Whew! I’m new to this forum. (Been a host since 2012, though.) Had to chime in and say that after reading this entire thread I’m ready for an “emotional support beverage”.
Thanks for giving me an opportunity to make that joke. 
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Oh, you’ll get along fine here. Emotional Support Beverages Are Us. I’m not sure how tee-totalling hosts manage to keep on hosting.
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Gosh, I think I got this from someone on here and I don’t remember who, forgive me.
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I suspect that they DID read. They just refused to believe that a host would turn them down with this sweet little animal. From their POV, no one would puppy sit an incontinent little crapper without additional expense.
Good for you!
We have a new inquiry by someone with a large service dog. He is politely begging to come. Can I charge an extra cleaning fee???
I am trying to get them to realize all the reasons not to come. We saw a baby rattler the other night. The dogs alerted us and both stayed away. I’m afraid our dogs would both try to scale the rocks to get to a guests dog, or at least be a bad nuisance if there were a guest dog.
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No.
Just tell them that it’s likely your dogs would want to fight/shag/eat their dog, and that due to the snakes/scorpions/bears/hyenas/mountain lions, if your dogs didn’t get it, they would.
JF
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JohnF
perfection!!!
Both of these are essentially true. Bella and Loki are capable of scaling the rocks or fence if they decide to.
I told him its remotely possible he could show up exactly when Loki is recovering from neuter. Also that a rattler was seen the other evening. (Both dogs alerted, barked in a funny voice and we killed the poor widdle baby snakie)
Curiously, someone found a snake in the street just over from us.
What amused us was that it was odd finding a snake so for from the town hall, where most reside…
OK, I’ll get my coat 
JF
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aw what a cute story JohnF!! By the head shape I would think it might be dangerous, but the zoo must be correct!
I included that in a poem to a friend who lost his.
This group doesn’t joke about emotional support beverages. We chime in with suggestions! 
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Citrus gin for me please… tall glass, lots of ice!
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I did that my first month living in Florida full time. Baby rattler in the palm tree I was taking down. I screamed and went running for a shovel. Found the nest and eradicated it. I’m sure you know rattlers are territorial but if you find the nest and destroy it, they won’t come back. I encourage the black and corn snakes because they prey on rattlers (and mice and rats…).
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I had to kill another rattler a few weeks ago while cutting greenery 2’ from the guest patio. Luckily I had the big shovel in hand. MK my hub is still got a busted knee, so it wouldn’t have been his job!
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I’m such a wuss about killing things. Just had a yellow jacket crawling around in the office. I’m terrified of anything that stings. Too scared to swat it or go after it with the vacuum cleaner hose. My husband was my hero. My knight with shining hand-held vac!
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I don’t like killing things but if they are threatening to me, my sanity or mine, they pass on. I refill my rodent traps often between guests, no poison used due to food chain issues. We are going to be refilling our wasp traps soon. They worked amazingly well last year.
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When guests try to bring their pets regardless, I tell them a family member is highly allergic and we cannot, under any circumstances, allow them in the property. There’s no fighting with that. 