What a meet & greet is

A meet & greet is a brief introduction before the booking starts. The sitter meets the pet and the pet parent, reviews the care instructions in person, sees the home and routine, and lets the pet get comfortable with a new face. It is not a paid visit and it carries no obligation — either side can decide it isn't the right fit.

Think of it as a mutual interview. The pet parent is checking that their pet is in good hands, and the sitter is confirming the home, the animals, and the expectations are all things they can handle with confidence.

When to schedule one

A meet & greet is always a good idea with a new client, and it matters most for higher-trust or higher-needs bookings. Strongly consider one for:

House sitting and boarding, where the sitter and pet share a home.

Dog walking or drop-ins with a brand-new client or pet.

Pets with medications, mobility needs, or a medical history.

Nervous, reactive, protective, or large, strong dogs.

Multi-pet homes, or any animal beyond cats and dogs.

Any booking where the instructions feel complex or unclear.

Schedule the meet & greet before you accept the booking, and keep all scheduling in SitSignal chat so the details and timeline are saved in one place.

Request a meet & greet in the app

You set up the meet & greet right inside the booking. Open the booking chat and tap the plus (+) icon, then choose Propose meet & greet.

Two ways in. You can propose from the booking chat (shown here), or open the booking's detail page, scroll to Actions, and tap Propose meet & greet — which also shows the current status, like “Not proposed.”

Booking chat input bar with a plus icon to the left of the message box — The + icon sits to the left of the message box in your booking chat.

Booking chat attachment menu with a Propose meet & greet option — In the booking chat, tap + and choose Propose meet & greet.

Choice between an In person and a Video call meet & greet — Pick how you'll meet: In person or Video call.

In person or video?

A video meet & greet happens in real time over SitSignal's built-in video chat — handy for sitters or clients with busy schedules, or when distance makes meeting up hard. We always suggest meeting in person when availability and logistics allow. Pick the option you want to propose to the other person.

In-person meet & greet form with date, time, duration, location, and notes — In person: fill in the date, time, duration, address, and any notes.

Video meet & greet form noting you'll meet in the app — Video call: the same details, minus the address — you'll meet in the app.

Fill in the details and tap Send proposal. It lands in the chat as a proposed meet & greet that you can still edit.

Accept, decline, or propose a change

The other person receives the proposal and can Accept, Decline, or Propose change — which reopens the same form to suggest a new time, place, or note. Once someone accepts, the card turns green and the meet & greet is locked in for both of you.

A proposed meet & greet card in chat with an Edit details button — Sent: the proposal shows in chat, ready to edit if plans change.

Meet & greet card with Decline, Accept, and Propose change options — The other person can Accept, Decline, or Propose change.

An accepted meet & greet card highlighted in green — Accepted — the meet & greet is confirmed for both of you.

Use the in-app checklist during the visit

SitSignal has a built-in checklist tailored to each booking. From the Support tab, tap Open checklist, then pick the booking you're meeting for and tap Start checklist.

Support tab card linking to the in-app meet & greet checklist — Support → Open checklist opens the in-app checklist.

Meet & greet checklist booking picker with a Start checklist button — Pick the booking you're meeting for, then tap Start checklist.

It's fillable and auto-saved — note the Saved label and the “0 of 8 answered” progress. Work through the questions for each pet ( temperament, feeding, potty and walks, medications, allergies, fears, and favorites), plus general notes about the home.

Per-booking meet & greet checklist showing progress and a saved status — Each booking gets its own saved checklist, with status and a safety reminder.

Per-pet checklist questions like temperament and feeding with answer fields — Answer the per-pet questions; details from the booking are prefilled.

Wrap up with How did the meet & greet go? — confident, need more info, or not comfortable — then tap Save checklist. It captures the same accept-or-decline call from After the visit, right inside the booking.

Final review asking how the meet & greet went, with accept-or-decline options — A final accept-or-decline review wraps up the checklist.

Doing a video meet & greet, where the in-app checklist is harder to juggle? Keep our online checklist open instead.

House Profiles do a lot of this work for you. A House Profile is a SitSignal-exclusive that stores the home, access, and pet-care details needed for drop-in visits, house sitting, and dog walks. Sitters: remind clients to refresh it before each stay. Clients: keep yours complete and current so your sitter arrives already knowing the essentials.

Before you go: prepare

A few minutes of prep makes the visit feel professional and keeps it short. Before you head out:

Re-read the booking request and the pet's profile, and note anything missing.

