Am I recalling correctly that a while ago you posted about a famous person who was coming to stay at your B&B and you were wondering how (or if) you should do anything to make his and his wife's stay extra-special?
How did that turn out? Did you end up talking to him for any length of time?
(and did they get on with the dogs?)

I think it is pretty callous to do the you snooze, you lose bit..........if it is a serious business for you........for your sake, the next time I hope it is not something valuable.........you might have a little harder time defending your babies.....

pammyfay - was that the inventor of the MRI you're talking about?

We are definitely dog people. In fact this is the first time in 35 years that we happen to be without one. And our dogs were gentle giants too - Rottweilers. At one time we had three of them.

However I firmly believe that as owner of the B&B it's your responsibility to know where your dogs are. If they're in the habit of going upstairs or entering the bedrooms then you need to inform the guests that this might happen and that they should close their doors when leaving. As a pet owner you know very well what mischief they're capable of. A dog that size could easily and quickly destroy an expensive piece of luggage.

You haven't told us what you did or said to remedy the situation and that would play a huge role in my decision to return or not. Your actions would be an indication of what I might expect on a future visit if something upsetting happened.

I think the "you snooze; you lose" comment was most appropriate. That's the puppy rule! Harry's victim of choice is bras; Sam's a shoe man.

Being owned by Harry and Sam, I would never get upset over anything a puppy, 80 lbs. or otherwise, could do. This incident would be sure to bring me back, everything else being homey and happy...and I know your place is!

Offer them a new pair of socks and laugh it off. This is a B&B. It's supposed to be homey and friendly.

I have to tell my guests here at home to keep the bedroom door firmly closed and don't leave shoes on the floor. I tell them once. If they chose to leave articles in the main living rooms, or leave their door open, then it's on them.

More than one guest has awoken with Harry snuggled in and sleeping with them. All but one was delighted. The non-delighted person had been warned.

Duffy went into their room and grabbed the sock. So now Daisy and Duffy were playing tug of war with this sock -- right in front of us in the living room. So the guest says "that's my sock". I felt like saying "you snooze your lose" lol.

I'm confused. Your dog went into your paying guests room that they apparently left open and chewed one of their socks. What about the sneaker? Did the guests laugh, or just you? Did you compensate them for their loss?

I think we need more information from you about the circumstances. If you were as flip with them as you seem to be with us, then no, I would not return. If you were polite and apologetic, then I would probably return. We've always had well-behaved dogs and cats and enjoy them, but I would have no patience at all with a dog that got into my room and chewed my things and their owner thought it was cute.

Trisha said she felt like saying the "you snooze...." comment. She did not actually say it.

The guests knew there were (big) puppies around. Most people know what puppies can do.

I still think it's hilarious, and I'll bet the guests did, too. Afterall, it was just a sock. Very few things in life are worth getting upset over.

For Heaven's sake!

It's a sock people! A sock!

$5.99 for a package of 6 at Walmart.

If it was my B & B, I would give you all a martini, a massage and a joint as soon as you stepped out of the car.

If you are staying there then you surely knew there were puppies.

Some people just need to learn that the world does not revolve around them and get over it.

And just for the record, she never said " you snooze you lose", she just thought it.

If some people actually knew what I that about them, I would probably be arrested.

"I think the "you snooze; you lose" comment was most appropriate. That's the puppy rule!"
No,NOT appropriate! Why should it be? Say it was your child that went into the room and wrote on their belongings with a magic marker? You are just as responsible for your puppy's actions as you would be your child's actions.
Sorry,but if I was a paying guest at a B&B,even knowing there were puppies there and what puppies can do,I would expect the proprietor to have a handle on their dogs! I would be mortified if one of my dogs did that with a guest in my home.Why would I expect any less from a B&B! If I can't supervise my pets at all times,I make sure they are in a safe place where they can do no harm.
Think about this.What if the puppy had gotten into something that could have been a danger to his life,such as medications? Not so funny,huh?
I probably wouldn't go back!

She also used sneaker as an example. A pair of sneakers can run a couple hundred dollars or more. Michelle Obama has a pair that cost $540. You can't replace 1/2 of a pair of shoes.

