Common Meet and Greet mistakes to avoid

In between choosing a pet sitter on Pawshake and getting ready for a holiday or business trip, there’s often a LOT going on. In the midst of the hectic-ness, the most important step of the pet sitting process is sometimes overlooked or not done correctly. 

We really, really encourage all of you to always meet and greet before booking - after all, this is the very thing that sets Pawshake apart! You have the power to choose your very own sitter knowing exactly who will be walking, playing with and feeding your fur baby. Wouldn’t you want to get to know that person properly and making an informed decision?

Here are a few common mistakes to avoid when meeting and greeting to ensure your pet has a safe, happy holiday stay -

1. Meeting only the pet sitter and not the whole household

This is SUPER important – if you’re a pet sitter with housemates or a family, they must be there to meet the guest pet too. You want every member of your household to be happy and comfortable during the stay!

2. Rushing, or worse – not having one

Life can be crazy busy, but it’s super important to schedule time to have a proper meet and greet. You want to have time to get to know each other, your pet and to inspect their home if your pet is boarding. You also want to do it early enough to have some time to consider your options if you're meeting with more than one sitter.

3. Not passing on information or asking questions

This will make sure you are both on the same page! You should pass on all relevant info you can think of about your pet – health, personality, behavior, habits, you name it! And in turn ask your sitter questions about their pet care experience, their availability and their other pets.

4. Not letting the pet sitter handle your pet if they need to during the pet sit

Another important one that’s easy to overlook – if the pet sitter will need to carry, hold or play with your pet while you are away, you should give them a chance to have a practice during the meet and greet. A pet’s behaviour will change if their owner is in the middle of the mix, so step right back and give the sitter a chance to bond and your pet to feel comfortable. 

5. Feeling obliged to say yes

If the chemistry isn’t quite right or expectations aren’t landing on the same page, no one need feel uncomfortable saying ‘thanks but no thanks’! A meet and greet is always obligation free.