5 Tips to Get Your Canine Companion Ready for a Pet Friendly Las Vegas Hotel by Jessica Kane, special correspondent to Stiffs & Georges
Las Vegas is a welcoming city when it comes to travelers with pets. For example, even the Strip is open to dogs from 5:00 a.m. to noon 
daily. In the grand scheme of things, lodging with your pooch at a Vegas pet-friendly hotel is a two-way street. You not only want a hotel that is ready to accommodate your furry friend but you want to be certain your dog is ready for his her stay at a Vegas property. There are five tips to keep in mind when it comes to making sure you pooch is Vegas-hotel ready.
Is Your Dog in Good Health? Before heading off to Vegas with your dog, make certain that he or she is in good health. If your pooch is under the weather in one way or another, the better part of wisdom may be to leave him or her at home for this trip. On a related note, if your dog has special needs, be absolutely certain that these requirements can be fully accommodated during all portions of your travels, including a hotel stay.
You also need to be mindful of your dog’s anxiety level. Some canines readily “go with the flow.” Others become highly stressed by travel. The last thing you want is your an over-stressed pet to be miserable while traveling with you. Moreover, a stressed dog may end up causing damage to a hotel room, which is also something you definitely want to avoid.
Get a Ground Floor Room If at all possible, when traveling with your dog in Las Vegas, reserve a ground-floor room. Yes, yes, rooms higher up can have magnificent views of the Las Vegas Strip. You might think your dog would enjoy such a vantage point. In the end, having a ground floor room makes it far easier to tend to your dog’s bathroom breaks. You significantly lessen the odds of an accident if you have a short jaunt to the out of doors rather than one that includes an elevator ride down any number of floors, with stops along the way.
Bring Along Your Dog’s Toys Pack some of your dog’s favorite toys for the trip. This means bring along toys that you know your dog enjoys, used toys that he or she clearly likes. Don’t go out and buy new toys for the trip. Having well-worn toys that your dog enjoys provides you canine with a sense of familiarity when traveling.
Keep in mind that everything in a Vegas hotel will be new to your dog. Having familiar items along for the trip will make the whole process more comfortable and enjoyable for your pooch. Of course, buy your canine companion a new toy or two when in Vegas. Nearly any souvenir shop in the city will have dog toys and there are plenty or such merchants all over Vegas.
Keep the ‘Do Not Disturb Sign’ Posted on Your Door This prevents unwanted entries by hotel housekeeping staff and unnecessary knocks on the door when you are not expecting a caller (like room service). As an aside, you are well served advising the front desk that you will request a daily room cleaning when desired. A ‘Do not disturb’ sign should suffice in preventing a housekeeping staff member from entering your room at a time when your dog has been left alone. In reality, hotel staff will only tend to your room when your dog is not around. However, you want to take all steps necessary to prevent an accident in which dog is released from your room.
Arrange Activities for Your Dog Undoubtedly, there will be times on your Vegas vacation during which you will be somewhere or another that doesn’t welcome pets. During such times, make arrangements for your dog to enjoy an activity of his or her own. For example, there are doggie daycares and play centers in Vegas. In addition, there are even some hotels in the city that offer pet spa services when their human companions are elsewhere.
There are also many restaurants in the city that have pet-friendly patios that are worth taking advantage of as well. And there are a number of dog parks in and around the city as well. (Sunset Park seems particularly popular.) A hotel concierge will be versed in assisting you in finding such destinations and venues.
The process of identifying a dog-friendly hotel, and making sure your dog is a hotel friendly as possible, are important steps to ensure a wonderful Vegas vacation with your dog. By applying these tips and tactics, you will have a vacation with your pooch in Las Vegas that you will long remember for positive reasons.
