Regardless of your reason for staying in a hotel, picking a hotel that accommodates and welcomes your pet can make all the difference in your stay. Whether traveling for work, going on vacation or waiting to move into an apartment or a house, a pet-friendly hotel can be the perfect solution to your needs.
When traveling, it’s hard to feel at home without your furry family member. Not only do you miss your dog’s cuddles and nose boops, but you also can incur additional expenses like boarding fees when you have to leave your dog behind.
Traveling with pets can add more responsibility to you as the owner, but it is worthwhile to avoid separation anxiety for both you and your pet. Knowing some simple dog hotel etiquette is important to help keep everyone happy.
1. Confirm the Hotel’s Pet Policy Before You Book
First thing’s first, make sure your dog is allowed at your desired hotel. Call the hotel to verify that it is pet friendly before you book your stay. We also recommend verifying pet rules, pet fees and any breed or size restrictions to ensure a smooth check-in.
When you call in advance, also ask about the rules regarding animal behavior so you can make sure your dog is capable of behaving within those guidelines. If your dog is causing disturbances or not abiding by the hotel rules, it can make for an unpleasant experience for everyone.
2. Make Sure Your Dog Is Comfortable Around New People and Places
Before bringing your dog to a hotel, it’s important to assess their level of anxiety in new environments. Is your dog comfortable around new people? Is your dog calm in new places? If your dog gets easily stressed out around new people, in new places, with new smells or around new sounds, they are probably not an ideal hotel guest.
It’s not only important that you and the other hotel guests have a pleasant experience, but it’s also important that your dog has a pleasant experience. If your dog is stressed out in new environments, they probably shouldn’t be your travel buddy.
Know your dog and how they display and react to stress. If they lunge, get aggressive or anxious, they’re probably not the ideal hotel guest. If your dog is friendly and accepts new people and places, they may be fine with traveling.
3. Keep Your Dog Leashed in All Public Areas
Another important rule of having a dog in a hotel is keeping your furry friend leashed in all public areas. This is a common rule in many establishments and public areas to ensure the safety of everyone.
Especially if your dog gets startled or territorial, a leash can help keep a dog from lunging, wandering or getting into mischief. Keeping a dog leashed in public is also a great way to ensure your dog doesn’t run away or get into trouble.
Regardless of whether your dog is well-trained and sweet, an unleashed dog and one minute of curiosity can cause problems. You also can never predict how one dog will react or provoke another dog, or how other dogs respond to strangers or dogs they don’t know. Your dog being on leash prevents them from getting too close to another dog that may be less friendly.
4. Be Mindful of Noise and Barking
When bringing your dog with you to a hotel, it’s important to make sure you are mindful of how your dog may be impacting other guests’ experiences. Put yourself in other guests’ shoes – if you heard their dog barking in the next room over, would it bother you?
This goes back to knowing your pet, their preferences and their behavior. If you know your dog is easily stressed out in new environments, has separation anxiety or is a very vocal dog, they are probably not the ideal hotel guest.
Ensure you are practicing proper dog hotel etiquette by being mindful and keeping noise and barking to a minimum. If you are bringing your dog with you to travel, consider bringing distractions and enrichment activities to keep them occupied, like bones, games, toys or lick mats.
5. Never Leave Your Dog Alone Without a Plan
If you are staying with your dog in a hotel, it is best to leave them unattended as little as possible. When you need to leave them unattended in your hotel room, leave them in a crate, so they don’t get into mischief or damage the hotel room.
Occasionally, hotel staff may need to enter your room while you’re away, whether for emergency maintenance, routine maintenance or housekeeping. This is another reason why crating your dog when left unattended is crucial. It not only keeps the staff safe but keeps your dog safe and prevents them from getting out of your room.
If your hotel provides something to signal you have a pet in your room, like a door magnet or tag, make sure you use it as instructed.
6. Clean Up After Your Dog Immediately
Life happens. Sometimes, dogs have an accident or make a mess. It’s important to clean up after your dog immediately. Make sure to bring dog bags with you when taking your dog outside, pick up any of their waste immediately and dispose of it properly in the outdoor trash can.
If your dog has an accident, it is important to clean it up immediately. If you encounter a mess you can’t clean up properly, let hotel staff know so they can help with remediating the area. No one wants to stay at a hotel that smells unpleasant, so cleaning up after your furry friend is an important step to ensuring a positive experience when traveling with a dog in a hotel.
