"Small dogs only" (Rant alert)

[Linz1012]

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We're due to go on a short break in a couple of weeks' time. There's 4 of us going for a girl's weekend away, and I'm taking my dogs (for those who don't know, that's a 20kg lurcher and a 1.7kg Chi.

I was looking through the booking documents yesterday and noticed that in the small print, it says "Small dogs only allowed on site." We're fully paid up.

I checked their website, and it says nothing about any size restrictions (just says, "Pet friendly - up to 2 pets allowed), so I contacted them. Now they're saying that because we booked up via a travel agent, I have to take my enquiry through them.

In the meantime, my mum (who's the lead traveller), said she asked closer to the time of booking, and the agent contacted the resort, who said that as long as the dog isn't too big, then it's fine. When informed that Milly's a lurcher, the agent/resort said "oh, well, they're tall, skinny dogs, aren't they? She'll be fine! It's just incase big dogs knock things off tables and break them." (She'll be fine because the whole point of this break for me, is to go out with the girls and explore, so by the time we get back to the lodge, she'll be knackered. but that's beside the point.)

I knew nothing of any this until yesterday.

Maybe I'm making a mountain out of a molehill, because in the grand scheme of things, it's pretty trivial. 1st world problem. I know that. But for me, this is a dealbreaker. I'd never have agreed to go ahead with the booking if there was any doubt Mill could come too - and the rest of the group know that.

Imagine if they said the same about kids - "Kids welcome. But no toddlers - they might break something." There'd be flippin' outrage. And rightly so.

Rant over.

Mum's going to ask the agent to get it in writing that Milly is exempt, because the very last thing I want to happen, is that we get there and have to turn back.

Opinions? Am I being unreasonable?

 

[JudyN]

I would say that a 20kg lurcher is small

I think it's extremely unlikely that you would be turned away when you turn up. As you will know, lurchers fold up into small spaces and don't have the blunderbuss behaviour that some smaller but much more solid dogs do. And the agent/resort have said that it's fine as long as she isn't too big - which she isn't.

We went to one place that specified 'Only small pets'. If challenged, I was going to say that Jasper is much smaller than my pet llama....

 

[Mad Murphy]

Oh for crying out loud..How silly...
If anyone asks maybe you could say she grew since you booked thats as daft as the rule!

Its normal no dogs on furniture or no dogs in bedrooms but small dogs only is such a loose term.. I think anything smaller than a BC is small to toy..

 

[Linz1012]

I would say that a 20kg lurcher is small

I think it's extremely unlikely that you would be turned away when you turn up. As you will know, lurchers fold up into small spaces and don't have the blunderbuss behaviour that some smaller but much more solid dogs do. And the agent/resort have said that it's fine as long as she isn't too big - which she isn't.

We went to one place that specified 'Only small pets'. If challenged, I was going to say that Jasper is much smaller than my pet llama....

Yeah, she's small for a lurcher. Actually, her ideal weight is about 17-18kg, but since she's getting on in years, keeping the weight off her is becoming harder.

Oh for crying out loud..How silly...
If anyone asks maybe you could say she grew since you booked thats as daft as the rule!

Its normal no dogs on furniture or no dogs in bedrooms but small dogs only is such a loose term.. I think anything smaller than a BC is small to toy..

Well, that's it, isn't it? One person's "small" is another's huge.

Other stipulations include "dogs must be on lead on site" and aggressive dogs will have to leave, (Fair enough - but what do they class as "aggressive"?) although I expect that no dogs on the furniture or in the bedrooms will be waiting for us in the lodge. I'm prepared to sleep on an air bed the living room because I suspect Honey will scream if I'm not with her. Milly probably won't like it, either, but would settle if I throw an unwashed top in with her.

 

[Mad Murphy]

Yeah, she's small for a lurcher. Actually, her ideal weight is about 17-18kg, but since she's getting on in years, keeping the weight off her is becoming harder.



Well, that's it, isn't it? One person's "small" is another's huge.

Other stipulations include "dogs must be on lead on site" and aggressive dogs will have to leave, (Fair enough - but what do they class as "aggressive"?) although I expect that no dogs on the furniture or in the bedrooms will be waiting for us in the lodge. I'm prepared to sleep on an air bed the living room because I suspect Honey will scream if I'm not with her. Milly probably won't like it, either, but would settle if I throw an unwashed top in with her.

