Is it normal to feel guilty leaving your dog for the first time?

Yes. Two of the reviews on my profile start in exactly that place: a first time away, and nervous about it. The feeling usually lasts until the first update arrives, which is why I send one early on day one.

Should I do a shorter stay first?

If you are planning a long trip, a shorter first stay is a good idea. A day of doggy day care or a single night lets your dog learn the place, and lets you see how they do, before the big one. We can plan it at the meet and greet.

Will my dog be around other dogs?

Usually, yes, including my three pugs. Introductions are slow and supervised, dogs are separated when needed, and meals are always apart. If your dog does better on their own, tell me at the meet and greet.

Can you give my dog medication?

Yes. I can administer medication, and senior dogs and dogs with special needs are always welcome. Write down the dose and timing and bring it in its original container.

Leaving your dog for the first time: what actually helps

By Tyler VOctober 16, 20265 min read

Tyler holding Angel, a French Bulldog guest, over his shoulder at his home in Lathrop

Leaving your dog for the first time goes best when four things happen: your dog meets the sitter before the stay, their routine travels with them, drop-off is short and calm, and you get real updates from day one. Most of the worry belongs to you, not the dog, and it usually fades once the first photo arrives.

I'm Tyler, and I care for dogs and cats full time out of my home in Lathrop. A lot of the owners I meet are doing this for the first time. Here is exactly how I set up a first stay, and what the owners who have been through it said afterward.

Start with a meet and greet, not a booking

The most useful thing you can do before the first stay is let your dog meet the sitter on an ordinary day, with you right there. It turns the stay from a stranger's house into a place they have already sniffed.

Every stay with me starts this way. You send a request with your dates and a photo of your pet, I reply with a meet and greet time (usually the same day), and you come to my home in Lathrop in the morning, 8 to 10 AM, or the late evening, 8 to 10 PM.

Bring your dog and look around. See the fenced yard, see where they would sleep, and let them meet my three pugs, who run the welcome committee. Watch how your dog reacts. You will learn more in fifteen minutes than from any listing.

For Angel L., Kony's stay was the first time leaving him. The review afterward:

"After meeting Tyler, our dog took to him quickly which was very unusual."

Tell your sitter what you'd never think to write down

Your sitter can only keep the routine if they know it. Write down the things that feel too obvious to mention, because those are the ones that matter on night one.

Food: what, how much, and when. I feed every dog separately, so nobody guards a bowl or helps themselves to a neighbor's.
Bathroom habits: how they ask to go out, and how often they usually go.
Fears: thunder, the vacuum, being picked up, men in hats.
Sleep: crate, their own bed, or a spot on the floor. Dogs here sleep the way they sleep at home.
Medication: the dose, the time, and how they take it best.
The thing that makes them happy: a toy, a phrase, the spot behind one ear.

My request form has a box for exactly this, "Anything I should know?" It also asks what matters most to you in a sitter, and that answer is the first thing I read.

Jenny K.'s dog Deku usually takes a while with new people. After the stay:

"My dog is usually pretty solitary and takes time to warm up to new people, but he did so well with Tyler, which says a lot."

Pack their routine, not their whole room

Pack what keeps their days the same. A new place is enough change on its own.

Their regular food, so their stomach isn't adjusting along with everything else
Medication in its original container, with written instructions
A bed, blanket or worn shirt that smells like home
Their collar with an ID tag, and the leash they're used to
Your vet's name and number, and the best way to reach you while you're away

You can skip the giant bag of toys. Ask your sitter what they already have and bring one favorite.

Keep drop-off short and boring

A short, cheerful goodbye is kinder than a long one. Dogs pick up on how we're acting, and a drawn-out farewell tells them something is wrong.

Hand over the bag, go over anything that changed since the meet and greet, give your dog a pat, and go. Drop-off and pickup here happen in the same windows as the meet and greet, 8 to 10 AM or 8 to 10 PM, which keeps the handover in a calm part of the day.

Leaving your dog for the first time: the first day and night

The first day is about settling in, and a good sitter spends it watching more than doing.

Here, new dogs meet the other dogs slowly while I watch closely, and I separate them when needed. Meals happen apart. There are regular potty breaks, time in the fenced yard, and plenty of one-on-one attention. At night your dog sleeps where they're used to sleeping: their crate, their own bed, or a quiet spot of their own. You can read more about how a stay works here.

I keep my calendar small on purpose, so a first-timer is never one of a crowd.

Ask for updates, then let yourself relax

Before you leave, ask how and when you'll hear from your sitter. When you know what to expect, a quiet afternoon never makes you wonder.

I send photo updates every day. Cindi S. had never been away from Jur-nee before:

"This was my first time ever being away from my dog Jur-nee, and I was a bit nervous, but Tyler made me feel so comfortable and he kept me updated with pictures and telling me what she was doing throughout the whole day."

If a certain time of day suits you best, after a flight lands or before a long meeting, say so. It's an easy ask.

When your dog comes home

Expect a tired dog. A full stay of new smells, yard time and company is a lot, and plenty of dogs sleep it off that first evening home.

Satinder K. picked up two of them after a stay:

"Took them to the park as well and they were completely knocked out when they got back."

Give them a quiet night and their normal routine. If anything seems off beyond tiredness, call your vet.

Ready for the first stay?

Send a request with your dates and a photo of your dog, and I'll reply with a meet and greet time, usually the same day. I serve Lathrop, Manteca, Tracy, Stockton and Modesto, and you can read what other owners said in my reviews.

Questions owners ask

Is it normal to feel guilty leaving your dog for the first time?: Yes. Two of the reviews on my profile start in exactly that place: a first time away, and nervous about it. The feeling usually lasts until the first update arrives, which is why I send one early on day one.
Should I do a shorter stay first?: If you are planning a long trip, a shorter first stay is a good idea. A day of doggy day care or a single night lets your dog learn the place, and lets you see how they do, before the big one. We can plan it at the meet and greet.
Will my dog be around other dogs?: Usually, yes, including my three pugs. Introductions are slow and supervised, dogs are separated when needed, and meals are always apart. If your dog does better on their own, tell me at the meet and greet.
Can you give my dog medication?: Yes. I can administer medication, and senior dogs and dogs with special needs are always welcome. Write down the dose and timing and bring it in its original container.

Tyler sitting on his tailgate with a pug

Tyler V

In-home pet sitter in Lathrop, CA

Tyler cares for dogs and cats full time out of his home in Lathrop. He holds an enhanced background check, has 15 years of experience with dogs and cats, and can administer medication.