There is no agreed definition of “pet friendly” in the hotel industry. Hotels use the label freely but apply it inconsistently, with policies varying by property, by staff member, and sometimes by the day, so dog owners cannot reliably compare one hotel to another. Independent assessment of 3,000-plus hotels across 56 countries found that 49% of properties describing themselves as “pet friendly” scored a D or F against basic dog friendliness criteria, and only 12% of hotels using the term actually allow cats. The label is broken: it suggests a consistent, comparable standard of welcome but signals nothing reliable, misleading one group while excluding the other. Cat owners know it does not mean them, and dog owners no longer trust the term.
RDFS-02 · Dog Friendly Standard
The Dog Friendly Standard
Most hotels call themselves pet friendly without defining what that means. This standard replaces vague claims with a precise, verifiable definition of what dog friendly actually means in hotel accommodation and hospitality. It is the world's first structured dog friendly standard.
Every term used in the Dog Friendly Standard, defined precisely.
The minimum requirements an accommodation must meet.
How assessments work, and how certification is granted.
The Problem
What This Standard Does
The Roch Dog Friendly Standard replaces undefined claims with a precise, enforceable definition, setting out seven minimum requirements that any hotel must meet to call itself dog friendly. Hotels that meet all seven are certified, those that do not are not, with no partial passes, no tiers, and no exceptions. The standard defines what dog friendly means, the assessment framework defines how it is tested, and the reference guide defines every term used in the standard.
What Dog Friendly Means
Under this standard, an accommodation is dog friendly when it permits dogs to stay overnight in guest rooms as a matter of published policy, applies dog rules clearly and consistently, provides real food and water bowls in dog rooms, and allows dogs to accompany guests in at least one shared indoor guest area where legally permitted. It means predictable access, transparent rules, and non discretionary treatment, so temporary allowances, informal permissions, and discretionary exceptions do not meet this definition and are not considered dog friendly under this standard.
The Seven Requirements
A hotel must meet all seven of these requirements to be certified dog friendly. Not most of them, every one. Meeting six is not a partial pass, it is a fail.
- A published pet policy, accessible within two clicks of the homepage
- Real food and water bowls provided in dog rooms
- Dogs allowed in at least one shared indoor guest area
- Fee transparency: amount and structure disclosed before booking
- Deposit status clearly stated
- Deposit amount disclosed, if applicable
- Maximum number of dogs per room stated
Who This Is For
Check if you meet the standard and apply for certification. Certified hotels are listed in the Roch Dog directory and gain access to the certification mark.
Search hotels that have been independently verified as dog friendly. Every listed property meets the same minimum standard, so you know what to expect before you book.
A shared definition that booking platforms, travel agents, and industry bodies can reference. Published in 11 languages with structured data for automated systems.
A dog isn’t an afterthought or a liability. It’s a family member. If a hotel cannot extend genuine hospitality to the entire family, they have no business claiming to be in the hospitality industry at all.
Guise Bule, CEO