Frequently Asked Questions

DogsWelcome is Australia's dog-first travel platform. We connect dog owners with verified dog-friendly stays across Australia. Every property on the platform has been specifically set up to welcome dogs — it's not just a generic filter on a regular travel site.

Yes. Every listing on DogsWelcome is dog-friendly by design. If you're travelling with a dog, you can book with confidence knowing the host has actively set up their property to welcome dogs and agreed to dog-specific house rules.

DogsWelcome is an Australian platform with properties across all states and territories. We're growing our listing base actively — if your preferred destination doesn't have listings yet, you can join the waitlist and we'll notify you when new properties become available nearby.

Creating an account and browsing is free. DogsWelcome does not charge guests a service fee. You only pay when you confirm a booking, and the complete total is shown before payment.

You can browse listings without an account. However, you'll need to create a free account to make a booking, save favourites, or message a host.

Click 'Sign up' and enter your email and a password. You'll receive a verification code to confirm your email address. Once verified, your account is ready to use.

Yes. You can create an account using your Google login for a faster signup experience.

Yes. We take privacy seriously. Your contact details are never shared with hosts unless you choose to, and your full address is never visible to other users. Read our Privacy Policy for full details.

A profile photo helps hosts feel confident about who is staying at their property. Guests without a profile photo are not eligible for Instant Book and will be placed into Request to Book, where the host reviews and approves the booking manually.

A short bio helps hosts understand who you are and builds trust. Your bio must be at least 20 characters to be eligible for Instant Book. Without one, your booking will go through a manual approval process.

Identity verification is an optional process where you confirm your identity using a government-issued ID. Verified guests are shown a badge on their profile, which can increase your chances of getting bookings approved — especially at properties with higher standards.

Your profile and account settings are accessible from the menu when you're logged in. You can update your photo, bio, dog details, and notification preferences at any time.

Use the search bar on the homepage to enter your destination, travel dates, and the number of dogs. Results show properties that are available for your dates and can accommodate your dogs. You can filter further by property type, dog size, amenities, and more.

Every property on DogsWelcome has been listed specifically to welcome dogs. Hosts set their own dog rules — including which sizes are allowed, maximum dogs, and any breed restrictions — so you always know exactly what's accepted before you book.

For each dog, you'll need to provide their name, breed, size (small, medium, large, or giant), and age. This information is shared with the host as part of your booking request so they know exactly who's coming to stay.

Yes, subject to the host's maximum dog count. Each property sets its own limit. If a property allows two dogs, you won't be able to add a third. The limit is shown clearly on the listing before you book.

If your dog's breed is listed as restricted by the host, you won't be able to complete a booking at that property. This is enforced automatically — you'll see a clear message before you reach the payment step.

Instant Book means your booking is confirmed automatically as soon as payment is processed. There's no waiting for host approval. To be eligible for Instant Book, you need a profile photo and a bio of at least 20 characters.

Request to Book means your booking request is sent to the host for approval. The host has 24 hours to accept or decline. Your card is held (not charged) while the request is pending. If the host approves, payment is captured and your booking is confirmed. If they decline or don't respond within 24 hours, the hold is released.

If your profile doesn't have a photo or your bio is shorter than 20 characters, your booking will automatically be treated as Request to Book — even at Instant Book properties. This is to give hosts the opportunity to review new or incomplete guest profiles.

If a host declines your request, you'll receive a notification explaining this. Any hold on your card is released immediately. You're free to search for another property and send a new request.

If a host doesn't respond within 24 hours, your booking request expires automatically. The hold on your card is released and you'll be notified. There's no penalty to you — you can search for other properties.

Yes. When submitting a booking request, you can include a personal message introducing yourself and your dog. Hosts see this message on the request card and often find it helpful when deciding to approve.

Yes. Every booking requires you to add at least one dog profile. You'll need to enter your dog's name, breed, size, and age. This information is used to check compatibility with the host's dog rules and is shared with the host before they approve your booking.

Dogs are categorised as small, medium, large, or giant. The size categories refer to the dog's physical size. Each host sets which sizes they accept, so make sure your dog falls within the accepted range before booking.

Bringing undeclared dogs or more dogs than the booking covers is a violation of our guest policies and the host's house rules. Hosts may ask you to leave without a refund. Always declare all dogs accurately.

Yes. Breed restrictions are set by individual hosts and enforced by the platform. Even if your dog has an excellent temperament, if their breed is restricted at a particular property, you won't be able to book there. We recommend filtering by properties that accept your dog's breed.

Yes. You can send a message to a host from their listing page. This is a great way to ask questions about the property, check suitability for your dog, or find out more before committing to a booking.

Messaging is available as soon as you submit your booking request. You don't have to wait for approval to start communicating. Hosts often appreciate a friendly message introducing yourself and your dog.

Response times vary by host. Each host's typical response time is shown on their listing. Most hosts reply within a few hours. If you're waiting on a booking request response, hosts have up to 24 hours to approve or decline.

All your messages are in the Messages section of your account. You'll also receive email notifications when a host replies.

For Instant Book, your card is charged when the booking is confirmed. For Request to Book, we place a hold on your card when you submit the request. The hold is only captured (charged) if the host approves the booking. If they decline or the request expires, the hold is released.

We accept all major credit and debit cards via Stripe. Your payment is processed securely and your card details are never stored on our servers.

DogsWelcome does not charge guests a service fee. Guests pay the nightly rate and any host-set charges shown on the listing, such as a cleaning fee, pet cleaning fee or extra-dog fee. The complete total is shown before you confirm your booking.

Yes. A booking confirmation and invoice are sent to your email address after your payment is processed. You can also download your booking receipts from your guest dashboard.

Each listing has its own cancellation policy — flexible, moderate, firm, or strict. The policy is shown clearly on the listing page and in your booking confirmation. Check the policy before you book, as it determines your refund entitlement if you need to cancel.

Go to your bookings in the guest dashboard and select the booking you want to cancel. Follow the prompts to complete the cancellation. Your refund (if applicable under the cancellation policy) will be processed back to your original payment method.

If a host cancels a confirmed booking, you'll receive a full refund. We take host cancellations seriously — repeated cancellations may result in restrictions on the host's account.

Refunds typically take 5–10 business days to appear on your card statement, depending on your bank. We process refunds as soon as the cancellation is confirmed on our end.

After every completed stay, both you and the host can leave a review. Reviews are mutual — neither party sees what the other wrote until both reviews are submitted or the 14-day review window closes. This ensures honest, uninfluenced feedback.

No. Reviews are only available after a completed stay. A cancelled booking — regardless of who cancelled — does not generate a review.

Yes. Hosts can leave a public response to your review. This appears on the listing for future guests to see.

Leave an honest review and contact our support team if there's an issue that needs to be resolved. We take guest experience seriously and review all concerns raised through the platform.

No. Hosts never see your home address. Your profile shows a display name and optional bio — that's all. All communication between you and a host happens through DogsWelcome messaging.

The full street address is provided in your booking confirmation after payment is processed. Before booking, you'll see an approximate map pin on the listing — not the exact address.

All payments are processed through Stripe, a PCI-compliant payment provider. DogsWelcome never stores your card details. Your payment information is encrypted and handled entirely by Stripe's secure systems.

Yes. If you have a concern about a host, listing, or a stay, you can report it through your booking details or by contacting our support team. All reports are reviewed by our team.

On the login page, click 'Forgot password' and enter your email address. We'll send you a reset link that's valid for 24 hours.

You can request account deletion from your account settings. We'll process the request in accordance with our privacy policy. Any active bookings must be resolved before deletion.

You can reach us using the contact form at the bottom of this page, or email us directly at hello@dogswelcome.co. We aim to respond within one business day.

No. DogsWelcome does not charge guests a booking or service fee. The total shown before payment includes the accommodation price and any host-set charges that apply to the stay.