How to Find Pet Friendly Motels and Hotels

By Anna Lee

Pet lovers are a large and growing group of people. However, there are many people who, for various reasons, are not pet lovers. Some people have allergies and I understand they would not want to use the same room where dog dander may trigger an attack. Others may feel that a room isn’t really clean if a dog or cat had been a previous occupant. I will provide you with some firsthand information, as well as websites, that I have used to find dog friendly motels and hotels. Hopefully the information I am sharing will help make your trip or vacation more enjoyable for you and your pet. A short amount of time setting up your accommodations can save you a lot of time in the long run. I always feel more comfortable leaving for a trip when I know I have pet friendly rooms ready and waiting for me.

Years ago pet friendly rooms did not exist. You just took your dog with you on a trip and didn’t think much about it. Not true in today’s world. Before we take a road trip I plan the route and make sure there is at least one pet friendly motel where we intend to stop. If not, I adjust the route by a few more miles one direction or another. I would rather travel a few extra miles and know there is a dog friendly room waiting for me.

Pet friendly rooms are not hard to find as they are becoming more popular. Motels owners realized they had to conform to what the customers want. Motels set aside a certain number of rooms for the weary travelers and their faithful pets. I don’t know if they actually clean the pet friendly rooms differently than the regular rooms. I hope they clean pet friendly rooms more thoroughly, since they do charge a pet fee. Finding pet friendly lodging requires a different type of online search than you would normally use.

I have been searching for pet friendly motels and hotels for the last 11 years. There are several excellent sources, and I will give you a few suggestions. It will certainly make your next trip easier if you plan ahead. One thing to be aware of is many motels and hotels ask that your dog be on a flea and tick program. I make sure to put a flea and tick preventative on our dog a few days before our trip. She has never had one flea in her life and I don’t want her to pick up a stray!

The first, and usually the last, site I check is Petswelcome.com. This is a very simple website to use. Just follow the instructions screen by screen. They provide information as to the room rate and pet charges. Some listings have a link directly to the motel. When you book a pet friendly room that you found through Petswelcome.com please let the motel employees know that is how you found the room. It will help them decide to continue their listings in Petswelcome.com.

If you prefer to stay at a particular chain, you can check the chain’s website. Look under amenities to find out if they list pets as an option. Sometimes I check the motel’s website after Petswelcome.com just to find out what restaurants are in the area. I accidentally ran across a few search sites that charge you for the information. Do not pay to find a pet friendly motel or hotel; you can get the information for free.

Other websites that I have used as search tools are:

*Petfriendlytravel.com – they also offer a listing of off leash and dog friendly beaches
*Dogfriendly.com – they also offer info on dog friendly campgrounds
*Officialpethotels.com

It is not difficult to find a pet friendly motel or hotel. When I started out for the first trip with our dog I was worried how she would be welcomed by the larger chains. For that 1998 trip I selected a small family run motel, nothing fancy, but they were pet friendly. The towels were so thin you could not dry yourself and the room was too small for two adults and a large dog. Each trip after that we upgraded to bigger and nicer motel chains. Now when we visit our family for the holidays we stay in a dog friendly, extended stay, all suites hotel with no problems or worries. Make your pet friendly motel or hotel reservation and pack your suitcase. Don’t forget to pack your dog’s favorite toys and enough CANIDAE® dog food for the trip. Happy travels everyone!

Read more articles by Anna Lee

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Find Hotels That Allow Dogs

Before you begin to make plans to travel, please consider your dog’s personality. There are dogs that may honestly be too difficult to travel with. Does your best friend bark all the time? It may not bother you, but it might bother someone staying in the next room. If you have a dog that gets into mischief too easily, any damage to a hotel room will probably end up on your credit card! If your buddy has a nervous bladder, will he wake you up at night to tell you it’s time to take a potty break? These are all considerations before planning your trip. Take a step back and give an honest evaluation to traveling with your pet dog. There are pets that would be better to stay at home, but you are the best judge of that.

Once you have made the decision that pet would enjoy a restful night in a dog friendly hotel, then it’s time to plan ahead. Before you find hotels that allow dogs, you need to consider what to pack. The amount of dog items that you bring may be determined by not only how long you will be gone, but also where you are going and how you are getting there. Just like people, if you are flying, you will want to keep your pet’s needs to a minimum. If you are driving, you can get away with bringing a few extra toys or treats.

Begin by looking at the length of your trip. Let’s say you are leaving on a Friday afternoon and returning Sunday night, and you are traveling by car. If possible, try to bring enough dog food and treats for at least 2 to 3 days more than your dog will likely eat. This may sound like a lot, but if your dog eats 2 cups of food per day, take 4 cups more than you need. This is a safety net in case something spills, gets wet, drops, etc. A couple of extra treats to reward good travel manners is a nice touch too. Make sure that you bring along a portable water bowl and water while you travel, for plenty of drinks along the way and when water is not readily available. Providing bottled water during the trip may reduce the chance of an upset tummy!

Traveling can be stressful, so remember to bring your friend’s favorite toys. If your dog likes to chew, remember the rawhide or chew toys to avoid the furniture or car interior! Bring a pet brush and a travel pack of pet bath wipes, in case a messy situation turns up. If possible, bring along the dog bed, and if you can’t, then consider where your pet will sleep. If your pet takes daily vitamins or medications, bring twice as many as you expect to use, so you have a safety net. If it is time to apply the topical flea treatment or take the monthly heart worm pill, then be sure to bring them along as well.

Once you find the hotel that you will stay at, do a search on the internet to find any retailers in that area that carry pet products, including the brand of food your pet eats. If you were flying to your destination, you could also bring a small amount of food and buy a bag at your destination for your trip. Bring along the phone number of your vet, and try to find the phone numbers of a vet or two and any emergency pet hospitals, again in the area of where you will be staying. Lastly, make sure that your dog’s vaccinations are up to date and take along any paperwork and things like rabies tags or dog licenses to avoid any hassle or controversy.

Thankfully, we now have search engines to find specific information and websites to offer special prices on hotel stays and vacations. Please visit our website for a Free Search Engine to search dog friendly hotels across the country. It is located on the lower left of the site at the pet hotels link.

Find Dog Friendly Hotels Here!

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