Hi Jessica -
I've been sitting through Rover for a little over a year now. I've had mostly good experiences, though each new client and dog teaches me a little bit more about how to ensure successful stays. ALWAYS do a meet and greet. Skipping this step is the best way to make yourself (and potentially the dogs in your care) miserable. As a boarder with dogs of my own, it's critical to make sure our guests are going to get along well with my dogs. Beyond that, I need to know how they're going to behave around my partner and I, and whether or not they'll be comfortable in our house. The most benign things, like a scary ceiling fan or skylight, the type of flooring, or the presence of neighbor dogs may be a deal-breaker for some dogs. The only time I've foregone a M&G and not regretted it at least a little was for a daycare client coming in from out of town. He got along well with everyone and we had a blast, but I was also fully prepared to keep him separated and entertained in the event he wasn't a great fit. If I'm not prepared for that outcome, I will not skip a M&G.
Also, stick to your instincts. If you have a bad feeling about a stay, decline it. You don't have to have a great reason; I've declined stays when I've had a period of being really busy just because I know that I need a bit of down time. My dogs also need a rest sometimes. They're sharing their space, too, and eventually it wears on them, especially with higher energy dogs or dogs they don't know well. While they might be fine with one of our regulars, I'm not going to ask them to accept a bouncy new dog when they've already spent the past couple weeks sharing their space because I know they won't be on their best behavior, and honestly, neither will I. But really, anything that gives you pause is reason enough to listen to your gut. You want to establish a good client base with dogs you love to watch, and accepting stays you aren't totally comfortable with is a surefire way to burn out.