What to pack when boarding your dog

Bring your dog's regular food — switching brands mid-stay is the single most common cause of an upset stomach while boarding. Pre-portion each meal into labelled bags or a container marked with the daily amount.

• Enough food for the full stay plus two extra days in case of travel delays
• Pre-measured portions with written feeding times
• Bowls your dog already recognises, if you have spares
• Treats used for training, in a separate bag

Every medication should arrive in its original, labelled container with clear written dosing instructions. Send your vet's name, phone number and your dog's vaccination record so your sitter can act fast if anything comes up.

Sitter tip: Write the emergency contact on the bag itself, not only in a message thread — sitters shouldn't have to unlock a phone to find it.

Familiar smells settle a dog faster than a new toy. Send an unwashed t-shirt, their usual blanket and one favourite chew rather than a bag of unfamiliar extras.

• Bed or crate pad they sleep on at home
• One or two known-safe chews
• A worn item of your clothing
• Their own collar with up-to-date ID tags

• Rawhide and any chew that needs supervision you can't provide
• Brand-new toys your dog hasn't been tested with
• Expensive gear that can be lost at a dog park

Message your sitter a short routine summary the day before: wake time, walk length, meal times, recall word, and the behaviours that mean your dog is stressed. Paw-Stay keeps that conversation attached to the booking so your sitter can re-read it mid-stay.