How to Go to an Airbnb with a Dog

I just got back from Prescott, Arizona where we found an Airbnb that not only accepted dogs, but they didn't charge extra! How did we do it?

The Trick to Dog-Friendly AirBnB Finds

Well, we put our fussy high standards aside and ignored past guest comments about cleanliness and focused on all the cool stuff around that a dog would enjoy. There is a good side to checking into an Airbnb that doesn't focus so much on being immaculately clean. They will be much more forgiving if Francesca, my sidekick, leaves behind some of her fluffy hair and if I might tromp down some of the foliage outside. So ponder that. Focus on the dog, not on human standards.

I have to say the rug was old and stained even before we checked in.
And, to be fair, we put our own towels on the furniture so we would
not leave fur on it if we should forget the rules and jump on it.

So here are some tips for finding a true pet-friendly deal at an Airbnb:

1. When you use the search tool, be sure and filter for "pet friendly" so you only get properties that allow dogs.
2. Look for properties that are fenced, or have a yard where dogs will feel at home. 
3. Look for the pet fees, extra deposits, or extra cleaning fees because of pets. Many have them. We tried to rent a Sedona Airbnb who did not list the pet fee. Once we were half-way through the process, we found out that the Airbnb wanted $20 per night for just me! Well, we couldn't afford that!
4. Read the rules. If they are determined to charge the guest extra if a dog hair is seen on the couch, they will probably be fussy (and rightfully so... it's their property) and maybe they are too fussy for me.
5. Read through to see if there is a weight limit and, for us, a limit in the number of dogs you can bring. 
6. Read carefully if the property is shared, or like on a farm. If they have their own dog, you may be asking for trouble if you are like Francesca, who is very protective and barky.
7. Like I said, don't steer away from properties that have comments about a lack of cleanliness. After all, this is a dog vacay and we are known to track in mud and drop a few hairs here and there.
8. Ask plenty of questions. If you have any concerns about how welcome we dogs will be or how comfy the place is, just shoot a note to the Airbnb owner. Forewarned is forearmed, right?

How to Be a Good Airbnb Dog Guest

So once you find a compatible property and are packing for your dog-friendly vacay, there are things you can do so you will be invited back:

1. Don't fib about the number or size of the dogs you are bringing. 
2. Bring the dog dishes (don't use the Airbnb dishes!) and their beds. They won't be tempted to jump on furniture if they have their own stuff.
   
3. Bring clean, but ratty, dog towels to clean up your dog after a walk. 
4. If the property has a vacuum cleaner, use it. Help the owner out.
   
5. Don't let your dog run loose. We had to use our long tie outs to explore the rocky hillside behind the Airbnb. We got used to it. 

   

   Here I am exploring the hill with my tie out on.

   
   

   
   

6. Walk your dog with a leash and pick up after them. We use biodegradable pick up bags. Also, we found a rural road to walk twice a day. It was fantastic. Very few cars and plenty of good smells and things to see.
7. If your dog has separation anxiety, perhaps leaving the dog alone at the Airbnb is not a good idea. If your dog might get into things if you leave, bring their crate for when you leave without them. Francesca and I are used to our owner going to the store or out to dinner. As long as we get our meals on time, we don't worry about it! We just go lay on our beds when our owner leaves.
   

Safety

Last but not least, you don't want your dog to get lost in a strange place. Watch the door and, especially, secure your dog when you are unloading and loading the car, going back and forth. 

Make sure your dog is micro chipped and has tags or a collar with your phone number on it. Some of us, like coon hounds, like to follow our noses when we are staying at a new place.

BE A GOOD DOG AND YOU'LL GET TO
GO ON LOT'S OF TRIPS!

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night

Well, I promised you some excitement and last evening we had excitement big time! The phone went off with a flood alert, the skies darkened, and we heard some thunder rumbling in the distance. It was time for "weather dog" to spring into action and find a safe place in El Shacko. But where to go?

