Hello, Before Covid, I used to always invite potential clients inside the house. But now I do meet and greet outside, and when they drop their pups I invite them inside. I was wondering what other people are doing? What is the best practice?
Doing a meet & greet outside seems perfectly appropriate (especially since prior to 2020, it was considered best practice to start meet&greet outside anyway). One of the reasons to invite the humans inside during the meet&greet would be to observe the dog off leash and their owner could warn against anything particularly unique that may need to be addressed for their dog (along the lines of "my dog will howl if there's a ceiling fan") However, the owners can see photos of your home from your profile.
Once you have booked the service, I don't see the need to invite the humans inside. I've even heard that adds more anxiety because the dog will smell their humans' scent in the home and not be able to find them anywhere. I'd suggest to meet them outside or at your door and immediately take the dog(s) for a walk. At that time, the owners can decide if it's best for their dog if they join you or they leave while the dog is distracted with walking with you (which is often the preferred option).
I will not do meet and greets at this time, especially with the new COVID varient. I have pictures of my home and yard on my profile and I will do a virtual tour via Zoom or Skype and have the owner call me to chat. We do not get paid for meet and greets so I do not feel guilty for protecting myself and my family. I know the apple Rover app has a camera feature to chat w clients. I am still waiting for them to create one for Android.
It's up to you. I still conduct meet and greets in my home. My sitting area is at the front so it's a tad easier for me. I require masks and offer one if they don't have. I also have hand sanitizer by the front door. This is stated at the beginning of my profile and in my response when someone inquires about care. So far I've had no issues.
I do a meet and greet at a park that is neutral territory for both dogs. When the owner comes to drop off their dog(s) for a stay at my home, I have them come to our fenced-in backyard first. That way the dog can get to know my dog's scent before actually meeting my dog. Then I let my dog out in the yard so the 2 can meet in a large enough space they won't feel confined. Then once that has gone well, I invite everyone inside and see how it goes from there. I don't allow the guest dogs upstairs at night when we are sleeping, so those stairs are gated off. Otherwise, since I work from home, I allow all the dogs free roam of my home and the fenced-in backyard during the day, weather permitting.