how would you want to be told this? Dear friends have become dog owners. They have visited us before but before they had a dog. Now they want to come again, with the dog. I don't want to receive a dog for a few days stay. I even hate it when dogs go straight through the house and sit on the balcony quietly while their owner has a coffee. I completely understand that for my friends, their dog is part of their family. How to say no without damaging the friendship? I'm asking here be because I imagine some of you might have had this come up so looking for ideas how to be kind but not do what I don't want to do.