It happened to be a sock but it could have been something much more. It's not the value of the item but the respect for people's property.

If everyone was able to laugh it off that's great. But then why the question in the OP's post..."would you come back?".

If a paying guest left unhappy then the proprietor may have mishandled the situation.

We don't know how the OP handled it. Only what she "thought". She asked for opinions and people are giving them based on what information we were given.

Trisha did not say the "you snooze..." comment. She said she felt like saying it.

I would have felt like saying it too, and then I would have said it...while offering to pay for the sock.

My child writing on a wall would be horrible; a puppy chewing on a sock is not.

I thankful I do not have children. I am thankful I do have a sense of humor.

Trisha I want to visit your bed and breakfast. I promise! I want to meet the puppies. I will laugh at, and with, them. (And my meds will be up high and locked in metal. As they always are.)

Magic.... With amenities like that, if you ever open a B & B, please let us know. I would love to stay there!

"Think about this.What if the puppy had gotten into something that could have been a danger to his life,such as medications? Not so funny,huh?
I probably wouldn't go back!"

Now see, I thought we were talking about a sock. I didn't realize we were playing "what If".
Like, "What if I was sleeping and the cieling fan fell on my head, would I go back?"

Probably not.

Right, Trisha--the MRI guy.

Even tho I recall commenting that you should probably give him his space and not fawn, I doubt that's what I'd actually do when the moment came. MRIs were very important in figuring out my mom's medical problem, so I would probably bake him chocolate chip cookies every night for a bedtime snack (OK, IF I could bake!).

Maybe if it were a cold night and I had 2 dogs like yours, I'd offer one to him as an extra "bed heater"!

just some interesting facts I read over the weekend from The American Marketing Association...

If you leave a negative situation unresolved, 91% will never do business with you again.

Resolve that issue and 85% (of that 91) will be back.

*I love animals and would probably rebuke an offer to pay for a sock...but the offer should definately be made.

Thank you salgal! So many business owners would do well to learn customer service tips like this!

And we all "think" things, and don't say them out loud. That's called being normal. And to confess it here with an LOL on the end - not worthy of a characterization imo.

However, pet owners and parents often think their pets and kids are "too precious" - not thinking that others might not find the antics too cute.

I wouldn't get upset over the sock, but would be wary about returning if I cared about all the other stuff I brought. Especially if I were not a dog owner and didn't trust myself to close every door every time. I'd want to completely relax on vacation and not worry about things that are outside my usual scope of thought.

I'd say follow salgals' suggestion and then don't give it another thought.

Trisha, I'd love to stay at your beautiful B & B. I'd also enjoy your Daisy and Duffy. I could survive the loss of a sock, too. lolol And yes, if we're talking just a sock, I'd be back.

Magic, I'm coming to visit with Tobygirl if you ever open that B & B. :)

I would definitely keep my door closed. If the help left it open I would not be happy and probably wouldn't go back. And if the management told me 'you snooze you lose'???? I would tell her that she loses because I wouldn't be back or give recommendations!

It's not the "cost of the sock" that is the issue. The question was would you stay again.
My response was NO. B&B to me is a restful break from daily stress. If I wanted dogs, kids and noise I'd go to a motel.
I have stayed where there are pets. They have been well behaved and never ventured into the guest area. I don't want to deal with dog hair, dogs getting into my things or roaming the quiet areas.. Sure your puppy is cute. YOUR puppy, not mine.
I would make sure to ask if there were pets on the premises before I made my reservation.

What ever happened to "the customer is always right"? (I'm not suggesting they are . . . in fact, I've always wondered how business owners can maintain this policy.)

Did I miss the explanation of the sneaker? As Wildchild pointed out, sneakers can be expensive. Mine aren't, and since I love dogs, I would have been good natured about it. But I would have expected the owner to offer to compensate me. I would have turned her down, but I would have expected and appreciated the offer.

Would I stay there again? Depends on how much I enjoyed the rest of my visit. But if I did, I'd be sure to keep my door closed.

