With more and more lodging facilities accepting pets these days, the need for a pet sitter or kennel is diminishing. There’s a dog friendly hotel in almost every major city! Here’s how to find dog friendly hotels without the need for an assistance dog or the ADA.

Check Available Resources

The web will point you toward more dog friendly hotels than you’re probably prepared for, but remember that you can always narrow down your options by searching a specific local. Offline, you can search the library for books about dog friendly hotel and motel lodgings.

Prepare For The Unknown

Once you locate a pet friendly hotel, look for another one. And then another one. Look for at least four or five in case the first, second, or even third hotel you find isn’t as friendly as they claimed to be. What's often the case with these establishments is that their rooms aren’t as accommodating as non- dog-friendly rooms. Or the pet deposit is expensive. You should expect to pay a $15 - $50 deposit – **if** your dog’s breed, weight, and height is even permissible.

You should also be aware of the pet laws of your destination. Since July 2004, every dog entering the European Union must bear an identifying tattoo or have an identifying microchip installed. The dog also needs its own passport, current health record, and proof of rabies vaccination. These verifications are needed whilst traveling from country to country, but a hotel may also want to see these items before admitting you.

Make It Trouble Free

Make lodging with your dog a snap by following these common-sense suggestions.

1. Avoid travel if your dog suffers from a flea problem.
2. Don’t bring an aggressive pet. Your dog will increase its chances of being welcomed if it’s well behaved and obedient.
3. Don’t travel with a non-potty trained dog and be prepared for accidents. A new environment can make a stable dog nervous and accident prone, so even if you’ve never experienced a problem with your dog before, give her plenty of opportunity to relieve herself outside of the hotel before settling down.
4. Keep the dog off the furniture. That includes the hotel bed as well. See our dog travel checklist for suggested sleeping arrangements. If you normally sleep with your dog, pack an extra sheet or blanket and use it as a barrier between your dog and the hotel’s mattresses.
5. Again, refer to our dog travel checklist so that you don’t forget to bring your dog’s crate. It could be necessary if you need to go out on a dog-less excursion or if you can’t locate a good pet sitting service and need to leave your dog in the hotel for a while.

Alternatives

If you discover that your dog doesn’t perform well in a hotel, or if you can’t find lodging that meets your needs, all hope is not lost. Instead of searching for dog-friendly hotels, consider guest rentals. Guest rentals are private homes that you can lease for a month or two. Then again, if you’re the type who likes to “rough it,” consider spending a few nights in a camping park. Dog requirements at camps are considerably fewer than those at hotels, and most camps welcome dogs as long as they’re kept on a leash.