A Golden Retriever is easy to love and surprisingly easy to under-brief, because this sociable dog will happily improvise a new routine with a stranger if nobody writes the real one down. Leave the sitter a complete, Golden-specific handoff covering food, exercise, greetings, grooming, health notes, and who to call, so the dog who greets you at the door is the same settled dog when you return.
The Golden's day, hour by hour
A Golden Retriever thrives on a predictable rhythm, so write the actual times rather than vague instructions. Note when breakfast and dinner happen, the exact amount in the bowl, and where the food and measuring cup live, because Goldens are famously optimistic about second helpings and will perform hunger convincingly for anyone new. Add morning and evening walk lengths, the usual route, and toilet break timing, including the last outing before bed. Mention the commands this particular Golden knows for sit, wait, drop it, and come, using the exact words and hand signals you use at home.
Greetings, mouths, and manners with visitors
A Golden Retriever greets people like long-lost relatives, so the sitter needs your house rules in writing. Explain whether guests should wait for four paws on the floor before fussing the dog, and whether the dog is allowed on furniture or beds in your home. Goldens carry things in their mouths to show affection, so tell the sitter which soft toy to offer when the dog trots up holding a shoe, and which household items are never chew toys. Note any jumping, lead pulling, or excited barking at the doorbell that you are already working on, and the calm response you want repeated.
Coat, ears, and the shedding reality
A Golden Retriever's thick double coat sheds heavily and mats behind the ears and in the feathering on the legs and tail, so leave the brush and show the sitter a quick daily once-over. Ask for a brief ear check after any swim or bath, because those soft, hanging ears trap moisture, and note any history of ear discomfort, itching, or head shaking the vet already knows about. Add feeding notes about keeping human food and bin lids secure, because this breed's stomach and enthusiasm make scavenging a genuine risk on walks and in kitchens.
Health notes and who to call first
Leave your Golden Retriever's vet name, address, and number, plus an emergency clinic option for evenings and weekends, written where the sitter can find them without searching. Note any ongoing health observations you track at home, such as stiffness after long walks, skin itchiness, or a sensitive stomach, and what normal looks like for this dog so changes stand out. Write down your own contact details, a backup person nearby who knows the dog, and permission arrangements for urgent vet care if you cannot be reached quickly. Tell the sitter to call the vet promptly if the Golden refuses food for a full day, vomits repeatedly, seems unusually tired, limps and does not settle, or shows swelling around the belly, rather than waiting for your return to decide.
A short trial run before the real stay
A brief practice visit protects a Golden Retriever more than a long note alone. Have the sitter walk the dog once with you, feed one meal in your kitchen, and practise the door greeting, so the Golden links this person with normal, boring routines before you leave. Leave the written notes in one obvious place by the lead, not scattered across messages. When that Golden handoff lives in KinsLe's Care Pass, the sitter opens one packet and finds the meals, manners, coat care, and contacts exactly as you left them.