As a new dog walker, the meet and greet were always kind of a scary thought.

“Will the clients like me?”

“What do I say?”

“Will I get the job?”

“Don’t say anything embarrassing.”

“Will they get along with Ollie?”

I had so many thoughts running through my mind, worried, unnecessary thoughts.

What I actually should have been thinking was, “Yes! I have a meet and greet!”

Instead of thinking negative thoughts about what could go wrong, delight in the fact that you have a meet and greet. You get to meet interesting people and the best part, their awesome pooches!

The main reason we dog walkers get into this biz is to walk dogs, and what comes along with that is their humans. So it’s best to embrace the fact that you have a meet and greet and do your best. Every. Single. Time. 

Truth be told, I have only done a few meet and greets, but I assure you that each one got a little bit easier.

Get past your nerves on the first meet and greet and the rest are much easier, at least that has been my experience.

Remember, humans looking for dog walkers for their pooches love dogs, just like us! They want what is best for their furry bestie and so do we.

Starting with that in common is a good foundation for a successful meet and greet.

Why do you do a meet and greet?

The main reason to do a meet and greet is so that both your human and dog clients can meet you before you start walking their pooch regularly.

This is a good way to assess whether or not a dog is a good fit for you and your pack (if you do group walks). 

There may be types of dogs that you do not want to walk. For example, I specialize in long, mostly off-leash hikes in groups, so an aggressive dog is not going to be a good fit with my pack.

As well, it allows your human client to see how you interact with their pooch to see if you are a good fit for them and their pooch. 

A meet and greet also sets your human clients at ease because they are essentially giving you the keys to their house so you can take their pooch out when they are not home. 

You need to show them that you are responsible and trustworthy at the meet and greet so they feel comfortable doing so.

Think about it, would you give the keys to your house to someone who you have never met before? I don’t think so.

Now that we have established that a meet and greet is necessary for our line of work, let’s look at what information should be covered in that initial meeting.

What information should be covered at the meet and greet?

Depending on the nature of your dog walking business, you might have a lot of information to go over with potential clients, or it’s pretty straight forward and you just need to lock down dates and times.

In either case, here is some information you may want to include in your meet and greet:

Your Experience

Share to potential clients what dog walking experience you have and how long you have worked with dogs.

If you’re just starting out, share your experience with your own dog and any other dog-related work you have done.

Special Skills

Explain to potential clients what services you offer.

• What type of dog walking do you offer?
• Do you jog with dogs? Hike? On-leash only?
• Explain the type of services you offer.

Also include any pet first aid training, licensing, and insurance you may have.

Ask About The Dog

Of course, you should gather as much info about the pooch as you can.

• Are they energetic?
• How long of walks are they used to?
• Do they have a favourite route?
• How are they when they meet other dogs?
• Any known health problems?
• Can I give them treats?
• Will you provide their leash or harness?

Paperwork

If you have a contract for the client to sign, bring it to the meet and greet. Also, if you have a dog info sheet for clients to fill out, bring that along as well.

To make things a bit easier and less overwhelming (not to mention eco-friendly), if you have an online version of these forms, email them to your clients ahead of time so they can fill them out and email them back to you. 

This way you have the info before the meet and greet and can be a little more prepared.

Logistics

Assuming all is going well at the meet and greet, ask the client to show you where their pooches leashes, coats, and collars are kept.

As well, you can ask if any humans are going to be home or do you need a key. Collect key if necessary.

Inquire about the pooches water dish so you can fill it up after the walk. 

If they give you the garage code, make sure you know how to use it. My first clients gave me their garage code and I had no idea where the panel was!

Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification, it’s much better than phoning the client at work to get instructions on how to open their garage door on your first walk.

Luckily for me, the client was home on my first visit so I took the opportunity to ask her where the panel was so I didn’t have to make an embarrassing phone call!

Similarly, if you need to set/reset an alarm, get instructions on how to do so at the meet and greet and write them down!

Paper and Pen

Make sure you write down any information that you want to remember. Chances are you will be a bit nervous and might forget something the clients say.

Use your phone or good old-fashioned notepad and pen to record any vital information.

I know this looks like a lot of information to cover in the meet and greet and truthfully, it is.

However, don’t treat this like an interview and ask question after question, most of the time the topics come up naturally when you are talking with the client. 

