Can you rent a bounce house for your dog?
July 13, 2022 5:39 PM Subscribe
My frenchie is turning 11 and I was wondering about throwing her a dog birthday party with a bounce house rental. But then I thought what if she pees from excitement. But then I thought, well kids must pee from excitement all the time. Anyway CAN you rent one of these in Los Angeles or is it breaking a bounce house law?
Wow. No, it is not typical for children to urinate all over in a bounce house the way an excited dog would. Bounce house operators tend to be tiny, usually one-person businesses. It would be gross and unethical to rent a bounce house for your dog to piss in. What's it going to be like for the next children's next party they rent to?!
And I disagree completely that it would be ok just because their contract might not specify that it's not ok. It's such a weird idea that I doubt most operators would even think to put the clause in -- but you can bet they'd say no if they knew that's what you were planning.
Find something that's meant for dogs.
posted by fingersandtoes at 5:46 PM on July 13, 2022 [48 favorites]
And I disagree completely that it would be ok just because their contract might not specify that it's not ok. It's such a weird idea that I doubt most operators would even think to put the clause in -- but you can bet they'd say no if they knew that's what you were planning.
Find something that's meant for dogs.
posted by fingersandtoes at 5:46 PM on July 13, 2022 [48 favorites]
The dog could pop it with her claws, and then the bounce house would deflate and collapse and could hurt her. She could fall and hurt herself. This is not a toy designed for dogs, and I wouldn't do this without clearing it with both the bounce house company and your vet.
But also, what makes you think your dog would enjoy a bounce house? Animals I've known get very skittish when the ground underneath their feet is unstable. Most of them don't get excited, they get scared. Has your dog ever been in a situation like this before? Dogs I've met would absolutely panic.
posted by decathecting at 5:53 PM on July 13, 2022 [49 favorites]
But also, what makes you think your dog would enjoy a bounce house? Animals I've known get very skittish when the ground underneath their feet is unstable. Most of them don't get excited, they get scared. Has your dog ever been in a situation like this before? Dogs I've met would absolutely panic.
posted by decathecting at 5:53 PM on July 13, 2022 [49 favorites]
If you do decide to go ahead with this — and find an operator willing to let you rent it for your dog — there are doggy diapers you can (and should) use to prevent a 100% preventable mess. I would bring up the intended use before renting to be ethical, and say any and all dogs going inside the bounce house will be wearing one. (And then obviously follow through.)
I do agree that I can’t see this going well, either due to claws or an unstable surface freaking out your dog.
posted by lesser weasel at 5:54 PM on July 13, 2022 [6 favorites]
I do agree that I can’t see this going well, either due to claws or an unstable surface freaking out your dog.
posted by lesser weasel at 5:54 PM on July 13, 2022 [6 favorites]
Yeah, I agree that this seems of uncertain value to the birthday pup unless you somehow know she will like and can handle the bounce experience. BUT if you are fairly sure of that and want to try in a way that is not unfair to a rental operator, you can buy a toddler-rated and -sized bounce house of your very own these days for at or below the cost of a larger rental (and the rentals almost inevitably have to be larger). They became a hot-ticket pandemic item. If the dog doesn't like it but doesn't destroy or pee on it, it could be cleaned and passed on to a family with appropriately-aged kids.
posted by LadyInWaiting at 6:02 PM on July 13, 2022 [8 favorites]
posted by LadyInWaiting at 6:02 PM on July 13, 2022 [8 favorites]
Picture of your dog, please!
Frenchies (and Bostons) do like to bounce but why not get her her own trampoline to enjoy forever? Get the kind with the netting around it to be safe.
posted by BibiRose at 6:05 PM on July 13, 2022 [12 favorites]
Frenchies (and Bostons) do like to bounce but why not get her her own trampoline to enjoy forever? Get the kind with the netting around it to be safe.
posted by BibiRose at 6:05 PM on July 13, 2022 [12 favorites]
A lot of good answers here but I find the question delightful. A trampoline might be $$$ but maybe you can get a strong bedsheet and a dozen or so people to pull it taught.
posted by sjswitzer at 6:12 PM on July 13, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by sjswitzer at 6:12 PM on July 13, 2022 [1 favorite]
For what it’s worth years ago my brother bought a somewhat more reasonably sized bounce house from Costco(?) as they have 4 kids and with a million and 1 birthday parties on the street it maybe more sense after the cost of about 3 rentals. They also put it up in their furnished basement in the winter for the kids as well.