I'll admit its partly my OCD and partly because Murphy likes to snuggle on the foot of the bed sometimes but we always take our own bedding (sheets and quilt covers) and a couple of old throws for sofas and such.

 

[Linz1012]

I'll admit its partly my OCD and partly because Murphy likes to snuggle on the foot of the bed sometimes but we always take our own bedding (sheets and quilt covers) and a couple of old throws for sofas and such.

I'm going to do that, too, except for me, it's eczema, not OCD. I'd much rather be on my own sheets and under my own duvet/quilt that leaving blood on their bed.

 

[Ari_RR]

We just got back from a week up North, renting a house. While researching the places, I noticed a lot of them limit to “dogs under 15 lbs” (which is about 7 kg). Apparently that’s the definition of “small”.

While staying there, our 9 m.o. 90 lbs (40 kg) Baby Miles discovered that there were dogs on the adjacent property, and practically made his way inside that house a few times, looking for play mates and treats.

I get it though. Just like there are many ways to interpret “small”, there are many ways to interpret “well behaved”, and I am sure there are liability concerns for rental owners with respect to what kind of trouble the dogs can cause. And apparently the smaller the dog - the smaller the potential trouble

 

[JudyN]

If the T&Cs state 'no dogs in bedrooms' I've always asked before booking and explained that my dog won't go on the bed, and offered to pay an extra deposit - I've only once been turned down. If it doesn't say anything in the T&Cs, then don't ask but if you're concerned, make sure there's no evidence of 'upstairs dogs' such as dog beds whenever you go out.

 

[Linz1012]

If the T&Cs state 'no dogs in bedrooms' I've always asked before booking and explained that my dog won't go on the bed, and offered to pay an extra deposit - I've only once been turned down. If it doesn't say anything in the T&Cs, then don't ask but if you're concerned, make sure there's no evidence of 'upstairs dogs' such as dog beds whenever you go out.

Tbh, I'm expecting to be in the twin room anyway, so there'd be no space for Milly, unless she slept under the bed (or squeezing on to mine, probably with the result that one of us end up on the floor with a nasty head injury - probably me ). So I'd much rather buy a single air mattress and sleep in the living room with the dogs. More room, less danger of injury.

 

[JoanneF]

I'd work on the basis of better to ask for forgiveness than permission and just go.

 

[Catharina Hjorth]

I live in an apartment where AFTER we signed the lease (after having asked a million questions about being allowed to keep dogs there) they informed us that you can only have dogs under 10kg.
Well, I guess my 7 months old moyen poodle will stay 8kg forever. At least officially

 

[JudyN]

We did stay in one cottage which, really, was too small for Jasper (particularly as he can get sleep aggression if you're too close to him when you stand up): Brancaster Cottage, holiday cottage Brancaster, short walk to beach. It was a lovely cottage, in the most perfect location possible, but Jasper had to sleep with his head under a side table!

He did sneak on the bed one time and made a tiny tear on the side of the bottom sheet. I fessed up, and had to pay over £30 for a replacement - it was the finest quality Egyptian cotton, and the biggest bed I've ever slept in!

 

[Dibbythedog]

How annoying is that . What sort of accommodation is it?

 

[Linz1012]

How annoying is that . What sort of accommodation is it?

It's a lodge. What we didn't realise at the time of booking - in fact, not until we got the e-mail with our travel documents, is that we're staying at a resort run by one of the major resort operators (I don't want to name which one for legal reasons).

 

[Linz1012]

Update;

Mum's been on the phone to the agent this morning. Agent said she'll contact the resort and sort the issue out. Mum asked her to get them to put it in writing, which she said she'll do.

So hopefully, that's the end of the matter.

 

[Dibbythedog]

It's a lodge. What we didn't realise at the time of booking - in fact, not until we got the e-mail with our travel documents, is that we're staying at a resort run by one of the major resort operators (I don't want to name which one for legal reasons).

Ive recently started staying in Lodges booking through Hoseasons. It states two dogs and the size of the dogs has never been mention. No one ever checks how many dogs you have either.

 

[Linz1012]

It's official! We have the e-mail saying Milly's welcome.

9 days to go.

 

[JudyN]

Yay! I hope you all have a lovely time

 

[Mad Murphy]

Whooo hoo have a lovely holibobs .