Dog Lodging Policy

We welcome ALL well-behaved and friendly dogs that choose to vacation in Door County!

(Scroll to the bottom to see photos of dogs that vacationed at Ephraim Village Cottages.)

When dogs vacation in Door County they prefer to stay at Ephraim Village Cottages.  They love how the lush green grass feels between their twinkly toes and smells in their ground sniffing nose.  And they always know there will be a special treat waiting for them in the cottage.

We’ve welcomed dogs for over a decade (since 2006), and we do our very best to ensure that our property is people friendly too.  Remember, not everyone loves your dog as much as you do. We must do our best to keep harmony among man and man’s best friend.  There are twelve total cottages and the potential for 60 people on the property when we have a full house. Guest safety is our top priority at all times. When you ensure that your dog follows the rules, we can promise our guests that they will all be safe. Every reservation that includes a dog or dogs will incur a dog lodging fee. This fee is non-negotiable, except for a service dog.  The dog lodging fee allows your dog(s) on our property and in the cottage, you are staying.  It also covers the added cleaning it takes to make a cottage “pet free” for the next guest. It does not, however, pay for any damage caused by a dog. Damages caused by a vacationing dog are charged separately.

The following policy is the result of what we have learned since buying this property and bringing it back into the family in 2020.

By making a reservation at Ephraim Village Cottages, you agree to the following Dog Lodging Policy. 

*New in 2025: Limit 1 Dog in the following cottages:  Cozy Brook North, Cozy Brook South, Fireside North, Fireside South.

1. The dog(s) you register in your cottage are the only dogs allowed in your cottage. Dogs are not allowed to go into cottages that do not have a registered dog(s). If you allow your dog into a cottage that does not have a registered dog staying in it, that cottage will incur a penalty cleaning fee.
2. Dogs are not allowed to stay alone in the cottage. If left alone the dog(s) must be in a crate. There are no exceptions to this. Uncrated dogs sit on furniture that isn’t covered which affects the next guests’ stay.  Uncrated dogs get anxious when they hear the walking and talking of strangers outside the cottage.  Anxiety results in excessive barking, chewing of door frames and wooden furniture legs, as well as clawed carpets and rugs. If your dog(s) cannot tolerate a crate, please find boarding for your dog outside of our cottage property. The other choice is to take the dog with you on your Door County adventures.
3. No dogs on the beds. No exceptions. Beds are for our human guests. There are guests that do not have dogs and do not want to sleep on beds that have had dogs sleep on them. In addition, dogs cause a significant amount of damage to our linens, comforters, mattress pads and pillows.  The fee for violating this rule is an added $100, charged to the credit card on file or invoiced to guests who pay with cash/check, for every bed a dog slept in/on. This fee covers the removal and professional laundering of comforter, blanket, sheets, mattress pad, pillow protectors. We will not welcome dogs that sleep on our beds to vacation on our property for future stays. 
4. Dogs are permitted to sit on covered living room furniture only. The cover must be one that housekeeping put onto the furniture and not the guests’ own cover which often has hair on it. That hair transfers to our furniture and weaves itself into fibers.  This is troublesome to get out, takes entirely too long to clean, and affects the comfort and stay of the next guest.
5. Dogs must be leashed on property at all times. Please do not put our other guests in harm’s way or scare other guests that may be afraid of dogs that run loose.
6. All dogs must have an up-to-date rabies vaccine and have documentation to prove it if asked.
7. You must pick up all dog poop piles at once. Do not leave poop bags in kitchen trash cans.  Take them to the dumpster.
8. We will contact you if you leave your dog unattended and the dog’s barking disturbing other guests. That phone call will require you to return to the cottage to take care of the dog(s) at once.
9. If there is damage(s) caused by a vacationing dog in the cottage after guest leaves, those damages are assessed by Ruann and housekeeping during the cleaning process.  We at once notify the guest if damage is found.  For damages we contact a repair company to make immediate repair, if possible, and then invoice the guest for damages. If there is a delay in repair/replacement, we charge for damages as soon as work is completed.

We understand that for some people the above dog lodging policy is too strict.  We acknowledge that our cottage property isn’t for everyone. We are okay with that. There are resorts and hotels in Door County that have relaxed rules for vacationing dogs who aren’t rule followers. In our eyes, the comfort and safety of the human beings that stay with us is paramount.  To date we have had success with this dog lodging policy.  Success for us is ZERO accidents involving humans and dogs on our property.  This does not include pet damages from guests who choose not to adhere to the above dog lodging policy.

When you choose to stay with us, you are staying at a property where you, your family and children are safe, your dog is welcome, and everyone is respected. We are glad you’ve read through all of this and still decided to stay. We have an entire pack of dogs that make Ephraim Village Cottages their vacation destination every year. We hope your dog will also love it here.