Hosting PAWesome guests at your short-term rental property; Everything you Need to Know to Host Dogs

Kate Stoermer Author

A fur-tastic guide to the why and how of hosting dogs at your short-term rental

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If you’ve been turning your nose up at the idea of welcoming four-legged guests to your short-term rental property, it’s time to reconsider! With millions of people traveling with their adorable fur-babies these days, opening your doors to canine companions can open up a whole new market for your rental business.  Today, I'm exploring why you should roll out the red carpet for our barking buddies and provide some tips on how to do it.

And I fully confess my adorable bias; Bea goes nearly everywhere with me.  This pic was a family vacation at the ocean. 

Reasons to Permit Pooches:

So now that I've confessed my bias, lets talk about reasons your short-term rental business SHOULD include dogs. 

1. Bigger Market, Bigger Income: According to statistics, more than 60% of U.S households own a dog. Many of these pet owners would rather skip a trip than leave their loyal friends behind. So, having a pet-friendly property can attract more bookings, higher occupancy rates, and in turn, potentially higher income.
2. Pet Owners = Responsible Guests: Responsible pet owners are often responsible guests. They know how to clean up after their pets, keep noise levels down, and generally respect property rules. While I'd never suggest pet-owners are ALL the perfect guests, most are super grateful to travel with their fur babies and do take good care of the home. 
3. Word-Of-Muzzle Advertising: Happy guests who are allowed to travel with their pets often spread the word, leading to more bookings. It’s not just the internet - the dog park can be a hub of word-of-mouth advertising plus you'll be advertised on websites like Bring Fido; more eyes on your listing means more bookings!

Now, let's discuss the paw-sitive tips to make your property a hound heaven:

1. Pet-Proof Your Property: Start by taking precautions to protect your property. This might include durable, scratch-resistant furniture, securing any loose wires, and removing any potentially toxic plants. I offer sofa covers - These wash well, and - although  not pet specific, I avoid carpet as much as possible anyway (long live LVP flooring!) and I also put scratch guards on exterior doors so pooches who alert their owners to the need to go our don't inadvertently scratch up the doors. 
2. Create a Pet-Friendly Space: Stock up on doggy essentials like a water bowl - This one offers a mat as well, leash, doggy waste bags - I prefer compostable ones like THESE, and maybe even a comfy bed. Providing a pet-friendly space shows that you’ve put thought into your guests' needs.
3. Pet Policies and Guidelines: It’s crucial to have clear, well-communicated policies for your guests and their pets. You can decide your rules - number of pets, if you have size restrictions. I've seen rules for must be crate trained, no puppies, must be house-broken.  Also, you may institute a fine for NOT cleaning up after the dog (no one wants to step in dog poo) - but also make sure to provide instructions as to what to do with excrement.  Pet owners will appreciate information about the nearest vet clinics, pet-friendly parks, and restaurants.
4. Charge a Reasonable Pet Fee: To cover any potential damage or extra cleaning costs, consider charging a reasonable pet fee. This can be added to the rental cost and can help you maintain your property while still welcoming those lovable furballs.  Check your competition to see what they charge, and assess how much your cleaner might upcharge (I'll be honest, all my pet-friendly properties have yet to incur an upcharge from the cleaner although occasionally they mention excessive pet fur.  It all has to get cleaned anyway!).  But $60 for 30 stays is $2100, so that helps with the increased wear and tear that comes from being a fur-riendly host. 
5. Be Welcoming. We are in the Hospitality Industry, so we want our guests to feel welcome. Keep your rules reasonable (Clean up after your dog, keep them leashed, don't leave them unattended for extended periods of time) and offer amenities to help pet owners, like THIS lint brush, cordless stick vacuum (we have 2 in our larger properties!) and plenty of rags for wiping up muddy paws (esp if you live near/on a lake!) 
6. Get Prepared.  Not every pet owner is perfect, and not every pet takes good care of your stuff.  I require independently purchased damage insurance for ALL my guests - regardless of booking platform or pet-ownership.  Waivo - check them out HERE, provides great service (2 day claim turnaround), more coverage for less, they don't contact guests - and yes not only do I pass through the fee but I put a surcharge on it. Also, make sure you have adequate liability insurance - commercial level liability (I'd recommend at least $1M; many suggest $2M) and check with you STR insurance to make sure they don't have stipulations on hosting dogs (mine do not, but they aren't thrilled that I do). 

When Being Dog-friendly Might be Too Ruff

Sometimes, it just ISN'T a good choice to be pet-friendly.  Is this your second home and you don't want dogs? Then skip it.  Ditto if your STR neighbor has reactive dogs already, or your HOA is already considering STR's a nuance.  Don't have access to a good dog-park or lawn for dog's to do their business? Your guests will thank you for not queuing up to host them.  We only need a limited number of stays per year to successful, so if hosting pets isn't for you - DON'T do it!  A reluctant host is the last thing a pet owner wants to deal with. 

If you are on the fence because you've heard horror stories - and yes, there are those, I've been pet-friendly since I started hosting and in all that time I had 1 dog chew a tv remote (owner disclosed and offered to pay), 1 dog chew on a wreath (owner disclosed and offered to pay), and one incident where the cleaner found a recent puddle of pee and poo (which seemed likely had occurred that AM likely while the family was getting ready to go).  Having hosted hundreds of guests - probably half of those stays included dogs, that's pretty good in my view. Yes, I'm a pretty laid back host and a dog owner. But I started upfront with my bias.  My cleaners have referenced excessive dog fur a few times, but never upcharged since they were washing stuff anyway. 

When a Dog Isn't a Pet - Service Animals 

Service animals - by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) aren't pets and as businesses we are not allowed to deny access to our services because of disabilities. Emotional support animals are NOT service animals and you are NOT required to host an emotional support animal - and if you do, you may treat them as a pet. There is no credentialing process or paperwork condoned by the ADA for Service Animals so if someone offers you "papers", its a red flag.  Handlers for service dogs are well-versed on the rules and unlikely to work hard to convince you that they shouldn't have to pay a pet fee.   

For Service Dogs, Handlers are NOT required to disclose the animals presence.  If they do, or if you notice an undisclosed dog, you should ascertain it is - or is not, a service animal by asking the two allowable questions per the ADA guidelines; 

• Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?

• What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?

Service animals are required to remain under the control of their Handler at all times, so may not be left in the temporary lodging (your short-term rental) unattended.  Because these animals are NOT pets, you may not charge a pet fee. The regulations note that you may not charge for pet dander/fur but you may - if you have a policy in place to do so, charge for damages caused by the pet. You may also exclude an animal if the Handler says they ARE a service animal if they are destructive, not housebroken, out of control - essentially if they appear to not be a service dog - but keep good records just in case. 

Your state may have some additional rules, so make sure you are familiar with local and state rules as well. 

Remember, inviting dogs into your property doesn’t need to be ruff! By making the leap and welcoming our loyal companions, you're not just providing a home away from home for pets, but also bringing joy to pet parents everywhere. With these tips in mind, we hope you’re inspired to give your guests the opportunity to say, “Home, sweet home. And yes, Fido Bea, you can come too!”

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Hey Boss! I'm Kate, owner/founder of The CEO Host. If you are interested in taking a leap into short-term rentals - or have some questions about your existing business, my goal - passion, and career, is to help YOU succeed. I've coached hundreds of folks getting started or looking to optimize, analyzed more deals (and duds) than I could count, completed thousands of hours of education and training, attended conferences... So don't be shy. A good CEO knows to bring in expert help - and that's what I'm here for! Lets HOP ON A CALL and chat!

Categories: : operations, self management