International Pet Travel Dog Travel Forum

We're buying an 1860's house and turning it into a B&B. We're at the beginning stages of planning, and naturally the question of whether to welcome pets has entered our minds.

The current owners (it's not a B&B now) have two large dogs, and they've run a chain link fence the length of a large veranda, with a dog door into their basement at one end, where there is a protected space with nice dog beds and other doggie necessities. The fenced area runs under the veranda which is very wide and runs the length of the house. The surface is concrete. Next to the chain link fence is a grassy area that could be devoted to our dog guests, giving them a total of about 50' X 30' outdoors and 12' X12' inside ( which could be heated in winter). They could also join their people on the veranda, which offers a beautiful view of the mountains. Because people come here to do outdoor things, the dogs shouldn't feel deserted.

Here's the thing: We can't allow dogs in guests bedrooms for a few reasons, including the comfort of other guests and the fact that we have cats and a parrot who will live indoors.

If a guest truly can't bear to sleep without their pooch, we can put them up very comfortably in a hammock on the veranda. We anticipate some guests might ask to do that anyway (or is it just my family that lives in hammocks?)

Bottom line: We would do whatever we can to make the dogs' stay as pleasant as the human's - but not at the expense of other guests. We'd provide a basket of dog goodies from the local dog bakery, and put a wading pool out in the summer for them to play in, and anything else that is suggested, so long as it is viable. .

What do you folks think? Is this an arrangement you'd find acceptable? The going rate is 30.00 per dog ( at least the first dog) in B&B's I that fair? Do inns typically provide a special place for dogs? Will we be seen as thoughtful, for doing our best to provide a good experience or meanspirited for not doing it indoors?

Many thanks - we feel good about the possibiity of providing a way for people to vacation with their pets.