The Collie Brief Starts With Routine and Temperament
A sitter caring for a Collie needs to understand her temperament before her timetable, because this sensitive herding breed notices every change in the household. A sitter who knows the dog's emotional weather can keep small disruptions from becoming big ones.
Then set out her day in order. Give feeding times and amounts, her walking schedule, play and training games, rest periods, and the bedtime sequence she expects.
Coat Care for a Collie's Double Coat
Coat care is a headline item for a Rough Collie's sitter. Tell the sitter which brushes you use, how often you brush her at home, and to work gently in layers rather than dragging through knots. If she is a Smooth Collie, say so and adjust the routine, but do not let the sitter assume a short coat needs no attention at all.
Add bathing and drying guidance for wet-weather accidents, including the shampoo you supply and a warning never to clip or cut out a mat close to the skin. Ask the sitter to note heavy shedding, scratching, or sore-looking skin and to pass it to you, contacting your veterinarian if she develops obvious discomfort, ear scratching with odour, or a hot, irritated patch. Note her usual grooming tolerance too, since some Collies stand happily and others need breaks and rewards through a session.
Walks, Herding Instinct, and Traffic Notes
Explain how a Collie behaves outdoors so the sitter is ready for herding behaviour in everyday settings. Many Collies try to gather children, joggers, cyclists, or other dogs, and some fixate on moving traffic. State clearly where she may be off lead and where she stays on, and describe her harness or lead setup.
Include her exercise amounts honestly: how long her main walk runs, whether she has a second outing, and which games tire her mind as well as her legs. Collies are athletes with busy brains, so add the indoor work she enjoys — scent games, training refreshers, food puzzles — for days when weather shortens a walk. A sitter who can offer mental work will avoid the pacing and barking that a bored Collie uses to organise the household herself.
People, Dogs, and Household Instructions
Describe your Collie's social rules in plain terms. If she is reserved with strangers, tell the sitter not to force introductions and to let her approach in her own time. Mention any resource guarding around food or favourite resting spots, and where she is fed so meals stay peaceful.
Finish the household section with feeding specifics, treat rules, toilet routine, and where everything lives: food, brushes, towels, cleaning supplies for muddy paws. Add your contact details, a local backup contact, and your veterinarian's name and number, plus guidance on when to call the vet during the stay — for example repeated vomiting, refusal of food beyond a day in a dog who normally eats well, or limping that does not improve with rest.
Consistency Is the Kindest Gift to a Collie
A Collie settles for a sitter when nothing important feels improvised: the same cues, the same coat care, the same walk order, and a person who was warned about her sensitivities before they appeared. Writing that down turns your knowledge of her into the sitter's working plan. With KinsLe, sharing a Care Pass gives your sitter temporary access to your Collie's routine and key details while you are away, so her brushing, herding walks, and quiet evenings continue just as she expects.