The point is not the loss of a sock. Some people just need to learn that the world does not revolve around them and get over it. That is exactly the point. I'm taking your comment out of context to try applying it to Trisha' situation. She loves her dogs. But if those precious puppies are getting into guests rooms, well, IT IS A PROBLEM, regardless of who left the door open. If everybody laughed, that's good. I would have laughed, too, but I would sure wonder about it. If I'd left my door open, that's one thing, but if I'd left it closed that is quite another.

For some reason, Trisha asked us if we'd come back. For some reason, Trisha is not telling us the details we have asked for in order to give her good answers, so we are giving our opinions.

I would laugh.

I took my shoes off at the porch to vist friend in her new house. When I was ready to leave my shoes were gone. LOL! Her dog took off with them. I thought it was funny even though I loved those shoes. Found the shoes and I still wear them with teeth marks. They are comfy. What can I say?

It would depend. If the bed was comfortable, the host(ess) friendly, and the food good, I'd go back. Assume the dog is a pet and didn't mean any harm. One of my favorite restaurants has a cat in residence. He prowls the place, sits on the furniture and is very friendly to customers. Doesn't bother me a bit, in fact I look for him when I go there. Tho some people say "It's unsanitary." I am a cat lover/ owner and always thought a little cat hair is okay.Doggie hair too.

Reading through the replies, I understand more of where the question was coming from (didn't realize it was OP's B & B & dog, for example). So here's my updated response, although a lot still depends.

1) If I'd just left the room to go to the bathroom or brush my teeth or something brief, and left the room accessible, I'd feel a bit of a growl at the puppy and at myself, and be a little annoyed that I have to make sure all is secure even for that little moment, but I'd get over it. As it is, the OP said that the guests were just downstairs socializing with the owners/OP. Given that, I honestly can't say that, in that scenario, I'd have gone to any length to secure my door. Maybe, since I knew there was a puppy, I would've. But then that goes to the question of whether I want to be bothered doing that; if so, I probably wouldn't stay at a place with a puppy I had to change my habits for.

2) If the owner wasn't a little bit chagrined (I'm not saying OP wasn't!), I'd be irritated; the amount of irritation would depend upon the object and the other circumstances, as noted.

This is a different from having guests in your home. These are people who are paying for the ability to stay. I think that, along with that, comes an expectation that a certain level of security and safety is awarded to their posessions. They own part of that responsibility (like closing their door). But the B&B owner owns (and is being paid for) a good amount of it.

As I said, I'm a huge pet lover. I think a St. Bernard puppy might get on my nerves, especially if I had to go out of my way to safeguard my things from it in a house that I was paying to stay in.

I'm sure this puppy is adorable. I'm hoping though, that it's not comparable to couples in restaurants or other place, with their little kids who are misbehaving and the parents think their little darling is oh-so-cute and everyone must feel the same.

Even if I was just a guest in a friend's house, it'd annoy me if the puppy wasn't controlled. But when paying? Too much work.

The only way I would NOT come back would be if the pup were to have torn up my expensive shoes and the owner did not offer to compensate. A sock would have been cute. Two dogs playing tug of war with my sock would have been priceless. I would have enjoyed it tremendously!

Were I to be choosing a B&B to stay in, it would be the one that had the puppy. IF I forgot to close my door, I'd have to smack myself in the forehead. If someone else forgot to close it, it still wouldn't be a big deal.

However, not everyone is as indulgent when it comes to animals and I wouldn't expect them to be. As the owner I would have apologized. If the customer had seemed upset, I would have offered to compensate even if it were only a sock.

I'm an animal lover, if they are well-behaved animals. But I guess I'm in the minority, because I would be upset that the dog went into my room and messed with my things, and I would not go back. Especially since it states on her website that "We have two dogs on the premises, but they are kept out of ALL guest areas."

It's hard to answer your question based on the info you gave. I think it would depend on whether guests knew up front that the dogs roam freely and are told to make sure to shut their doors as sometimes the pups like to do a little housekeeping :)

Also it would depend on how the owners handled the situation. Even if the guests forgot to shut their door, I'd proabably replace the socks. Doesn't cost much and the little extra effort shows how much you care about the guests.

I'd love to visit your B & B!

