Why is a small dog welcome and my big one is not !?

One of the most common concerns of owners of larger breeds is why their pet is not welcome in many places, while they allow small dogs?

Big dogs are calmer, bark less and are as cuddly as small ones!

These are just some of the arguments that are being put forward. Some even think that something is not “really pet-friendly” if it does not allow all breeds of dogs.

Below I present exclusively my opinion on this topic and the experience I gained during 4 years of traveling with a dog, visiting various locations, hotels and restaurants in more than 15 countries. My opinion is based on research and conclusion that is emerged from a large number of conversations and situations.

Small or large, a dog is a mirror of the owner and their relationship. When you move your dog out of the natural environment he is used to, he will additionally test the limits. Therefore, before you decide to be a guest and judge the hospitality, make sure you know your dog, and that you know and respect basic socially acceptable norms such as picking up his trash, not allowing him to disturb people around, keep him under control, leashed, etc.

A pet-friendly ecosystem must reconcile three parties – you as the owner, host, as well as all other guests in the facility or in a particular area.

Keep in mind that caterers allow pets either because they love and have them themselves, or because they want to be open to a wider group of people. But their business will never depend on you as a pet owner. It is neither desirable nor realistic to have more dogs in one hotel, park or restaurant than other guests, so rule out the possibility that they have to fight for you to come. And if you did come, not everyone has to be thrilled. Because they won’t be 🙂

The Pet Travel Advisor team is working on staff training to provide more services to guests with a pet. We are also standardizing the Pet policy, which will help you have all the rules of entry and stay defined and clear. In this way, we want to spare everyone inconveniences and surprises, and assess in advance whether and where he wants to take his paw with him.

We also set a minimum criterion for standardization, which is for a pet-friendly facility to provide a dog bowl, and in the case of accommodation facilities, a bed or mat. In addition, we give them many ideas to be more professional and to make you feel nice and welcomed in every place.

But we realized that the weight limit is necessary.

If everyone would have to receive all breeds and sizes of dogs, there would be very few facilities that are pet-friendly.

Here are some reasons for this:

– hosts do not want other guests to feel discomfort or fear, which larger dogs bring into the space, as much as the owner thought it was unjustified

– larger breeds of dogs shed and it is very difficult that after the stay you do not need a serious hygienic procedure

– Larger breeds of dogs have an odor that is also unavoidable if they stay indoors

– Larger dogs can do more serious damage to inventory

And it is true that hosts can charge for cleaning and refund the damage, but it is also their right to create rules that not everyone has to like, but are at least clear and pre-defined.

If you are the owner of a large dog, you most likely do not live in a small apartment, so the dog is not used to staying indoors for a long time. He will surely prefer some nature and a camp, for example, from a hotel complex on six floors next to the main road or in the city center.

Small breeds of dogs are easier to move but if you prefer larger breeds, there are ways for you to enjoy more – choose destinations where you can go with your transport, stay in camps, ethno villages or apartments in nature where there are no big crowds and where your pet can relax and enjoy freedom.

If you are in the mood for a 5 star hotel, the choice will probably be narrowed but we try to find out about them so if you have been somewhere together and had a good time, share it with us or create your own listing at www.pettraveladvisor.com – because every contribution on the site will be noted, appreciated and rewarded very quickly.

Copyright by Andrea Mladin