Dogs at Airbnbs

[whatdoyourdoggoswant]

We have recently changed our settings to welcome dogs at our airbnb. What would you expect if you took your dog to an airbnb? Bowls I guess? What about a basket?

We are pretty rural and we have outbuildings so would a warm water hose to wash them down after a walk be useful?

All suggestions welcome. We don’t have dogs so a bit clueless.

A light in the back garden! Real handy for early morning late night toilet breaks, decent mat on entry to allow wet/muddy dog to stand. Outside hose fab idea. Really clear where dogs can/can’t go. Throws, for us freezer space is important. Local dog friendly places,

But you will lose other customers. We always look for dog free accommodation.
There is no happy medium. Even if the listing says no dogs upstairs, people will take their dogs upstairs.

I agree. I avoid accommodation that says it is dog-friendly, because to non dog owners the smell lingers like tobacco smoke, and as the pp says you are not there to stop them taking dogs into the bedrooms

A vacuum cleaner that picks up dog hair and doesn’t smell of the last 50 dogs that stayed there.
Beds no use to us, we take a bed mat and blanket - dog beds provided in the past have been comically small for a Labrador or smell of other dogs so she won’t use them.
Agree that the most important thing is to make expectations clear in the initial listing. Our dog is fine downstairs now but was a bit of a barky worry-wart when she was younger. Previous dog quite prepared to chew her way out of any room she didn’t want to be shut in so had to sleep in our room (never on beds though).
A little pot of treats in a welcome basket if you provide one is nice, but not essential.
I suppose some people might forget poo bags so if you want the garden area kept clean it’s a good idea to provide some.
I’m not a fan of dogs on beds, even if people bring their own covers, so I’d be wary of anywhere that said it was ok. I’d either expect bedding to smell of dog or of very strong fabric conditioner ime.
If you provide throws for the sofas etc then please make sure they cover all of it, don’t smell of dog and are practical. - slippy fleece on leather just isn’t practical.

Thank you for opening up your property to dog owners! We always respect the rules, keep properties clean and are frequent users of our favourite places. If you are in the North East please let me know by PM

Oh, forgot to say don’t try and mask any perceived dog smell with reed diffusers/plug ins as I have to go round the house removing them and finding an outside cupboard to shut them in

As a dog owner, I may be deluded, but I've stayed in lots of dog-friendly Airbnbs and I've only actually come across one that smelled a bit doggy.

Dog owners are inured to doggy smells!

Personally we only book for places that don't allow dogs so you could get some people like us who would not book your place. I would think and expect that dog owners brought the dog stuff with them. I wouldn't pander to providing items.

By far the most important thing is stating your dog policy before booking. It is amazing how many don’t! We always clean thoroughly before departure so access to a decent vacuum cleaner is really important. We stayed at one place which didn’t provide one as ‘you are on holiday’ then charged dog owners a substantial penalty fee for additional cleaning if it was not up to their standard (not us - we took a vacuum with us but saw it later on their reviews).

I know! But honestly there is a spectrum of doggy smells and I do notice them in other people's houses, cars etc. I suspect they linger most on rugs, cushions and soft furnishings, which is why the more successful dog-friendly places either don't have too many of those, or swap them for dog-owning guests. The one that smelled noticeably of dog did have faux leather wipe-clean sofas, but it also had lots of cushions so I think that was their downfall.

A secure garden is a must - I wouldn’t even consider somewhere that didn’t have a secure space. Even if is wasn’t a garden as such - just somewhere you can open the door for night time wees without them escaping.

Theres a big difference between being properly dog friendly and just accepting dogs but not really wanting them . Sadly you seem in the second camp

Definitely highlight the fact you're dog friendly- it's not always clear. I usually take everything with me when we're going away, but throws, blankets, old towels, spare poo bags and feeding/water bowls would be very much appreciated and would save me sticking it all in the boot. A secure garden or area would be amazing too, as would a stair gate if they're not allowed in certain areas, a list of dog walks and shops for dog food, treats etc.

I run an Airbnb and I welcome dogs (in the area we’re in, I don’t think I’d have any guests if I didn’t). However, the only things that make the property ‘dog friendly’ are a securely fenced garden and a relaxed attitude. The house is comfortable and tidy rather than smart, which you can see from the photos and the listing, like a normal home rather than a showhome or five-star place.

