How to Plan a Dog-Friendly Staycation

We love welcoming guests and their four-legged friends to The Farm. Earlier in the year, Rebecca joined us with her partner, friends and four month old spaniel puppy! She’s shared her top tips on how to make the most of your dog-friendly stay in the UK.

In February we bought our new pack member home, a little working cocker spaniel who we absolutely adore. My partner and I have always loved exploring the UK and so we chose a breed that would be up for adventures and plenty of walking.

We’ve still only had him a short while but have taken him on a couple of staycations; we took him to Devon and also had the pleasure of bringing him along to a weekend at The Farm at Avebury! We’re already planning our next trip with him to Cornwall, so I thought it might be useful to other dog owners to share our tips on planning a dog-friendly stay in the UK…

Dog-Friendly Accommodation

Image by @upnext.travels of Greyweathers at The Farm at Avebury

These days, there’s no shortage of dog-friendly accommodation, but actually I feel there’s a big difference between ‘allowing pets’ and being ‘pet-friendly’. A dog-friendly space should be practical and allow you to have an enjoyable, relaxing time with your pup. Here are my top considerations when choosing a space:

• Is there room for a dog bed or crate?

• If there is a garden, is it enclosed?

• Is there somewhere to clean the dog off after a walk?

• Is the flooring easy to clean, i.e. not cream carpets throughout!

• Is it a quiet area?

• Are there plenty of walks nearby?

• Are there dog-friendly restaurants & pubs nearby?

• Are there dog-friendly beaches nearby?

We were happy to bring our pooch along to The Farm as it was very clear owners, Alice & Rob, have lived with dogs before! We stayed in Longbarrow which had space for our dog’s large crate. He was still young at this stage and so he slept in the room with us in his crate but there is a boot room which is connected to another stable which would be a good size if you wanted your dog to have a separate room.

The courtyard is shared which meant we did have to keep him on a lead for a lot of the time as he was so young. The stables are located on a working farm so it’s really important to make sure you keep and eye on your dog at all times, this should be no problem for older, more obedient dogs who can sit next to you whilst you enjoy an alfresco breakfast! Our dog was very happy to sit alongside us whilst we barbecued sausages, steak and burgers from The Farm.

Packing List

As someone who gets a kick out of being overly organised, I write lists for pretty much everything! As well as writing your own packing list, it’s important to make sure you have one for your pup to make sure they’re as comfortable as possible on your trip. Your list will very much depend on your dog and your itinerary but here’s a few must-haves for your dog-friendly stay…

• Food & bowls (the fold-down travel bowls are super handy!)

• Travel water bottle

• Bed

• Toys/chews

• Poo bags

Our pup’s food is frozen so a freezer is quite useful, otherwise we have to temporarily switch his diet when we go away. Luckily both of the places we’ve stayed so far have had a fridge and freezer so food storage hasn’t been a problem! The kitchen spaces on The Farm are cleverly compact but there was still plenty of space to store our BBQ supplies as well as the dogs supper!

Plan Your Journey

This is especially important for young puppies! If your journey is over an hour you’ll want to plan in some pit-stops along the way for them (and you!) to use the loo and stretch their legs. However often you take them out at home, you’ll want to stop as frequently on your journey. Even for older dogs, I wouldn’t suggest going longer than 2 hours between stops.

Your Pet’s Safety

The most important aspect of your dog-friendly trip is his or her safety. First and foremost, scout out the nearest local vet before your stay, you may not have signal or WiFi there so it’s a good idea to note down the address and telephone number for any emergencies.

It’s a legal requirement to have a collar with an ID tag in the UK. Make sure your pooch is wearing one at all times while you’re away, if the worst happens and you end up separated, it’s vital that they have your contact number with them.

Don’t leave your dog in the accommodation. This one goes without saying but it’s really not a good idea to leave your dog alone in your holiday cottage, even if it’s just for a short amount of time! It’s unfair on the accommodation owner as your dog could be getting up to mischief and it could also be unsafe for your pup, especially if the space is in an especially busy location.

Have Fun

Make sure you plan in plenty of fun things to do with your dog! Walking is the most obvious choice and beautiful, scenic walks are in abundance if you’re staying at The Farm at Avebury (take a look here). We did a lovely loop from The Farm that took us into Avebury and past Silbury hill.

If you’re staying by the sea, look up dog-friendly activities close by. Your dog might enjoy paddle boarding, a boat trip or even kayaking!

We hope these tips help you and your dog have an enjoyable trip! Why not check out our pet-friendly stables for your next stay? Or for dog-friendly accommodation across the UK, check out dogfriendlydestinations.com.