A sitter caring for a Bernese Mountain Dog needs written information built around three breed realities: this is a very large dog, its stomach is sensitive, and its thick black coat makes heat a genuine limit. A friendly one-page summary plus a fuller care sheet gives the sitter enough to keep your Berner fed, rested, and calm without guessing, and it gives you a sitter who knows which changes are normal for this dog and which ones need a phone call.
Feeding Notes a Bernese Sitter Must Not Improvise
Write down the exact food, the measured amount per meal, and feeding times for your Bernese Mountain Dog, because free-feeding or generous top-ups upset this breed's stomach quickly. List the only treats allowed and where they are stored, and say plainly that table scraps are off limits even when the dog deploys its most pleading stare. Include the rest rule: no running, rough play, or stairs-chasing for a good stretch after meals, since deep-chested giant breeds should settle while food digests. Tell the sitter what normal stools look like for your dog and what a change looks like, so a stomach upset is reported early rather than discovered in a rug.
Walking and Heat Limits for a Heavy-Coated Giant
Tell the sitter that a Bernese Mountain Dog tires faster and overheats sooner than its size suggests. Walks should be moderate, on softer ground where possible, and shifted to early morning or evening in warm weather, with water offered during and after. Describe the signs your dog shows when it has had enough — heavy panting, lagging, seeking shade — and instruct the sitter to end the walk there, not at the planned route's end. Note the harness or collar the dog walks in and how much pull to expect when a squirrel appears, because a determined Berner can unbalance an unprepared handler.
Health Watch Points to Put in Writing
Give the sitter a short list of call-the-vet-now signs specific to a large, deep-chested Bernese Mountain Dog: restlessness with unproductive retching, unusual drooling, pacing, or a tight, swollen-looking abdomen all warrant an immediate vet call, day or night. Add the slower signals too — skipped meals, new limping after rest, hot spots under the dense coat, or a dog that is suddenly clingier or more withdrawn than usual. Include your vet's name, address, and number, the nearest emergency clinic, and your own contact order: who gets called first, and who can authorize treatment and collect the dog if you cannot be reached quickly.
Home Routine, Coat Care, and Temperament
Explain where your Bernese Mountain Dog sleeps, which furniture is allowed, and the daily rhythm the dog expects, since Berners are devoted, routine-loving dogs that can pine when the pattern breaks. Note the brushing routine — even a few minutes working through the thick coat during the stay prevents matting behind the ears and around the legs — and where brushes, towels for wet paws, and cleaning supplies live. Warn the sitter that the dog will likely follow them from room to room and lean against their legs; that is normal Berner affection, not a problem to solve. Leave door and gate habits too, because a dog this size can push through a carelessly latched gate.
Contacts and Permissions, All in One Place
Finish the handover with a single contacts block: your phone and travel details, a nearby friend or family member who knows the dog, the vet, the emergency clinic, and a neighbor who can help if the sitter is ever locked out with a hundred-pound dog on a leash. State who may make medical decisions in your absence and any limit you want respected before you are consulted. KinsLe's Care Pass hands your Bernese Mountain Dog's sitter temporary, clear access to exactly this routine and contact set, so nothing important depends on a sitter's memory of one conversation.