I don’t provide bowls or dog beds as I always assume guests will bring their own. There are old manky towels available in a cupboard, but that’s pretty much it. I’m interested in the suggestions on this thread as most of the things have never occurred to me and have never been raised as an issue by any guests.

I have big sofa throws that I can chuck in the wash between guests and have asked guests not to let dogs on the beds - based on the dog hair I find, most of them ignore this! What I do have that makes it all do-able is wooden floors with robust rugs and a hoover with a pet filter, plus a good cleaner. When I do the laundry, I’m very careful that there are no dog hairs that survive the process, and before any guests arrive, I do a last walk round the garden checking for any poo that has been missed (less easy in the winter after work with a torch).

I think it depends how fancy your listing is - mine is a normal little house in a harbour village and people mostly come with sea-to-pub walks in mind, so generally dog-friendly is good and we get lots of repeat dog visitors. I think because I’m not trying to be posh, people are quite relaxed about bringing their own dog’s things. If it were a grand holiday let or if I made a huge deal about being dog-friendly, I might need to do more with it. If it’s just ‘of course, bring your dog, no problem’ rather than ‘dogs are princes and princesses’, you don’t need to do much other than tolerate it if the cleaning sometimes takes an extra hour occasionally (usually Labrador related). Most guests are really considerate and sort out most of the mess themselves.

The house is comfortable and tidy rather than smart, which you can see from the photos and the listing, like a normal home rather than a showhome or five-star place

This! We don't take our dog to places that are like showhomes - we want to be able to relax and enjoy the holiday. We keep the place clean and tidy, but we pick the accommodation based on whether it genuinely welcomes dogs and whether there are places to let him run around safely.

With regard to the smells, it’s really interesting to read about this from non-dog people’s point of view - I’m a non-dog person and always go round to the house before guests to check for smells etc (we call it the ‘gross check’) but actually it’s very rare that a smell lingers between guests. I do have a one night gap built in between guests and the cleaner opens every window for the full time that she’s cleaning, so the house gets a decent airing, but beyond that I can only think of one or two times that there’s been a smell issue in five years (again, I’m looking at the labradors). I think I would notice as I recognise the smells of dogs from friends’ houses, so don’t think I’m nose-blind.

I know this isn't what you asked, but I would state a maximum number of dogs allowed per visit. You probably don't want someone turning up with six dogs and then saying, "But you said dogs welcome!"

Agree with this - I once said yes to three dogs as I thought ‘how much worse can it be?’ Lots worse, is the answer. Two dogs max, or add on the cost of an extra two hours cleaning for more dogs. It’s only come up once, though.

We have a gîte and welcome dogs. The things I am asked about most are-
Secure garden, with dog proof fencing of at least 1.5m. If you have a big area, you could securely fence part of it?
Dogs allowed everywhere- most guests expect this, and those that don’t want a stair gate to stop them going upstairs.
Folder of maps and directions for local walks.

I provide bowls, poo bags, some dog treats and lots of old towels and throws. My sofas are protected by fitted throws which are water resistant (Temu, sorry! ) and washed between each group. Clear instructions about poo disposal. An outside shower attachment for a hosepipe (hot here in summer so no need for hot water supply) and a doggy paddling pool.
Tiled floors and a powerful vacuum cleaner.

I would take with me, dog bowls and a basket. I think most people would. Throws for the sofas is a good idea.

We take everything we need for our dog and would not need a secure garden.
I always hoover before we leave so a decent hoover with fresh filters in would be good.
Would absolutely love a warm outside tap. We have a mud daddy for after walks but a tap would be so much better.

This. I wouldn't book into a property that allowed dogs at all, so you'll definitely lose business and perhaps even repeat customers by changing your rules.

But will undoubtedly gain new customers. Dog ownership is on the rise in the UK, so hospitality is adjusting to reflect that reality.

my husband is very allergic to dogs, he’s ended up in a&e with a severe asthma attack from being around a dog before. We will only book air bnb’s that don’t allow dogs.

Yes my Airbnb states 2 pets (fish, cats, dogs!)

Have a look at the East Ruston Cottages website, they are genuinely dog friendly and win loads of awards.