As an owner, it’s tricky to decide whether to accept dogs into your holiday let, but it is an opportunity to increase income. If you own a Welsh holiday let you may be considering whether to accept dogs.
More than half of UK households now own at least one pet with 27% being dogs. People owning a pet increased by 62% in 2021/22 due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. Therefore, more guests are taking their dogs on holiday.
Some may argue that allowing dogs increases maintenance costs and cleaning. To help you decide, at Coast and Country Cottages, we’ve created a helpful pros and cons list.
Dog holidays are on the rise
Last year 35% holiday bookings were dog friendly, a 2% increase on the previous year. By accepting dogs into your Welsh holiday let you could:
Earn extra income
Allowing dogs can widen your target market. A lot of potential guests may choose not to book your property if they cannot bring their dog with them. Over 50 % of our properties now accept dogs and these cottages earn on average 11% more per year being dog friendly.
Longer stays
Accepting dogs may boost your year-round occupancy and help you drive low-season bookings. Autumn, especially October, is one of the most popular months for pet holidays. During the Summer season, a lot of beaches have dog bans. However, in the Autumnal months, these bans are often lifted meaning that there are so many more places for your dog to explore.
Dog owners often prefer to go away for longer periods of time. By accepting dogs, you will increase your chances of getting a longer booking.
Lots of dog owners also hate leaving their dogs at home or putting them in kennels. Bringing the whole family on holiday can help create happy memories and encourage repeat bookings.
Considerations for owners
Wear and tear from dogs
Having accidents and making messes are common for dogs, however the majority of dogs are very well-behaved. Several measures can be taken to reduce accidents:
Child gates are excellent for keeping dogs out of rooms they shouldn’t be in. Keeping the upstairs pet-free and eliminating pet hair from the house is easy with a gate at the bottom of the stairs.
It can be handy to have a separate room or entrance for a dog, whether it is a utility room, a wet room, or your back door. Water and mud should remain in one spot during heavy rains (Wales gets a lot of rain!) If you don’t have any of these, maybe consider having lino kitchen floors or tiles as they are easy to clean.
Allergic travellers
Whilst this is only a small minority, we understand that allergies can be a big concern for some guests. After each guest, the cottages get deep cleaned. We have very rarely received complaints from guests in regard to dog hair. If you are cleaning the property yourself, you will need to ensure you also deep clean.
Dog-proofing your holiday let
Dog safety should be a top priority. We recommend having enclosed gardens and making sure they are well-secured. (You can use chicken wire on fences to help stop them from escaping.) You will need to regularly check fences and walls for any gaps as dogs are clever and curious and can easily escape.
You also need to check that you haven’t got any exotic plants that could be poisonous to animals (this includes: daffodil bulbs and ivy). Remember, weed killers or pesticides can be very harmful to dogs. If you need to weed-kill areas of your garden or driveway, please ensure that this is done well in advance, before your guest’s arrival. This can make dogs very sick and can hurt their paws.
Add a few extra, such as dog bowls, blankets and poo bags and a bed will make the dog feel welcome and at home in your property. When packing, guests can easily forget these small things.
Dog-friendly Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is the perfect place for dogs! There are so many fantastic walks, beaches and cafes for them to enjoy!
We have over 140 properties that are dog-friendly.
Whether you are thinking of letting your holiday cottage or need advice on whether your holiday home should welcome dogs, contact our team for advice or download your free owner pack here.
