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Finding a good dog sitter is stressful. You’re handing over your home, your routine, and a family member who happens to have four legs and a fondness for stealing socks. A single bad experience can leave you checking pet cams obsessively and texting the sitter every hour.
So how do you screen candidates effectively? Not by reading their biography on a pet-sitting app and hoping for the best. You need a repeatable, concrete process — the same kind you’d use to hire an employee or choose a tenant. Here’s the exact six-step screening system I’ve used for years, with real scripts and examples you can adapt.
Step 1: Build a shortlist from the right sources
Before you even look at profiles, decide where to search. Asking friends and neighbours for referrals is still the gold standard, but it limits your pool. Apps like Rover and Wag have their place, as do local Facebook groups and vet clinic bulletin boards. The key is to source at least three to five candidates so you’re not settling for the first person who replies.
If you’re starting from zero, it’s worth reading how to find a dog sitter you’ll trust before you dive into applications. That guide covers where to look and what red flags to spot early.
What to look for in a profile
When you’re scanning profiles or CVs, don’t just count years of experience. Look for specifics:
- Does the sitter mention breeds they’re familiar with? If you have a Great Dane, someone who only has experience with chihuahuas might not be the best fit.
- Do they have verifiable references, not just testimonials on a platform?
- Are they insured or bonded? This matters more for in-home sitting.
- Have they worked with dogs that have medical needs or behavioural quirks?
A profile that says “I love all animals” tells you nothing. A profile that says “I’ve managed diabetic dogs and administered insulin injections twice daily” tells you they’ve actually done the work.
Step 2: Run a structured phone or video intro call
Once you’ve got a shortlist, schedule a 15–20 minute intro call with each candidate. Treat this like a job interview — because it is one. Have your questions written down, but let the conversation flow naturally.
Here are the questions I always ask, along with why they matter:
- “Tell me about your own pets.” This reveals whether they’ve ever lived with dogs long-term or just watched them occasionally.
- “What does your typical day look like when you’re sitting a dog?” You’re listening for specifics: walks at 7:00, feeding at 8:30, midday playtime. Vague answers like “I just adapt to the dog’s needs” are a yellow flag.
- “How do you handle a dog that won’t come when called?” You want a practical answer involving recall training, high-value treats, and not chasing the dog in a panic.
- “Have you ever had to deal with a medical emergency?” Their answer will show you how they think on their feet. A good sitter will describe a specific incident and what they did.
Write down their answers right after the call. Don’t rely on memory — three interviews start to blur together.
Step 3: Invite the best candidates for a meet-and-greet with your dog
A dog sitter can look great on paper and still be a poor match for your particular dog. That’s why the meet-and-greet is non-negotiable, and it should happen in your home, on your dog’s turf.
Schedule it for 30 minutes. Start with neutral territory first — walk them and your dog together around the block. Watching someone handle a leash, react to a squirrel, and manage your dog’s pulling tells you more than an hour of conversation. After the walk, move inside. Let the sitter give your dog a treat. See how your dog reacts to them sitting on the sofa, opening the treat jar, and handling their food bowl.
This is also your chance to test their attention to detail. During the walk, mention that your dog doesn’t do well with skateboards. On the next block, are they keeping their head up and scanning the street? Or are they buried in their phone?
Setting up a real-world trial
If the meet-and-greet goes well, do a short paid trial sitting — a single walk or a two-hour afternoon visit. This isn’t about being cheap; it’s about observing how they handle your dog without you hovering. Greet them at the door with your dog already inside. Leave your dog’s harness and treats in a specific spot and see if they use them correctly. Ask them to take your dog on a walk and send you a couple of photos. Then watch how your dog behaves when they come back — does your pup seem relaxed or overly anxious?
Step 4: Check references like you’re hiring for a Fortune 500 company
Talk to at least two references, and don’t just ask “Did it go well?” Ask open-ended, behavior-based questions:
- “What did your dog like most about them?”
- “Was there anything that went wrong during the sitting? How did the sitter handle it?”
- “Did they follow your instructions exactly, or did they improvise?”
- “Would you book them again?”
If a candidate can’t provide direct references from individual pet owners — only platform reviews — treat that as a warning sign. It’s also worth asking if the sitter has ever looked after a dog with separation anxiety or a reactive dog. If they have, ask the reference how that went. For extra peace of mind, this is also the point where you might consider a GPS tracker for your dog — not because you don’t trust the sitter, but because it gives you real-time awareness during trial sittings. This tracker selection guide walks you through the options if that appeals to you.
Step 5: Create a detailed care plan together
Once you’ve chosen your sitter, don’t just text them a list of instructions two days before you leave. Sit down and write a structured care plan together. This document should cover:
- Daily schedule: feeding times, portion sizes, walk times, and approximate durations
- Behavioral commands your dog knows (and which ones to avoid)
- Known triggers: other dogs, bicycles, men with beards, thunder
- Emergency contacts: your vet, a backup emergency clinic, and a friend or family member who can step in
- Medication instructions in writing, including dosages and times
- Wire transfer or payment details if you’re paying a deposit
Go through the plan together over a phone call or in person. Let the sitter ask questions. If they don’t ask any, that’s a potential sign they’re not thinking deeply enough. You might also compare this to a home boarding arrangement if you’re considering boarding your dog at a sitter’s house instead. The pros and cons of pet sitting versus boarding can help you decide which setting suits your dog better.
Step 6: Do a dry run overnight
Before your actual trip, schedule a test overnight stay — either with the sitter coming to your house or your dog going to theirs. This isn’t an extra service you’re being cheeky about; it’s part of the vetting process. Many sitters include this in their fee structure, so it’s mutually beneficial.
Plan this dry run for a weekend when you can come home if things go badly. Have the sitter stick to your care plan exactly. When you return, don’t just ask “How did it go?” — you should get a full report: what time they walked, how much the dog ate, whether there were any accidents inside. And watch your dog’s body language for the rest of the day. Is he excited to see you but not glued to your side? That’s a good sign. If he’s anxious, won’t eat, or is hiding, something wasn’t right.
A dry run also works the other way. You’ll find out whether the sitter’s home environment suits your dog if they’re pet sitting at their place. That process shares a lot with formal boarding — which is why this step-by-step boarding guide is useful reading even if you’re leaning toward an in-home sitter.
Your trial-by-fire checklist
Before you finalise any sitter, make sure your gut and your checklist both tick these boxes:
- They passed the phone interview with specific, confident answers.
- They engaged with your dog during the meet-and-greet, not just with you.
- Their references gave concrete examples, not just glowing adjectives.
- They showed up on time for the trial walk and kept their phone away.
- They contributed to the care plan instead of just nodding along.
If a sitter stumbles on any of these, it’s not worth the risk. There are plenty of great ones out there — the vetting process is simply how you find them. Once you’ve found a dependable sitter, hang onto them. Send a thank-you message after a trip, pay them on time, and leave a thorough review. Good sitters get booked out months in advance. Having one on your team means you can actually relax when you’re away, which is the whole point.
