I would recommend listing that detail of your service in your About You section, possibly near the beginning so it's one of the first things a potential client sees? Another option would be to change your tagline from "Pups are Life" to something that mentions you can take little boarders. Pups for Life is a cute tagline though, just saying that's another spot you could list it.

Sorry, want to chime in. I didn't say write a bad review, all I said was honest. If a potential client is looking at a sitter's reviews and one says "once I asked for a photo update, I got one but *petsname seemed happy when I was home", that gives insight to how that sitter runs their business

Another thing that might help is bringing in business cards to the vet that you take your pup to. Peanut's adorable! they might be willing to display some cards for you in front of other pet owners. Good luck!

That's highly unusual, and being a sitter yourself I'm sure you've had those moments of "Oh my gosh I'm going to send this picture to a furbaby's parent and they're gonna love it." Moving forward I would perhaps just suggest that you ask your sitters for a certain number of updates a day. It is not unreasonable to ask for updates, sounds like this sitter is slacking and not giving your pet the actual love and attention they need. I'm sorry to hear this and it might save future clients if you write a honest review that goes over their actions, or better yet, the lack thereof.

maybe we're part of a black mirror episode...yikes

Building off of what Lenna said, I'd recommend telling someone, such as a partner or family member in confidence where you're going to the Meet and Greet. I always write down the address in my planner back home. It's also good to ask questions on the platform before meeting, sometimes the responses from the client can tip you off if something's amiss (examples include they aren't giving much information about their pets/being vague about services). There's been a few posts about scam requests, good idea to watch out for oddly phrased sentences and lots of spelling errors. Best of luck and trust your gut!

I agree with Lisa and Deb. I like to make it seem like I wasn't there. I generally change the trash, at least strip the bed, wipe the floors and bathroom area, and take care of any dishes I used. Hope it's a good stay!

Is the younger one a puppy? Puppies are odd little creatures that don't really know how things work. they might be waiting for the other one to finish because they're watching to see how it's done? If the younger dog is a rescue, perhaps it's had some poor experiences when it came to feeding time in the past and that's why they're cautious/hovering/protective/uncertain? It might also just be a dominance thing, I don't know if your older dog is super alpha but it could be that the younger dog is waiting its turn, based on the alpha? I'm no expert but those are the possible reasons that come to mind. It might just take time, especially if this dog is a new addition to the household. It could be you increase the distance between the dogs, that way the younger one isn't distracted? Best of luck!

Yah, that's true. Sometimes it's just business. Yay sunshine! At last!

Thanks Lisa that's a good point too

Oh my gosh that sounds horrifying haha and totally understandable, can't get along with everyone. thanks Lenna! Woot woot fellow coloradoean!...coloradist? eh . regardless :p

Thanks Walt!

Thank you Deb! I guess being the first time I've done it, I'm feeling off about it. But it's nice to know that turning down clients after an initial meet IS something that happens. And those are all really good details to note in order to determine a good fit.

Hey there fellow sitters, and happy new year! I had a question regarding your experiences in turning down a client and their dog after a meet and greet. How often has that happened for you? Do you ever feel a little guilty over it? What are the reasons you've turned a pup down after meeting them?

I've only been doing this since September but have seen most of my weekends booked since I've started. Last Saturday I had a meet and greet with someone who had reached out to me and had informed me right away that her pup was a bit of a talker and that he can get protective of his space. I told her that shouldn't be a problem but I'd like to try and acquaint myself with the dog, perhaps build a new budding friendship, and make sure this would be something that worked out. While I wanted to be hopeful during the meeting, I couldn't shake the feeling that once I was left alone with this dog, I'd be nervous being around him, and thus that nervousness would feed onto him and change his behavior. Based on his movements, his huffs, the way his tail stood..All of it just made me feel uneasy. So a day after the M&G I reached out to the owner and apologized for the time spent and for any misunderstandings, but that I didn't think I was capable enough to take care of her dog. I had also given her the support line in hopes that they would help find a different sitter.

I was just curious if other sitters have had these moments before as well, if they've followed their gut feeling, or anything else.

I truly believe I made the right decision but a small part of me still feels a little guilty and a little disappointed in myself for doubting my abilities.

Yah, I can delete the photos I've personally uploaded. Unfortunately any pictures that I sent to clients don't show up on that editing page. It's like they're there, but not there. haha Beforehand I could display my favorites up top, with updates sent to clients further down. I'm just grumbly :p

Personally, I'm not too fond of the merging of photos. When I look at my profile my uploaded photos are in front of all the updates I had sent my clients and it's all just lumped together. Seems more disorganized. Wish that those had stayed separate. Or even if I could edit/adjust those in some way. Definitely a bummer that there was no communication from the bigwigs.

I ask my clients after the booking if I can share the pictures on other media outlets, as a courtesy.

Hey Brianna, took a quick glance at your profile and here's what I saw.

There's a line in your About You that reads "I hope to be able to meet new dogs and dog parents, am reliable and eager to meet new fur friends." I'd recommend rewriting that a little, as the sentence seems a bit repetitive.

Also it might be a good idea to add a bit more in the section "when Brianna watches your dog". Perhaps include other activities you could partake in with someone's pet, such as tummy rubs and owner approved treats? I have met a couple owners who are hesitant about the dogs being taken on a walk, if it's a shorter sitting assignment, as some breeds (cough cough huskies) can be little escape artists. In those situations offer an alternative such as playing fetch in the backyard? Clients want to know that you'll follow their care instructions and will keep their family safe while they're away.

Best of luck!