Should large dogs be allowed in hotels
 

I stayed last weekend at one of the nicest hotels I had ever seen. It was beautiful! That was until I got off the elevator and was jumped by a large dog that was staying at the hotel. I was scared but not hurt.

I went down to the front deak and complained and was told that this hotel and many others have allowed dogs to stay at the hotel for about a year. I thought he was joking ( a big German Shepard at a luxury downtown hotel-- sure!) But later investigation indicated that dogs are now allowed in hotels.

Is this just crazy , or just a sign of the times?

Business owners are generally free to run their busineses as they please. If this is a major issue, then you might want to call ahead next time.

What do you mean, "jumped by a large dog?" As in, the dog was running loose, and ran up to you, as you came off the elevator? Or came at you aggressively, as though he wanted to harm you? Or was on a leash, but tried to get to you?

I think large dogs are fine in hotels, if they are well-behaved, never loose, and welcome at the property.

Even a leashed dog that's totally under its owner's control can jump up on you if you come within a few feet, passing in the hall or if it gets on the elevator with you.

Having been attacked by dogs 3 times, with scars to prove it, this is one of the things I check about a hotel before booking. I even check the policies of all the hotels that BFT lists for PL before bidding on a zone, to reduce the chances of encountering strange dogs on vacation. As bardo says, it's the owners option to accommodate dogs, and my option to avoid them!

I like dogs in general, get along fine with dogs owned by relatives, friends, and neighbors, but just don't want to chance these sorts of encounters while traveling.

Anon, if a dog is able to leap on you, he is not "totally under the owner's control." A dog owner knows his own dog, and he should make very sure that that does not happen. If it does, then the owner is not handling the dog properly. And I always make a point of giving someone with a dog a wide berth because I think many owners are not careful enough that way.

Sorry to hear about your three encounters that left scars! People who let their dogs do things like that should not have them..........

They want to have dogs in their hotels fine as long as the dog owners think before taking Fido to the Ritz.

If you've got a dog that has a tendancy to bark and react to noise, then you're probably inconsiderate person that cares little for the disruption you might cause to someone else's night's sleep.

I have a large dog and he/we are not allowed in all hotels. Even hotels that accept dogs have size limits, so I think your very nice hotel was an exception.
No matter where you go in the world, you might come across a large dog who is not controlled by his owner. I think it was bad luck that this happened to you. While I love my dog and he is well trained, it is a fact of life, that not all people have the brains to train and control their dogs when out in public.
Best thing a person can do , who does not want to come across a dog IN a hotel, is to check and see if that hotel accepts large dogs before they stay there.
More hotels are allowing dogs because more owners want/need to travel with them. Companion dogs are alway allowed in hotels.
We moved from the NE to the South, we had no choice, we had to bring Pup with us.

... official guide and companion dogs, certainly. This is socially responsible.

... large dogs accompanying owners, for some oddball reason? Ever notice owners who haul their dogs offer no reasons.

... pigs are pets to many, as are large snakes. Are they to be banned, but we'll admit huge canines?

... what about pit bulls, is the red neck element to be accommodated?

Two posts, one about dogs, one about cicadas, both meant to case trouble.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34511584

Yeah, they're trouble-making, but interesting conversations and a lot less boring than those endlessly repeated hotel questions.

LOL at the redneck/pitbull point -- that's certainly not the typical owner here in the Northeast!

Blacktie, you are funny! So what is it you bring on your trips? the pig or the pitt bull LOL

No trouble wanted, just a question related to my travel experience.

The dog jumped at me, but did not bite.

Well travdis, just be happy that a million cicadas didn't jump on you! LOL

IMHO no because some people, inc. me have allergies to animal dander. Yes for those who need guide dogs however.

Found myself thinking about this. If people demand no smoking rooms because of the smell, does that mean we're soon to have "Dog"/"No Dog" rooms?

So, when I book my rooms, I guess I now need to ask for "A Non-smoking, non-Dog room, near the elevator on a non-smoking, non-dog floor, facing the street."

Ryan & Jacketwatch, most hotels only allow dogs in a certain block of rooms, not all, so that the majority of the rooms will never have dog dander in them. Always ask about that........... hotels cannot afford to lie about such a thing since some people can die from allergic reactions.

I agree that the hotel owner should have the last say, so best to check the hotel policy first. But dogs should be under owners control.

I worked years ago at Holiday Inns, when Kemmons Wilson, the founder, was still in charge. Holiday Inns HAD to accept dogs, AND provide kennels, unless specifically outlawed locally. He used to joke about how no dog had ever stolen a TV, left cigerette burns in the mattress, etc.

Unless someone is relocating, I don't think they *really* have to drag the dog along. Your pooch doesn't care about travel *that* much, and will probably be a lot more comfortable at home or in a kennel, then cooped up for hours in a car and strange hotels. He'll love you just as much when you return as he will if you take him, and you won't need to worry about the possibility of him getting loose & running off while in a strange place miles from home.

My husband and I stayed at the Luxor in Las Vegas last year and we saw a woman with her pet pig on a leash go into a room! I had completely blocked it out of my memory until I read this post!

I think people travel with pets for a variety of reasons. That is why my husband always takes his allergy medicine with him. Not a big deal.

We have a small parrot that we adore. We have started travelling with her for a few reasons. The main reason is that since 9/11 I have a fear of leaving her behind in the city without me. May sound crazy, but it is one of very few lingering affects that I am trying to sort out. I couldn't bear the thought of being out of town during another attack and her being there without me. She is 17 & 1/2 and I have had her since she was bottle fed. She likes to travel, stays in her travel cage (quietly) in our room, and loves the beach. I won't take her on a plane, and for those kinds of trips she stays with family in NJ. I just can't dump here there for long weekends though.

So, I guess I am sympathetic to those who can't leave their 'family' behind and will put up with just about anything if I have to, except carpet that smells of cat urine. That is just plain disgusting.

I was going to stay out of this b/c I have pet/dog lovers in my extended family and know that the topic can become heated. However, I will just say this - for some people popping some allergy pills is not a solution that can safely alleviate potential reactions to someone's pet. Having to use an inhaler more frequently or end up in the emergency room is a very real concern for some people who are allergic to animals.

I hope, bonnieboard, that you are correct when saying that hotels set aside a block of rooms for guests and their pets but I surely doubt that the hotel will leave rooms vacant if they can't fill them with pets. Also, I firmly believe they will not inform you of the fact that animals have stayed in the room prior to your check-in. Even some of the better hotels do not clean bedspreads on a regular basis. I could go on, but I think I've said enough.