A sitter caring for a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel needs information about companionship above all, because this breed was shaped to be near its people and can be genuinely miserable when left alone for long stretches. Your handover should set honest expectations about company, then cover the practical layer: measured feeding, ear and coat care, moderate exercise, and the health changes a sitter should report to you and your vet without delay.
How Much Company Your Cavalier Actually Needs
Tell the sitter the longest your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is normally left alone and what the dog does with that time — sleeps contentedly, waits by the door, or frets and vocalizes. Explain the leaving routine that works: the same words, the same treat, the same room setup, so departures feel ordinary rather than alarming. Describe where the dog sleeps and whether it expects to be on a lap or beside someone in the evening, because a Cavalier denied its usual closeness may not settle at night. If the sitter works away from home, agree the plan now — a midday visit from a friend or the dog going along — rather than discovering the mismatch mid-stay.
Feeding a Spaniel That Gains Weight Easily
Write the exact food and measured amounts for your Cavalier, with a firm note that extra treats add up fast on a small dog that asks beautifully. Many Cavaliers will happily eat a second dinner if two people each assume the other has not fed them, so include a simple fed-and-done marker the sitter can tick off. List safe treats, foods that upset your dog's stomach, and the feeding spot and bowl routine. Note normal appetite clearly, because a Cavalier that skips meals or seems uninterested in food it usually loves is giving information worth passing to you the same day.
Ears, Coat, and Everyday Checks
Those long, feathered ears are this breed's signature and its main grooming task, so show the sitter how you lift and check them and what a healthy ear looks and smells like. Head shaking, scratching at an ear, or a sour smell means the sitter should tell you promptly and follow your vet's guidance rather than applying anything at home. Add the brushing routine — a few minutes through the chest, ears, and leg feathering prevents tangles — and the wet-weather plan of towel-drying ears and paws after walks. A quick daily once-over while the dog is on a lap covers coat, ears, and general mood in one calm habit.
Walks, Stairs, and Comfortable Limits
Cavaliers need real but moderate exercise, so describe your normal walk length and pace and ask the sitter to watch for a dog that lags, sits down, or breathes harder than usual — those are stop-and-rest signals, not stubbornness. Mention heat caution on warm days, since even this longer-nosed spaniel struggles when it is hot and humid. Note any household specifics: stairs your dog should be carried on, furniture it is allowed on, and the harness you use to protect its neck. Flag coughing during excitement or at rest, unusual tiredness, or reduced interest in walks as changes to report promptly, since a sitter who knows your dog's normal cheerfulness spots a dull day early.
The People and Numbers That Matter
Finish with your vet's details, the emergency clinic, your contact order, and a nearby person your Cavalier already knows, because a familiar face is the best remedy if the dog is unsettled. State who can authorize vet care in your absence and leave the feeding chart and daily notes in one obvious place. KinsLe's Care Pass hands your Cavalier's sitter temporary access to the companionship expectations, feeding chart, and contact list together, so your spaniel's comforts do not depend on anyone remembering a doorstep conversation.