If some topics don’t get covered, you can say, “Oh, I just have a few more questions about poocher if you don’t mind” and ask away.

The clients will be impressed that you are so thorough and this helps establish trust and builds the relationship.

dog meet and greet tips

Here are some general tips to help you rock your next meet and greet:

Look Professional

Now, I am not talking business casual here, just looking presentable. 

Maybe jeans and a t-shirt or sweater. If you have a shirt with a logo, wear that.

I must say that I kind of fail at this so far. Because it’s winter, I wear splash pants that are torn at the bottom, boots, and a coat. Not very professional at all.

However, this is what I wear when walking the dogs and I am comfortable.

As the warmer weather sets in, I will transition to nicer-looking pants and a sweater. I also plan on wearing a single colour shirt or maybe spring for a shirt with my logo on it, I am not sure yet.

For now, my torn splash pants do the trick!

Arrive on time

Come on, now! This is important for any job, but this is your business, you need to show up on time with a smile on your face!

If for any reason you are going to be late or need to reschedule, tell your client as soon as you know so they are not left waiting for you.

If you are late for the meet and greet, that’s not exactly instilling a lot of confidence to the client that you will be a reliable dog walker for their pooch. 

I would look for a more reliable dog walker if I was the client.

Greet their pets

You’re a dog walker, so greet all of their pets (even cats) in a friendly manner so the client knows how much you love animals. 

If their pooch is playing shy, give them time to warm up to you. Chat with the client while you wait for poocher to come over and sniff you. 

The client is watching how you interact with their dog, so do the best you can and don’t force things.

Clients love their pets, so comment on how cute and well-behaved they are.

Personally, I do that without thinking about it because 99% of the time the animals are so very cute!

Review any Info/Instructions

Go over any forms they have filled out and ask for more details if necessary. Also, get the rundown on how the pick-up and drop-off will go (leash location, keys, alarm code, etc).

Make sure you know exactly what you are doing when you go for your first walk and the human clients may not be there.

Talk about yourself

Tell potential clients about your experience, what you offer, your availability, etc. 

It may be a little difficult to talk about yourself and toot your own horn, but we are our best advertisement, so get used to it!

If you have a cancellation policy, you should mention it as well. 

Wrapping Up

When your meet and greet is coming to an end, make sure you have addressed all of the client’s questions, and ensure all of yours have been answered as well. 

Assuming you nailed the meet and greet (which I know you did!) set up a schedule to walk their pooch, or at least schedule the first walk. 

My clients generally text me on Friday to let me know when they need me the following week. I like to have my schedule locked in on Sunday for that week.

Also, nail down a payment schedule. In my experience, all clients are different. Some pay after each visit, others weekly or bi-weekly and even monthly. 

If you have a preference, let your client know at the meet and greet. I personally leave it up to the clients to decide how to pay me. As long as they pay when they say they will, it’s all good!

Follow-up

When I get home after a meet and greet, I always text the potential client and let them know that it was great meeting them and their pooch, if they have any questions, please feel free to ask, and I look forward to walking their pooch on whatever day they are scheduled.

If they have not scheduled their first walk yet, I let them know that I look forward to walking their pooch soon and to let me know when they would like to schedule a walk.

Why are meet and greets important for dog walkers?

In summary, meet and greets are important for dog walkers because:

• They allow you to establish a relationship with potential clients (human and dog)
• Allow you to assess a dog to ensure they are a good fit
• You can show off your skills
• Gets the boring paperwork out of the way
• You get the rundown on the pooches routine
• Figure out logistics such as where leashes and bowls are kept, etc.
• Get the keys and/or codes for your first walk
• Put the client’s mind at ease that they have hired a trustworthy person

For these reasons and more, a meet and greet are essential for dog walkers.

In addition, you should bring some business cards and leave them with your clients in case they know someone looking for a dog walker. 

As an aside, I never charge for a meet and greet. They are always free. I think of it as an interview and I am not going to charge someone just for meeting me. I just don’t think that’s fair. That’s my opinion anyway, yours might be different.

Remember to enjoy the process of the meet and greet, don’t fear it! Take pride in the fact that your advertising has paid off. Someone saw your flyer, website, or business card and decided to call you to walk their dog.

Try to not let your nerves get the best of you.

Have fun!

How do you get over your nerves when on a meet and greet? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks!