The sky was inky black and full of stars that looked to be so close you could reach up and touch them. A perfect summer night to travel out of the city, above its lights, to watch the perseid meteor shower in the frigid cold of the Rocky Mountains. Soon, nature watching ended and the family turned to a more sinister endeavor.

The four of them, two adults and two children, were each at an appointed station, ready for Operation Dog Sneak (ODS). Having reconnoitered the motel in advance, they had found the back entrance which led up the stairs to their second floor rooms. One adult served as lookout at the back door, a second was at the end of the second floor hall holding the door open so it wouldn’t lock. The youngest had the job of standing inside the
room ready to open the door at the signal. The teenage soccer player had the toughest assignment, selected because it was thought her well-conditioned legs would make the quickest run up the two flights of stairs. Her job was to escort the contraband from the car to the room. The contraband herself was ready and eager to go, tail wagging at a near-record pace. Three minutes later, the mission was complete and the family and four-footed friend were eating Kentucky Fried Chicken in their suite.

ODS has faded into family lore. It happened less than 10 years ago and few things have changed as radically in that time as traveling with a dog. These days, at that same hotel chain, dogs and cats enter through the lobby as routinely as do their two-footed companions. One survey found that as many as 12 percent of dog owners
admitted that they had been desperate enough to sneak their dog into their hotel room at one time or another. But this is a new day, and the American Automobile Association now lists more than 13,000 U.S. and Canadian hostelries that allow travelers to bring their pets. The travel industry apparently woke up one day to find that there are 62 million dog owners in the United States and that almost half of them take their dogs along when they travel.

While most motels and hotels that changed their policies to allow pets, once they realized which way the scent was blowing, can be called “pet tolerant,” there are others that have gone full throttle into the luxury accommodation business for the furry set. From coast to coast, the devoted—and well-heeled—dog owner checking in can often find a warmer welcome for his hirsute friend than the one proffered to humans. All those canine luxuries can add up
to a nice, little embellishment to the bill.
It’s not surprising then that the hotels that offer world-class amenities to people and now for the doggy set are in the high end of the luxury hotel market.

In New York, The Benjamin Hotel at 125 E. 50th St. offers a “Dream Dog” package sure to warm the heart of any pampered pooch. It’s such a comfort to arrive straight from the airport after a long ordeal in flight, and traipse up to one’s room to find a lush bathrobe to slip into. There’s just time for a nap on one of the three beds, customized per your dog’s size. Perhaps a bit of TV-watching would be in order before dinner is served in a ceramic bowl resting in a wrought-iron stand with a chenille embroidered placemat. It’s so nice to be in a place where one is handled properly. Nevertheless, the long flight and the stress of having to look pleased at having perfect strangers approach and pat one’s head has been too much. A session with the on-call pet psychic is in order. If that doesn’t get rid of one’s headache, maybe the concierge could arrange a trip to the doggie bath for a soothing soak. That should fix one right up. After all, the two-footed traveling companion with the fat wallet already sprang for the 40-dollar spa gift basket which includes “Every Dog Has His Day Spa” shampoo. Rooms at The Benjamin start at $399 per night and reservations are advised.

The Westminster Dog Show notwithstanding, the East Coast has nothing on the West Coast. The Alexis in downtown Seattle is a boutique hotel in a turn-of-the-century building that caters to dogs traveling with their human counterparts. The rooms of the newly-renovated Alexis have been decorated in art themes. The Alexis does not discriminate among its four-footed customers: dogs of all sizes are welcome. The hotel provides dog beds and dishes and can provide sitting and walking upon request. There is no additional charge for
canine guests beyond the normal room rate of $200 to $300 per night.

The Hotel Monaco in Denver has one up on its competitors; it has a Director of Pet Relations. His name is Hercules and he just celebrated his first birthday with a bash in the lobby of the Monaco. A member of the Shih Tzu tribe, Hercules meets and greets guests of all persuasions; that is, both four-footed and two-footed, and all are equally charmed by his winning ways. After such exertions, however, he may have to excuse himself and have a brief nap on one of his three beds strategically placed around the lobby.

The Monaco has been a pet-friendly hotel from the time its doors opened 10 years ago. Pets of all kinds are welcome and there are no extra charges beyond the room rate which begins at $189 per night. Beth Johnston, the hotel’s director of sales and marketing, says most hotel employees have pets of their own and being accustomed to animals are willing to provide sitting or walking for the hotel guests. Two floors of the hotel are devoted to pet-friendly accommodations complete with beds and bowls in the rooms. Pets are allowed to accompany their human escorts into the lobby, which guests are encouraged to think of as their living room during their stay.

While dogs and their parents are assured of appropriate, if not downright luxurious, lodgings anywhere in the country, getting there is another issue. Dog owners are known to take their best friends with them on both business and pleasure trips. If Fluffy will fit in a soft-sided container like the ones from www.petflys.com, she will be traveling in style and comfort. 

There would never be enough leg room in the cabin for Bruno, the Great Dane, so he must arrive at the airport in a crate large enough for him to stand, lie down and turn around in; in other words, a container about the size of a small car. Most major airlines accept pets in both their cargo holds and as all air carriers have space limitations and travelers must make reservations for their dogs at the same time they book their own reservations in order to be assured that owner and pet will travel on the same aircraft. Airlines charge a fee for Fido to travel in the cargo hold. Airlines are eager to have their four-footed passengers arrive at their destination in good shape and to that end insist they carry proper identification just as they do for their two-footed  owners.  For Bruno and friends  traveling cargo, “LIVE ANIMAL” must be written on the crate along with the dog’s name. All pooches must have an identification tag or implanted chip with the owner’s information. (Think of it as a passport.) A veterinarian’s health certificate is also required. If it’s to be a lengthy flight, the owner can freeze water in the dog’s bowl that will melt into water for drinking during the course of the flight. And if the reservation is for a day when the temperature, either at point of departure or at the destination, exceeds 85 degrees Bruno won’t fly. Consult the ASPCA website for the Top 10 safety tips for transporting dogs by air. A visit to your airline’s website is also a good source for
additional information.

For those taking a road trip with their best friend, no ears flying out the window. The picture we all have of Fido with his head out the window, ears trailing in the wind, is fetching, but dangerous. Instead, canine road warriors travel best in their own crate with a soft cushion on the bottom. The crate is good protection in case of an accident or for sudden stops. Even in the family car, our furry friends should wear tags or sport an identifying chip. Be sure to preview the map to your destination with your canine pal to mark out frequent stops for water and er…uh, other necessities. Since our best friends can’t take off their fur coats in summer, they should never be left in a closed car. Even with windows lowered slightly, cars can reach suffocating temperatures within 10 minutes on a warm day. 

By Jane Earle