Francesca jumped up on the couch and I watched the skies.

Francesca, the big baby that she is, decided that any place our owner was, would be safe. So she jumped up on the ottoman and went to sleep. Me? I continued to watch the skies and look for a safe place.

I was on the ottoman first as it gave me a good viewpoint of the sky,

Francesca started snoring.

Soon the thunder and lightning were right here! It was loud. First I laid down next to the bed between it and the wall. But that wasn't a secure feeling for me.

Then I asked to head outside to get inside the car. But that wasn't in the cards as we weren't parked next to El Shacko. My owner said no, because it had already started raining.

As the heavens opened up and it poured, I decided the back of the closet under the baby stuff stored there might be the safest place. While Francesca slept peacefully, I kept my eyes open in case we had to evacuate. 

I guess this was the safest place.

Within about an hour, the rain stopped and we went outside for some short walks. All was well and we had survived!

A Good Day in Prescott

Well, I told you there might be some exciting things to share with you today. Well, I said "might!" So instead, let me tell you about my day and what I enjoyed most.

Our day started before dawn when we woke our owner up so we could go out for a little wee. Of course, after that, we were ready for breakfast.

And after that we did walks! We did lots of little walks today.

But my favorite part was eating grass! You see, we don't have nice long grass in the desert. So it's quite a delicacy for me. I ate grass on my walk. I ate grass at my front door. And, I ate grass in our back garden here at El Shacko.

So that's my report for today!

Love, Cinnamon

Back in Prescott, AZ

Well, we made it back to "El Shacko" in the pinewoods of Arizona. It takes about two hours for us to drive here. I slept part of the way and by the lack of sound coming from Francesca's crate, she did too.

Here we are! El Shacko is the grey house on the right.

So we pulled up and I liked being back. Everything was familiar except some animal scents outside which appeared while we were gone. We tried to figure out what it was but weren't sure. We also notice that some bees built a nest in the rocks in the house near us. It's also a rental so there isn't someone there all the time. 

We went for a short walk to sniff around and then we had an early lunch. It was great! Somehow things taste better after a car trip to the pinewoods.

Here we are waiting for lunch.

So, now we're going to take a nap. It's relaxing here except when the wild animals show up!

Francesca just passed out on the living room floor after lunch!

Here I am in the closet on my bed with the toy Francesca got at the dentist's.

Stay tuned. I'm sure there will be something more interesting to report back about soon! Meanwhile, it's nap time!

Love, Cinnamon

Missing Prescott

Hi, I'm writing from home, believe it or not! We had to leave Prescott for a few days because our owner had appointments. Drat! So, at least we got our walks before we had to leave yesterday morning. I love my early morning walks down my road in the pinewoods. I love sniffing the plants and scents and watching the sun warm the granite rocks that are all over.

Here I am sniffing around on my road in the morning.

At home, it's too hot to have a leisurely walk unless it's dawn and you can barely see the sunlight. We walk all the way down to a farm. Once I saw a flock of quail hanging out on their woodpile. I have yet to see any deer. I keep looking!

Here I am looking for deer.

Well, guess who doesn't even miss Prescott? Francesca! She is happier at home with her routine and fenced yard. She said she doesn't think it's fun in Prescott unless she can be off the leash and run around in the woods chasing wild things. If she can't do that, she just gets frustrated and would rather be a suburban dog with a fence and friendly neighbors. Imagine!

Francesca's happy being at home doing what she usually
does in the morning. She watches for stuff. She likes her routine.

So Francesca prefers a routine to life on the road. Me, I'm Cinnamon the travel dog. I look forward to returning to Prescott in a few days.

Wild Things at 2:30 am in Prescott, Arizona

Well, all heck broke loose here at El Shacko around about 2:30 am early this morning. Of course, Francesca was the first to hear the wild animals hanging out around our front door. She started going bonkers, barking, running and, of course, woke up little innocent me!

