If you get in any kind of accident what is going to happen to your dog? Does your sitter know what to do if they have a pet emergency?
I’m personally someone who over plans. After serving in the National Gaurd for 12 years I know the importance of having a plan in place in case something happens. This way you can react in a cool, calm, and collected way.
In this article, I want to give you some items to think about when leaving your Boston Terrier or any other dog you may have, home alone or with a sitter.
Pet Emergency Plan
There are basically three critical pieces that you need in your pet emergency plan.
- Designate Someone To Take Care Of Your Dog
- Have A List Of, “What To Do If…”
- Emergency Contact Numbers
Now, there are a number of other things you could do as well like have a first aid kit. Or a special bag ready to go for your dog if something were to happen.
Would you like to create your own dog first aid kit? Check out everything you need to build your kit here on this website, 15 Essential Items Needed In A Dogs First Aid Kit.
However, I think the three items listed above are the most important.
Let’s jump into the three items…
1) Designate Someone To Take Care Of Your Dog
You want to have someone you trust that knows, “Hey, if something happens to me I want you to take care of my dog”.
This person needs to know that they will be the one to take care of your dog if something ever happens. The person you choose should know where your dog’s essential items are in your house.
In addition, this person should, preferably, have a relationship with your dog.
The key is to designate someone and make sure they understand you want their help in the event something happens. And you need them to step in to take care of your dog.
Have Something To Notify First Responders You Have A Dog
Ok, it is good to have a person designated to watch your dog. But you will also need something to notify first responders if you become incapacitated.
There are a few different options. I think the best thing you could do is to have a key chain saying I have a dog home alone, as well as a wallet card. And for your home, you can have a sticker on the window.
These three items all help to alert police officers, firefighter, and first responders that you have a pet at home who will need to be taken care of.
There are some inexpensive bundles on Amazon you can purchase which includes the window stickers, card for your wallet, as well as a key chain. You can check out the bundle on Amazon here, Pet Alert ID’s.
2) Have A, “What To Do List…:”
This is a list describing in detail everything your dog needs on a given day. This way if you are incapacitated for whatever reason the person caring for your dog knows exactly what they need to do.
Here is a list to help get you started. I highly recommend printing your list off and putting it on the fridge. In addition, you should e-mail this list to the person you designated in step one to take care of your dog.
What To Do List…
| What type of food does your dog eat? |
| How much food does your dog eat? |
| How often does your dog eat? |
| What type of snacks does your dog eat? |
| When does your dog eat its snacks? |
| How often does your dog go outside to go potty? |
| What type of supplements does your dog take? |
| When does your dog take their supplements? |
| What type of flea and tick medication does your dog use? |
| When does someone need to administer your dog’s flea and tick medication? |
| What other types of medications does your dog take? When does it need to be administered? |
| Where do you keep your dog’s medical records? I.e. vaccination records. |
| Does your dog have any medical condition? I.e. seizures, arthritis, dry skin, allergies, etc. |
| How often do you bathe your dog? What type of shampoo? |
| How often do your trim your dog’s nails? How do you do it? |
| Does your dog wear clothes in the winter months? I.e. coat or boots. |
| How much exercise does your dog need? What do you do for exercise? |
| What type of activities does your dog enjoy? |
| What does your dog hate? I.e. vacuum, doorbell, etc. |
| Does your dog have play buddies? What are their names and phone numbers? |
| Does your dog have a favorite place to visit? I.e a park or beach in town. |
The What To Do List questions above are there to help you start your list. Use this list to start but continue writing out everything you can think of when it comes to the care of your dog.
3) Emergency Contact Numbers
The next thing you will need to provide your pet sitter or anyone else who has your dog are contact numbers if something happens.
Here is a list of contact numbers you should have for the person watching your dog.
| Animal Poison Control – Currently the number is (888) 426-4435 |
| Your Veterinarians Number + Address |
| Vet Emergency Room Number + Address |
| Dog Walkers Number (If you have one.) |
| Pet Sitters Number (If you have one.) |
The list above is there to help you start your brainstorming process of putting down all the numbers and addresses of people who help care for your dog.
Final Thoughts…
No one wants to think something is going to happen to themselves, but it is really important to have a plan for your dog in case an emergency does happen.
Plus, this emergency plan is really helpful even if it is something to give your pet sitter. And even if your pet sitter is watching your dog for a short amount of time.
The sitter will now know everything there is to know about your dog as well as what to do in case of an emergency.