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So I just checked in a guest with her husband and house trained bird dog. The dog enjoyed climbing up on the coffee table while she and I were standing right there getting her smart lock access and pet fees taken care of. I looked at her and she was just smiling at her dog! I was flabbergasted!
I told her that dogs on the coffee table was inappropriate to which she did not respond. I called the dog off the table. He turned right back around and jumped right back up and sat there proud as can be. Guest still did not respond. I told him to get down again and told her that since he was so comfortable in that furniture I assume he is allowed on other furniture…before I could finish with “please put down a sheet or blanket to prevent the pet hair,” he jumped up on the couch. I called him down and he went right back up on the coffee table!
She FINALLY called him down. As I Was explaining again that getting on couch or bed with a blanket is one thing that getting in a coffee table is just not an appropriate place for a dog the husband came in…no response from him.
I was so flabbergasted that once he got down I quickly finished getting the pet fee (she wanted to pay with a check even though I already discussed the options with her on AirBnB (and it’s in my listing)) and explaining that the refundable portion of the pet fee does require nothing to be messed up.
I had accidents offered her double my usual refundable portion based on a 7 night booking as well. I can only hope that I am able to give her that refund!
I guess technically it would be easier cleanup to have a dog sit on a coffee table than a fabric couch but REALLY? That is well behaved??? And to allow it in someone else’s home? It just makes me wonder how she will treat the rest of the house…or let the dog treat the house and yard…hopefully she keeps her word about not leaving the house alone in the house at all… it is just when I think I may have dealt with it all (silly me, I know better) something like this happens…
And let me add that this dog is a 3.5 year old intact male English Springer Spaniel so not a tiny purse dog! Maybe 55-65 pounds or so. This is their prized bird hunting dog!
@Brandt Pet & Friendly are the first 2 words in my Listing Title. That’s not going to happen. I want to serve RESPECTFUL and RESPONSIBLE pet owners, as I am one.
This is exactly why I don’t allow pets. I have a dog and have been a dog owner most of my life. But none of my dogs were ever allowed on the furniture and they don’t sleep in a human bed. I’ve found the majority of dog owners, especially those who travel with their dogs (which I’ve done occasionally, but more often I’ve had a house/pet sitter when I go on holiday- a 75 pound dog, especially one who’s a constant shedder, would not be welcomed most places), think it’s perfectly normal for Fido to sleep on the couch or the bed.
Via AirBnB Resolution Center, cash, Zelle, Venmo, Cash App or ApplePay. I could accept PayPal but prefer not to since that is how I receive payments from AirBnB. I also could accept credit card but then I would charge a 5% convenience fee and I don’t want to do that so I don’t even mention that method.
Interestingly her response to my first 24 hour message (for those staying more than one night) was promising…
“ The bed is super comfortable - thanks! Everything is very clean. We’re having a great visit with our family.”
She has been taking the dog with them when they leave so that is good…although they did argue over something related to the dog and my $50 fine house rule. I’m interested to see the condition they leave the house in…at least she has written via AirBnB that it is very clean, so at least if it is not when they leave, they admit that at least within the first 48 hours it WAS “very clean.”
I always send a special offer to include the pet fee. It sometimes needs to be explained as Airbnb add in the cleaning fee and pet fee to the rental instead of showing different line items.
But usually, it presents no problems.
I understand that this in effect causes the guest to pay taxes fees and Airbnb service fees on the pet fee as well if you roll it into a Special Offer…
That is true, but I tell the guest that the pet fee will be $x plus tax and fees. I wish there was a better way of collecting the pet fee, but AB seem to not have any interest in improvement, and I have found the Special Offer works best for me.
You can tewll them that but why make them pay even more when they dont have to (and you dont get it all? Actually you get even less than your requested pet fee then because Airbnb takes their 3% from you as well. I have given you several other options which are (to me and my guests at least) a better way. It is less work for me many times and less money out of my pocket and the guest’s pocket.
Also, since I started giving a portion of the pet fees as refundable (based on the human guest’s long term stay discount (5-20%) it makes it even better for me and guests because in my experience when Airbnb allows hosts to refund a guest via Resolution center, they do NOT refund the equivalent Airbnb Service fees, or taxes and fees.
If you are so averse to doing the Special Offer, why not at least consider the options I have presented (and Airbnb allows)?
And now I just left this message for my guests…they are from Maine and had said they liked the house cooler at 68F at check-in but this is ridiculous…
Guest,
Good morning. I am wondering about the temperature at the house as I got notice that it is 58 degrees and the air conditioner is set to 70 degrees. It looks like the conditioner was turned on late last night Given temperatures of the high 30s out last night the air conditioning should not be used as the outside parts could freeze up. I recommend that if you want it colder in the house to simply open the solid front door and place the fan in front of the screen door to draw in the cold quicker if you need. Please only do this while you are there obviously. Thank you and if you have any questions or need any assistance please let me know.
So this guest has checked out and the house looks great inside (save the claw marks all over the top of the coffee table…not sure they were just the ones from when I was there or if they were added to). They aren’t bad (you have to get down at an angle to see them) and the table isn’t in super shape anyways and I am looking to replace it next year when I find a suitable one (it’s relatively small for a coffee table So hard to find similar size used).
I have not had a chance to verify no dog poop in the back yard but I believe they only used it the first morning as the smart lock door records indicate it never opened again and I can see on the doorbell camera that they went for a duty call walk each time instead. I am expecting it is fine and I will be refunding the refundable portion of my pet fee. Yay!
The review…suggestions are welcome. I would say that it will be all positive except must make mention of the dog on the coffee table and their reaction to it somehow. While the dog being on the table is not a big deal in my budget listing with secondhand furniture it would be a HUGE deal in my own home and MOST ALL host’s listings. However the guests’ lack of reaction or caring (Especially when I told her twice that it was inappropriate) is VERY RELEVANT to ALL hosts.
@Militaryhorsegal Yeah, I’d definitely mention it in the review. I’ve little patience anymore with people who think whatever their dog or child does is okay. This said as both a dog owner and a parent who raised 3 kids.
Maybe something after the positives like “unfortunately the guest’s dog leaped onto the coffee table while giving the guests the orientation tour and they seemed to think this was perfectly normal dog behavior. Multiple scratches on the coffee table were found after check-out.”
I have such a hard time understanding how people assume that just because they are okay with something in their own home, that the same things are acceptable in other people’s homes.
And thank you for being mindful of leaving a review that might not bother you personally , but could be a serious issue for other hosts.
Oh, it DOES bother me personally! It’s just that the damage done in this case is acceptable in that the table already has blemishes (it is a wood look laminate covered press board?) where the laminate is starting to come off at the edges. Given this i cant really justify charging much, if anything, because I am going to be replacing it anyways due to the preexisting blemishes.
The REAL bother though, is a bother to all hosts and that is the attitude of not caring and not even bothering to react or acknowledge that I was speaking to them.