We couldn't see out into the dark but we think it was a whole herd of Javelinas! Once I woke up from my slumber I ran out into the front room and bayed my best bay to join in with Francesca's barking. What a ruckus! Our owner turned on the outside light. We still couldn't see them. For all we knew, it could have been vampires on the prowl!

Javelinas can be mean!

So after about a half-hour I was convinced they had moved on and decided to calm down and get ready to return to bed.

Portrait of a good dog!

But not Francesca! She was all jacked up on adrenaline and couldn't stop pacing, barking, whining, and wanting outside to go get the wild things. No one could calm her down. Once she agreed that the animals had moved on, she still was on an adrenaline high and was panting and pacing. I'll guess it was over an hour when she finally tried to sleep (with one eye open).

Of course, Francesca woke our owner up at the regular time for dawn patrol and breakfast! No need to sleep in after the night's events. I was sound asleep as I am a good little dog. 

Maybe it was 9 am by the time we got our regular walks and could be trusted on a leash. I enjoyed my walk. Francesca got wound up again on her walk because she saw a bunny rabbit. 

Here's Francesca, last night's Wild Child, finally calming down!

Please send sedatives!

Love, Cinnamon

Kicking Back and Going for Walks in Old Prescott

I have to say we are getting used to the weather here in Prescott. Most of the time it's walking weather except for the afternoon. But we luxuriate around the A/C units. (El Shacko doesn't have central A/C.) This is what we do in the afternoon other than sleep in the closet because there is A/C in the bedroom.

Here's me out in the Doggie Garden of Eden looking for grass to eat.

So Francesca digs herself a cool spot in the earth and snuggles in for an afternoon nap.

We also have had some really good walks. This morning we ambled down the country road where we are staying and my owner annoyed me by taking wildflower pictures. I'm rather deaf so I never know when she's going to stop. 

She thought this thistle was worthy of a photo.

I am getting rather weary of being on a leash. I think I could trot down the road and explore all arond the woods, farms, and trails myself! But my owner keeps telling me that was how I ended up in the shelter in Santa Fe!

Oh yes. Francesca's leg isn't bothering her anymore. I think she was faking it for sympathy!

Love, Cinnamon

Coolin' Off in Prescott AZ

The locals here say the weather in Prescott is abnormally hot. We all have been suffering. In fact, my owner was feeling sick. What to do... what to do?

Here we are missing our central A/C

But things are looking up now. The owner of "El Shacko" here bought a brand new air conditioner for the front room. Before, the only A/C was the wall unit in the bedroom. And we don't want to stay in the bedroom all day, of course!

This cooler saved the day! Ahhh.

So we now have cooling for both parts of our little rental. The one the man brought is an evaporative cooler. We are all much happier.

So before it warmed up this morning we did a lot of walking and checking out lizards. I'm getting to know where the good places are for eating grass and yards to stay away from... the ones with dogs that think I'm a threat to their property.

But something weird happened when Francesca woke up. She was limping. She's eating just fine but she didn't want to put her weight on one of her back paws. Our owner checked and didn't see anything in her paw and pressed up and down her leg and she didn't seem to have any pain. So she was invited for a walk and started putting her weight on her leg and did much better. But we're all keeping an eye on that. I am thinking that Francesca might have strained her leg from too much rock climbing?

Poking Around Prescott, Arizona

Well, we got settled in and had some good exploring time. We found out there is a back door to the shack that leads to a "doggie garden of Eden." It was so green! There were trees and boulders to climb. But my favorite thing to do was to eat grass. 

Here we are exploring the backyard and eating grass.

We had to have tie-outs because there is no fence. We promised not to go too far but our owner didn't trust us. Oh well. We had fun.

Here's Francesca doing some rock climbing

We get lots of short walks. Our owner takes us out and keeps reminding us that we are not there to go hunting. But drat, I swear I sensed something out there in the dark when I had my last potty break. And we both are very interested in all the lizards hanging out on the rocks. Francesca even said she saw a bunny rabbit on her walk.

