1. What dog breeds and types of pets do you have experience in minding?

2. Will there be other pets or children will be present when the pet stay takes place?

3. What previous experience have you had?

4. What training have you received?

5. Do you have additional references?

6. Why do you like being a Pet Sitter?

7. Are you insured?

8. How often will you be home with my pet? Do you have other full time work commitments? Are you home on weekends?

9. How often do you answer your phone if I need to contact you?

10. Where will you be taking my dog for a walk during the stay? Are there parks or beaches?

11. What do you normally do in the event of a medical emergency?

12. What would you do if my pet escaped in order to recover them?

13. How far away is your nearest Vet located and are they 24hrs?

14. Do you have a car and license in event of emergency or trips to the groomers?

Watch your pet’s interaction with the Sitter and or their pets.  Do they seem to get along?

Get your pet sitter to take your pet for a short walk and say a few basic commands like ‘sit’, ‘stay’, ‘leave it’, ‘lie down’ and do they come when the sitter calls their name?  You are trying to assess whether they handle/control your pet when out in public situations.

We hope these questions come in handy!

The post Pet Sitter Interview Questions appeared first on PetCloud.

When trying to decide whether to take on a pet sitting booking – it will be difficult to know without meeting the Owner and their Pet.  This is why always having an in-person Meet & Greet is the first step in the decision making process.

1. Energy Levels

Prior to the Meet & Greet, research the breed’s behavioural characteristics and tendencies. Are they a low energy lap dog? or a high-energy racing dog or guard dog with high prey drive?

If you live in an apartment or townhouse when the dog needs a big backyard to run around in, don’t take the dog on.  The same goes if you don’t have much energy to take the dog on rigorous daily walks, don’t take on a high-energy breed of dog.

2. Obedience

Do they listen to you when you call their name and come when they’re called?

If you think the owner has never spent time in training the dog, this may impact on your ability to control them if a situation in public requires it. If you are willing to be patient, then take the pet on, otherwise, pass on the opportunity. 

3. Socialisation

Have they been socialised from a very young age to be around other dogs?

If not, they may act snappy around other pets, this may result in a fight breaking out and you getting injuries seen to by a Vet. It may require being resourceful and figuring out how to separate them. Are you willing to take this on?

4. Owner Expectations

Ask the Owner about their usual care routine. Are their expectations reasonable? Can you meet all of them? Does the Owner seem likeable?

If you don’t feel you can meet a Pet Owners expectations, don’t take on their pet.

5. Anxiety Levels

Does the Pet suffer from separation anxiety and what are their habits? Do they dig to escape? Are they a fence-jumper? Is your fence high enough?  Is it escape-proof and hole-free? Can the dog cope with the early signs of a storm such as thunder?

If the dog has a history of escaping and digging or fence jumping to escape, don’t take them on if you don’t think you will be home enough to monitor them.

6. Time you can devote to the Pet

What is your schedule like?  Do you have a full time job?  Will the hours be compatible to caring for the pet or will they try to run away while you’re at work because they are used to having company and they get anxious being left by themselves. Do they need someone home 24/7?

If you have to work during the day or night, tell this to the pet owner and don’t take on an anxious pet that needs you to be home a lot if you aren’t.

7.  Compatibility with other pets

Do your own pets get along with the pet? What about other pets booked with you that are coming to stay on the same weekend? Does your home have areas where pets can be sectioned off from each other if one of the pets becomes territorial?

If at the Meet & Greet, the pet doesn’t get along with other pets, this is unlikely to change. Don’t take them on.

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8. Young children & noise

If you have young children, do your young children get along with the pet? Or are they a Senior pet that is used to living in peace and quiet? We recommend that Senior pets are NOT placed in Sitters homes who have young children.

We recommend that Senior pets are NOT placed in Sitters homes who have young children.

9. Medical High Needs

Does the pet have diabetes or epilepsy?  Are they blind or disabled? Will the right carer be required to give injections or medication? If so, do you have experience or training in doing this?

Don’t take on a pet with medical needs if you have no experience.

10.  Fleas

Upon checking over the dog or cat – do they look like they’ve been cared for by the Owner? Or are they covered in fleas and would require your home to be treated with insecticide by the end of the stay?

You will need to decide if you are up for the challenge of knocking the fleas on the head straight away, otherwise they will infest your home.

11. Strength & Handling required

What is your personal strength like? Trial walking them at the Meet & Greet. Do they pull on the lead? Are they too big and strong for you or can you manage? Is the breed typically a working dog used for hunting, cattle herding or sheep herding? 

If you aren’t physically strong enough to handle them if they decide to pull to chase after or attack another dog from across the road, don’t take them on.

12. Aggression and Noise

Is the pet aggressive? Do they bark or growl?

If the dog or cat is dangerous in their behaviour, don’t take the pet on.

13. Toilet training

Is the pet toilet trained and compatible with your home’s toileting options? ie if you live in an apartment and you have potty grass or puppy toilet pads, will they use them, or will they end up staining the carpet and causing you to lose your bond (if you rent)?

Don’t take on a dog that is used to toileting outside and expect them to learn to go on potty grass or pads in the weekend they stay with you – its not enough time for them to learn and they will end up staining your carpet (if you have carpet).

14. Your proximity to neighbours and the dog’s noise tendency

If the pet starts to bark, howl, or whine, have you purchased or the owner dropped off enrichment toys, meaty bones etc to distract the pet? Do you live in close proximity to other neighbours? Are you able to leave home to go to the grocery store without them doing this? Or will you be required to be home 24/7?

Don’t take on a dog if they bark or howl and you live close to your neighbours.

