Fish Treats for Pet Sitters: What to Leave and What to Say

Fish treats for pet sitters come down to one rule: you decide the amount, and the sitter follows it. Leave the day's share already weighed, the bag resealed, and a short note covering fresh water, clean hands after raw fish, and watching the dog while it eats.

What should a pet sitter know about fish treats?

Start with what the fish are. The sardines, sardine heads and anchovies are freeze-dried raw, in small batches, made in Malvern, Pennsylvania from imported fish. Say so on the note in plain words.

The sardine heads listing gives the line to copy: "This is raw fish, so wash your hands after handling it." The sardines and anchovies are freeze-dried raw too, so the line belongs on the note whichever bag you leave.

Next, tell the sitter these are treats and toppers. The anchovy listing says they are not a complete and balanced diet, so they never replace a meal. Every listing also asks for fresh water and for supervision while the dog eats.

Last, tell the sitter that you set the amounts and you want them followed. Here is a note that carries the whole plan:

The day's share, already weighed, in its own container
Pieces broken ahead, handed out one at a time
Fresh water out, and eyes on the dog while it eats
Hands washed after touching the fish
Bag resealed and back in its cool, dry spot

Tape it to the bag, the way you would tape the jump-start instructions inside the glovebox.

How much fish should the sitter give each day?

Give the sitter a weight, not a count. The anchovy listing says size, shape and color vary from fish to fish, and the sardine listing calls its fish small to medium. A "handful" or "five pieces" would mean different things from one day to the next.

Where does the weight come from? Your veterinarian's number comes first. Without one, use the treat calculator on the sardine page. The calculator starts at 10 percent of the day's calories, a default for dogs that its note credits to VCA's treat guidance. For the fish itself, the bag says: "Metabolizable Energy: 3,347 kcal ME/kg (approximately 94.9 kcal/oz)."

Work out the daily share before you go. Then weigh out one portion for each day and tell the sitter that is the whole share, with nothing added on top. For the scale itself, see how to weigh fish treats.

A sitter who wants to be generous needs a plain answer: fish is one part of the share, and any other treat that day comes out of the same budget.

How should the sitter handle freeze-dried raw fish?

Break the pieces to the size you want before you leave, because the sardine listing says to break sardines into smaller pieces for rewards and the anchovy listing says the same. Then the sitter only has to hand pieces over.

After touching the fish, the sitter washes their hands, as the heads listing asks. A second copy of that line by the sink keeps it in view.

A sitter should never need to guess about the dog's history with fish. If the dog has never had it, that is a conversation for you and your veterinarian well before you leave, not something to try for the first time with a stranger holding the bag. The anchovy listing says, "If your dog has had trouble with seafood before, ask your veterinarian first." Put that line, or its meaning, on the note.

Where should the bag stay while you are away?

Closed, cool and dry. Both the sardine and anchovy listings ask for the same three things: a resealed bag, a cool and dry spot, and no refrigerator. Tell the sitter exactly that and point to the spot in your kitchen where the bag lives.

For anything longer than that, the storage guide holds the details, so the note can stay short.

What does the sitter need to know about the cat?

If there is a cat in the house, keep this part short and put the vet in charge. The sardine listing says cats too, and to break the fish up or crumble it. That is all the listing says about cats.

Only the cat's veterinarian sets how much fish the cat gets. The 10 percent calculator default is for dogs, so it does not apply to the cat. Leave the cat's amount as whatever your cat's vet gave you, and say plainly that the sitter should not add to it.

If you are unsure what to write, leave the fish for the dog only and tell the sitter the cat gets none. A short note that says no is easy to follow.

Questions

Should I weigh the fish out before I leave?

Yes, and label each portion by day. A weighed share gives the sitter nothing to calculate and nothing to estimate. The weighing guide linked above shows how to do it at home, and your veterinarian's number takes priority over the calculator's.

Does the same note work for a dog walker?

Mostly. A walker needs the same weight rule, so cut the note down to the pieces for the outing, the wash-your-hands line and watching the dog eat. You can hand over just the pieces in a small container, and the walker never has to open the bag.

Can the sitter use the fish as a topper?

The sardine listing says to crumble the fish as a topper, and the anchovy listing calls them a treat or topper. If you want that, say so on the note and weigh the topper portion into the day's share. Otherwise the sitter may count it twice.

What should the note say about seafood trouble?

Copy the anchovy listing's seafood line, quoted in the handling section above, onto the note word for word. If that applies to your dog, talk to the vet before you leave any fish at all, and write down their answer for the sitter.

Can I leave the calculator's number for the sitter?

You can, once you have checked it with your veterinarian. The calculator's 10 percent is a default for dogs, and your vet's number wins. Write the final weight on the note in ounces or grams, not the percent, so the sitter never has to do the math.