Write down your questions so nothing gets forgotten in the moment.

Confirm the date, time, address, and who will be there in chat.

Plan to arrive on time, dressed comfortably for meeting an animal.

If your own pet or kids will be part of the booking, bring them so everyone can meet.

Have the SitSignal app open so you can confirm details on the spot.

Tell someone you trust where you're going and when you expect to be back.

For drop-ins or dog walks, a meet & greet at the pet's home is ideal because you also learn the entry routine and where supplies live. If meeting at a home isn't comfortable yet, a quiet public place like a park works for a first introduction.

During the visit: what to cover

Keep it friendly and conversational, but make sure you leave with the essentials. Our live meet & greet checklist walks through every item and lets you tick them off as you go. The essentials fall into a few buckets:

The pet

Confirm each pet's name, breed, age, and size. Ask about temperament, triggers, and fears, and watch how the pet actually responds to you in person.

The routine

Walk through feeding, potty, walks, sleep, treats, and any restrictions. Routines are where most day-to-day care lives, so get them in writing.

Health & safety

Cover medications and how they're given, allergies, the vet's name and number, an emergency contact, and any medical or behavioral concerns.

The home & access

Review entry instructions, where supplies are kept, off-limits areas, where the leash, harness, crate, or carrier lives, and where cleaning supplies are. For overnight stays, ask about house rules and Wi-Fi.

Expectations & updates

Agree on how often the parent wants updates and what photos or videos they'd like, then confirm the dates, service type, number of pets, and any custom instructions. Keep updates and payment inside SitSignal so everything is documented and protected.

For dog bookings, walk and talk. Take a short walk on leash to check you can comfortably handle the dog, and watch how it reacts to other people, dogs, and noise outdoors. For boarding, have everyone who lives with you meet the dog too, so there are no surprises on day one.

Read the pet's body language

A pet tells you how it feels long before it does anything. Let the animal come to you — crouch sideways, avoid looming over its head or staring directly, and offer a hand to sniff. Then watch.

Green light · relaxed

Loose, wiggly body and a soft, relaxed face.

Tail wagging at mid-height in easy, sweeping motions.

Ears in a natural position; a soft, open-mouth “smile.”

Leaning in for contact, or a playful “play bow.”

Yellow light · unsure

Tucked tail, ears back, or a lowered, shrinking body.

Lip licking, yawning when not tired, or repeated head-turns away.

“Whale eye” (whites showing), panting when not hot, or pacing.

Hiding, trembling, or avoiding eye contact.

Yellow signals mean slow down. Give the pet space and time, let it set the pace, and don't force contact. Many nervous pets warm up — but only if you let them.

Red light · back off

Stiff, frozen body with weight shifted forward.

Hard stare, raised hackles, or a high, stiff, fast-twitching tail.

Growling, showing teeth, snarling, snapping, or lunging.

Cornered body language with no easy way to retreat.

A growl is information, not bad manners — never punish it. Calmly give the pet space and let the parent step in. If a dog feels unsafe or beyond your experience, it is completely okay to decline the booking.

Stay safe and keep it on SitSignal

Suggest a public place first, or bring a friend if you're meeting at a home.

Trust your instincts — if something feels off, end the visit politely.

Keep messaging, scheduling, and payment inside SitSignal.

Don't share more personal information than a booking needs.

Report anyone who makes you uncomfortable, and block their profile.

Keeping the whole conversation in SitSignal isn't just tidy — it's what protects both sides if a question ever comes up about what was agreed.

After the visit

Take notes right away while everything is fresh, confirm any missing details in chat, and review the booking one more time. Then make the call:

Felt like a good fit? Accept the booking and confirm the plan in SitSignal.

Still unsure? Ask follow-up questions before you commit.

Unsafe, unclear, or outside your experience? It's okay to decline.

Open the live checklist All guides

FAQ

How long should a meet & greet take?

For most bookings, 15 to 30 minutes is plenty to cover the basics, confirm care instructions, and see how the pet responds in person.

Does every booking need one?

Not always, but it's strongly recommended for boarding, house sitting, new-client drop-ins and walks, and any booking involving medical or behavioral needs.

Is a meet & greet paid?

No. It's a free, no-obligation introduction before the booking begins, so either side can decide it isn't the right fit.

What if I don't feel comfortable afterward?

Don't accept the booking. If the situation feels unsafe, unclear, or outside your experience level, it's better to decline than to force a bad match.

The SitSignal meet & greet guide