I've never stayed in a B&B. But my impression is that it's a big ol' house with several bedrooms and shared bathrooms. That being said, to me it's the customer's responsibility to ensure their door is closed and secured, every time they go out of the room. I don't care if I'm just in the bathroom down the hall ... there are other paying customers whom I do not know, and they could be crooks just waiting for an opportunity to check out what goodies are in my room. I wouldn't go to a motel and leave my door ajar while I walked down the hallway to the ice machine. Why would I leave it ajar while downstairs socializing in a B&B?

So ... if I left my door open (more than unlocked, OPEN) and a puppy got in, then a crook could've also gotten in. To me, that puts the onus on the customer.

So back to my original opinion ... if the customer left the door ajar, it's their own error. Much more than a sock could've been removed by something (someone) more wicked than a puppy. Whether I would come back still depends on how the B&B owner responded to the situation. Laughing at the tug-o-war wouldn't be bad if the customer initiated the laughing. But the laughing should still be followed by an appropriate business consideration.

amyfiddler, I'm sorry, but I somehow missed your response when I was reading through them. I agree with what you posted and you said it all in a much more expedient way than I did.

tkaye: I don't know the website URL, but since you said that it states: "We have two dogs on the premises, but they are kept out of ALL guest areas.", then that does make a load of difference to me. The dogs were NOT kept out of guest areas. They were in the bedroom of the guests and the gathering place - the living room. If the guests said "oh let them come in", as I might've, Ok. But if not, then it wouldn't be Ok with me. Perhaps that promise was one of the things that contributed to my decision to stay there.

I think my husband and I would look at each other, look at the dogs, look at the sock and say "this is just like being at home!" And we would howl and not give a rat's patootie about a sock. Staying in a home with dogs/puppies- that's to be expected, especially if you're dumb enough to leave the door to your room open.

And yes, we'd come back and recommend the place to all our friends. (I'm glad you didn't say that comment out loud though, and I hope you acted all mortified in front of the guests and apologized. That is just smart business and good manners.)

I was at a friend's house and her husband caught her kid in my room, trying on my bras. lolol I thought that was hysterical.

Knowing what I know about your place, yes. I would absolutely return. I arrive, I know about the dogs. I can see that the dog is still a puppy. I would close my door. Now, if you had left the door open then I might be a bit miffed, but after I thought about it, nah. It was only a sock. I would however appreciate the offer to replace said sock, even if I don't take you up on it. B & B's are NOT hotels. They are to be enjoyed as you would staying with a friend.

Trish

No, I would not be back. If the B&B advertised that dogs would be kept away from all guest areas than it should have been done. Period. Neither my husband nor I are not dog lovers... I would not have been at all happy with a dog in my room, whether he took anything or not. We have stayed in some lovely B&B's who had dogs but, they were never seen nor heard. It's different than going to a friends house who owns a dog. On the other hand if I'm a guest in your home I have no right to dictate how you should contol your dog. It's your house do as you please. But, if I'm paying for a room than I expect what I was promised.

IF the proprietors of the B&B immediatley got up and tried to make the situation better (apologizing and offering to replace the sock or shoe) I might consider coming back.

ML (has dogs, love them, doesn't necessarily think everyone else's dogs are cute.)

What if...What if...What if! It WAS a sock and only a sock.
Life happens even when traveling. I bet the guests had a lovely time even with only one sock!

"I didn't realize we were playing "what If"."
Magic- I'm sorry,I did take a different turn in my answer but I was thinking "out of the box" as they say.
The OP's question was,"Would I come back?"
Probably not.Simply because the B&B's advertisement specifically states that the dogs are kept out of all guest areas.I would assume that would be my room whether I left the door open or someone else did.If I did leave the door open,either on purpose,which I would never do,or accidentally,I would expect what the owner of the B&B said would be true."No dogs allowed in the guest areas" period! To allow the dogs into the guest areas is irresponsible of the owners,even if the guests say it's OK.It might be OK with the majority but what about the few that might object but otherwise agree because everyone else is OK with it?
A lot of things to think about here.
Jannie-I wonder how that restaurant gets by with having a cat on premises? There are health laws concerning animals in eating establishments where I come from.I've had cats and know where they climb and sit!LOL I'd think twice before eating there.
And yes,I know what everyone is thinking."If we only knew what the kitchens in restraunts look like and what they do there,we would never eat there."LOL Well,what I don't see is much less intimidating than actually "knowing" there's a cat roaming around where my meal has been cooked and served! JMHO
Ok,I know I am off on another tangent so I'll shut up now.