If cleaned up well I’d imagine a pretty decent resale price.
posted by raccoon409 at 6:22 PM on July 13, 2022
If cleaned up well I’d imagine a pretty decent resale price.
posted by raccoon409 at 6:22 PM on July 13, 2022
No kids don't pee on bounce houses, and I'd be soooo mad if I rented a bounce house for a kid and it smelled like pee!
BUT, small bounce houses are a couple hundred bucks on Amazon and you might be able to find one secondhand online.
To speak to an above point, if a bounce house were punctured with a claw I don't think it would collapse immediately or hurt the dog. I think it would psssss out air and slowly deflate. But the leaks are hard to repair so I'd cut claws short and insist on doggo booties.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 6:27 PM on July 13, 2022 [3 favorites]
BUT, small bounce houses are a couple hundred bucks on Amazon and you might be able to find one secondhand online.
To speak to an above point, if a bounce house were punctured with a claw I don't think it would collapse immediately or hurt the dog. I think it would psssss out air and slowly deflate. But the leaks are hard to repair so I'd cut claws short and insist on doggo booties.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 6:27 PM on July 13, 2022 [3 favorites]
Fwiw, you can get "mittens" or covers for your dogs paws to prevent the possible popping issue
posted by JohnnyGunn at 6:28 PM on July 13, 2022
posted by JohnnyGunn at 6:28 PM on July 13, 2022
I have purchased those smaller bounce houses off of Amazon - which has survived a toddler and big kids birthday party, so the quality is solid.
Remember that the constantly running blower is quite loud, in case your pet is skittish around those.
posted by WedgedPiano at 7:35 PM on July 13, 2022
Remember that the constantly running blower is quite loud, in case your pet is skittish around those.
posted by WedgedPiano at 7:35 PM on July 13, 2022
You would have to ask the service provider. The answer would have to be no.
Do senior dogs really enjoy being unstable on their feet?
posted by kapers at 8:23 PM on July 13, 2022 [2 favorites]
Do senior dogs really enjoy being unstable on their feet?
posted by kapers at 8:23 PM on July 13, 2022 [2 favorites]
Also, kids aren’t like…pissing all over the surfaces of things? When kids wet their pants, their pants get wet.
posted by kapers at 8:24 PM on July 13, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by kapers at 8:24 PM on July 13, 2022 [2 favorites]
I mean...you do you, but I don't think your dog is going to really care about a bouncy castle in the same way a kid would.
Also - yeah, some kids may pee when they get excited, but...that manifests as them wetting their pants, not making puddles on the ground. Kids wear underwear and clothing, typically, while dogs do not.
It's a gloriously lavish idea, but I think you might be better off figuring out how to make a big size version of your dog's favorite toy or something. Like this guy who dressed up as his dog's favorite Gumby toy for the hell of it.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:51 PM on July 13, 2022 [2 favorites]
Also - yeah, some kids may pee when they get excited, but...that manifests as them wetting their pants, not making puddles on the ground. Kids wear underwear and clothing, typically, while dogs do not.
It's a gloriously lavish idea, but I think you might be better off figuring out how to make a big size version of your dog's favorite toy or something. Like this guy who dressed up as his dog's favorite Gumby toy for the hell of it.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:51 PM on July 13, 2022 [2 favorites]
I have three Frenchies. My eldest boy is going to be 11 in December and he started to get really stiff in his hips a few months ago, to the point where he was struggling to walk. It really freaked me out - I mean, REALLY freaked me out. Fortunately, he responded to some hardcore supplements. Thankfully, he's back to running around like a baby rhino and running up his stairs to play with his Benebones on the bed. I couldn't imagine putting him in a bouncy house. But, taking him on a ride to Shake Shack for a frozen custard? Absolutely!
While one of them might have fun (the third one is sweet but really clueless), I'd be more concerned about their breathing while exerting themselves in the bouncy house uneven terrain. There's also the potential for fucking up their backs or catching claws. Fortunately (and knock wood), I've not had major issues with back injuries with any of my Frenchies so far (these are #7, 8, and 9 over 25 years). A couple close calls that haven't been fun, but nothing like other Frenchie owners have dealt with.
