Preparing for a Welcome Woof | Borrower Tips

So you’ve been messaging a lovely owner via BorrowMyDoggy, and now you’re ready to meet up. Meeting a new owner and their pooch can be exciting, but we don’t blame you for being a bit nervous about it as well.

We understand that you want to make the pawfect first impression and build a long-lasting, trusting relationship with an owner and their dog from your first meeting, or ‘Welcome Woof’ as we like to call it.

So everyone gets the most out of our community, we want all of our members to feel confident using BorrowMyDoggy, so here are our top tips for your first meeting. Taken from the combined experience of our members and our team’s experiences as borrowers and owners, this guide should leave you feeling prepared for your ‘Welcome Woof’.

This guide will cover:

• Meeting an owner for the first time
• Arranging the location
• Communication
• Bonding
• Next steps after you’ve met

Meeting an owner for the first time

The first step towards building a lasting relationship is what we call the ‘Welcome Woof’ - a meet and greet for the owner, borrower, and dog to get to know each other. 

BorrowMyDoggy takes safety very seriously, and in addition to our verification checks, which all BorrowMyDoggy premium borrowers and owners have to pass through before any messaging or borrowing, it’s really important that owners, borrowers and of course dogs, get to know each other before a dog is taken care of by a borrower.

Location
You can arrange your ‘Welcome Woof’ using the messaging feature on our website or app without having to exchange any personal details.

We recommend meeting in a neutral, public space like a park where you can all feel comfortable and the dog can be relaxed somewhere they know.

This depends on what type of arrangement you are making with the owner and your local area, so if a park walk is not possible, then choose the next best thing that still allows you to get to know the owner and dog safely.

Communication
Open communication lets you, the owner and the dog, get the most out of BorrowMyDoggy. 

Before meeting an owner, let them know if you are bringing another person who is not included in your profile. This is a nice way of giving them a heads-up on what and who to expect.

Always be open and honest from the start, and if you can’t make a meetup, or don’t think a match is going to work, just politely let an owner know.

A ‘Welcome Woof’ is a great time to discuss your expectations and boundaries for what you both want from being a member of the BorrowMyDoggy community.
We recommend discussing things like:

• What you are looking for on BorrowMyDoggy
• Your availability - are you able to help regularly or just every so often?
• What you would like to help with - walking, company and/or overnight stays
• Are you happy to be called on at the last minute to help out?

Ask questions

Every dog is different, and it’s really helpful to know and understand a dog's needs and personality. The owner will probably be really keen to tell you all about their pooch, but to help you get to know more here are some questions you might want to ask:

• Are they good with other dogs or animals? Do they like to chase squirrels and cats?
• What’s their diet like? Are they allowed treats?
• What’s their normal period of exercise, eg. how long for and how often?
• Can the dog be walked off the lead? Please note that BorrowMyDoggy requires a written consent form, signed by both parties before any dogs are walked off the lead by a borrower.
• Are there any training or house rules I should follow?
• What upsets the dog? Do they dislike loud noises for example?
• Who is their vet, where are they located and what’s their number? This will also be provided on their Doggy info sheet, which the owner will share with you, before you spend time with the dog alone.

Bonding
Bonding with a dog during the ‘Welcome Woof’ is not only pawsome fun but also useful to both you and their owner.

You can understand the dog’s quirks and qualities, whilst seeing how the two of you get on, find out what motivates the dog (do they respond for food or toys?), and start to learn any training that they are currently going through and how you can help continue it.

This is your chance to see the dog in action and their behaviour, so you aren’t caught by surprise when you are first alone with them.

It’s a great time to see the dog meet other dogs, people with food, approach muddy puddles etc. and how their owner usually manages them and how they respond.

Bear in mind, some dogs are more confident than others, so while some might see a new face and get very excited, others might take a little longer to come around. Let the owner guide you and move at a pace that’s comfortable for their dog.

We encourage members to meet several times before a borrower takes care of the dog alone, so there’s no need to rush the process.

After you’ve met
You’ve met, had a walk, asked your questions and started to get to know each other. So what happens next?

If all goes well with your ‘Welcome Woof’, let the owner know and arrange to meet again. And don’t be afraid to reach out and let them know if you feel that the match isn’t going to work for you, or your availability changes.

Keep meeting until you and the dog are happy and relaxed with one another. Make sure you feel comfortable handling the pooch and they are responding well to your commands.

The owner will share their Doggy info sheet with you before you spend time alone with their dog.

We hope you have a pawsome ‘Welcome Woof’ and if you ever need any support or would like to talk with us about your experience please reach out to our Help Team.