My dog used to have an unusual habit. He would go into my room or my kids, hunt around for worn underpants, grab them and chew the crotches. It was awful to hunt him down and fight with him over soiled, soggy underwear. I can see the humor in it now. He also did some damage to the walls of my home. He used to turn his head and chew. He left us in 2002. I still miss him, good old Blarney.

Trisha - don't keep us in suspense. What happened?

PS - I still remember the night we sat down for dinner and heard the unmistakable sound of a dog regurgitating - we looked over just in time to see our big puppy nonchalantly spit out a tube sock. Then he went back to sleep. Such excitement.

We have a chronic sock stealer/chewer in our house. It is known by all. If you STILL leave your door open or your socks thrown down, well then you snooze you lose.
I would be in heaven at a B&B with good dogs. Love them!

It was the main topic of the conversation the next morning at breakfast. When they went out to dinner that night, I placed a sock on their pillow (a clean sock). They loved it. If Duffy wasn't so young and so cute, maybe they woldn't have been good about it.

No, I would not return. Next time it might not be a sock. It could be something much more expensive.

I'd ask if Duffy could spend the night in my room.

I love animals - I have three cats. That being said I would never go back to a B&B where an animal was in my room. I don't want the hair and I don't want the slobber. If I wanted that I would stay home. I expect a spotless room if I am paying for it. It's not just the cost of a sock. It's the intrusion, the hair, the slobber and the destruction of my property. Something to keep in mind: I, like many others, often write reviews online about my visit.

Renee, don't think that's the situation here. I've not looked it up, but others have said that Tricia's B&B website clearly describes it as a place that has dogs in residence (much like other places I've seen online--dogs, cats). I think that makes a big difference here.

Now, a place that has a cat or another animal but doesn't state that clearly and in advance, that would be wrong (some people have allergies, hair, slobber issues).

So back to the OP's question--would I go back.
I'm still a bit taken aback at what she was thinking. I was hoping for something more in the line of "Oh, damn."
But, it depends on her immediate response to the sock episode. If she turned it into a little joke--"Oh, I see that pup has broken through our high-tech security system again!" then we'd just laugh it off (but I like dogs, well, most dogs, so I'm not put off by dog behavior, especially because I have a sock-stealing terrier). And, yes, if I liked the B&B otherwise and felt the owners were hospitable, I'd go back.

Now, if the dog had grabbed my undies, no--I could never go back! Way too embarrassing! (Or I'd probably not fess up that they were mine!)

If it were something much more expensive than the sock, I would expect that a good businessperson would pay whatever it'd cost to replace it, even if was just a victim of dog play. If the owner pooh-pooh'd that move, buh-bye.

A pup's cuteness can make up for a multitude of sins--if you're a dog person.

Sorta on this subject, but more serious I think
We were delighted when a lady opened a plant nursery in our town because there was not one. It was in front of her home.

She had two large, large dogs that roamed the place. They would jump up on customers sometimes from behind almost knocking them down, and wanted to sniff everyone's crotch.

She quickly went out of business. and wonders why people quit shopping there. I knew but did not tell her.

Boy, things sure can go sideways in a hurry. I think the question was would you not return just because of the sock/sneaker issue. With a possible caveat of owner attitude and action there's no way a dog taking a sock (or a shoe) would in and of itself make me not return. Other intangibles would have more impact than a dog grabbing something. To say whether the rest of the stay was enjoyable is irrelevant. Like or dislike food is irrelevent. Weather is irrelevant. Dirty bathroom is irrelevant. Bedbugs would also be irrelevant! The question was whether a dog (puppy or not is irrelevant too!) stealing a shoe or sock would in and of itself make you not return and I wouldn't not return just because a dog took a sock! That simply would not make my decision.

