I’ve recently begun allowing pets with very few problems but just had a first: as I discovered after their check-out, my most recent guests washed their 50-pound German shepherd in the bathtub (of their separate bungalow) during their 2-night stay. Dog hair and paw prints were the crucial clues. I would have never guessed that anyone would even consider doing such a thing. Is this normal behavior for dog owners?
If I were to allow pets, I would be glad that they washed it in the bathtub because this means it was washed and probably treated for fleas.
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Not normal as far as I’m concerned- my dog gets bathed outside. Chained to the metal staircase, so she can’t escape, and using the garden hose. If I bathed her in a bathtub, or the shower stall, her fur would immediately clog up the drains.
Pretty presumptuous of the guests to do that, but you know what? The vast majority of dog owners will do everything exactly the same way in someone else’s home as they do in their home as far as the dog is concerned. If the dog sleeps in bed with them at home, you can be assured they will let it sleep in your beds, even if that’s against the rules.
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I wouldn’t ban dog bathing. The dog might have rolled in shit or a carcass… and you don’t want that smeared all over your rental.
Instead… provide proper drain covers that will catch the dog hair. If you can, install it permanently… If not then maybe make a very prominent sign in the bathroom saying they must use the drain cover. Maybe even put a waterproof sign inside the tub?
If someone bathes their dog in a rental, they really should clean the tub out! Not cleaning it is rude and thoughtless.
Edit: having been through this rigmarole myself as a guest… consider upholding your high cleaning standards and charging a pet fee or cleaning fee to make up for the extra time you’re cleaning. Guests would appreciate it!
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What about making an outside garden hose available for dog bathing? Since I’m not a dog owner, I don’t know if that would be a reasonable alternative.
Some think this is reasonable… but what about when it is winter and the dog gets muddy? Some dogs are afraid of hoses. And the water comes out cold… some have anxiety attacks from cold water.
My dog shivers and whimpers if the water is cold and then she gets unruly.
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A dog would only be afraid of a hose if they had never had any experience with them before, or a negative one. Even though my dog isn’t fond of being bathed, which I do with the hose, she’s not scared of the hose- in fact, she comes running over if I’m hose watering the garden, because it’s her favorite thing to drink out of.
And I’m sorry, but if you want to bathe your dog in the bathtub at your house, that’s your prerogative, of course. But doing so in someone’s Airbnb, unless it’s been cleared by the host, is pretty disrespectful.
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The way I keep the fur out of the drain is I cut a scouring pad to make a little circular drain plug. Works like a charm. Water goes through but fur stays trapped.
And yes, it is normal for me to wash them in the tub. But then I clean up the mess.
Edited to add: My dog is not afraid of the hose. To the contrary, she thinks waterhose means playtime. I can’t get anything done but exercising a wet dog with a garden hose.
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My two Yorkie brats would have a meltdown if sleeping on the bed was not an option.
My two weigh about 7 lbs (3kg) Each. Hair so little shedding. A hose bath only occurs if got into something stinky or after Digging in beach sand.
They get shower or tub baths.
Yes small spoiled brats.
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I have a walk in shower in the rental room that is perfect for dog bathing. I’d have no issue with that, it would be the use of my human towels to dry the dog. There’s also a hose on the front porch and patch of astroturf that’s great for dog bathing. I don’t make any effort to tell folks their dog can’t be on the bed, I provide a cheap fleece throw for them in hopes the dog will stay on top of it. I haven’t had any issues with most dog owners.
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Dogs only have a melt-down if they can’t sleep on the bed if that’s what you get them used to. They weren’t born with a compulsion to sleep on the bed or the sofa. I’ve pretty much always had dogs and they have always had their own beds on the floor and don’t have one iota of interest in jumping up on the furniture.
Sorry but I think it is. We don’t allow dogs these days (HOA rules) but when we did, I had no problem with guests washing their dogs in the bath. In fact, we used to supply a special dog shampoo and a special dog towel.
I’d rather have a clean dog than a dirty one.
Can I ask why?
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Wouldn’t they fit in a sink?!
Yes, people aren’t so keen on dogs using human towels. I guess that can get kinda into a gray area if dogs are allowed to sleep on the bed too… humans and dogs sharing bedding.
