There are so many benefits to having a dog-friendly chalet. You’ll be helping to maximise your bookings throughout the seasons and in turn, boost your overall profits.
But, if you want to welcome everyone’s favourite furry friends to your property, there are a few things you’ll have to consider.
This post will provide helpful advice on how to provide guests with their ideal dog-friendly holiday in the Alps.
What makes dog-friendly accommodation?
Whether it’s to avoid sending them to a boarding kennel or to allow them to experience all the fun of a new location, increasing numbers of people are opting to take their canine companions on holiday with them.
To create the best dog-friendly experience, you’ll first want to think about the facilities people with dogs will expect.
Pet-friendly chalet amenities
Things you can provide to make your property attractive to those looking for a dog-friendly chalet include:
- A secure garden space (ensure any plants are safe for dogs)
- An outdoor tap or hose to clean dogs down after muddy walks
- Towels
- Food bowls
- Water bowls
- Poo bags (preferably biodegradable)
- A dog bed/crate
- Blankets and cushions
- A welcome gesture, such as balls, toys or treats (remember to leave ingredient lists for dogs on special diets)
Local activities to do with dogs
To make it easy for guests and pets to get the most out of their stay, put together a brochure or document of fun things to do with dogs in the surrounding area. Within this, you could include:
- Walking or hiking routes (especially those that allow dogs off lead)
- Nearby dog-friendly areas, such as parks and beaches
- Local places where dogs can safely swim
- Dog-friendly restaurants and cafés
Useful contacts
For your guests’ peace of mind, provide them with an array of handy contacts that they may need during their stay. This could include:
- A nearby veterinarian with a 24-hour emergency service
- Shops that sell dog food and accessories
- Local pet sitters or walkers
- A dog groomer
Pet-friendly housing: How to choose furniture and flooring
When it comes to having the ideal dog-friendly chalet, it will pay dividends to think carefully about the flooring and furniture you opt for. Ultimately, you’re looking for durability and longevity, but of course, you also want it to look appealing, too.
With furniture, it’s best to go for items that aren’t valuable and don’t easily show marks. With soft furnishings, choose washable cushions and sofa covers, throws and blankets and consider going for darker colours and fabrics that don’t catch on claws easily.
Bonus tips
- Make sure you utilise a lockable cupboard to contain any potentially harmful substances that dogs could get to, such as cleaning supplies, food and alcohol.
- Alpine properties often have beautiful fireplaces and wood burners, so ensure you provide fire guards for safety.
- Make sure any delicate decorative pieces and ornaments are out of the dog’s reach.
For flooring, bear in mind that hardwood looks fabulous, but can scratch more easily. However, any hard flooring such as hardwood, engineered wood, laminate, vinyl and tiled floors do tend to wear better than carpet. Plus, they’re far more convenient when it comes to cleaning up muddy paw prints!
Think about choosing some form of hard flooring in the areas where dogs will be allowed in your property.
Cleaning considerations for your dog-friendly chalet
Many dogs shed fur frequently, and most dogs make some form of mess!
If you’ve carefully considered your furniture, furnishing and flooring choices, then cleaning tasks should be a lot easier.
However, make sure you leave some basic pet-friendly cleaning supplies and a hoover in your property for everyday messes, and ensure your cleaning teams have everything they need to refresh the property effectively in between stays.
Some of the cleaning chemicals within certain products can be toxic to dogs, so make sure you’re checking the labels, too.
Provide a solid pet policy
Before you open up your rental property to paying pet owners, you need to have a detailed pet policy in place. This will avoid any misunderstandings and ensure that every potential eventuality is covered.
Make sure guests are provided with a copy of it before they book and when they arrive. Within your pet policy, make sure you address the following:
- Whether or not you have any number, size, breed, weight or age restrictions (a small apartment may be fine for Chihuahua, but not so much for a large Labrador!)
- Define your rules regarding damages: will you charge a non-refundable deposit? Or will you require guests to pay for damage directly?
- Let guests know that dogs aren’t to be left alone within your property at any time.
- Set out the spaces where dogs are allowed within your chalet and the places where they’re not permitted. (You can also provide stair and baby gates and signage within the home to make things clearer.)
- Let guests know if you will charge an additional cleaning fee.
- Make sure guests know that they are expected to clean up after their dogs throughout the duration of their stay.
Don’t forget: to ensure that your insurance policy covers allowing pets to stay within your property.
We hope you’ve found these pointers helpful in your journey to creating an attractive dog-friendly chalet. Now watch your bookings and revenue soar! For more inspiration, head over to our selection of OVO Network pet-friendly accommodation.
Want to know how much your pet-friendly property could make with OVO Network? Find out how much you could earn below…