Prescott has lots of rocks!

So here at the shack, we are settling into a routine. Lots of stuff going on in the morning (because we insist on it), then some rest when it starts warming up. Our owner is trying to get some work done. 

Here's the back of the shack.

We did get a call from back home in the desert. Dr. Paquin, our veterinarian called to say that although some of my lab work was still off because of my renal disease, I was doing very well overall. But then I knew that!

The vet told my owner not to worry about my eating grass.

I have decided the weather in Prescott is pretty nice. I still am not thrilled with the shack and I still would rather be home but we ARE getting more walks during the day!

My owner thinks it's pretty here!

Well, we had a busy morning so it must be time to have lunch!

Love, Cinnamon

Made it to Prescott

Well, we got up early knowing something exciting was to happen! Our travel beds were already in the car and she put more and more stuff in there. Were we moving? Lordy, I hope not!

Here we are taking a last look at our neighborhood. 
The big rainstorm made the sage bloom!

We went out for a potty break. By 9 am it was already too hot to go for a walk. Our owner said it would be cooler in Prescott and that is why we were going. I wasn't too excited about getting in the car because the last time I did, it was to go to the Vet. But Francesca got right in and went in her crate. She sleeps in there on trips.

All loaded up for a road trip to cool!

Once we got on the road, we both went to sleep. In about two hours we woke up and saw that we were no longer in the desert. No saguaros! There were green pastures and things like farm stands. 

Then we saw the sign pointing us to the Historic District of Prescott. We were there! I looked outside and saw old-fashioned saloons, restaurants, a Courthouse with a park around it, and a guy walking his dog on the main street. This was getting really interesting. It might be a good place for dogs! 

But we drove a little further and saw Thumb Butte looming over us. We turned down a dirt road and saw some kind of run-down houses. (Yes, I'm being judgemental!) In the back was the one we would be staying in. Hmmm. Kinda looked like a shack to me. What happened to being a luxury travel dog? Hmmm.

The yard was kinda nice. It had trees and grass I could munch on.
There was no fence so we had to be tied out or be on a leash.

Well, that was interesting. But then we went inside. The door stuck so we had to push it open. Bam! We were in. I looked around. Yep, a shack. While our owner unloaded the car I nosed around and checked everything out. Not impressed. Here's some pictures:

Here I am checking out the living/dining/cooking area.
We did get fed, believe it or not. She brought our bowls.

Here you can see the large utility closet. She put our beds in here.
Yuck!

Francesca decided this would be HER corner. She likes being in the kitchen.
She won't miss a meal that way.

So that's the shack. We'll see if we really do get more walks or not. And, we'll see if there are deer and bears to chase. I might want to go to the historic downtown and see what kind of dog-friendly businesses there are. Prescott seems like a good place for dogs. I'm just not too keen on the shack. Keep checking back and I'll share what I find. 

Meanwhile, it's time for a nap!

Love, Cinnamon

Packing for Prescott

Our owner has been organizing and packing for two days now. I'm worried that she won't be able to fit us in the car with her food, clothing, computer, medications, hiking stuff... and the list goes on. We're simple. We just need our travel beds, Francesca's crate (so she doesn't shed all over the car), food, meds, leashes, toys. Well, I guess we're going to have quite a bit to take too!

This is only a part of our food. We have my kidney diet canned food too.

I'm beginning to wonder if this is worth it. It's only 10 degrees less in Prescott than it is here in our desert. We've been promised more walks. And different scenery. Is that enough to leave all the cushy comforts behind? I love my Coolaroo desert bed and its too large to take! 

And, will Francesca be able to scare off all the wild animals up there? I heard there were deer. AND I'M AFRAID THERE WILL BE BEARS! Oh my. Oh dear.

Do you think she'll be able to protect us?
She looks mighty relaxed here at home!

But she keeps packing. And she thinks it will all fit in the car. We shall see. Wish us luck!

Love, Cinnamon