A sitter caring for a Doberman needs information that respects what this dog is: physically powerful, deeply loyal, sensitive to its owner's absence, and not a dog a novice handler should learn on the job. Your handover should be candid about strength and behavior, precise about commands and routines, and clear that the sitter — ideally someone the dog already knows — can call you or your vet early and without hesitation.
Strength and Leash Handling, Stated Honestly
Tell the sitter exactly how your Doberman behaves on a walk: how hard it pulls when it sees another dog or a squirrel, which harness or headcollar setup you use, and the routes you favor or avoid. Explain your handling plan for the hard moments — crossing the street, turning away, using a known command — because a Doberman can pull an unprepared adult off balance. State that the dog is walked only by the sitter, never handed to a neighbor or teenager mid-stay, and is off leash only in your secured yard if that is your rule. This honesty protects the sitter, the dog, and everyone you pass.
Visitors, Deliveries, and the Protective Instinct
Describe how your Doberman responds to people arriving: the barking at the door is expected, but the sitter needs your exact protocol for deliveries, tradespeople, and guests — whether the dog is put behind a gate, held on leash, or introduced in a set way. Note how the dog is with children and other dogs in honest terms, including any situations you simply avoid. Dobermans read their household's mood closely, so tell the sitter to keep arrivals calm and predictable, and to never encourage guarding games or rough play that rehearses the wrong job.
Exercise, Training, and Keeping the Mind Occupied
Set out the daily exercise your Doberman needs to settle — the walk lengths, play, and training time — and list the commands the dog knows in the words you use, from recall and leave it to the settle cue for the evening. A Doberman with nothing to do becomes anxious and inventive, so include the indoor occupations you allow: the chew items kept in the house, search games, and short training sessions the sitter can run with the treats you have portioned. Warn the sitter that this breed sulks and pines; a dog that shadows them, checks the door, or eats less on the first day is often homesick rather than ill, though appetite loss that persists gets reported.
Meals, Rest, and Health Watch Points
Record measured meals and times, and include the calm-after-eating rule: no hard exercise or excited play right after a meal for a deep-chested Doberman. Give the sitter the urgent list in plain language — pacing, retching without result, heavy drooling, or a tight, blown-up-looking belly means an emergency vet call immediately — alongside your vet's details, the emergency clinic, and who nearby can help transport a large dog. Note normal gait and energy so stiffness or reluctance to rise is caught, and describe any regular care routine exactly as you perform it, in the order you perform it.
The Trial Walk and the Trust Check
Require a trial before the real stay: the sitter walks your Doberman with you, handles the door routine, and runs the evening commands while you watch. If the dog does not listen to the sitter or the sitter is not confident holding the leash, change the plan while you still can — a trusted boarding facility or a more experienced sitter is the right call, not a hope. KinsLe's Care Pass delivers your Doberman's strength notes, visitor protocol, and emergency contacts to the sitter as one temporary handover, so a powerful dog's care is never left to guesswork.