
Does your dog bolt out open doors? Bark at every delivery truck? Are they friendly with strangers or do they need space? This is all very practical information that your sitter needs to know.
Cats require different warnings. Do they hide for three hours after new people arrive? Are they escape artists? Will they scratch if approached wrong?
If you've got multiple pets, it’s worth telling your sitter which ones get along and which ones need to be separate. That can preven the sitter from accidentally creating chaos.
4. House details
Sitters need to be able to keep your home running while you’re not there. To do that, you’ll need to explain to them how to use the thermostat, the alarm system, and where you keep supplies.
Walk them through the basics: how to lock doors, where spare keys live, what rooms are off-limits. If your garage door opener is temperamental or your back gate doesn't latch properly, mention it now.
Supply locations matter. You’ll want to mention where pet food and extra paper towels are stored, as well as cleaning supplies and trash bags. The more obvious you make these things, the less time the sitter spends hunting through your cabinets.
Emergency shut-offs are critical too, just in case. Tell them where the water main, circuit-breaker, and gas shut-off valve are. Hopefully none of this comes up, but if it does, you want immediate action instead of text messages sent back and forth.
5. Contact information
You’ll need to tell your sitter where you're traveling and provide hotel info if you have it, as well as a list of the best times to reach you. If you're going somewhere with spotty cell service, it’s a good idea to mention that as well.
If you have backup contacts, write those down too. If you happen to be unreachable and something urgent happens, it helps the sitter if they have someone else they can call.
Write everything down in one place. A notebook on the counter works, and so does a digital document as long as you can confirm the attachment opens or the sharing permissions are set properly.
It’s also a good idea to do an in-person walkthrough if possible. Ten minutes of showing often beats pages of written instructions.
Need pet sitting in McKinney, TX?
Good pet sitters want detailed information. The more context they have about your pets and your home, the smoother everything can go while you're gone.
Looking for reliable pet sitters near you? Contact Woofie's® of Frisco-McKinney at (469) 242-0892 or schedule online for McKinney pet sitting that keeps your pets comfortable.