Luckily this board allows people to participate either way...you can swap, or you don't have to! I have done several swaps and Round Robins- both participated and hosted. I tend to rebel against lots of rules myself, therefore the swaps that I host don't have too many rules. They are open to all skill levels...so anyone signing up needs to be aware that they might recieve blocks back from beginners. The "pet/smoking" issue is a dilemna....I quit smoking several years ago and the smell isn't all that pleasant. I find that airing them for a few days takes care of it though...mostly. I have pets too...so all my quilts have that "hairy patina".
I see both sides, but truly when I participate in a swap, its more for the "social" aspect, the blocks are a bonus.