How to deal with host dogs barking?

[Tamara170]

Hello. I am a new to hosting. I'm interested to hear from hosts who own dogs. How do you deal with your dogs barking and guest dissatisfaction?

Just invested 10k to remodel and create a guest wing. Hoping to bring in supplemental income with unused space in my home. Guest wing has soundproofing (which isn't 100% effective unfortunately-will address in another conversation here), a private guest entrance and an interior (soundproofing in progress) door (between guest wing and the rest of the house). Well, after all this remodelling work is finished, I've just rented the place (via Craigslist) for one month as a trial, before I go live on AirBnB. Turns out my two beloved dogs have more sensitive ears than I knew. They bark as soon as the guest shuts his car door outside. And despite the soundproofing, they can hear the guest quietly moving around his space, and the pups wine/bark at the door leading to the guest wing, wanting to socialize with the guy. Arrgggghhh!!!!

So, my plan is to explicitly state in my AirBnB ad that I have dogs and they do bark. I will also hesitantly use bark collars on the dogs while I'm gone at work to keep the barking down. But I will not use bark collars all the time - I feel it is unfair to the dog. So, I'm concerned that my uber social barking dogs will deter people from booking with me, and/or frustrate people who do stay with me. 

Any thoughts?

[Linda108 · Accepted solution]

Think like a guest, @Tamara170.  How would you react if barking dogs negatively interfered with your experience?  Just stating there are barking dogs will not matter if the guest complains.  Not only will you end up refunding money but you may get negative reviews.

That being stated, it seems you are aware and are willing to take steps to train your pups to not bark at every sound.  That is good for you as well, right?  Anyway, I have a dog who is an asset to my listing and is often mentioned positively in the reviews.  I greet all my guests at check in and introduce her to the guests.  I do not want her to ever think it is okay for strangers to enter my home.  Perhaps you can do something like that even though the guests have a private entrance.

After two years of hosting, my dog is less reactive to the guests so that may happen for you as well.

[Richard1]

Tamara,

My AirBnB is an attached apartment with a separate entrance and we have floor to ceiling window along the entrance walkway to the apartment.   I too have a dog and I have bestowed her the title of AirBnB Ambasador.  She is a 5 year old english springer spaniel and loves to greet people. When she was young I spent a lot of time introducing her to new people, also trained her to sit and shake. When guest arrive to the apartment my dog is usually watching them through the window and is anxious to do a meet and greet.  My guests also comment on our cute dog and I will then ask if they would like to meet her.  I have found that after my dog has met them (and offered and happy handshake) she rarely barks later when they return to the apartment or depart for the day.

In short I think you will need to spend a lot of time with your dogs to desensitized them to the new sights and sounds.  Perhaps enlist the services of friends and family to stop by as "guests".  A handful of treats and patience should do the trick. 

Good luck!

[David126]

Put them in an area far away from the Guests wing. Can not imagine your hosting will go well if Guests are for ever complaing about the noise.

[Helga0]

@Tamara170, I have a parrot, who can whistle, and if he is unhappy, he will shreek loudly and may even include an imitation of the fire alarm going off. At first, I tried to shut him down,which increased the problem. 

I realised, that he has the role of a guardian, like dogs do, to watch out for danger and warn the partner. Unexplained noises seem dangerous and even seeing unresponsive guests through a glass door puts him on high alert. 

It helps to present the guests to him, but no touching allowed. He likes people, who like him and talk to him through the glass door. But even after 200 guests, he still hates people, who hate animals or are afraid of them. I try to filter them out, to keep his stress level down. Without stress, he talks and sings, there is no doubt, what mood he is in. 

I guess your dogs are like that and it’s not fair to strangle them with a collar, if they just do their protective duty and also want to socialize. 

I would have dogs and guests meet, put pictures of the dogs in the listing to avoid people who are afraid of dogs. And explain calmly that they can’t go in, when a guest is in there. With my bird, I whispered, when I want to bring his sound level down. It worked and somehow he got the concept of stealth. If he wants to alert me to a very strange thing outside now, he does not cry out, but flies on my shoulder and whispers something. 

Dogs are hunting animals, stealth should be much easier to train them to, than it is for a nousy bird living in loud groups in nature. 

