Feeding instructions work when they fit on one page, give amounts in a unit the sitter can measure, name specific clock times, and say plainly what to do when something goes sideways. Everything else is decoration. A sitter reading your sheet at 6 a.m. in an unfamiliar kitchen should never have to interpret, convert, or guess.
What belongs on the page?
Seven things, in this order:
- Your dog's name, weight, and a photo — useful in a boarding facility handling a dozen dogs
- Exact amount per meal, with the unit spelled out
- Meal times, as clock times rather than "morning and evening"
- Where the food lives and how to thaw it
- What's allowed as treats, and how many
- Medications, if any, with timing relative to food
- Two phone numbers: yours and your veterinary clinic's
Print it. Tape a copy to the refrigerator and text a photo of it as well. Paper survives a dead phone battery; a text survives a lost sheet of paper.
How specific do portions need to be?
Specific enough that two different people would measure the same thing. "One package" is unambiguous. "180 grams" is unambiguous if you leave a kitchen scale out. "A scoop" is not, because scoops vary and sitters improvise.
Pre-portioning removes the problem entirely. Stack labeled daily bags in the freezer, each holding exactly one day's food, and the sitter's only decision is which bag to pull. Pre-portioned Beef Blend packages accomplish the same thing without any prep on your end. If you want to understand where your dog's number came from in the first place, our feeding amount guide shows the arithmetic.
How do you write thawing instructions someone else can follow?
Write them as a sequence with times attached, not as a principle. Compare these two versions:
Vague: "Thaw the food ahead of time in the fridge."
Usable: "Every night before bed, move one package from the freezer to the middle shelf of the fridge. It will be ready by breakfast. Never thaw on the counter."
The second version tells someone what to do and when, and it flags the mistake you're worried about. Add the disposal rule too: leftover food in the bowl gets tossed after 20 minutes, and the bowl gets washed with hot soapy water before the next meal.
What should the sheet say about treats?
Give a number and a list. "Up to four training treats a day from the jar on the counter" beats "a few treats are fine," because a well-meaning sitter with a cute dog will interpret "a few" generously. Ten days of generous interpretation shows up on the scale.
Name the hard nos explicitly rather than assuming shared knowledge. Grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, macadamia nuts, and anything sweetened with xylitol all belong on a short do-not-feed list. Sitters who don't own dogs often have no idea. Cornell's Riney Canine Health Center keeps an accessible reference if your sitter wants to read more.
What emergency information do sitters really need?
Four lines, at the top of the page where they can't be missed: your cell number, a backup contact who lives nearby, your regular clinic with its hours, and the nearest 24-hour emergency hospital with its address. Add one sentence granting permission to authorize treatment up to a dollar figure you're comfortable with, because clinics will ask.
Most practices will also let you file a written authorization ahead of time. Ask your veterinary clinic to sign off on the feeding plan before you hand it to a sitter, particularly when medications are involved or your dog has dietary restrictions. That conversation takes five minutes and removes the ambiguity that causes delays.
Is a boarding facility different from an in-home sitter?
Yes, in ways that change how you write the sheet.
For boarding, call before you pack. Ask how much freezer space they'll allocate, whether staff will thaw food or need it delivered thawed, and how they log meals. Then label every single package with your dog's name and the date. Kennel freezers hold other people's food too.
How far ahead should you prep?
Start two days out. Day one, count meals and confirm you have enough packages plus a spare day's worth. Day two, portion and label, write the sheet, and walk the sitter through the routine in person if you can.
A five-minute live demo of thawing, measuring, and washing prevents more problems than two pages of writing. Watch them do one meal while you're still home. Whatever they get wrong on the practice run is exactly what the sheet needs to say more clearly.
FAQ
Should I change my dog's food before a boarding stay?
No. A diet change plus an unfamiliar environment is two stressors at once, and loose stools during boarding are hard to interpret when the food is also new. Make any transition at least two weeks before the trip, or wait until you're home and settled again.
What if the sitter reports my dog isn't eating?
Some dogs skip a meal or two when their household changes, and that alone isn't cause for alarm in an otherwise healthy adult. Ask the sitter to warm the food slightly and try again at the next scheduled time. If your dog refuses food for more than 24 hours or seems lethargic, have the sitter call your clinic.
How much extra food should I leave behind?
Two extra days' worth beyond your return date. Flights get canceled and drives run long, and a sitter who runs out at 9 p.m. on a Sunday has no good options. Extra frozen packages keep indefinitely and cost you nothing if unused.
Can I ask a sitter to send photos of each meal?
Absolutely, and most will happily do it. A quick photo of the prepared bowl confirms the portion looks right and gives you a record if appetite becomes a question later. Say so in the sheet rather than asking mid-trip, so it's part of the routine from day one.
Does my sitter need to know about food storage rules if my dog eats kibble too?
Yes. Once fresh food is added to a bowl, the entire meal becomes perishable regardless of what else is in it. Write that down explicitly, since sitters familiar with dry food often assume a mixed bowl can sit out all day.