Dog friendly places - small dog only - WHY?

Because a small dog, even the most horribly behaved small dog can't cause as much damage as a horribly behaved big dog. Plain and simple. I think it's hard for an owner of any establishment to know by look whether or not the dog will cause damage and is not well behaved. They are just playing the odds. My sister's lab ate the corner and three posts from her staircase in a three hour period last year. My dogs together couldn't do that even if they worked at it for a week.

Those places are also playing the odds that most of their customers will not be afraid of dogs under 40lbs.  The bigger the dog the greater the chance that someone will be intimidated by it - even if it is well-behaved.

I know how you feel :( While little dogs could do *less* damage, I'm sure, I still feel bad for the big guys when I read 'little dogs only'. Have you emailed them and pleaded your case? My townhouse's ad said 'ABSOLUTELY NO PETS' in the ad and when we explained that Pi is well behaved, ect. they told us that they only used it to weed out the 'bad' pet owners.

Maybe Bugs could woo them with his manly charm. I almost fainted seeing that picture!

so the default is that large dogs will cause significant damage?  If you say that the renter is responsible for all damages, does that not cover it, large or small?  Might you have a proviso that no guests over 300lbs because they 'might' damage your beds or chairs, more so than someone at 100lbs?

No large children?  No young adults because they are - as a group, more irresponsible?

To me it is a highly discriminatory practice

My large dog that doesn't chew furniture or go on it is going to cause less wear an tear than almost any other dog. I can guarantee that.

Janetrose this place is an entire house, isolated in the boonies.  We have done some B&B's and DH isn't keen on the quirky owners we have met thus far.  This is a small cabin, nestled up a hillside 5 minute walk from a huge river!  in other words perfection for us

meg - we are playing phone tag at the moment I'm hopeful 

I don't think it's discriminatory at all. Many people skip out on charges when they move out and it's often more expensive/time consuming to sue then to just pay for it. They are just trying to protect their investment. If I didn't know someone, why would I take their word that their dog is safe/non-destructive. To me discriminatory practices would be discriminating against someone for something they cannot control (like their skin color, sex, etc.) not what type of dog they aquire. I agree that maybe you could reason with the owners and let them meet your dog.

I've always wondered to.  Especially with hotels, I could never figure out if they allow dogs why only small?  My big dog is soooooo well behaved, my small dog is a bigtime chewer, yet only the small one would be allowed at a hotel.  I did find one B&B in my state that allows up to two dogs per room and no limit, so that's nice!!!   I guess I can see the possiblity of other guests being freaked out by a larger dog though. I mean a dog under 40 pounds can be picked up easily and the perception would probably be that they are more easily controlled, I have to remember that even though my 70 pound dog behaves like an angel, not everyone is comfortable with large dogs.

 

 

First this is a three day vacation rental not a rental home - to me a different issue.

ottoluv

To me discriminatory practices would be discriminating against someone for something they cannot control (like their skin color, sex, etc.) not what type of dog they aquire.

let's just say that we won't ever agree -  I suppose that you feel that large, young, tall or obese people could be excluded from things then without it being discriminatory?   And that all dogs should be less than 40 lbs or 20lbs as some hotels/B&B's believe.  To be clear it is not me that isn't welcome in these places it is my dog.  And he can't control his size.  I understand that you have a preference for small dogs so you might not be able to be objective on the subject.

BTW I had an easy conversation with the owner and she was happy to rent it to us. Clearly she recognized that we weren't the sort of people that you seem to know;

ottoluv

Many people skip out on charges when they move out and it's often more expensive/time consuming to sue then to just pay for it. They are just trying to protect their investment.

 

LOL, you clearly are taking this way to personally. I never said I knew any of "these" people, you asked why they would do that. If you actually knew me you would know that I've had large dogs my entire life until these two which I go in the last two years lol. Sometimes It's best to step back and reassess before getting upset over something that really isn't that important. Why do you think pretty much every rental asks for a deposit?? Because people all over the country skip out on charges and the owners are protecting their investment. He can't control his size, but you can control what type of dog you aquire which is why I have small dogs so I could have dogs and live in a condo. They aren't bad people, again just trying to protect what makes them money. I've never understood why people get so riled up over this sort of thing, no one is saying your dog is bad or poorly behaved. You asked for an explaination right? Again what you posted doesn't make sense, you are welcome anywhere, your dog isn't. My dog isn't welcome everywhere either, doesn't make me discriminated against.

I just spent some time responding and then decided it wasn't worth it.  You can't seem to 'get' I am not talking about a living situation but a vacation 3 day rental. 

We will not agree on things like discrimination.  To each his/her own.

And lastly my standpoint is allow dogs or don't.  Take your deposit and get the individuals to sign a contract.  Making up so arbitrary weight cutoff isn't based on anything other than opinion.  If it were a hard and fast rule you would see a consistent cutoff but instead you will see anything from 20-80lbs.  To iterate I am not discussing living situations this is hotels/resorts and B&B's

 

Yeah, I got that lol, and again, why would a vacation rental be different then a long term rental? If anything I would think they would be even stricter on stuff like this because people stay so short a time and don't live in the area. Why is this so upsetting to you? Even if the lady didn't let you stay the weekend, find another hotel, it's not that big of a deal. People have a right to not allow certain pets in their establishments if they choose. Sure it sucks if you want "that" particular hotel, but really come on.........

I feel your pain! As the momma to a 100+lbs pup who is extremely well behaved indoors, I can say I know what you're going through. Last summer we had such a hard time finding hotels that allow Apollo we decided to just board him. When we went hiking and walking the beach I felt so guilty because I know he would've loved it. He never chews anything- ever. He would rather die than potty in the house. He doesn't bark when we leave- unless he's extremely bored with tons of energy like many dogs do- and that wouldn't even matter because he would've been with us the whole time, I wouldn't leave him alone in the hotel room ever.

Now, my friend (with the pom/maltese that she didn't care for) went on vacation in Maine last year, she left the dog in the hotel room when she went out to dinner, the dog ripped up the carpet where the door was...did anything happen to her? No. She just clean it up as best she could. The hotel never called, and there were no extra charges on her credit card. The dog isn't housebroken either....she just cleaned up the pee/poop with regular all-purpose cleaner. Nobody said anything to her. The hotel only allowed dogs under 20lbs.

Do I think that is fair? No.

I think that all hotels that do allow dogs should allow them in on a case to case basis. Owners should have to fill out a release with questions, and sign their name to it. Like, is your dog housebroken? Yes/No. Is your dog "people friendly"? Yes/No. Is your dog "dog friendly"? Yes/No. Is your dog UTD on rabies? Yes/No. Etc, etc. That's just my opinion anyway.

Sometimes rules just have to be made and lines have to be drawn somewhere.  I don't see how it is discrimatory and I don't see how it can possibly be compared to barring overweight people.  The purpose for vacation rentals is for people, not pets, and I think they are pretty lenient for allowing pets of any kind at all.  Not everyone is a dog lover (the rental owner or the other renters) and maybe after having many potential renters ask if they can bring their dogs, they decided they would accomodate it but only up to a point.  Nothing wrong with that at all.

ottoluv

Even if the lady didn't let you stay the weekend

 

You may find your comments to be more appropriate if you read what you are responding to first  - 'the lady' is fine with us staying at her place which isn't a 'hotel' it is a cottage

Really there is not point to going back and forth.  We will not agree.  Ever. 

Yeah which is why I put EVEN if she didn't let you duh. That would seem to indicate that I read she was. This is cracking me up. Who isn't reading again???? Seriously take a deep breath.