Once you get in touch with a sitter, if they are available for the dates and service you request, you can proceed with organising a Meet & Greet before confirming the booking.
This is the best way of determining whether the pet is a good match for the sitter and vice versa and to evaluate whether you and the sitter get along. A meet & greet is also the best time for you to tell the pet sitter everything about your pet and the care he or she needs.
Just verbally decide the date, time, and location of your meet & greet on your conversation thread.
Where should the Meet & Greet take place?
If you or the pet sitter prefer it, you can meet up in a neutral place at first. However, depending on the service, we recommend that you move the meeting to (or have a second meeting at) your or the pet sitter's home.
If the service you requested will take place in your own home:
In this case, you should show the pet sitter around, so they know where to find pet food, bedding, and cleaning supplies or anything else they may need. Most importantly, the sitter needs to meet your pet in their territory, to find out whether they get along.
If the requested service will take place in the pet sitter's home:
Especially if your pet is a dog, having a meet & greet in the pet sitter's home is essential. Your dog needs to meet the sitter and all members of the household, both human and animal, to see whether they all get along.
If the sitter has a dog of their own, it may be wise to start the meeting on neutral ground and go for a walk together before entering the sitter's home, so their own dog doesn't feel the need to defend his or her territory.
Give your dog plenty of time to become familiar with the sitter's home while you are around. This way, they aren't plunged into an unfamiliar place for the first time right at the moment when they are separated from you, which may be distressing for some dogs initially.