Start with who takes your dog, and who steps in first
Name two people, not one. The first is the person you want to care for your dog long term if you die or cannot look after him yourself. The second is a backup who can collect him within hours, feed him that night, and hold things together while longer arrangements are sorted. Write full names, phone numbers, and addresses for both, and say plainly that you have asked them and they have agreed. An instruction naming someone who has never been asked often fails at the worst moment, because that person may be allergic, live in a no-dogs building, or simply be unable to take on an animal. Talk to both carers while you are well, walk them through a normal day with your dog, and revisit the names whenever your circumstances or theirs change.
Describe a normal day in your dog's own terms
A new carer needs the day as your dog actually lives it, not a general idea of dog care. Write down what he eats, how much, and when, including the treats he expects and any food that upsets his stomach. Note his walk times, the route or park he knows, how he behaves on the lead, and whether he is nervous around traffic, children, or other dogs. Add the small things that settle him: where he sleeps, the toy he carries about, the command words he understands, and what frightens him during storms or fireworks. Mention his groomer, his usual boarding place if he has one, and any walker who already knows him, because familiar faces make a hard transition calmer for the dog as well as the people.
Point to the records a new carer will need
Say exactly where his paperwork lives. That includes his microchip number and the registry it is held with, his vaccination record, his vet's name and address, and a note of any ongoing health issue, recent treatment, or daily care need a vet has asked you to keep up. If he is insured, name the insurer and where the policy details are filed. Add a short veterinary history in your own words: operations he has had, reactions he has shown, and the signs that usually mean he is unwell. A carer who can hand a vet that summary at the first visit gives your dog continuity instead of a fresh start from guesswork, and it protects the carer from missing something you would have spotted straight away.
Cover money, belongings, and the short-term handover
Set aside a sensible amount for his first weeks of food, vet checks, and boarding if the handover takes time, and say where that money is to come from. List what travels with him: lead, collar, bed, crate if he uses one, remaining food, and any comfort item he would miss. For a sudden emergency rather than a death, add instructions for the first forty-eight hours: who holds a house key, who can authorise a vet visit, and how you want to be contacted if you are in hospital. Sign and date the document, keep the original with your will or important papers, and give copies to both named carers so the plan works even if your home cannot be reached. Keeping that same set of details gathered in KinsLe's Pet Passport means the carer you named receives his records as one ready packet rather than a trail of loose paperwork.