To expect pet friendly to mean a dog can go everywhere

[Fluffyelephant]

We arrived yesterday in a holiday house for a family trip that was booked because the place described itself as pet friendly. On arrival though we were presented with very intense written rules regarding dogs - they were in bold and used terms like ‘under absolutely no circumstances with no exception can your dog…’

If we had been told these rules in advance we would never have paid to stay here as they absolutely won’t work for our dog and we know that. The main rule causing issue is that he’s only actually allowed in the living room and part of the hall so 75% of the house is off limits including the stairs. He’s well behaved and good natured and is a breed that doesn’t shed hair. But he’s a clingy breed and follows us around and always sleeps on the floor by our bed otherwise he gets very distressed.

The owners know a dog was coming because we told them and we paid an extra £50. But none of these rules were mentioned. If he caused damage then of course I would pay (as I would if it was caused by a child or adult) but this seems to be rules to preemptively prevent any damage from occurring in the first place.

Last night in an attempt to follow the rules I tried sleeping on the two seat sofa in the living room next to dog but this was horrendous so we just came upstairs. My partner says it’s impossible to relax so we’ll just have to drive gone today!

I feel like places say ‘pet friendly’ to get your money when they actually aren’t at all! AIBU?

I thought dogs have their own dog beds. I didn't realise that some sleep with their owners.

Normally, I only book holiday accommodation that doesn't allow pets, because I'm not keen on any lingering wafts of Eau de Chien that might still be around. A good decision it turns out.

Why?

Of course take the dog in the bedroom with you in these circumstances.

People with allergies or strong reactions to animals will NEVER book a "pet friendly" property - because it means just that, pets are welcome.

I never book a "smoker friendly" room or place either.

If the dog is not welcome, then it's not "pet friendly", it's a blatant lie.

My dogs don't sleep in my bed, but they want to be where I am. So if 75% of house was off limits, that really wouldn't work for us.

I don't think pet-friendly necessarily means a free for all, but I think any significant rules need to be communicated in advance (and indeed have to be by law - consumer law requires significant terms to be communicated clearly to a consumer before they are bound by a consumer contract).

So I don't think you are being unreasonable here, OP. The owner is unreasonable. Fine to say pet friendly with conditions, but not after you've booked and committed yourselves, and certainly not only when you arrive!

I’m here. I’m real. We’ve just been out for the day and now trying to work out what to do this evening. Essentially whether to give up and set off back home or stay and break the rules which genuinely would be really out of character for us.

Partner says he just can’t enjoy this as he feels on edge and like we’re doing something wrong (even when we’re downstairs and following the rules!) as it doesn’t feel like our dog is really welcome.

I can’t really train my dog to not go upstairs because we live in a large flat.. it’s not a ‘normal’ house layout. I’m not totally sure how we’re meant to follow these rules to be perfectly honest as it says the dog should never be left unattended in any room… but then he has to stay downstairs for 8+ hours while we sleep upstairs..

You know people would have had sex on the bed right? I’d prefer a bit of dog slobber to someone else’s jizz to be honest

We had the same problem with a Sykes cottage that said dog friendly and as we walked through the door we were greeted with cream carpet and a big sign that said NO DOGS IN HERE (with no door to be able to shut off the lounge), no dogs upstairs (with no stair gate), the garden wasn't fenced off properly and it was a nightmare. We had to do a claim back with the bank to get our money back but even Sykes agreed it didn't meet their definition of dog friendly.

We then bought a v v cheap 2nd hand dog friendly caravan on a dog friendly holiday park site and just go there every year as at least we know it's dog friendly

Everyone's view of dog friendly is different!

the dog should never be left unattended in any room

so basically 75% of the holiday house is also unusable for you, if dog is not allowed there and can't be left alone.

YANBU, and it is so unfair to do this to you on your holidays- as you said- if you had known you would probably have booked somewhere more appropriate. I think it’s worth saying for the benefit of other pet owners on here that generally people don’t like having people bring their pets anywhere, ever. This is what small business owners have told me anyway and friends who have had this request by other friends.

So many replies!

I think ultimately what I’m learning from this is:

1. There’s definitely a difference of opinion between dog owners and non-dog owners. And I suspect a generational difference between dog owners in what is expected with a dog.
2. Maybe no dogs upstairs / bedrooms is the norm for ‘dog friendly’ and we were wrong. The few places I’ve been in the past didn’t have these rules but maybe they were the exception and not the norm. I don’t know.

All in all the experience has just been incredibly frustrating. I think the simplest thing all round would be if holiday places would choose ONE camp - dogs allowed or dogs not allowed! Then dog owners and non-dog lovers would both be happy and know where they stood.

Now Im sorry that I have rented a place for next weekend that permits dogs. Im not a dog person and can’t imagine that the place will feel clean if every dog owning guest permits their dogs to do what you all think is normal. Im not very OCD or anything I just don’t like dog hair, smell, poop, etc..

I think the holiday house owners expect one member of the group staying to always be physically present and downstairs with eyes on the dog! So me and my partner are currently taking turns going back to our bedroom to get changed / nap etc… not that relaxing!

The problem seems to be the accommodation owner wants to appeal to the new generation of cockerpoo/labradoodle owning goons but at the same time despises the same people they want to make money from, hence we have the dichotomy here.

OP, you know your dog, will it go crazy and start chewing furniture and marking territory everywhere, if not under constant surveillance? If not, relax and ignore the stupid rules.

You should stick to the rules. A dog is not a person. I'd hate to stay somewhere that a smelly slobbery dog had been, especially in the bedroom. It's gross.

I just don’t like dog hair, smell, poop, etc..

I think most people would be a bit miffed if they were met with a pile of dog poop in their AirBnB. Has not happened to me yet, and I often stay in dog friendly accommodation.

It sounds like the rules have been made by someone who has no idea about dogs. Just ignore, these rules should have been stated in advance.

Some of the comments by non-dog lovers on here have been so unnecessarily nasty about my dog.

‘Neurotic dog’ ‘special needs dog’

whatever you think of dogs or never want to own one yourself or think I have shortcomings as an owner, I can confirm that he’s none of those things. He’s a lovely dog (my first one) who is very placid, and has brought me so much joy and comfort following a bereavement

He just likes to sleep at the end of our bed (not even on the bed but on the floor!) and his natural instinct is to follow us about and see what we’re doing.

But…what did you think dog friendly meant when you booked the property, if this thread is coming as such a shock to you?

He’s absolutely not a person and the owners are fully entitled to set these rules. But the problem is I can’t agree to these rules (practically I mean and not from a moral stand point!) making the property unsuitable for us and I’ve only been told the rules 6 months after booking and when we’ve driven 3 hours to get here!

We had the same last week. Nothing mentioned before arrived and then there was a sign saying no dogs beyond this point. Which included the utility room. We just ignored it.

They should have been clear about the strict rules. It's not the OP's fault the owners weren't clear about their strict rules! She wouldn't have paid to stay in an unsuitable property otherwise. Therefore it's not the OP's problem if her dog is upstairs when it's not supposed to be.

Why would you rent a dog friendly place if you don't like dogs?

Well, I can see both sides. Some of us are huge dog lovers, have always had dogs, but train there to be part of the family- but as dogs. That means they have their own bed in the kitchen or lounge and do not go on furniture or beds.

So we do book Pet Friendly places as she travels with us most of the time- but I'd rather my bed and settee were not shared with other dogs- even when sheets are changed, etc. Many Hôtels and AirbnB places refuse dogs, because owners let the dogs go anywhere and do anything they want- and are left alone and bark, etc. Dog owners like us with well trained (and very much loved) dogs, are penalised because of them.