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.