How to Create a Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottage

As more Brits opt to travel in the UK with their four-legged pals, demand for dog-friendly holiday properties continues to increase. Bookings for staycations with pets have increased by 40% this summer, and allowing pets to stay at your holiday let is believed to increase revenue by 11%.

Owning a dog-friendly holiday cottage can be a lucrative business, and whether or not your cottage is pet-friendly can make or break your ability to secure a booking.

Running a dog-friendly rental is an enticing idea with the potential to increase occupancy, but it does come with risks like increased wear and tear, damage, and higher cleaning costs.

Here, we look at the benefits and drawbacks of letting dogs in to stay at your holiday cottage, as well as some suggestions for creating a dog-friendly space.

There are many advantages to allowing dogs in your property. If you offer a dog-friendly holiday cottage, your target market will expand, and your year-round occupancy and revenue may substantially increase.

Holidaymakers are willing to pay a premium for pet-friendly accommodations due to the guilt of putting a dog in kennels and the desire to take their dog on holiday with them. It’s also estimated that taking a dog on holiday is 7 times less expensive than paying for a kennel or dog care.

If your dog-friendly holiday cottage checks all the boxes, you might get repeat business. If the facility impressed both the owner and the dog, they are more likely to return as renters and share the news to other travellers looking for pet-friendly lodging.

The disadvantages of allowing dogs to stay at your holiday cottage

Allowing dogs into your property, on the other hand, may be off-putting to other vacationers. Those who are not pet owners or have allergies may be hesitant to rent a pet-friendly residence.

Allowing dogs on your property will result in additional wear and tear in the long run. This means that the property will require additional deep cleaning, which will raise your costs.

Untrained or agitated dogs may cause damage by knocking things over, scratching, chewing, leaving a scent imprint, and so on.

Some dogs may bark excessively, which your neighbours will not like.

Consider whether the additional reservations will be worth it before listing your property as dog-friendly. Your prices will rise as a result of repairs, replacements, and cleaning.

Do dog-friendly vacation rentals get more bookings?

Several things will influence travellers’ decisions to stay at your holiday cottage with their four-legged friends. The setting is important – your property is more desirable if it is close to country walks, dog-friendly parks, pubs, and restaurants. However, regardless of your dog-friendly marketing efforts, if your property is in an urban area with no outside space or if the neighbouring parks do not allow dogs.

It’s also worth considering whether your home is appropriate. You might want to think twice about advertising your home as dog-friendly if you have expensive soft furniture or thick pile carpets. Extra cleaning costs and replacing pricey items are likely to exceed the added revenue you gain from reservations from dog owners.

Tips for making a dog-friendly vacation house

Make clear guidelines and directions for visitors.
Make sure dog owners are understand their responsibilities while staying.
Provide everything a dog owner would need to know before booking your property and that guests sign and agree to the terms and conditions of your dog policy.
Include a section for dog owners on your website and in your welcome guide. Include information such as dog-friendly visitor attractions, pubs, walks, parks, beaches, pet shops, and taxis that allow pets, as well as contact information for local veterinarians in the event of an emergency.

Your dog policy could look like this:

Do’s and don’ts for dogs
Determine the number of dogs you’ll allow on your property. Take into account the size of the dog as well as the size of your land. Only a few vacation rentals allow more than two dogs.
At no time should your dog(s) be left alone or unattended in your vacation rental.
Establish no-go zones (upstairs, bedrooms, on the furniture etc.) – set boundaries with stair gates.
It is the obligation of the owners to clean up after their dogs, including poo and hair.
Before you arrive, make sure your flea treatment is up to date.

Make a doggy welcome pack

If you’re selling your holiday home as dog-friendly, you’ll need to make it friendly to dogs.

Make your guests’ lives easy by offering useful products that they will require to have one less thing to pack or in case they forget something.

Your dog welcome basket could look like this:

Towels for rubbing down the dog after a stroll
Bowls for food and water
Crate/basket/bed
Toys/ball
Bags for poo
Include helpful resources.

Create a dog-appropriate outdoor space

It’s a huge selling factor to have a secure, dedicated space where dogs may go about and relieve themselves. Additionally, dedicate a warm water tap and hosepipe outside for rinsing muddy or sandy dogs and paws.

Make your visitors aware of the nearest safe walking place.

Make cleaning supplies available.

And finally, remember that careless dog owners are rare. The majority of owners who bring their dogs along are considerate, careful, and tidy.