Have you considered renting out a play space at a doggie daycare and doing a party there? It's what our local Frenchie club has been doing since it's gotten so hot out. That way, you've got air conditioning and confined space with a set time. Throw in some snickie snackies for the Pigdogs and pizza and birthday cake for their persons. If you really want to go all out, do some little party favors like tennis balls or poo bags. :)
Happy birthday and best wishes for many, many more years with your baby!! Give her a big snorgle for me!
posted by dancinglamb at 12:09 AM on July 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
While one of them might have fun (the third one is sweet but really clueless), I'd be more concerned about their breathing while exerting themselves in the bouncy house uneven terrain. There's also the potential for fucking up their backs or catching claws. Fortunately (and knock wood), I've not had major issues with back injuries with any of my Frenchies so far (these are #7, 8, and 9 over 25 years). A couple close calls that haven't been fun, but nothing like other Frenchie owners have dealt with.
Have you considered renting out a play space at a doggie daycare and doing a party there? It's what our local Frenchie club has been doing since it's gotten so hot out. That way, you've got air conditioning and confined space with a set time. Throw in some snickie snackies for the Pigdogs and pizza and birthday cake for their persons. If you really want to go all out, do some little party favors like tennis balls or poo bags. :)
Happy birthday and best wishes for many, many more years with your baby!! Give her a big snorgle for me!
posted by dancinglamb at 12:09 AM on July 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
One other thought would be to do a couple of kid pools with just a little bit of water and a toddler ball pit. A bunch of Frenchies would probably totally dig that!
posted by dancinglamb at 12:12 AM on July 14, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by dancinglamb at 12:12 AM on July 14, 2022 [2 favorites]
But then I thought, well kids must pee from excitement all the time.
No, they don’t. At least, not in such numbers as to justify saying “all the time”. Most kids who might still be susceptible to unplanned urination are likely wearing daytime “big kid” diapers like PullUps, anyway.
Also, there is a non-zero chance of pets doing damage to the bounce house with their claws in some manner. I very much suspect there would be a “no pets” clause in any rental agreement.
All that said, it does appear that there is such a thing as a combo bounce house for kids and their pets. Who knew?
posted by Thorzdad at 4:45 AM on July 14, 2022 [2 favorites]
No, they don’t. At least, not in such numbers as to justify saying “all the time”. Most kids who might still be susceptible to unplanned urination are likely wearing daytime “big kid” diapers like PullUps, anyway.
Also, there is a non-zero chance of pets doing damage to the bounce house with their claws in some manner. I very much suspect there would be a “no pets” clause in any rental agreement.
All that said, it does appear that there is such a thing as a combo bounce house for kids and their pets. Who knew?
posted by Thorzdad at 4:45 AM on July 14, 2022 [2 favorites]
I would be far more worried that my dogs (small, both 10 years old) would break their backs or legs trying to navigate a wobbly surface they don't understand. The potential for injury seems very high.
At best I could see a bouncy house providing them an expensive nap.
posted by phunniemee at 5:13 AM on July 14, 2022 [3 favorites]
At best I could see a bouncy house providing them an expensive nap.
posted by phunniemee at 5:13 AM on July 14, 2022 [3 favorites]
When kids bounce and roll into each other it's fun. Dogs are going to see it as an upsetting invasion of their space and are likely to panic and twist trying to get away from it, or bite because they are startled by another dog colliding with them. Even if you are sure your own dog will like it you have no idea about what the other party guest dogs will think. How about something like a big low paddling pool and lots of toys in it?
posted by tardigrade at 6:00 AM on July 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by tardigrade at 6:00 AM on July 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
All that said, it does appear that there is such a thing as a combo bounce house for kids and their pets.
Just to re-direct after I looked at this out of curiosity - this does not appear to be a bounce house designed for kids and pets to use. The name is "Princess Palace Pets Combo", but it appears that the "Pet" part of the name refers more to a "Disney princesses and their pets" motif, and the "combo" in the name refers to the fact that it has an inflatable slide attached to the bounce house structure.
