Book a Holiday with Your Pet in a Dog Friendly Cottage

Enjoying a holiday with your dog is much easier these days – go self-catering! The growth in dog-friendly holiday cottages for short breaks or longer holidays throughout the UK means that pet owners have an inexpensive alternative to placing their pets in kennels while they go on holiday. Now it’s straightforward to take the canine member of your family with you on holiday instead. Here are some valuable tips to follow when planning to take a break with your pet this year.

Click to view: Dogs welcome at Home Farmhouse in Hawkshead, Cumbria.

Upon arrival, don’t forget to check the following to ensure complete peace of mind during your holiday: It’s worth a quick tour of the house to move any items that you don’t want to be broken by a wagging tail or might be toxic, such as cleaning bottles that best belong in a cupboard. Search the garden, too, for things like slug pellets. If your dog likes to chew cables, don’t forget to check for these as well.

Does your dog like to sleep on chairs or beds? Like all family members, your pet will have its own luggage too. Dog hair can be challenging to remove, so pack a couple of blankets and some old towels to put on furniture where your dog is likely to lie down, especially if they don’t have their own baskets or blankets. Most pet-friendly holiday cottages will have a decent vacuum cleaner capable of picking up dog hairs allowing you to leave your holiday home at the end of your holiday with an equally clean conscience.

Click to view: Dog-Friendly Hillcrest Cottage in Suffolk.

Many canine-friendly cottages will have facilities such as dog bowls, baskets, and even a few pooh bags; this makes cramming everything into the car less of a concern, but check in advance. If your dog has a special diet, it might be worth packing a few tins or packs to see them through the first few days until you’ve found it in a local pet shop or supermarket after you’ve arrived.

These shouldn’t be too much of a problem as most pet-friendly holiday cottage owners will have seen to this already – so do it for peace of mind.

Click to view: Ready to walk at Ivy Cottage in North Devon.

One advantage of booking your holiday cottage directly with the owner is that you can check things with them before you book. They will be able to tell you things like how secure the garden is and whether lovely walks start from the front door. If you’re planning a beach holiday, ask whether the beach will admit dogs during the time if you want to book a cottage. Then you can plan a day on the sand together in complete confidence.

Other items on your packing list should include leads, balls, toys, insurance documentation and, if appropriate, any medical information, should you need a vet. A dog-friendly cottage owner should be able to provide a list of local vets. Include enough poo bags to see you through your holiday. Be sensible, and ensure you clear up the garden after you, just as you do at home! Finally, ensure your dogs are appropriately ‘dressed’ for going on holiday: make sure they wear secure collars with name tags bearing a mobile phone number.

For the drive to your holiday cottage and on the way home, allow time for some exercise stops, and put some water in the car together with a few snacks to keep them happy and relaxed in the back of the vehicle.

Most of the cottages on My Favourite Holiday Cottages have a direct link to the property’s own website. Click on the link to visit the site to see if a cottage welcomes dogs. Many holiday cottage directory sites now have a ‘dog or pet-friendly search category’ – view the pets welcome property pages on My Favourite Holiday Cottages for an example.

So, with a bit of forethought, you can find and plan a wonderful holiday with your dog, whether in the countryside or on the beach, from the comfort of your lounge.