Talk about the dog before anyone is hired
For some helpers, regular handling of a dog runs against religious or personal practice, and discomfort with this is a real and common reason a placement doesn't work out. Raising the question plainly during the matching conversation, rather than assuming it will be fine, respects both the household's needs and the candidate's own limits.
If a candidate is uncomfortable, that's useful information early, not a problem to argue past. Some households adjust the role so a family member handles direct dog care while the helper takes on other duties; others look for a candidate who is comfortable with the arrangement from the start. Either path works better decided before the first day than negotiated after it.
Write the dog-care routine into the schedule
Once you have someone comfortable with the arrangement, treat dog care as a normal, scheduled duty: feeding times, water, walks, and cleanup after meals or accidents. A written routine avoids the drift that happens when care depends on whoever remembers.
Include what happens outside the routine too: who takes the dog to the vet, who's responsible if it's unwell, and what happens during the family's travel or the helper's own rest day. A dog's needs don't pause when the household's schedule changes.
Set hygiene and safety expectations clearly
Agree on handwashing after contact, whether the dog is allowed in bedrooms or the kitchen, and how food for the dog is kept separate from the household's own food preparation. These are ordinary hygiene points, not signs of mistrust.
Also agree what happens if the helper is bitten, scratched, or simply startled by the dog's behaviour, including who she tells and what the household does next. A dog that's unfamiliar with a new household member can take time to settle, and a plan for the early weeks avoids confusion later.