Questions to Ask at a Pet Sitter or Dog Walker Meet-and-Greet

What a meet-and-greet is for

Most professional sitters meet you at home before the first booking. Pet Sitters International (PSI), a professional association for pet sitters, describes this meeting as a chance for the sitter to meet you, interact with your pet and go over services and business policies. PSI notes that some companies offer it at no charge and others charge a fee.

At Danny's Pet Care, every new client books a meet-and-greet through our application form before we schedule visits, and our dog-sitting page calls it a free consultation. Two reviews on our testimonials page describe Danny coming to the first meeting along with the sitter who would do the visits.

Bring your questions, but also watch. How the sitter greets your pet, and how your pet responds, can tell you as much as any answer. If you are still comparing companies, start with our guide on how to choose a pet sitter or dog walker, which covers licenses, insurance and reviews. Danny's Pet Care says its sitters are insured and background-checked; the meet-and-greet is a good time to ask us, or anyone, for proof.

Questions about who comes and how they handle your pet

Ask these in your own words. The note after each question is what you are listening for.

• Who will actually visit? Ask whether the person you are meeting is your regular sitter or walker, and who fills in. Your pet may settle faster with a familiar face, and you want to know who holds your key.
• How do you handle the door? Ask how they come in and leave without letting your dog or cat slip out. In a rowhouse whose front door opens onto the sidewalk, one slip can put a pet on a busy street.
• Leash, harness or collar? Show them the gear your dog uses and ask how they check the fit. Ask what they do if your dog pulls, lunges or freezes on the walk.
• What about other dogs? Ask how they pass other dogs on the sidewalk, and whether your dog will walk alone or with others. Danny's Pet Care offers group walks, with dogs paired by temperament and energy level, and private walks for dogs that don't do well walking with other dogs.
• What does a visit include? Feeding, water, litter, play, potty breaks, and how long they stay. Our post on what a professional pet sitter does during a visit walks through a typical visit.

Questions about when plans go wrong

A careful sitter has answers ready for these. Vague answers here are a reason to keep looking.

• What if you are running late or get sick? PSI says an emergency backup plan is a must for pet-sitting businesses and that clients should know what it is. Ask who covers and how you will be told.
• What happens in an emergency? Ask who they call first, how they would get your pet to your vet, and what written consent they need from you. The Danny's Pet Care Petsitting Form asks for your vet's details and your consent to take your pet to your vet in an emergency.
• Can you give my pet's medication? Ask how they give pills or liquids and how they record each dose. Danny's Pet Care gives medication as pills, liquid, or mixed into food. Any dose should match exactly what your vet prescribed.
• How will I hear from you? Ask whether updates come by text, photo or a note left at home, and how often. We send notes and photos after each visit.
• What if something looks wrong at the house? PSI tells sitters who find open or broken doors or windows not to go in, and to leave and notify the owner and the police. A sitter who already knows this is thinking about safety.

What a careful sitter asks you

A meet-and-greet runs both ways. PSI encourages sitters to walk through the home at the first meeting, both to learn where supplies are kept and to spot hazards such as broken locks or holes in a fence where a pet could get out. It also tells sitters to ask whether anyone else has access to the home.

Expect questions about your pet's health, temperament, routine and hiding spots, your vet, and how you want keys and alarm codes handled. Our Petsitting Form asks for your contact details, your pet's description, medical condition and favorite toys, your vet, special instructions, and consent for treats and emergency vet care.

You do not have to cover every detail out loud. For the written notes you leave behind, use our pet sitter instructions checklist. Keys, lockboxes and building access have their own guide on home access for sitters.

Running the meeting for a nervous dog or a shy cat

If your dog is wary of visitors, tell the sitter before they arrive. A guest article on the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) website suggests having the visitor text on arrival instead of knocking, ignoring the dog at first (no looking, reaching or talking to her), and tossing small treats rather than using them to lure the dog closer. For a dog with a history of lunging or biting at visitors, the same article suggests keeping the dog on leash at a distance from the door or behind a gate.

Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine advises never forcing a fearful dog to interact with visitors, and letting the dog approach on its own. For cats, the AAFP and ISFM feline environment guidelines say people should not force interaction, should lower themselves to the cat's level, avoid fixed eye contact and give the cat time to approach.

A shy cat that stays under the bed for the whole meeting is not a failed meeting. What matters is that the sitter respects it and asks where the cat likes to hide.

Deciding after the meeting

Afterward, ask yourself whether the sitter answered plainly, listened, and treated your pet the way you would want. If you felt rushed, or the person could not explain how emergencies or sick days work, it is fine to say no. If your dog has a bite history or serious fear of people, talk with your vet about a qualified trainer or veterinary behaviorist before any sitter takes over.

If it feels right, the next step is paperwork and a first visit. New Danny's Pet Care clients find the Client Contract and Petsitting Form on our forms page, and you can contact us to book a meet-and-greet. Our dog sitting page describes how in-home care works, and the first-week checklist covers what to watch once visits begin.