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?

@Gymmum82 Why is having a dog in one room "minging" as you so eloquently phrased it, but it's not "minging" to have it in the living room? Are you performing surgery in your bedroom??

I had to come on MN to realise that some people book "pet friendly" or "dog friendly" accommodation but are shocked and horrified at the idea of someone bringing... a dog.

Next they'll be moaning that holiday resorts marketed mainly for couples have.. men. 😂

Nah, not buying that. You can get a cottage rental at many price points.
I'd also add that taking pets often means a higher cost and/or extra cost. Like from £20 per dog per week, up to £60 per dog per week. Sometimes a cleaning surcharge and more.

If you want a pet free place, look for pet free.

See a random week in Sept £285

https://www.cottages.com/search?adult=2&child=0&infant=0&pets=0&range=3&nights=7&accommodationType=cottages&start=22-09-2024&features=6948%2C6455&page=1&sort=priceasc

Wait, so we shouldn’t take dogs to pet friendly places in case the people staying after us don’t like dogs but can’t afford anything else?

I’d complain about any mess/dirt not cleaned up after previous occupants. Hair, toenails … all of it.

I would totally ignore the rules- unless they have secret cameras how will they know?

This is exactly why I wouldn't book anywhere that says pet friendly, dog owners who treat dogs like children, makes me feel physically sick to think of a dog being in a bed 🤢 absolutely disgusting.

I think it’s unreasonable and unrealistic to expect the dog to stay in one room, all dog owners know what ‘dog friendly’ means and that isn’t it. I usually take a couple of throws for the sofa and bed as one of dogs is clingy, and I don’t give it anymore thought.

What does treating a dog like a child actually mean to you? I read it on here all the time. Is it just a dog being in the same bed?

Yes but if your not taking a dog you don’t pay that extra surcharge so you get it at its base cheaper rate.

Look at havens / landal and such too as well. Cheapest vans / lodges / apartments pet friendly, more expensive not pet friendly.

Oh yes - our dogs were supposed to be confined to the kitchen only! Dogs want to be where their family is, and the garden was off the living room. Leather sofas wood or stone floor so that wasn't an issue. Really put me off.

Do not work as a cleaner in a hotel or B&B EVER 😂😂

If you knew what people had been up to before you shared the bed, you will faint 😂😂

It's taking the dog EVERYWHERE like you obviously have to a child. Why the dog has to go on holiday in the first place puzzles me! Dogs shouldn't be allowed inside anywhere, dogs belong outside on the floor. Kennel it if you go away or don't go away.

Why the dog has to go on holiday in the first place puzzles me!

😂😂😂

You are so right. Leave the dog home with a can opener and the house keys to lock behind himself when he goes out, what ridiculous to actually take him with you.

Don’t forget birthdays celebrated and such. Won’t attended family gatherings if dog not invited 😂 comparing your dog to a new baby in the family.

What a boring & un original comeback, of course we all know what goes on in hotel rooms, etc but I still think that a dog inside somewhere is absolutely disgusting & gross. Dogs belong outside & on the floor.

I don’t take my dog EVERYWHERE so I’m good.

No dogs upstairs is the norm OP. This is what cottages.com say in their general conditions (so applies to every property):

If you take a pet with
you, it is not allowed upstairs, on beds or furniture, or in any shared facilities, such as swimming pools or shops.

So the holidays are purposely cheaper because they allow dogs. But you don’t want people to take dogs.

In case, someone wants a holiday but can only afford the prices of dog friendly accommodation?

If no one took their dogs, there would be a pet friendly option. So they would all be the more expensive price.

or are you expecting people to book pet friendly accommodation and not take their dogs, even though they will pay extra for the dog that’s not going, to keep accommodation cheaper for someone else who might only be able to afford a the pet friendly accommodation option?

you can’t actually be serious.

Aye? No my point was most places even pet friendly don’t allowed pets on furniture / beds. So even in a pet friendly accommodation you wouldn’t expect the dog to of been in the bedroom.

We don't allow dogs upstairs in our own house - not ours, not friends and family's dogs. And I wouldn't personally book a place that says "pet friendly" as i don't like the idea of dogs on a bed. But if this wasn't mentioned in the advertising then I think you have every right to ignore it. The owners won't be able to enforce it anyway.

most holiday cottages have no bedrooms/no furniture rules - I travel with my cat, rather than a dog, I just put towels or throws anywhere she wants to sit - and generally look for cottages with leather sofas.
Just clean up any pet hair.

Actually, plenty of pet friendly places do allow it.

You want the pet friendly cheaper option to be available to people, but also don’t want their dogs to have been there?
If someone doesn’t want to be somewhere dogs are, why would it be ok that the dog was in the living room?

How does that change anything? My dogs don’t sleep in my bedroom because I would find that very uncomfortable and noisy. But I don’t see the difference between the dog being in the bedroom and in a living room. A dog has been there.

and I dispute that pet friendly places are cheaper overall

Posted too soon and can not add an edit.

But it was originally in response to a poster telling people not to book pet friendly then, but pet friendly tends to be the cheapest accommodation, so sometimes people have no choice but to book it but since most don’t allow pets in bedrooms/on sofas you wouldn’t expect to find the fur and smell and such in the bedroom.

Well tbh the rules read a bit like they see a dog as an inanimate object rather than a living creature with its own mind. Like a bike you can store in some rooms but not others, or something you can turn off like portable heater you shouldn’t have turned on in a room unattended.

This is why I never book dog friendly accomodation. I'm sure a lot of dog owners let their pets on the furniture, including beds, regardless of what rules they are given.

I think you probably are a bit unreasonable, because I can't imagine why you wouldn't expect your dog to have the run of the house, it would be unfair to other renters.