[Sandi57]

First of all congratulations on becoming a Air B& B host. I’m sitting here in a Air B&B as we speak and my hosts dog barks every time she leaves! We are very unhappy and my question is a owners responsibility is to train their dog!!

plus the dog comes to my private entrance and poops. So... I’m not happy.

[Lawrene0]

Talk to your host, @Sandi57, and if she cannot or will not fix the problem, and you find it impossible to stay, phone and ask Airbnb to rehouse you. You will want to do this fairly quickly. 

[Sandi57]

Well we leave in 2 days and she’s been told 3 times. I know if I mention in the review she will turn it around on us.

I do not need negative reviews on us because she feels she needs to retaliate.  She’s aware, it just tells me she does not care. How did she receive Super Host I’ll never know.

[Linda108]

@Sandi57   For an extended stay such as what you are describing, barking dogs can be super annoying.  Even if you have a neighbor with a barking dog, it can be a problem.  While you probably would not move because of a neighbor's barking dog, you certainly can relocate with the help of Air BNB.  Presumably other guests were less disturbed by the dog's barking and thus this host has enough positive reviews to warrant Super Host status.

Since you opted to complain and not relocate you must assume some of the responsibility for your less than positive experience.  Your review of the host will probably note that the host did not do anything about your concerns.  Her review of you could also cite that your unrealistic expectations were  not met if the listing states that there is a dog in the house.  Better to find a listing without pets in the future.

[Sandra126]

I used to host with a Jack Russell, and anyone who knows this breed will know of their enthusiasm and vigour. Got a bark collar. Took the dog with me when at all possible. Greeted guests with dog in my arms every time, as I then hosted in a guest wing (have separate house now) and if the dog met guests, it would stop telling me about the intruders he hadn't seen yet.

It was extra work but was fine. It weas crucial that he met guests though, that was really the key.

[Jackie378]

My Airbnb rental is across the street and at first my dogs were very alarmed to see guests, now they are completely used to people coming and going. 

Can you crate the dogs in a room with a white noise machine or the radio playing while you’re out? 

[Adassa0]

From reading this thread I have decided to not AirBnB my home I recently bought and flip it instead.

Prior to closing I had viewed the house twice without hearing my neighbor’s dogs. When I closed on the property I have heard the dogs “in stereo” from both sides barking incessantly when I’m in the backyard and back bedrooms. 

Common sense tells me this is a no-go and that I’ll need to flip the property to make my money and hopefully a little extra back after I’m done with replacing kitchen cabinets. 

Thanks everyone for your insightful and straightforward responses to the original post. You helped save me a headache, as well!

[Ashley678]

If you want this to be your new business, your life must change.  You must stop the dogs from barking. period. I work very hard to ensure my stays are tranquil and quiet; and i have four rescued dogs.  You have to put forth the effort in training.... now that you are in business. Good Luck ! you can do it !

[Kevin1322]

we have three greyhounds, we are lucky in so far as they don't bark much as a breed.

we make a point of them in our listing, so we seem to get dog friendly guests. any noises our dogs do make are seldom noticed by guests. 

we are very rural, so it is more likely that a guest might be disturbed by a cow mooing or a fox calling, or a screech owl.

most people booking into dog friendly accommodation (imho) will be familiar with dogs, and won't even notice the normal dog noises including barking.

as dog owners we tend to worry too much about these things.

I think it is simply a case of being honest in your listing that you have dogs,and people can draw their own conclusions.

[Rick17]

Saturday evening, I left my 2 dogs at home alone with a friend's dog.  I returned home at 11:30pm.  One of my dogs was barking from underneath a bed, but I really don't know why.    Typically when I go out, my dogs just lie on my bed and sleep.   

    I am currently hosting an executive upstairs in the apartment for 11 days .   This morning I discovered a text from the guest, written last night at 10:30pm.  He said the dogs downstairs were barking nonstop for over 2 hours.    He also said he came down and knocked on my door, but there was no answer.    I immediately dashed off an apology, and stated that I had gone out for the evening.   I am truly sorry this person was so inconvenienced, and I don't know what I can do to make amends for this.  Any suggestions?  I also don't want to get a negative review, even though he would have every right to mention it.