where should meet and greets happen?
I'm scheduling my first booking for dog boarding and would like to know the best place for a meet and greet! The owners house or a park? Thank you for any help!
3 Answers
Location depends on the service being provided. If a dog is being boarded in my home, then I prefer to have the meet and greet here. It will give the owner a chance to visit the property, and I can see how the dog reacts around my pets and in my house.
Rover recommends a neutral location, like a park. However, like Jessica, I have all my potential boarders come to my home so that they can see where their furbaby will stay. While we talk, I can observe how their dog checks out the house (is he a marker?) and how he gets along with my own dog.
Going to the client's home, if you are boarding their dog, serves no purpose because dogs act differently at home. If you have your own dog and want to start the introductions at a neutral location by meeting at a nearby park, then you can bring them back to your home to complete the M&G.
I am a Boarding sitter only. Here's my procedure for Meet and Greets:
I have a big, fenced-in back yard and two dogs of my own, and prefer to host Meet and Greets outside (where everyone can run around and no one feels trapped). I tell owners we will start outside and encourage them to dress appropriately; we live in Illinois - who knows what the weather will be?
1) M&G starts with just the potential guest and his/her owner with me in the back yard.
2) After potential guest has had a chance to sniff around and mark some areas, I let out my own Dog #1.
3) When these two have finished sniffing each other and - in the best of worlds - are ignoring each other, I let out Dog #2.
4) The owner and I chat for 10-15 minutes while I keep a close eye on all canines.
5) Owner and guest are invited into the house to check that out.
6) We say goodbye
After 30 minutes or so I send a note via Rover that says something like "It was so nice to meet you and Rover this afternoon! I look forward to hosting him!"
I hope this is useful for you!
Comments
I don't see anywhere on the Rover Site where you can request a greet and meet unless you actually book a service date. I'm sorry , but I think you should be able to book a meet and greet with the person you choose before you book your dates
You can request a date, but you don't have to finalize the booking and pay until after the meet-and-greet has occurred. The stay can be rejected by either party.
The sitter has to set the meet and greet, not the owner. I wouldn't pay until after the meet and greet. Carmen, your set up sounds nice! Like a private dog park :)