As I was reading and saw the website comment that perked me up. I thought for a second that may be a consideration, but after thinking a bit, why should it? That's a separate issue and would only be a rationalization to say your site says, and then say you wouldn't return because of a sock. If you said you wouldn't return because the dogs were to be out of the guest area and weren't that's different, but again, the sock issue is separate.

I'd investigate a few things ahead of time before staying at a B&B, such as do the rooms lock. I keep some "somewhat valuable" things and don't want them stolen. If I know an animal roams then I know the possible consequences, but would just expect a proper attitude and response from the owners. I'd think it was funny personally and as I said wouldn't not return, in fact, I'd probably bring a pack of socks for the dogs next time I went there!

Everything BTW applies if it's a sneaker too, but for that I'd fully expect to be reimbursed. I'd probably hope a credit or compensation would be offered for the sock issue too.

Same thing if something fell, haven't you heard of accidents? If it's clearly from poor maintenance, I don't think the concern would be whether you return. Accidents happen.

FWIW I usually carry pet treats with me when I'm going someplace with critters. And often they come looking for more!

You're far braver than me to have the dogs around. I would be worried about the liability issue. Granted that's what insurance is for but the headaches associated could be incredible. Gentle or not, any animal can and will bite in certain circumstances. The first time a dog bites is always the same comment, they've never bitten before. And just knocking someone over or something... but that's me. I've seen too many trivial lawsuits over stupid things. And I have been bitten before by dogs that have never bitten before. But I still love animals and would appreciate having them around. I think it would add to the fun.

Note to self, bring extra socks next time I travel!

Oh, and I guess with this group I'd better give the disclaimer I'm not saying they have dirty bathrooms, bedbugs or anything like that, I'm making a point.

Just as I was hitting submit, it hit me. I need to withdraw the owner attitude caveat. That's irrelevant to the question too. Even *if* you said you snooze you lose, even if you said YOU TRYING TO POISON MY DOG??? None of that would be relevant! The question STILL is would you not return *just* because a dog took a sock/shoe! The answer is a resounding no. Owner attitude is separate and may be a reason to not return but doesn't affect the dog/sock issue. If I felt mistreated, that's not the dog's fault. So that even makes it more clear to me.

Hope business is going well. Give the dogs a biscuit (or a sock) for me!

Geez, it's a sock! Now if it was an expensive sweater I'd be upset but I wouldn't bother mentioning a sock. And I don't even own a pet but I enjoy other people's.

Since I travel with more than one pair of socks, and the ones I wear are sport socks for the most part, it wouldn't bother me in the least.

Since I'm the type who'd rather wrestle or play fetch with Duffy and hopefully have him sleep on my bed, if he was allowed, there are other things to get upset about besides a sock.

I take it someone specifically mentioned his sock as the reason he won't be back?

I think some of the answers sounded less tolerant, including mine because we hadn't heard the rest of the story. When someone asks if one would return it sounds cryptically like someone was upset. Later we learn that the people were not upset in the least. So I'm not getting why it was asked if we would return if there was no hint that anyone had a reason not too.

If it were simply asked would I be upset about a sock then my answer would be no.

But the other stuff (like the snooze, you lose thought) gave me pause and I thought maybe there was more to the story with an unhappy client involved.

Hmmmm.

If I were sitting in the room and the puppy galumphed in and stole my sock, then started playing tug of war with it I would probably laugh my head off and exclaim "That is my sock!" then perhaps recruit the help of the "owners" to get it back. Then most likely decide to continue lounging with my door SHUT.

However, if I was out and came back to find out that the dog dragged my shoes or other items out of the room and damaged them, I think I would not be so amused. I would at least expect an apology from the owners. I would also expect that if the owners saw the puppy gallop by with one of my possessions, they would take the item back, return it to my room, and close the door. Then, let me know what happened so I know to keep the door closed myself.

I mean, I love puppies and would probably spend more time playing with the dogs than anything else, but would expect you to respect my belongings since I am your guest.

No, I expect the owners to keep control of their animals in guest areas. The last one we stayed at - the dog was always with the owner and well behaved. We always close the door to our room - who left it open?