Meet and Greets are critical to the success and enjoyment of a Pet Stay. It’s easy to get shy and to duck in, drop off your pet and leave again, but please don’t be.
Meet & Greets involve 2 things:
1) A Property Check (Pet Owners and Pet Sitters hold joint responsibility to do this and should go over the list together) and;
2) Discuss the experience of the Sitter and all the questions mentioned in the Pet’s Profile on PetCloud
The Pet Profile covers Identity, Food, Habits, Routine, and Health & Medical Vet/Emergency Information. As a Pet Owner, you need to have this information completed and ready for the Pet Sitter by the time to Meet & Greet rolls around so that the Sitter can make an informed decision about whether to go ahead with the job or whether there are flags around suitability or compatibility that may clash with the Sitter’s own family, pets, daily routine.
A few of the questions are below, however, you really need to head to the Pet Profile on PetCloud and ask the Pet Owner about each question.
1. How much food do I need to feed your dog? It’s very important to know the quantity and timing of the pet’s meal schedule. As a sitter you need to make sure that the owner has given you enough food for the pet stay duration. The timing is key when it comes to feeding a pet. If a dog is used to eating at 8 am and 5 pm then the sitter should feed the pet around those timings.
2. How many times does your dog go for a walk? Every dog needs it’s walks and you can tell by the excitement on their faces when you grab their leash. Make sure you ask the Owner how many times the dog needs to be walked and also add Dog walking as an extra service in your booking.
3. What are the commands used to control your dog? Sit, stand, stay, lie down and speak are few of the popular commands used to train dogs and as a pet sitter you need to know how to control the dog. Treats are very important to control a dog and the owner has to provide the treats they usually give to the dog.
4. Where does your dog sleep? This is a very important question as a few of our pet sitters have experienced sleepless nights just because the dog would want to sleep on the bed. It’s very important for a sitter to know where does the dog sleep and the owner needs to provide the dog’s bedding.
5. What does your dog like to play? Every dog has a different personality and they behave differently depending on their age. A lot of dogs love to fetch ball and some of them just like to get chased. The owner must provide you with toys the dogs likes to play with.
6. What does your dog like to chew on? I have learnt this from my experience that every dog has something that they usually chew on while you’re not watching. It could be your thongs, wires or cushions. You need to ask the pet owner so that you keep those things away from the dog’s reach.
7. Is your dog a social dog? As a pet sitter you might want to take the dog to a dog park and it’s important to know if the dog is shy or aggressive around other dogs. The last thing you want is the dog to attack another dog or get scared in a park.
8. Is your dog ok to be left home alone if I need to go out and do grocery shopping or if there are thunderstorms? As a pet sitter you should be able to go about your normal routine if you need to go grocery shopping. So you need to understand what the Pet Owners expectations are and realistically what you can commit to. If they are different, then either you need to help try to reset them or refer them back to the PetCloud support team so that we can help them find someone who is able to cater to their requirements. For example, if they have booked you for pet sitting but really they want you home for 24 hour supervised care at all times, because their dog suffers from separation anxiety and will try to scale your 6 foot fence, then they need to pay you to compenate you for your time to remain at home and allow you to even have groceries or home delivery meals ordered.
If you’re like me who loves dogs and can’t become an owner because of your busy schedule, then pet sitting is the most rewarding and amazing experience for all pet lovers. Just create an account for free as a Pet Sitter, set your availability, your prices and specify the pets you want to sit. The Pet owner books you from the website and you get paid via PetCloud after the stay. It’s that easy!!
Find local Vets, store your Pet’s Health, etc, download PetCloud today.
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