Paws & Peaks: LAAX, Reports 104% Spike In Dogs Attending Ski Trips

Following a boom in dog-ownership during the pandemic, Swiss ski resort, LAAX, has spotted a 104% spike in the number of guests bringing their furry friends along with them on their ski holiday.

• Numbers of guests bringing their dog to the slopes have spiked 104% since Covid
• Dogs are welcome in almost all parts of the LAAX resort, barring official ski slopes

In 2019, just 172 bookings at LAAX’s rocksresort and signinahotel included a request to bring a dog along on holiday, while in 2022 there was a 104% increase in bookings of this kind, totaling 352 bookings, and 290 bookings to bring their pups in the first part of 2023.

To cater to guests with four-legged friends, LAAX has created an add on at checkout across its hotels: for the cost of CHF 23 per night (£21 approx.), guests will receive a doggy box with a blanket, bowl, and a big towel to dry off after a day in the snow.

LAAX’s rocksresort hotel, known as one of the top family-friendly resorts in Switzerland, also offers dog walking services, healthy food and (coming soon) a modern dog washing station. Sabina Schuhmacher, rocksresort’s resident dog walker, charges CHF 25.00 / per dog for a 1-hour walk, or CHF 45.00 / per dog for a two-hour walk. The resort asks for advance reservation at the reception 48 hours before and the dog walking service is dependent upon availability.

In LAAX, guests are welcome to bring their dogs almost anywhere else in the resort, though dogs are not allowed on official ski slopes or the treetop walkway due to health and safety rules. Dogs can be brought on winter hiking trails, on all lifts (including chairlifts), on the 4.7km cross-country track in Sagogn, the lantern path in Falera, and in most restaurants.

For those heading on the slopes during the day, the website Petsitting24 can be used to book a local dogsitter for the day. Plenty of LAAX locals use the website, and dogs can be looked after from the comfort of the hotel room, chalet or apartment. Alternatively, guests can drop off their dog locally before heading up the mountain for the day. Prices start at approximately CHF 15.00-20.00 / per dog for a hour walk.