Checklist tips for holiday pup sitters

WHILE many are looking forward to a holiday in the sun this year, for many it will be the first time they will be leaving their pups with a sitter.

The Covid lockdowns spurred a boom in pet ownership, with around 3.2 million puppies bought during the pandemic up and down the UK.

For these owners, leaving their furry friends for the first time can be stressful, however Lorna Winter Director of the UK Dog Behaviour and Training Charter and co-founder and head of training at puppy training app, Zigzag, offers a go-to check-list for your puppy-sitter to ensure your pup feels happy, safe and comfortable in your absence.

1. A comfy bed or crate: Keeping things the same when your puppy goes to a new house will help them to settle if they have a comfortable place to snooze that they can call their own.

2. Something that smells of you: Giving your dogsitter a t-shirt that you’ve been wearing will also have a calming effect on your puppy.

3. Toys and games: Puzzle toys use a pup’s cognitive skills to solve food dispensing puzzles. They're a really fun way for the dogsitter to play along with your puppy and interact with them.

4. Lots of chews: Puppies need to chew a lot, pack plenty of chews so that your dogsitter doesn’t get their furniture eaten, or their shoes. Natural chews that take a while to get through. Buffalo and cow ears are good for this and not too greasy as well as ostrich tendons and buffalo skins. Chew sticks which are softer and easier to chew such as fish skins, venison sticks and turkey sticks are great for keeping them busy for a short while, or putting in stuffed chew toys.

4. Stuffed chew toys: Let your dog minder know that they will have an easier life if your puppy can eat out of a stuffed chew toy. These toys can also be frozen to help pups cool down or to help soothe sore gums.

5. Treats for training: Your dogsitter probably can’t be expected to do much training with your puppy, but remind them to reward good behaviour from your puppy, as this will help to carry on the good work you’ve been doing. Cut the treats up small so the dogsitter doesn’t need to fuss about with them too much.

6. Your pup's favourite toys: Give them their favourite toy so they can snuggle up to it at night.

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