So this looks more like "combination bounce house and slide for kids that happens to have a picture of that reindeer from FROZEN on it" than it does "a bounce house designed so a kid can bring their dog on too".
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:57 AM on July 14, 2022 [5 favorites]
Just to re-direct after I looked at this out of curiosity - this does not appear to be a bounce house designed for kids and pets to use. The name is "Princess Palace Pets Combo", but it appears that the "Pet" part of the name refers more to a "Disney princesses and their pets" motif, and the "combo" in the name refers to the fact that it has an inflatable slide attached to the bounce house structure.
So this looks more like "combination bounce house and slide for kids that happens to have a picture of that reindeer from FROZEN on it" than it does "a bounce house designed so a kid can bring their dog on too".
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:57 AM on July 14, 2022 [5 favorites]
I agree that this sounds like a bad idea for dog freakout reasons.
Seriously, though, a Frenchie weighs about 20 pounds, if their nails are trimmed they're going to have a hard time making a hole accidentally (supervise to stop active digging). Kids absolutely vomit and have accidents in bounce houses, you can hose them off. Like, someone marketing credit cards brought a bounce house to my college student center, they can handle a small dog. These things are getting cleaned regularly because of grass / dirt / sticky fingers at minimum. I'm surprised by the vitriol here.
posted by momus_window at 7:55 AM on July 14, 2022 [3 favorites]
Seriously, though, a Frenchie weighs about 20 pounds, if their nails are trimmed they're going to have a hard time making a hole accidentally (supervise to stop active digging). Kids absolutely vomit and have accidents in bounce houses, you can hose them off. Like, someone marketing credit cards brought a bounce house to my college student center, they can handle a small dog. These things are getting cleaned regularly because of grass / dirt / sticky fingers at minimum. I'm surprised by the vitriol here.
posted by momus_window at 7:55 AM on July 14, 2022 [3 favorites]
Kids absolutely vomit and have accidents in bounce houses, you can hose them off.
Yes this. I've seen babies puke and pee in bounce houses often. When you have kids and go to bounce houses, seeing a kid puke in one is not a rare sight.
However, I've only met one dog who actually liked a trampoline, so from that aspect I think it's a bad idea. I have a trampoline, and many dogs have walked on it, and all hated it.
2nd however: the small version of a bounce house is around $100 to purchase from a big box store, and would probably be fine for dogs.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:33 AM on July 14, 2022
Yes this. I've seen babies puke and pee in bounce houses often. When you have kids and go to bounce houses, seeing a kid puke in one is not a rare sight.
However, I've only met one dog who actually liked a trampoline, so from that aspect I think it's a bad idea. I have a trampoline, and many dogs have walked on it, and all hated it.
2nd however: the small version of a bounce house is around $100 to purchase from a big box store, and would probably be fine for dogs.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:33 AM on July 14, 2022
IANYV but IAAV. Please don't do this. This is an accident waiting to happen. Broken torn off toenails, broken/dislocated legs, herniated IV discs...I could go on. Highly recommend a doggie "spa day" instead, with massages, pedicures (if they enjoy it), special not-too-rich food treats, friends over, etc.
posted by SinAesthetic at 9:53 AM on July 14, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by SinAesthetic at 9:53 AM on July 14, 2022 [4 favorites]
Would something like this work? It's small, not a lot of bounce, no noisy blower, and BALL PIT!
posted by Torosaurus at 12:48 PM on July 14, 2022
posted by Torosaurus at 12:48 PM on July 14, 2022
I'd recommend a pool as an alternative. Many dogs like shallow water for splashing about in.
Also, if you talk to anybody who cleans a McDonalds or other play area, yeah, kids pee in stuff a lot more than you think. I worked in bookstores, it applied there occasionally. Lots of inattentive parents.
posted by theora55 at 2:13 PM on July 19, 2022
Also, if you talk to anybody who cleans a McDonalds or other play area, yeah, kids pee in stuff a lot more than you think. I worked in bookstores, it applied there occasionally. Lots of inattentive parents.
posted by theora55 at 2:13 PM on July 19, 2022
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I wouldn't be surprised if there is not a "no pets" clause.
posted by J. Wilson at 5:45 PM on July 13, 2022 [2 favorites]