We're going to adopt a puppy - advice on future reservations

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

Community, 

We have decided to adopt a dog after being dog-less for 18 months.  We have future reservations, lots of them, who booked our space when we did not have a dog.  We think contacting each of the guests to let them know of the change is the right thing to do, but what about providing any other accommodation - like offering to have the dog kenneled while they are here in case they are allergic or afraid of dogs?  Providing an air filtraton system in their room?  Allergy meds? 

We certainly don't want any cancellations, especially any that get attributed to us as hosts!  

What would you do? 

Alice 

[Marzena4]

@Alice-and-Jeff0 First of all, allergies to dogs are not as severe as allergies to cats (/me being a happy owner or servant of black Kocuro). For sure, informing the gests and maybe asking them what steps they expect you to take is the best - they will feel you are not imposing your decision on them, but simply trying to make everybody happy. You can kennel he puppy or keep it outside - it shouldn't disturb the guests so much. I guess the barking at some random times might be an issue too. Make sure you supply the puppy with some toys - may be really helpful to keep it occupied. And some guests may simply like a pet.

[Anonymous]

Hi @Alice-and-Jeff0, congratulations on the new puppy! I've had a similar situations a few times when doing last-minute dogsitting for friends. It's absolutely the right thing to do to contact all of the guests directly to inform them of the change in circumstances, since you never know when the presence of a dog is going to change the situation. (Most of the time it won't, and some guests will be delighted to have an adorable puppy around). 

However, I also think you'll have to be prepared to offer guests the opportunity to cancel their bookings and waive your cancellation policy to fully refund them, no questions asked. About that last part - I don't recommend asking guests if they're allergic to or afraid of dogs; from their perspective, they have a right to object to the conditions of the household being different from the ones advertised, and shouldn't have to be put on the spot to justify those objections. 

While it's generous to offer to kennel your new dog, I'd be concerned that this could cause the puppy a lot of stress and confusion while it's still in the process of adapting to you and your home.  It's also a lot to put on the guests - knowing that they've caused you to take an extra expense and separate you from a member of your family. Guests who would prefer not to share the space with a dog are best off cancelling - especially the ones with allergies, who might experience problems even if the dog isn't in the house.

Also, I'd suggest staggering the times that you contact guests. The ones arriving in the next weeks should of course be contacted immediately. However, you'll need to see how your dog interacts with guests and whether any unexpected behavioral issues come up, before contacting guests booked further in the future. That way, you can give guests a well-informed idea of the puppy quirks and potential annoyances.

Finally, if you haven't done it yet, be sure to feature the dog prominently in your listing! And of course a cute puppy pic is welcome here too.

[Christine1]

@Anonymous@Alice-and-Jeff0,

I really think Andrew's reply is excellent.

The only addition points I would make is that the sooner all guests are given the opportunity to cancel penalty free, the sooner you can have those slots rebooked. If guests decide to back out.

Don't forget to change the actual settings on the listing, even before the dog arrives to future proof reservations, in addition to including a photo of the actual dog or a similar model! However, as an alternative to guests cancelling. You could offer a discount on the tariff for existing guests, who were unaware of the dog when the booked. You don't even need to ask. Consider sending a rebate via the resolution tool. With a short explanation. Then send a follow up email to properly explain and elicit feedback from your potential guests. 

I hope thes ideas are also helpful. 

[Miki5]

I'd like to second Andrew's advice on kenneling the dog. While I understand that you want to be considerate of your guests, doing so can be extremely stressful for a little puppy who is already adjusting to the loss of their doggie family, and could also be the cause of behavior problems later. You really need the time to bond with your dog so he or she feels secure in their new pack family. And a puppy should not be left outside either. I’m sure you are responsible pet owners –you mentioned having a previous dog, so you're aware of the commitment and time. Once you’ve informed your guests, I doubt your doggie will affect bookings much. A couple around the corner from me have a room on Airbnb and they have a huge German Sheppard. They don’t accept bookings from small children though, which might be something to consider. Kiddies and puppies/dogs are not a good combination unless the kids have been brought up knowing how to handle a dog. Also, a Hepa vacuum cleaner should get rid of any allergy problems. Other than that, congratulations! Puppies are the best!

[Kat17]

Hi @Alice-and-Jeff0. Congrats on your new puppy! Your joy is about to go off the charts. So happy for you and the lucky pup. 

I think @Anonymous has given you some great advice. Many others here, too. 

I have been able to do Airbnb, become a Superhost and maintain 5-Star ratings with —get this — four dogs and a cat . I’ve always been upfront about the pets, and find it helpful in avoiding problems with non-pet lovers. 

If if you look at my listing, I mention my pets very clearly in the main description, the room particulars, house rules and important notes.  This is deliberate because I believe people aren’t reading the listings carefully enough and I don’t want anyone saying they didn’t know. As a result, I’ve had great guests who look forward to meeting the dogs. I let the dogs say hello at the beginning and come out to greet the guests from time to time. I also use room divider screens and pet gates to keep the dogs out of the way. 

In terms of managing your puppy, lots of exercise (within reason) will help your puppy be calmer and easier to manage . Meeting the guests will be great for socializing your pup, too. Keep some wipes close at hand in case there’s an “accident”. Don’t ever let the puppy into the guest room (unless you like cleaning up messes or want to risk having the guest’s belongings destroyed). 

At at one point, I even included the words “Puppy Love” into my listing title and you might want to try that out. Most of all, enjoy your new baby. Trust that only guests who are a bad fit will quit, and they’ll be replaced by people who will delight in your puppy as much as you do!

all the best!

Kst

[Lori83]

All excellent advice above but I would address the question of allergy medications.  I would be hesitant to provide a guest with medication as you could become liable for any complications the medication could cause. 

[Brian281]

Hi Alice and Jeff,

My wife and I went through this process twice: once when we allowed a long-term guest to move in with his Lab mix, and once when we adopted a Gordon Setter. Both times, I sent messages to all confirmed future guests to let them know about the change and invite them to let me know if they had any questions or concerns. No-one ever cancelled because of either dog, and most people wrote back enthusiastically saying that they would love to meet the dogs. So I think you should tell everyone, but you probably don't need to worry much.

Brian

[A30]

Most people love dogs, especially adorable little puppies. Please don't kennel him just for the guests, for several reasons: Kennels can be useful for crate training, but if it causes the puppy anxiety and he starts to cry/bark, I think that would be more annoying for your guests. You can always set up doggie fences.

For your upcoming reservations, I would send all of them a message to explain that you have a puppy and that if that makes them uncomfortable, they can cancel. Include a pic of the puppy ... I am sure most will not object!

And do change your listing to indicate there are pets on the property along with a photo of the pup.

We have had people book our listings just to be able to meet our pug. So for us, it's been a benefit to be a dog-friendly Airbnb. 

[Helga0]

I would present the new feature aka household member as an upgrade. No mention of a refund for an upgrade, buta phrase like “if you haveany problems with this change of situation or any questions, please let us know, so we can find a solution.” If someone is dreadfully allergic, you can always offer to cancel.

i would not offer medication, but get a first aid shot, if someone should fall in shock beside you. Good to have, to save a life. If someone only sneezes, I would prefer he moves out or gets a refund and three boxes of tissues. (Partial refund)

enjoy your new family member!

as said before, don’t adapt too much to guests. My parrot nearly died from a stress induced infection. That made me realise, that I have a tendency to adapt way too much. What nearly killed the bird, made me suffer too, toalways let guest needs override our priorities. I changed my rules and offer after that. Your puppy is also defenseless in the new environment. You owe him consideration too.