Airbnb Pets: Can Making Your Airbnb Dog Friendly increase profits?

Airbnb is more popular than ever with travellers choosing to stay in this type of accommodation for their trip away. It enables them to have a cost-effective, spacious and comfortable stay in a home-from-home type of accommodation. And it’s proving a great way for those who have a property or second home they want to rent out to make a side income. When you do decide to advertise the property as a short or long-term let, there are many things to consider. For example, you will need to decide on the type of amenities you will offer in the accommodation. One important thing you will need to consider is whether you will want to make your Airbnb pet-friendly.

A lot of people are now wanting to make trips away with their furry friends. For one thing, it saves them a lot of money having to find a reliable kennel or pet sitter. Also, when they are staying away from home for longer, they don’t want to leave their pet for so long. Pet-friendly accommodation is in-demand with over half of travellers looking for this for their break away. But is it worth it and will it provide extra income? Here is our full guide on whether making your Airbnb dog friendly will increase profits. 

What type of dogs will you allow on the property?

Before we start discussing how much extra you could make, the first thing you need to think about is what pets you will allow on the property. Likely, you will just allow dogs to stay in your Airbnb. After all, cats prove problems such as removing fur after the stay and exotic pets may prove difficult to have on your property.
 

So even when you have decided on dogs, you need to consider the type of dogs you will allow. For instance, you might not be a fan of having a puppy stay in the home. We all know puppies are very energetic and lively as well as not potty trained at that point. Also, there might be certain breeds you prefer to have stay in your accommodation for hair or noise purposes. When you have made your decision regarding what type of dogs are allowed, ensure you state it clearly on your ad for your accommodation. That way, there can be no debate with potential guests over why their pet is not allowed at the property. Remember to decide on how many dogs too can stay at one time.

Can making your Airbnb dog friendly increase profits?

So when you allow a dog to stay at your property, the good news is that it is likely you will earn more from the property. Here are some of the reasons why profits will increase:

Demand is high

With the increase in people wanting to bring their pets with them for stays away from the home, you are likely to have more bookings if you do change your property to make it dog-friendly. It opens you up to a whole new crowd of potential guests who are looking for that extra special place for them and their pet. You will no longer be cut off from this audience so you are expanding your market. It makes your property more competitive and you will reach a wider range of people going dog-friendly.

Price increases

The simple fact is you can charge more if a guest brings a furry friend along when they come to stay in your property. It’s no big surprise to pet owners as they will have paid extra for their pets in the past. So the charges for pets range from $10 to 50 dollars a night. This price is affected by a number of factors. For starters, the length of stay. After all, if they are staying for a whole month, it’s likely you will reduce this to a smaller amount. A lot of hosts also cap their properties at a certain amount so that guests will not have to pay too much if they are staying for longer periods.

Additionally, it can depend on the breed as if the dog is hypoallergenic, there will be less cleaning that will need to be completed on the property. Also, if the dog is smaller in size, you might want to charge less. This also applies to the amount of dogs staying at the property. After all, if there are two large dogs, you will charge a higher rate than just one small pooch. The younger the dog, the higher the rate you might want to charge too for the potential risks involved from a puppy.
 

Regular visitors 

Once you become a dog-friendly accommodation, you are bound to get repeat customers who will love the fact their dog can come and stay. They might book to stay regularly and could even recommend their friends who also have pets. Therefore, your profits are likely to increase from these repeat, loyal customers and their new friends.

What can affect the profit you make from becoming dog-friendly

While you can charge more for the property, there are some factors which can affect the ultimate profit you make. 

The cost of making it dog friendly

You are going to have to take steps to make the home pet friendly which can bite into your profits. From buying dog accessories such as bowls and beds to investing in some dog toys and treats, these all will dig into your budget. You might also make changes to furniture and other items in the home if they aren’t dog friendly and these changes will cost you extra money too. Pet proofing your home is so important.

The cost of cleaning and breakages

You will also need to pay for cleaning if you are going dog-friendly. After all, hair gets everywhere and you will need to clean your home properly before the next guests arrive. You can charge your guests a higher cleaning fee which can help towards this but this is something to consider. Also, breakages and damages are a risk and you might spend money on replacing items or getting them professionally cleaned if accidents do occur in your home.