Dog poop inside house of host.

[Ida86]

Hi there, 

I am staying at a hosts property, I have a small guest house in the garden where she told me I could bring my dog. Earlier today she was complaining that the dog was loud, there are many stray cats in the area and my mini puddle barks at cats. Apparently she barked at "the wrong cat" as it was the neighbors cat. And just before she came in and said the dog had been in on her living room floor where it had left her poop (she keeps house doors) open, it's quite hot here atm. She came and told me this and even told me that my dog barked and growled directly at her, which I've never seen my dog do before unless she wants to play with ball, stick etc. I'm embarrassing and don't know if I want to stay. It kinda feels like this messed up the whole holidays and we had actually talked quite well with each other up until now so I'm just really disappointed. Has anyone experiences similar? 

[Alexandra316]

@Ida86 I also have dogs who do embarrassing things, so I can sympathize! Does your host regularly host dogs, or was this a one-off for her? I host a lot of dogs myself, and behavior isn't always perfect: you kind of have to roll with the punches. Can you monitor your dog a bit more closely so you can avoid this type of behavior, or perhaps keep it on a leash or contained indoors so you can make sure it's not getting up to mischief?

I would also talk to your host and offering a heartfelt apology, if you haven't already done so. I would offer to clean up the poop and/or pay for the washing/cleaning that was required. I would also just ask her if she's okay with you continuing to stay there with your dog in a non-confrontational way. Maybe you're just not compatible. I would definitely at least attempt to talk about it so you don't feel like you're walking on eggshells for the rest of your stay: it does sound like the basis for an uncomfortable holiday otherwise.

[Farida27]

This is really good advice. All dog owners know there’s no such thing as ‘perfect’ behaviour especially in a new environment. Heartfelt apologies, plus cleaning offers would satisfy anyone familiar with dogs. However, if they haven’t hosted dogs before, they may be a lot less understanding, because they haven’t been in this situation before.

[Anonymous]

@Ida86  When hosts accept guests with pets on a shared property, it's generally assumed that the pets will not be left unsupervised, especially when outside of the area that is designated for your private use. Something has gone horribly wrong if the dog can wander into an area you haven't paid for without you noticing.

It goes without saying that you must clean up the mess and apologize for the trouble caused by the unsupervised (but surely very cute) "puddle." @Alexandra316  makes a great point about how essential it is that you and the host communicate directly with each other to reach a resolution that you're both comfortable with.