Article
How the Roch Dog Standard Scoring Works
Every hotel has a score whether it knows it or not. This article breaks down the two layer system behind the Roch Dog Standard: seven pass or fail requirements that determine certification, followed by weighted scoring across 31 criteria that separates the best from the rest. Nearly half of all assessed hotels score D or F.
“If hotels want to nurture long term loyalty, they need to provide for the needs of dogs and their owners. Dog owners believe in loyalty.”
Guise Bule, Founder
Layer 1: Pass/Fail Requirements
Before a hotel receives any score, it must pass all seven minimum requirements (R1 through R7). These are binary. Meet them all and the hotel proceeds to scoring. Fail any single one and the outcome is Not Certified, regardless of how well the hotel performs on everything else. There is no partial credit and no negotiation.
The seven requirements cover published pet policy (R1), in room welfare provision (R2), shared indoor guest area access (R3), fee transparency (R4), deposit disclosure (R5), deposit amount transparency (R6), and dog capacity limit (R7). These are not aspirational targets. They are the minimum conditions for calling yourself dog friendly. Hotels that fail any one of them are making a claim they cannot back up.
Layer 2: Weighted Scoring
Hotels that pass all seven requirements are assessed across 31 criteria. Each maps to a specific question (Q1 through Q31) and carries a weighted score. The weighting reflects what actually drives guest experience and revenue.
High weight criteria include garden access (Q9, +5), real food and water bowls (Q14, +5), dogs stay free (Q28, +5), and most rooms dog friendly (Q2, +5). These are the things guests pay for and return for. Negative weights apply to few rooms only (Q1, minus 1), size restrictions (Q8, minus 3), and damage deposits (Q31, minus 3). These are the things that cost you bookings and generate negative reviews.
A+ is above 45, A above 35, B above 25, C above 20, D above 10, and F is 10 or below. Across 2,000+ assessments, 49% scored D or F. The difference between a D and a B is not abstract. It is the difference between losing dog owners to the hotel down the road and being the hotel they recommend to every friend they have.
Transparency
The full standard (RDFS-02), assessment framework (RDCAF-02), and all defined terms (RDFRG-02) are published at standards.rochdog.com in ten languages. The methodology is open for industry review. There is nothing hidden, nothing proprietary, and nothing subjective. Hotels know exactly what is measured and exactly how to improve.
Your hotel has a score whether you know it or not. The only question is whether you control the narrative or let guests discover it for themselves.