15. Are they used to being inside or outside?

Are they an inside dog? Would prefer to care for pets that stay only?

If you don’t want a dog being inside with you, is the dog and owner ok with this?

16. Your household’s allergies

Does anyone in your household have pet fur or hair allergies? Does the pet’s coat shed a lot of hair or fur? Will it annoy other members of the house?

Don’t take on a pet likely to set off allergies, unless other household members are willing to take an anti-histamine.

Conclusion

In conclusion, always have a Meet and Greet. While a Meet and Greet is not always a predictor of pet behaviour (or Client compatibility) it certainly does help in the decision making process to try and spot any potential red flags.

If, after meeting in person, you feel like the Pet is not compatible with your own pets or property OR the Owner’s expectations cannot be met, you need to be polite and professionally assertive by saying “Thank you for taking the time to introduce me to Scooby, but I don’t feel that I am able to meet your care expectations /  I don’t feel like my experience and strength is a match for Scooby. I recommend you search for other Sitters on PetCloud, or Post a Job, or contact PetCloud Support for assistance.”

You are under no obligation to proceed with a booking.

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The post How to Decide whether to take on a Pet Sitting Booking appeared first on PetCloud.

Here are some tips on how to make sure you’re putting your best foot forward when meeting pet sitting clients.

• Tidy the garden, pull out weeds, rake up fallen tree branches, nuts and berries, grass clippings, and leaves.
• Mow the lawn. Jim’s Mowing might be handy if you don’t have a mower.

• Pull back the curtains, open some windows, let the light in or turn lights on
• Tie up Pets and introduce them slowly to any visiting pets.
• Introduce pets slowly
• Ask children to sit quietly or play outside for the meeting.
• Sweep and Mop the floor and wipe your benches.
• Have the Visiting Pet’s profile Printed and ready Or Refer to it on a tablet/iPad from your booking
• Turn down the tv, or put some nice music on
• Spray some Glen 20 around to neutralise any odours, burn any nice candles
• Empty your kitchen bins
• Clean your own pet’s food area and bowls. This will show the pet owner you have good standards of care

• Use the Pets name and the Pet Owners Name
• Be a proactive listener, if the owner asks a question, paraphrase any concerns back to them and say “So what you’re saying is you’re after someone who is home of an evening to keep your pet company – yes I am home.” (if you will be home).
• Smile
• Interact with the Pet by throwing a ball for them, patting them
• Ask About the Pets Care routine and any health, habits, and behaviour tendencies
• Talk about your experience and show knowledge of your nearest 24 hour emergency Vet
• Share any relevant animal or pet care qualifications
• Look and smell presentable. Casual clothes are fine.
• Boil the kettle – offer them a cup of tea, coffee or water
• Offer to take them through a tour of your Loungeroom, kitchen, and yard
• Ensure you tell the Pet Owner before meeting if you own other pets, and about any other visiting pets from bookings.

Download the PetCloud App and get Pet Friendly Cafes around you, on the go.
Download IOS: https://apple.co/2PifzXs Android: https://bit.ly/3aFeK2m

The post How To Make A Good First Impression During A Meet & Greet appeared first on PetCloud.

What is the purpose of a Meet and Greet?

1) To go over the Pet’s care routine, habits, behaviour, and any medical requirements & who to contact in an emergency.  

2) To do a property check together.  A full property tour of the home is required (inside and backyard) where the proposed care will take place to check for any holes in the fence or other hazards. Pet behaviour and habits differ with different breeds and sizes and ages and your home and routine may not be suitable to all types of pets.  If the opportunity doesn’t arise. You’ll need to be assertive and say politely, “Can I possibly get a property tour please?”

Is there anything I need to do before the Meet and Greet?

Yes. Go through this helpful guide below. It will be sent to you upon sign up.

Pet Owners before the Meet & Greet: 

If you are a Pet Owner, before the Meet & Greet, please ensure that you have filled out your pet’s profile in full on PetCloud, including emergency contact details and authorised Vet Spend if needed. There is no need to pack your pet’s bags yet. This is just an initial meeting.

Pet Sitters before the Meet & Greet: 

If you are a Pet Sitter, we recommend you read Questions every Dog Sitter should ask an Owner during a Meet & Greet. It is to also tell them more about your background, skills & experience and daily routine. Also save time by identifying any holes in the fence and blocking them. Your home needs to be escape proof and hazard free.

What happens during a Meet and Greet?

It is the responsibility of both Pet Owners and Pet Sitters to go through the RSPCA Property Guide for Pet Stays together go through the checklist to ensure there’s no holes in the fence, no household chemicals are in reach of the pets, and if there are, patch holes up or remove issues out of harms way.  You should also identify any toxic plants.

If you have a pet of your own, observe interaction between your pet and the visiting pet and also how the pet interacts when introduced to your other household members. Try to determine whether there will be aggressive, destructive behaviour or escapism problems during the stay.   Our online Accredited Pet Sitter course contains a guide for introducing Dogs.

After the Meet & Greet

If the Meet & Greet went well, then let the other Party know in person or by messaging them if you’re happy to go ahead with the reservation. Or, if you felt like the pet wasn’t a good match for your yard or family, then let PetCloud know ASAP, as well as the Pet Owner so we help locate another Sitter who would be more suitable.

Human Trust & Safety

At PetCloud we have an ongoing commitment to trust & safety. Read these safety measures before deciding to meet up.    

Read More:  Why hire a Professional Pet Sitter?

Download the PetCloud App and get Pet Friendly Cafes around you, on the go.
Download IOS: https://apple.co/2PifzXs Android: https://bit.ly/3aFeK2m

The post The Purpose of Meet & Greets appeared first on PetCloud.