Taking Your Dog to a Hotel

Traveling with your canine friend is such an exciting adventure, especially when you have booked your accommodation at a pet-friendly hotel. However, there are policies in every pet-friendly hotel that you must abide by, together with your dog. In order to make your hotel stay fun and without mishaps, there are certain tips that you can follow so you and your beloved pet will have a great time.

CHECK FOR HOTEL POLICIES ABOUT PETS

Not all hotels allow pets to be brought inside. Many pet-friendly hotels are patronized by pet lovers regardless if they bring their pets or not because pet owners have soft spots for facilities that are friendly to their pooches. Your wish to take your dog to your hotel stay should never trump the desired comfort of other hotel guests. And so you need to follow the strict policies of the hotels and never bring your dog if you know that your pet is a heavy barker and does not get along well with other humans who are not part of the family. There are also guidelines about certain dog sizes and breeds that are only allowed on the hotel premises, and if your pooch is larger and bigger than the required size, then you should respect their rules and leave your dog at home.

BRING MEDICAL RECORDS

It is always better to be safe than to regret later on. If you will travel with your dog especially when you’re going out of state, or far from home, make sure to bring your dog’s medical records in case your pooch will need medical attention. It is always good to have your dog’s vaccination records and all vet records with you. You’re not hoping for a bad situation, but you’re getting ready in case something does happen unexpectedly.

STAY IN A GROUND-FLOOR ROOM

A lot of dogs are fidgety when they ride the elevator, and hiking the flight of stairs is not a good experience in staying in a hotel carrying your dog. Make it a point to choose a room on the ground floor when you travel with your pooch, so it is much easier to go out and back in.

“DO NOT DISTURB” SIGN

It is a pet-friendly hotel policy to never leave your dog unattended. But if you are staying in the hotel for a business trip and you need to go out of your room to meet with some people, you won’t have another choice but to leave your dog alone in the hotel room. Though it is policy to never leave your pooch alone, most pet parents do leave their dogs inside the hotel room, but it kind of works as a mutual and unspoken understanding of a “don’t ask, don’t tell” circumstance. When you need to do this, make sure that you leave the “Do Not Disturb” sign hanging on the outside doorknob. This is to protect your dog from meeting a stranger cleaning person, and the sign will also ensure that the hotel staff will not have a scary episode with your dog.

CLEAN UP YOUR DOG’S MESS

Many people who stay at a hotel leave the hotel room in such a messy state without cleaning after themselves. Of course, it is the job of the cleaning personnel to take care of your room, but a simple folding of the blankets and not leaving trash all over the room could go a long way, plus it speaks volumes of what kind of a person you are. When you bring your pooch to a hotel, do not leave filled dog poop bags lying anywhere or open. Use the designated garbage bins inside the room, and when you need to bring your dog to the hotel’s green space to answer the call of nature, make sure that you have poop bags with you and clean the mess.

BRING DOG FOOD

Leaving the comforts of your home can be stressful for your pooch. Make sure that you feed your pet accordingly, and use the same dog food that you use at home. Your dog’s nutrition must never be sacrificed especially when you’re at a hotel. And as tempting as feeding your dog with hotel food is, don’t let your resolve down. Feed your pet with dog food that is the same as what you feed your canine friend at home. Also, make sure to bring travel dog bowls so your pup stays hydrated at all times!

BRING A PIECE OF HOME

You may be a seasoned traveler, but your pooch may not be. Bring a piece of your home with you when you stay at a hotel with your dog. Bring your dog’s favorite toy or dog bed, or even a treasured dog pillow. Just anything that makes your pet comfortable, and so your pooch will not be stressed out in new surroundings. Give your pet a little sense of home in a hotel room, and you’ll be rewarded with a well-behaved pooch, even you need to leave your dog alone in the room to go about your business.

SPECIAL HOTEL STAY

Whenever you bring your dog to a hotel for an overnight stay or more, and for whatever reason, make sure that your dog’s stay is memorable and special. If at home your dog is not allowed to sleep on the couch or in your bed, make your journey special by allowing your dog to sleep in the bed or rest on the couch. Make the hotel stay fun for you and your pet, and when you get home, you both could look forward to your next hotel adventure.

RESPECT OTHER HOTEL GUESTS

You can expect that people staying in a pet-friendly hotel are fine with having dogs in the premises, but you can’t expect every single guest to be a dog lover. In fact, some guests may even hate dogs, but the hotel is too fancy and highly rated that they choose to stay there even if they don’t like dogs. Respect other guests at all times and never assume that everyone will take kindly to your dog.