They keep feeding my dog!

From the moment they step through the door your bookings become guests, and their experiences determine whether they ever come back.
User avatar
enid
Posts: 5599
Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2004 4:47 pm
Location: Labretonie France
Contact:

They keep feeding my dog!

Post by enid »

Just posting this to get if off my chest really. This is only the second year for our rental properties but already we have a recurring problem - they keep feeding our dog!!! Last year our dog, the delightful Sally, couldn't walk one morning - just couldn't get out of her basket. Costly visit to vet to tell us she was constipated - too much food. As we hadn't changed her diet we asked our guests if they had been feeding her - well yes - it's so hard to resist those eyes they said!!! We have someone at the moment on week three of a four week stay and he persists in feeding her - we've told him the constipation story and asked politely several times. Now we're getting at him by being cross with the dog for sitting by their table but I don't feel it's her fault. I've offered him the chickens as an alternative for feeding but they don't seem to have the same large brown eyed appeal. There I feel much better - now I can ask him again with a big smile!!!!!
la vache!
Posts: 11065
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2005 7:22 pm

Post by la vache! »

Enid,
I have a similar problem with my dogs, especially the little Jack Russell. At the moment she is a slimline petite dog, but every September, and goodness knows how many barbecues later, she turns into a barrel. This happens every year, but she has never been ill on it and loses all the excess weight in the winter. My old border collie loves chasing things and when people throw a ball , he will go after it and in hot weather it is really too much for the old boy. I think this summer I will just have to keep them in as otherwise every evening the dogs (and cats) migrate off to the guests gites as soon as the barbecues are lit....and they always get some leftovers. Incidentally, I have people coming for a week in August who hate dogs. I told them that I have dogs and they booked anyway, is it up to me to keep them (the dogs) out of the way or is it a case of caveat emptor (sorry about the bad Latin, but buyer beware??)
Most people and especially children love the animals and I am not aware they have ever been a problem before.
User avatar
debk
Posts: 1053
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 12:01 pm
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
Contact:

Post by debk »

Poor Sally. Maybe you should add a clause to your rental agreement that says the damage deposit is forfeit if they feed the dog. And then post it on the frig to remind everyone! :lol:
User avatar
enid
Posts: 5599
Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2004 4:47 pm
Location: Labretonie France
Contact:

Post by enid »

That's a good idea! She's confined to camp today until the guests go out - if they do - they'll probably stay by the pool all day as the weather is so glorious.
User avatar
tansy
Posts: 2059
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2004 6:29 am
Location: La Manche, Normandy, France

Post by tansy »

Susan...our Jack (Johnnie Johnson - after the spitfire pilot - after all all Jacks are the Spitfire Pilots of the dog world!) - nips if he takes against anyone and if anyone dares to touch a toy - from dog to human that is war!!

Problem is he has probably 15-20 toys all spread out the place but he knows where they are and them all by name...what I'm basically saying is thank god our guests are 8 & 30 miles away!!

I have a marathon search today in the garden...just over a hectare... as we have a guest stopping over one night in our guest cottage (boulangerie converted for parents...they insist in coming for month at a time - not a good idea under same roof for whole time!), with his little dog - so must start the reccie.

But if I were you guys I'd have notice up in the gite and also on your terms, please don't feed them...or get your guests to tell you what time they are BBQ'ing & keep them in?

Perhaps borrow my story - the Jack nips if you feed him? The collie - well our Jack is a football maniac...we had loads of folk here for lunch one day I did not realise that a 16 year old lad was actually playing football with our Jack...JJ doesn't know when to stop - it was only after a couple of hours I asked where JJ was - he's almost 7 now - it took him 4 days to recover - I did feel guilty - it is quite amazing that his heart didn't explode!

Cats - well they do there own thing so there isn't a lot you can do!

I'm one to talk - I'm a terrible mum - our rescue kitten is about to be a teenage mum...I was hoping to let her have a season before spaying (better for bones & her hormones) - but some ugly brute must have raped her...so if anyone in the Normandy area is looking for a kitten please do contact me...
User avatar
Ciapolin
Posts: 436
Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2005 9:46 am
Location: Cossano Belbo, Piemonte
Contact:

Post by Ciapolin »

On the dog thread - do you tell guests before they arrive that you have animals? We have a rather large Great Dane (I know that's probably a tautology!)- a wonderful security system, because without fail people are wary of him (even if they only hear him bark!).

I know many people are scared of dogs, but don't know whether I should make it clear on my website. I had thought of putting him in one of the photos as a subtle hint.

C-A
la vache!
Posts: 11065
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2005 7:22 pm

Post by la vache! »

I never have, most guests (especially children) love the fact that there are animals here. If you accept pets in the property and advertise that, it normally serves to put non animal lovers off staying anyway (they may have allergies for example). I like the way Enid has introduced her dogs on the website, which makes it clear there are animals there, in a nice way! I think that if you go and stay in a rural location, its moreorless accepted that there will be animals in the vicinity, I've certainly never had a problem, except once when one of the cats climbed into one of the velux windows and went to sleep on one of the childrens beds. It wasn't the child who was worried, just the father who had a phobia about cats, but even he thought it was quite funny.
Post Reply