I brought a towel specifically for my dog while I’m traveling. And the dog sleeps on her blanket and mini pillow on the floor.
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A dog would only be afraid of a hose if they had never had any experience with them before, or a negative one.
I disagree. We have two dogs the same age, one will do anything to have the hose on him, the other will do anything to avoid the hose (although she like to chase the water stream around).
We provide dog towels in a basket by the back door for guests to wipe muddy paws. Someone washing their dog in the bathtub is probably making sure whatever is ON the dog will not be spread all over the rest of your place, so no - it’s neither weird nor unheard of, and could be considered thoughtful.
We ask for no dogs on the furniture, but provide blankets for dog owners to put down onto whatever furniture they think the dog might get onto anyway. This has worked pretty well, but we need to change the kind of blankets we use because the hairs stick to them and they are becoming literal “dog blankets”! 
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There are dogs who like water and those who don’t. My dog isn’t a water dog at all. If I take her to the beach, she stays as far from the surf as possible, even when she can see other dogs frolicking happily in the water. In the hot, humid summers here, she’ll occasionally go lay in the seasonal arroyo a few steps from my house, just to cool off, but only in shallow water so it doesn’t touch more than her legs and belly. If you get close to her when she’s in that position, she gets nervous and immediately gets up.
So because she isn’t a water dog, when she sees me put the chain on the staircase in prep to bathe her and get the hose, she tries to sneak away, but that doesn’t mean she’s actually scared of the hose, since she’ll come right up and drink out of it if I’m garden watering, just as your dog likes to chase the water stream- she just doesn’t like getting wet.
We welcome dogs in our 2 BR 2 BA cabin. In the listing, our dog policy is clear. It has been edited, many times, so there are no misunderstandings.
The key is to clearly define in your Pet Policy what is allowed and what isn’t. Ours is lengthy. If your plumbing won’t accommodate a dog bath, it needs to be stated in your policy (with the threat of forfeiture of security deposit if a plumber must be called).
We provide sheets for the furniture and beds, dog towels, feeding stations, treats, toys, brushes, shampoo, tick puller, flea comb, Nature’s Miracle (for accidents), poop bags, crate on request and baby gates. The smaller supplies are kept in baskets under a bench. The backyard has a small galvanized trash can with a roll of poop bags wired to the lid. While most of our guests have been quite respectful we have experienced issues with dogs left alone, torn screens, destroyed duvets, marking etc. The hardest one to catch is the ‘marker’ - owners usually don’t see it happen. I keep plenty of Nature’s Miracle and treat markings several times. I don’t allow a dog to be crated and left at the cabin for longer than 2 hours (I include a referral to a nearby doggy daycare for those who might need one). No excessive barking. I live nearby and have lovely, watchful neighbors who will let me know if there’s an issue.
My cleaning routine: Vacuum before doing anything else - dog hair travels. I have 2 lint rollers and a box of refills. Bedding is rolled before sheets are stripped (I catch a lot of human hair too - saves labor in the long run). Furniture is rolled before vacuuming and after.
Clearly, it’s more labor intensive to host guests with dogs. But I’m getting repeat business for longer stays (ie 7-10 nights). I love it when people include their dogs on a vacation. And, a well written dog policy is an opportunity to educate, set boundaries and protect yourself (although I believe Airbnb should increase the security deposit option to $500). Ultimately people respect you and your dwelling that much more when you’ve clearly defined your expectations and have (diplomatically) screened them during the inquiry stage.
If you are really familiar with this, it’s not really a true security deposit.
I also allow dogs with a fee but have all tile, no rugs at all and very little furniture as it’s just a small room and ensuite. I think it give me a competitive advantage, I can make a little more and the risk is low.
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Yes, I realize the SD isn’t real. But I think a larger amount might help weed out potentially disrespectful guests?
I charge $100 cleaning fee (for everyone, not just dog owners) and a pet fee of $25/dog (limit 2 dogs). I’m thinking of raising the rate to $50/dog, but really like making it affordable…
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In my town dogs can be boarded for $25 a night multiple places. In some parts of the country it can get much higher but I think at $50 you would price yourself out of the market.
It might and only really savvy guests know it isn’t real.