We’re proud dog owners and are thinking of making our place pet-friendly.
Is there anything we should consider to make for a good guest experience and also protect our furniture?
2 Likes
What kind of rental do you have?
Offer your guests old towels, ones that really don’t matter if they end up covered in mud or anything else. I go to op shops and ask for the ones they can’t sell, they’re always grateful for a small donation.
1 Like
It’s a 2-bedroom, private access unit.
Do they have access to a yard? That’s a nice addition. I put a poop bag dispenser in the guest room when people with dogs book just to be sure they don’t have an excuse to leave poop somewhere, including my front yard. I agree with having an old towel or two around and an old blanket or sheet that can be easily washed. If you can find a large dog crate used that would be nice to have. Many travelers with dogs bring their own though.
As for furniture it’s possible that something will get damaged. I think the biggest threat is something gets marked and once it’s marked it will get marked again. This has nothing to do wiht being housebroken and most owners will be surprised it happened. Hard floors are 1000x better than carpets and rugs. Get a blacklight so you can search for urine spots.
I haven’t had any issues yet with guest dogs in the airbnb room but I have in the rest of my home where I board dogs.
If I were you, I would ask your veterinarian if your dogs need any additional vaccinations. My veterinarian gives kennel cough and flu vaccines only to dogs who will be around strange dogs.
1 Like
Pet friendly helpful items: Pet gate for limiting pet access? I have one at the base of the steps. A supply of poop bags. Available in rental: Pet stain carpet cleaner solution with old towels in case of accident.
2 Likes
Having a very little pooch that can’t go off lead, it’s crucial for me to have a secure property. I don’t mind if there is no outdoor area as he’s grown up in apartments and can go more than 24hrs without a pee (yes really). However, if there is an outdoor space it’s very important to me that if it’s not secure, proper closing gate, no communal access, no gaps under the fence this is declared clearly.
Not that any of the dog friendly Airbnb’s have done this for me but I’d really like a dog water bowl, an old towel to wipe his paws if it’s a muddy country area and a dog treat. I’m always happy to pay a pet fee but for the small cost I’d definitely give 5 stars if I had these items. My dog’s comfort and happiness is usually much more important than mine 
3 Likes
I’ll add to Emily’s excellent advise: If you provide dog treats, please include the packaging that shows the ingredients. I’ve had dogs with food allergies, so I need to know what is in treats.
1 Like
We allow dogs in our vacation rentals and have had no damage. (Kids, on the other hand…) We provide a fenced yard with sign on the gate saying to keep it closed, poop bags in an outdoor dispenser, and water/food bowls. All of our rugs are of the indoor/outdoor kind that can be literally taken outside and hosed down (but you wouldn’t know it looking at them). We’re on a lake so we provide dog PFDs along with the human ones. Old towels are definitely a good idea too.
3 Likes
I’ve been pet friendly for over 2 years…its really not that much of an inconvenience. Pet owners are so happy that they can bring their fur babies they really take care of the unit.
Good luck and enjoy!
Sue
I agree! I supply large bowls, small bowls, small bags of dog and cat food as well as bag of litter and box if they bring a cat. These are just little things that I personally would like if I were staying somewhere. It’s always appreciated and generally they replace or leave a donation for supplies they use.
Sue
Create a booklet or sheet of paper showing which businesses in the area are pet -friendly - for example, restaurants that allow dogs on the patio when their owners are dining. Include beaches where dogs are allowed and pet-friendly parks. As well as the free stuff, add details of pet-groomers and pet-sitters locally.
1 Like
I’m in Vegas so there’s no beaches here, I allow big dogs and most of the places have a weight restriction…so there’s not much for Big Dogs that I cater to unfortunately.
2 Likes
Most of my furniture is faux leather so it’s easy to wipe clean.
Sue
2 Likes
I had an xxl dog door put in my bnb and a chain link kennel on the outside so they have access to the potty area anytime and they are safe.
2 Likes