Meet-and-greet questions for a pet sitter

Last updated: October 15, 2026

A meet and greet helps you and a potential provider work out whether the care will fit. Bring your dates and pet's routine. Leave with clear answers about who will do what, where, and when.

Arranging a meet and greet on Pawprint

You can message a provider before booking. Pawprint supports free meet-and-greet requests from an existing conversation; the other person must confirm. In the iPhone app, when the conversation shows “Set up the meet & greet,” you can review the meeting details and send the request for confirmation. If the option is not shown, discuss the meeting in your messages.

A free meet and greet is separate from a provider's paid consultation option. Review which one you are arranging and any displayed price. Confirming a meeting does not reserve the pet-care dates. You still need to arrange and confirm the care booking separately.

1. “What will the care actually look like?”

• How long is each visit, or what hours will you be in my home overnight?
• How long would my pet be alone, including time between visits?
• Will you personally provide the care? Does anyone else help, and when?
• What other bookings, work, or holiday plans do you need to fit around these dates?

Ask for a typical day, including the first and last day of your trip. Compare it with your pet's usual schedule.

2. “Have you cared for a pet with these needs?”

• What experience do you have with this species, age, size, and temperament?
• Are you comfortable following this feeding routine and any vet-prescribed medication instructions?
• How would you handle the behaviors I have described, such as hiding, pulling, or guarding food?
• Is there anything in this routine you would be unable to do?

Describe difficult moments honestly. Show the routine without pushing your pet into an interaction. Ask your vet about any unclear medical instructions before booking.

3. “Who and what will be around my pet?”

For boarding, ask about other pets, children, visitors, sleeping areas, and how pets are separated. Discuss doors, gates, outdoor access, and how any introductions would be handled before bringing animals together.

For sitting in your home, show entry points, off-limits rooms, and how you manage multiple pets. Discuss expected visitors, who may enter your home, and whom to contact if access fails.

4. “How will you follow the routine and keep me updated?”

• Which instructions do you need before the first visit?
• How will you keep each pet's food, medications, and equipment separate?
• When should I expect an update, and what will it include?
• What should we do if either of us cannot be reached?

In Pawprint, you can message before and during care. Agree on update times and review the sitter handoff checklist together so supplies, contacts, and routines are ready.

5. “What happens if something changes?”

Discuss a delayed return, the provider becoming unavailable, or your pet needing help. Agree on whom to contact first, how to reach your vet, and a local backup person who has agreed to help.

For booking changes, check the actual cancellation deadline and read Pawprint's cancellations and changes guide. A conversation about moving the dates is not itself a confirmed change.

6. “What is included in the price?”

Confirm the package, dates, pets, visits or nights, and extras. Pawprint providers set their own prices, and pet owners pay no booking fee. Ask for the total for your plan, including holiday dates.

7. “What should we confirm before deciding?”

Ask about relevant experience and references, and read the provider's profile and reviews. Pawprint providers verify their government ID through Stripe Identity. That is an identity check, not a background check or proof of pet-care skills. Ask about the experience that matters for your pet.

Notice whether the provider listens, asks useful questions, and explains limits clearly. Keep looking if they dismiss a care need, cannot explain who will be present, or push you to skip details.

Recap the dates, coverage, price, and instructions in your messages. If you both want to proceed, arrange the care booking and check its confirmed status. Save access details for the direct handoff.