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More visitors are wishing to take their pet on holiday as part of the family and that’s why self-catering accommodation is often the best choice for them. Over half of our self-catering cottages welcome dogs, so at My Favourite Cottages we recognise the importance of why owners should ideally provide dog friendly properties and how it can help fill those out of season short breaks and weeks that are often perfect for those holidaying with their pets. Many of the dog friendly cottages in North Devon we work withfollow these top tips to providing dog friendly accommodation.
1. Consider how many dogs will your cottage welcome
Every dog owner describes their pets as ‘well-behaved’. When deciding how many dogs to allow you should consider the size of your property and its garden, you should also assess how sturdy your furniture is and how easy the cottage will be to clean on changeover day. Minimalist interior design with hard floors (especially downstairs) can make the world of difference.
The luxury apartments at The Chalet, overlooking Saunton Sands beach welcome any number of dogs at any time of the year at no additional cost.
2. Provision of extra throws and towels
Most dog owners generally own twice as many throws and towels than a normal household and it is generally accepted that throws should be put over any furniture before the dog goes climbing onto it. The same goes for towels by the door to clean muddy paws.
Therefore, why not provide these extra items that will save time on cleaning your property at the end of the stay and will also be greatly appreciated by the owners.
If you know a dog is coming before hand, pre-cover the furniture before they arrive.
3. Doggie Welcome Packs
Successful dog friendly cottages often provide ‘doggie welcome packs’ that simply include poo bags and doggy treats.
4. Limited access
Most cottages will allow dogs access all over the ground floor of the property, but not the first floor or bedrooms. A great pet friendly cottage will help with this by providing a stair gate to stop Lassie from grabbing a quick nap upstairs in a pile of bath towels. If you do manage to book a North Devon cottage with a hot tub, don't let the dog go for a swim!
5. Outside space/ Enclosed garden
Ideally, your property will have some outside space and where possible the garden should be enclosed so there is less chance of doggies wandering off.
7. Walkies!
A successful dog friendly cottage will offer a list of local places where their pet will be welcome including beaches, parks and pubs. Suggestions for a choice of walks from the front door so there is no need to jump in a car for those early morning or evening walks.