Airbnb for dogs? Springfield homeowners open yards as private, rentable dog parks

Greta Cross, Springfield News-Leader
·4 min read

Izzy, an energetic Shiba Inu, bounds out of the back door, running to play around in her privately fenced-in backyard. On the day-to-day, the backyard is all Izzy's, but a few times over the past year, she's had to share.

Izzy's owner, John Michno, lives in Battlefield with his wife. In March, the two listed their backyard on Sniffspot, an online service that allows dog owners to rent private dog parks — often the backyards of local homeowners. The service is similar to home rental platforms like Airbnb, VRBO and Trulia but for dogs. These dog parks are available to rent by the hour and hosts often provide amenities like water bowls, treats and poop bags for visitors.

Michno's backyard, which features a patio with tables and chairs, an herb garden and plenty of other local plants, is available to rent for $7 an hour. First-time visitors may receive $5 off with a provided promotional code listed on Michno's profile. Michno said the hourly rate was set by Sniffspot, but he doesn't use the service as a "money maker." Rather, he enjoys providing a "nice, safe zone" for dogs.

John Michno poses for a photo with his Shiba Inu Izzy and her sister Emmie, bottom corner, in his backyard in Battlefield on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023. In March, Michno became a host on Sniffspot, a private dog park rental service.
John Michno poses for a photo with his Shiba Inu Izzy and her sister Emmie, bottom corner, in his backyard in Battlefield on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023. In March, Michno became a host on Sniffspot, a private dog park rental service.

"It's always been just a matter of, 'Hey, someone can enjoy our yard and have half an hour, an hour and have fun,'" Michno said. "I think it's mostly just being able to serve the community."

How does Sniffspot work?

Before renting a dog park — or yard, dog owners must create a Sniffspot account on the Sniffspot website or free mobile app. Creating an account is free.

After creating an account, dog owners can search available listings in their area. Like Airbnb, VRBO and Trulia, dog park listings feature photos, descriptions and lists of amenities, price points and shared reviews.

After booking a park, a dog owner receives the park's address and any other necessary information, such as gate codes or where to park. The day of the booking, owners arrive with their canine friends and enjoy the space for the allotted time. Sniffspot does not operate like a doggy daycare. Owners must stay with their pets at all times. After their visit, dog owners will be prompted to leave a review of the park.

John Michno's backyard in Battlefield on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023. In March, Michno began using Sniffspot, a private dog park rental service. Dog owners may rent out Michno's backyard to let their dogs run around in.
John Michno's backyard in Battlefield on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023. In March, Michno began using Sniffspot, a private dog park rental service. Dog owners may rent out Michno's backyard to let their dogs run around in.

As for listing a dog park, there are low barriers of entry. Hosts must provide some "basic information" about their listing, add at least 10 photos and set an availability calendar, according to the Sniffspot website. Although there are no qualifications to list a park on Sniffspot, the service recommends those that are fully fenced in and provide off-leash exercise.

According to the service's website, each host is backed with $2 million liability insurance and insured for up to $5,000 worth of damages.

Michno said during about half of the rentals, he and his wife have remained inside their house, hanging out with Izzy while renters use their backyard. Other times, the two have been out. He said since the renters just use their yard, it doesn't really matter if they are home or not.

A slow start in the Ozarks

Sniffspot is still gaining traction in the Ozarks. Michno said in the six-plus months he's had his backyard listed, only about four visitors have rented it.

In Springfield, there are 15 total off-leash parks available for rent, as of Monday. For comparison, there were more than 100 parks available for rent in and around St. Louis on Monday.

Although most of the Springfield dog parks listed on Sniffspot are outdoors and less than half an acre, the service also offers water parks, hiking trails, fields, agility parks, beaches and indoor parks.

Shiba Inu Emmie enjoys John Michno's back porch on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023. In March, Michno became a host on Sniffspot, a private dog park rental service. Dog owners can rent his backyard for their dogs to play around in.
Shiba Inu Emmie enjoys John Michno's back porch on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023. In March, Michno became a host on Sniffspot, a private dog park rental service. Dog owners can rent his backyard for their dogs to play around in.

Sniffspot was founded in 2016 by David Adams after finding a lack of dog-friendly spaces in larger cities, according to the Sniffspot website.

"Inspired by the idea of making things better for dogs, David put up a simple website and started crowdsourcing yards," the Sniffspot website states. "Now, Sniffspot operates in all 50 states and all around the world. The world is still not dog friendly enough, but Sniffspot is making it a more dog-friendly place one spot at a time."

Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Sniffspot app gains traction in the Ozarks. Here's how it works