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How do you handle meet and greets with current guest dogs in the house?

I have two resident dogs in my home, so meet and greets prior to the stay are a requirement for all boarding stays. How do I handle meet and greets with potential clients when I have guest dogs staying in the home?

For example, I have a dog staying through the weekend who does not get along with most other dogs (she prefers other huskies, which my dogs are). I have someone who would like to book a stay for next weekend and who can only do a meet and greet this weekend - would it be ok to kennel the current guest dog, who is quite calm and easy going besides her preference of dog breeds, upstairs during the meet and greet? I don't want to cause any unnecessary stress for either dog, but also don't want to miss out on a potential stay for next weekend. The meet and greets are usually only about half an hour, and much of that time is spent in the backyard.

Thanks for any advice!

6 Answers

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I have left guest dogs that will not be present during the potential guests stay either kenneld or closed in a back bedroom of the house. Sometimes they will bark because they can hear the 'fun' going on, and I explain the situation to the owner at the M&G and I've never been met with a negative reaction.

Another option would be to schedule the M&G with the potential dog and your dogs at a nearby park, while leaving the current guest dog in whatever situation you normally do when leaving the house. If the M&G with the dogs goes well, you can invite the owner to your house without her dog and explain that you don't want to stress out your current guest with additional visitors.

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If the dog is accustomed to being kenneled, then I don't see why it would be considered stressful for the guest dog, Since most of the M&G is spent in the backyard, another approach would be to start it out there, leave your dogs and the M&G dog in the yard (which I assume is safe/fenched-in) while you briefly show your home to the client with your current guest dog unkenneled inside. This owner should appreciate the precautions you are taking and how well you understand the behaviors of the dogs under your care.

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I always have our Meet and greets in our Condo where the new guest dog will be later on. If we have a guest dog at that time, my wife will take the current dog for a ride in the car for the half hour. We want to know how the dog reacts to me, not with other dogs.

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I try not to let potential guest dogs meet current guest dogs unless they will be here at the same time. (I have some regulars.) When I do let them meet, it is only after I have met the dog for a bit and things have gone well. Guest dogs are either kenneled, out in my room, or taken for a walk by my husband. I start Meet and Greets in outside in the front and backyards. We only go inside briefly.

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I personally kennel everyone until I'm 100% confident they'll get along. I'll let my resident dog meet them. However even after the meet and greet I don't allow them to immediately interact with each other. because for the new dog they're kinda stressed out from leaving their home and being at new place etc. I'll wait till next day after long run, then we can do more one on one time with dogs. Also if the other dog doesn't like other breeds, just be aware it'll be very stressful on you to keep them separated/ supervisored constantly. So yes it's more money but is it really worth it?

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I always put the other dogs outside when I have a client arriving to pick up, drop off, or do a meet and greet. If the client is coming to take a look around, then I am more likely to kennel the dogs, so they are contained even when we go outside to look around.

Some days I just have my chihuahua at home, though, so I will just kick her out the back door and let her run loose as she is very good at following commands, and I know that if I tell her to leave us alone or go back outside, that she will. That also gives me a way to show clients that I keep friendly, well-behaved dogs here. =)

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You should first do a parallel walk with the both of them so that they don't go right on face to face. Parallel walking is pretty much taking them outside to a park on leash and walk them side by side so that they get used to each other's presence. After doing that and they get comfortable, keep them on leash and put them in a pen So that they can meet/play with each other face to face.