What Makes A Truly Dog Friendly Holiday Cottage?

Dog-Friendly Cottages for Holidays With Your Dog

‘Dog-friendly’ or ‘Pet-Friendly’ are terms often used in the holiday cottage world to indicate a property that allows pets and people to stay. But, like most labels, different levels of “dog-friendliness” abound. In this blog, we will explore how a holiday cottage owner will cater to your pet’s needs to justify its claim as a true dog-friendly holiday cottage adequately. And we’ll also highlight the practical actions they might take to save you a lot of time, effort, and potentially money!

In an ideal world, there should be two categories:’ Pets Accepted’ and ‘Pets Welcome’ The former implies that canine guests are merely permitted. The latter implies that the property has ‘pet-friendly facilities to make life easier for both the pets and their owners. That way, guests know what to expect. At My Favourite Holiday Cottages, we urge people to differentiate between the two! But in the real world, they are used interchangeably, with one sounding more appealing  The question is, what makes a self-catering cottage truly ‘Pet Friendly’?

In using the term ‘pets’, owners, for the most part, actually mean ‘dogs’. Therefore, if you want to bring your pet cat, hamster, or budgie, check it out first! However, pets also refer to a host of other household pets, such as cats, guinea pigs and even (in one case) a boa constrictor. Another thing to ask the owner - unless they have had the foresight to include that information in their own information (let’s call it a ‘doggy-festo). However, we’ll talk about dogs in this article.

One (and there are many) advantage of using a site like My Favourite Holiday Cottages is that, in addition to having a complete section of pet-friendly cottages in the UK, you can speak directly to a holiday cottage’s owner or manager to check which facilities they can provide for your dog. If nothing else, this can save you a lot of packing space in the car. I should know - I once travelled to Kent and back with my knees wedged in a dog basket like some vertical itchy toboggan. Becoming truly pet-friendly is something that a lot of owners are beginning to strive for. Here are some considerations you might find in a cottage that lives up to its name of welcoming pets.

 

How many dogs will a cottage welcome?

Talk to the owner! Remember that every dog owner describes their dogs as ‘well-behaved’, so don’t assume this description will cut the mustard when asking to bring more than the stated number (but hey, it’s worth a shot, right?)

 

Don’t lose me!

Does the cottage provide a Collar ID tag with the cottage name and phone number?

Unless they are less than eight weeks old, your dog should have been ‘micro-chipped’ to ensure they can be traced by the police in the event of their being found. Check that your dog hasn’t lost its name tag, preferably with your mobile number, unless you want to wait until you get home before you sort out being reunited.

Some dog-friendly cottages may even provide a local name tag engraved with the cottage details. Something as simple as this could be an absolute lifesaver if your dog gets lost in an unfamiliar area on holiday. Owners might even make a feature of having a temporary dog tag with the cottage owners’ contact details on it, which is very reassuring for everyone.

 

Underfloor heating?

It’s still seen as a luxury these days, but dogs LOVE it! There is little better for drying off muddy, damp paws effortlessly than having them settle down on warm and easily wiped kitchen tiles for a while.

Speaking of flooring, how much of the cottage is dog-friendly? Nobody wants to leave ‘Buster’ in the kitchen all day because the lounge has just installed a new white carpet! Make sure you ask before booking.

Most cottages allow dogs on the ground floor but not upstairs. A great pet-friendly cottage will help by providing a stair gate to stop Lassie from grabbing a quick nap upstairs in a nest of discarded bath towels.

 

Throws, Towels, Beds and (Poo) Bags!

Dog owners are happy to bring throws and dog beds, but they do fill up a car that is probably already short on luggage capacity. As a dog owner, ask if these will be provided! It is generally accepted that throws should be put over any furniture before the dog climbs. The same goes for an extra dog towel or two hung by the door to wipe down muddy paws or bathmats in the bathroom to cover the floor in case Big McDuff leaps out of the bath prematurely!

Dog bowls and beds? When packing for a holiday, you won’t want these big (and occasionally smelly) space hoggers in the car when packing for a holiday. Find out if the cottage provides them, how many they provide, and if they are big enough to fit your massive mutt!

POO! (bags). Are they provided in the welcome pack? It would be best to take your own anyway in case of car emergencies, but it’s a good sign of a genuinely dog-friendly cottage. The gesture also implies that guests are expected to use them to keep the garden poop-free.

 

Pets Welcome Packs

Another thing that you will be happy for in the welcome pack is doggie treats. Something really special to make your pet feel welcomed in a scary new world! But you should probably find out what they are before giving them to your dog in case it doesn’t upset their usual diet. Nobody wants an explosive first night!

 

Is the Garden Suitable?

If you’re happy with the inside of the cottage, turn your eyes to the outside!

Is the garden secure? An escape-proof garden is essential, especially if the cottage leads onto a road or is surrounded by a field of quietly grazing sheep and other livestock. Are there any ponds or lakes to fall in? Cliffs to fall off? Sheds to get stuck under? Fences to leap? But most importantly, is your fluffy friend going to have safe and secure fun while you are indoors?

 

Walkies!

Dog-friendly cottage owners will recognise the need for a choice of local walks: short ones from the doorstep for early morning or late evening walks; and longer day-time walks, ones that don’t require pets to be loaded into the car boot. Ideally, there should be suggestions for all types of walks along with a list of pet-friendly places to visit, including beaches, parks and pubs. You don’t want to book a summer holiday by the sea only to find that dogs are only permitted on the beach between October and March. At the same time, from a canine perspective, an ideally located cottage will have a choice of walks from the front door. No need to jump in the car for those early morning or evening walks.

Check with owners whether any livestock will be in the fields, and remember to pack leads. Locations with multiple properties on-site frequently have a dog-walking field or wood for early morning and late evening walkies. 

 

Muddy Paws

Having walked your dog, and especially in winter, the chances are they’ll be muddy when you return to your holiday cottages. 

Check out the photos of the property. Are the floors carpeted, or are some tiled, wooden, or flagstoned? 

These floors are much more easily cleaned than carpets, making life more stressful. 

Many pet-friendly rentals will provide facilities for washing off muddy paws outside—an external tap or a hosepipe, perhaps. This is another question to ask the owner or to include in the cottage’s Doggyfesto. They really won’t mind if it demonstrates that you are a responsible dog owner.

Of course, some genuinely dog-friendly cottages will go the extra pampered mile to provide state-of-the-art dog-washing facilities. After all, you never know until you arrive that the local village fete is holding a dog show for non-pedigree dogs in which case it will come in handy.