Should I let Rover clients into my house?
No. Forget whatever the Rover forums and Reddit are saying because this is the reality: you do not know these people and they do not have the right to see all or any of your house or yard for that matter. I have dealt with multiple clients who just sort of pushed their way into my house or I blocked from entering since they were just going to come into my house without asking. The main offenders in this category are middle aged to slightly older men. If you have one of them as a prospective client, be on guard and ready to block them from entry or just set up the situation to avoid being awkward. You should avoid or least carefully screen people before allowing them into your house or yard because it can be a safety issue, may disturb other dogs you are sitting, and can often be uncomfortable.
The safety issue is foremost. You do not know these people. Anyone can sign up as a client on Rover with no vetting. The name they present on their profile could be their actual name or a random name that they made up. Until you actually see these people in person, plan on not allowing them into your house.
If you’re like me, you have multiple dogs at a time and more likely than not they will start barking if you let someone in the house even if they are put away. Trying to have a discussion with barking dogs makes it seem like you’re in a kennel and is not productive.
You should not allow potential clients into your house if it makes you uncomfortable. You don’t need a reason. This is a boundary that you need to set. If you need to make up a reason, tell them you have guest dogs in the house that you don’t want to disturb them or that you like to do meet and greets in the front yard where it’s quieter. Whatever reason you pick, have it ready to go when you decide if you’re letting them in or not.
I will add some caveats since no situation is the same. Middle aged to older men are just not allowed in – they don’t respect your house and will try to poke around. Guys and girls who are around my age (20s to 30s) tend to be a lot more respectful and I never feel uneasy letting them in. Maybe it’s just a generational thing. Women of most ages I also don’t have an issue with. They have historically all been super nice and respectful. Just pick what you are comfortable with and make sure your boundaries are known to them.
My personal process for meet and greets is to try to get them to just do a loop around the neighborhood walking our dogs because that allows the dogs to meet in a setting where they aren’t really the focus (i.e. the owners are talking and the dogs are walking). Whatever your preferred meet and greet method is, try to replicate it each time and hone it to make it as comfortable for you and the client as possible.