7. Use Designated Pet Areas Whenever Possible
When staying with your dog in a hotel, make sure you identify designated pet areas. Knowing in advance where to take your dog when they need to go can help prevent accidents. In addition to the designated pet area at the hotel, you can take your dog to the grassy areas outside of the hotel.
Remember to bring pet waste bags so you can clean up their mess immediately, even if it’s outside in the grass. Avoid the use of puppy pads in hotel rooms, because those can leak and make the rooms stink. Dogs should only be going to the bathroom outside in designated pet areas or in the grass.
8. Prepare Your Room for Your Dog
Preparing your room for your dog can help make the stay more comfortable for you and your pet. Use these tips when bringing your dog to a hotel:
- Bring a lint roller: Try to make a habit of lint rolling up any pet hair, fur or dander frequently so your hotel room stays clean. This works great on your clothes, bedding and furniture.
- Cover surfaces when you can: Use a blanket or sheet on top of surfaces your pet may lay on to keep the surface cleaner. Then, you can simply wash the blanket or sheet using our on-site guest laundry and they will be as good as new.
- Dog-proof the room: Similar to babyproofing, you should dog-proof your room upon arrival. Put anything the dog shouldn’t get into out of reach so you can ensure your dog’s safety and prevent damage to the hotel property.
9. Coordinate With Housekeeping
When bringing your furry friend to a hotel, make sure you coordinate with housekeeping. This is respectful and helps keep everyone safe, so they don’t encounter any surprises while cleaning your room. You don’t know their comfort level with dogs, so letting housekeeping know there is a dog in your room can help them make accommodations for their own comfort.
You could also coordinate with housekeeping, so you are prepared to take your dog outside on a walk while housekeeping tends to your room.
Even on days when you don’t think housekeeping will service your room, it’s important to be prepared just in case maintenance has to step in for an emergency repair.
10. Respect Other Guests’ Comfort Levels with Dogs
When moving around the hotel with your dog, it’s important to keep in mind other guests’ comfort levels with dogs. Some people aren’t comfortable with dogs, and that’s OK. People’s past experiences with dogs vary and you can never assume someone’s comfort level.
To maintain dog hotel etiquette, make sure you respect other guests’ personal space and boundaries. If your dog is interested in greeting another guest, make sure you ask the guest first. If the guest says it’s OK for your dog to approach, make sure you do so slowly and still on leash. Keeping your dog on leash, by your side and away from strangers can be the safest and most comfortable option for everyone.
11. Bring Familiar Items From Home
Another important hack to traveling with dogs in hotels is to remember to bring their essentials. Making sure you have all the things your dog needs to feel at home can make all the difference in their emotional regulation and behavior. A relaxed dog is a happy dog and having their comfort items can help ease anxiety your dog may be feeling.
Here’s a checklist of all the things to bring when traveling with dogs in a hotel:
- Dog bed
- Blanket
- Crate
- Food and water bowls
- Dog food and treats
- Pet waste bags
- Leash and collar
- Toys
- Any medicine your dog may need
- Lint roller
- Bones, enrichment or lick mats
If you realize you forgot something at home or need something new during your stay, you can stop by a local store or order what you need from Amazon.
12. Leave the Room in Good Condition at Check-Out
When it’s time to check out, ensure you are leaving your hotel room in good condition. Make sure any pet mess is cleaned up and take all your belongings. A good rule of thumb is, if someone walked into the room, they shouldn’t be able to tell a dog was there.
If there is any mess you can’t clean up or there is any damage to your room, make sure to let the hotel staff know immediately so they can address it. Things happen, and it’s better for you to tell them about mishaps and look responsible than for them to find damage on their own.
How Extended Stay America Makes Traveling with Dogs Easier
At Extended Stay America, we know bringing your pet with you can make you feel more at home. Whether you’re going on vacation, traveling for work, living a life on the road or are relocating, we are happy to offer pet-friendly rooms at our hotels.
Leaving pets behind while you’re away from home can lead to separation anxiety and stress for both of you, as well as boarding expenses that can add up quickly. We understand that your pet isn’t just your pet, but part of your family. So, rest assured–you can bring your loved ones with you to any one of our pet-friendly extended stay hotels and give these dog hotel etiquette tips a try.
Pet policies, restrictions and fees vary by location, so be sure to check with your desired hotel prior to booking.
