How do pets affect bookings?

[Rob77]

My partner and I have been hosts for a few years and have had great success with our listings. We're planning to bring home a puppy in a few weeks and wonder how that will affect us getting bookings. We won't post our place until he's fully trained and ready for house guests, and we're getting a hypo-allergenic. We just wonder if anyone's bookings have dropped off because they're dog owners.

[Sharon114]

Hi Rob, some potential guests will always be put off by pets in the home, that's just the way it is.  A lot of hosts do have dogs/cats and seem to do fine.  I believe that it is inevitable that you will restrict your bookings slightly but I guess you won't know until you try.

[Melanie33]

Hi Rob

My husband and I have two dogs and I don't think they have affected our bookings at all.  On the contrary most of our guests love them and end up playing with them.  In fact,  I sometimes think that the dogs get more good comments in reviews than we do!!!

Hope that helps

Mel

[Andrew157]

I think you will just get different guests, dog lovers rather than the allergen phobes.

You need to decide at some point whether you will take dogs in your accomodation as guests with their owners

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

When we had a dog, most guests were totally okay with her being around  but I don't think people did not book with us because of it. If anything, people who missed their dogs when traveling often sought us out to fill their "warm-fuzzy" needs. 

We would make a suggestion to have a picture of the dog prominently in your house photos.  Add a little blurb in the photo comments or in your listing about them as well.  Place the photo within the first few so it shows up in the little collage at the bottom of the listing since so many guests don't read everything.  Our old gal had her own picture and people asked about her prior to booking on occassion.  Even now she's in our main profile photo so people occassionally ask we we still have a dog.  

Also, start to consider how you want guests to interact with your dog, especially while he's being trained, and add those things to your house rules ... please don't let the dog outside, don't feed the dog from the table, if you want to take the dog for a walk, his leash is x and scoop bags are found "y"...., whatever your rules are for the pup and the strangers who may not have the same ideals you have for interacting with your new family member.  

Congratulations and good luck.  If you haven't purchased your dog yet, please consider adopting a dog in need of a forever home instead.  JM2C.  

[Cesar0]

I stayed in an Airbnb with a dog and I loved the dog but hated a few things about it.

1. When I arrived, the dog was on top of the bed I was paying for.  Not cool.

2. The bed was covered in dog hair.

3. The room appeared clean until I dropped something on the floor and it went under the bed.  There was tons of dog hair down there.  I could have made a stuffed animal from it.  

I guess where I am getting is that you are renting a space out, so for all intents and purposes, that space is no longer yours and belongs to your guest.  When you get the room ready for your guest, make sure it is dog hair free.  Vaccum and clean under the bed and furniture, I think all pet owners have the proper attachments.  Once you have the room ready, close the door and do not allow your pets in there.  It should be your guests choice whether or not to allow your pet inside the room they paid for.  I've had a dog before and you could never tell a dog lived in my home except for the dog food in the kitchen and water bowl.   Oh and the ball of fur that came and put his cold snout on you looking for love.  lol.