Guests with dogs at your agriturismo or B&B: house rules, fees and cleaning

Updated on 6 November 2026

In short. Welcoming guests with dogs works when the rules are few, written down before arrival and the same for everyone. Decide where the dog can go, what the extra cleaning costs and how it shows up on the bill; the rest is organisation.

Room 3, Saturday: a couple arrives with a Labrador. "Very well behaved," they say. Maybe. Meanwhile you need to know where he sleeps, where he eats, where he goes for his evening walk and who cleans on Monday. Better to decide it at the desk than with a lead in your hand.

Is it worth accepting dogs?

It depends on your property, and the choice is yours. An agriturismo with animals in the yard, a small dining room or rooms with carpet are different from a B&B with terracotta floors. Before deciding, look at three things:

• the rooms: how many, and which, you can set aside for guests with dogs (often the ones on the ground floor or with a private entrance, if you have them);
• the shared areas: breakfast room, restaurant, garden, pool, meaning where the dog can go and where not;
• who cleans: the extra time needed after departure, and whether the people who work with you are happy with it.

Ask your municipality (Comune) or your local health authority (ASL) whether any indications apply to breakfast rooms and restaurants. We can't tell you what applies where you are.

Which house rules are worth writing down?

Few, and concrete. Every rule you don't write is an argument you'll have out loud. The most useful ones:

• how many dogs per room and, if you want, a maximum size;
• where the dog can be and where not: bed and sofas, breakfast room, restaurant, poolside;
• dog alone in the room: yes or no (and if yes, under which conditions);
• lead in shared areas and in the yard;
• picking up after the dog, with where to find the bags and where to bin them;
• a blanket or bed of their own, if you prefer the dog not to use the room's linen;
• what happens in case of damage.

Put them in one short paragraph, kindly worded: "We're happy to meet him too. We only ask that…". An invitation works better than a ban.

Can you charge a fee for the dog?

Many properties do, to cover extra cleaning and wear. A guide from Hostaway (a short-rental software company, so an interested party) lists three common forms: a flat amount per stay, an amount per night, an amount per animal. There is no right one: choose the one you can explain in a single line. To set the amount, compare with similar properties near you and count the real extra cleaning time. Three common-sense rules:

1. state the fee before booking, not at check-out;
2. add it as a separate line on the bill, so the guest sees it and you don't forget it (we cover this in the article on the room bill and extras);
3. ask your accountant about the tax side of the fee.

One note: assistance dogs for people with disabilities are a separate case. Before writing rules or fees that concern them, ask your municipality or your trade association.

How do you organise cleaning after departure?

A room with a dog takes a few extra steps, and it helps if they are always the same. A list that works:

1. vacuum floors, rugs and under the bed thoroughly, which is where the hair ends up;
2. check and change the linen, including blankets and bedspread;
3. wipe down sofa, chairs and skirting boards;
4. clean the bowls and the dog's corner, if you provided them;
5. air the room;
6. check corners and curtains for damage and note it straight away.

If there is an arrival the same day, tell whoever cleans the evening before, so they know that room needs more time. On turnover days that extra time matters: we wrote about it in room cleaning on turnover days. And if you know the next guest has allergies, match the rooms with care.

What should you write to the guest before arrival?

One message, clear, with everything in it: rules, fee, where to park and where to walk the dog in the evening. An example (the rules are made up: adapt them to yours):

"Hi, we're glad to welcome your dog too. A reminder: he can stay in the room with you but not on the bed, he comes into the breakfast room only on a lead, and the fee appears on your bill. Write to us here for anything."

The same text goes in the digital guest guide and in your welcome message: you'll find the messages you need in WhatsApp with guests.

So what does Fattore do here?

Fattore doesn't handle bookings, which stay on your channel manager, and it doesn't set your house rules: you write those. Once the guest is on the property, it helps like this:

• you add the dog fee to the room bill as an extra, so at the end of the stay the bill is already complete;
• housekeeping has room status, checklists and linen: they help you follow the same extra steps for every room with a dog;
• the digital guest guide (up to 37 languages) can hold your house rules, so a foreign guest reads them in their own language;
• you send WhatsApp messages from your own phone, with no extra costs.

Fattore doesn't issue fiscal receipts: it prepares the bill, which you then ring up at the till. You'll find it all in modules. If you run an agriturismo see the agriturismo management app page, if you run a B&B the B&B management app page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I ban dogs from my property?

In general it's your choice, with the exception of the assistance dogs mentioned above. If you don't accept dogs, say so clearly in your listing and in the confirmation message, so nobody arrives expecting a yes.

Should I ask for a deposit?

Some hosts do, others prefer only the fee. If you ask for one, say so beforehand and explain when and how it is returned; for legal and payment details, ask your accountant.

How do I stop the dog sleeping on the bed?

Say it beforehand and offer an alternative: a blanket or a bed of their own. A rule with an alternative is followed more often than a flat ban.

How long does it take you today to clean a room after a guest with a dog, and have you ever put it on the bill? Try the live demo: it's a sample agriturismo with the data already in, so you can look through rooms, bills and guest registrations without signing up. If you'd rather we show you, book a call of half an hour.

This article is a practical guide and does not replace advice from your accountant or your municipality (Comune).

Sources

• Hostaway · Pet fee (glossary)
• Fattore · Modules
• Fattore · Agriturismo management app
• Fattore · B&B management app