Uk holiday home owners missing the mark.

[Alwayswildatheart]

Planning a week away with DH and our two dogs in Cornwall. I have so far spent 9+ hrs solid, looking for suitable dog friendly accommodation. So many properties on these websites are poorly marketed/photographed and not really directed at the majority, who if holidaying in UK take their dog(s).

The adverts for holiday cottages/ barns/lodges may claim to be 'dog friendly' but fail to show extensive pics of the outside space or mention if the garden is secure.

No mention of setting, merely cropped pics. Is it too much to ask if livestock are nearby or such facilities locally as parks, off leads, footpaths, dog friendly pubs etc. The outdoor space is far more important than the inside luxuries of a holiday cottage if you are taking your beloved pet. Blow the cream tea and pot of jam on arrival, show me the garden fences!

I've resorted to ringing the booking sites to ask about potential accommodation and using google earth with little success. Meanwhile, cottages remain empty.

If only holiday accommodation owners thought about their target market and included this info or indeed spend a relatively small amount to safely enclose their garden for canine guests or even mention...what height the fences at the property might be. I'm sure it would increase occupancy if the canine family of potential holidaymakers were given bigger priority.

We are a nation of dog lovers. It is as much a holiday for oucafour legged friends as us.

Do other people with dogs have the same issues?

I just assume the gardens won’t be secure and plan accordingly. I take a ground anchor I can attach long leads to if need be or take the dogs out on a lead into the garden as required. It’s temporary so a little inconvenience is fine. My dogs aren’t bothered by livestock so if it’s there I’ll put them on the lead. As for walks/parks surely just search the local area.

Sounds like you want places to specialise in dog holidays not just accommodate them. That’s a very niche market.

It's not just re dogs. So many holiday let owners simply don't give enough information and pictures generally. It drives me absolutely insane. No excuse for it as lots of owners do a proper job and include all the information/pictures. It's just amateur and lazy.

What's worse are those let through lettings websites (cottages.com) etc where you can't get more information. Basically when you call the agency, the call centre don't have any more information as all they can see is the same website listing and pictures, so it's a pointless call. They won't contact the owner to ask questions and get back to you! We wanted to rent 3 adjoining units in a block of 9 for a family gathering, but none of the listings said which were adjoining - we phoned and emailed the agents to ask, but they just glibly said they didn't know and couldn't ask! That owner lost a big booking as we just carried on looking and found other sites where they did say which were adjoining! Something so simple!

I part-own (with 3 other family members) a holiday home OP and you've definitely made me think about details to add to our listing - which does have a secure back garden and is nowhere near any livestock 😊(for my part, I flipping wish holidaymakers with dogs wouldn't let their muddy dogs on the furniture 😁)

To be fair I always find cottages state clearly whether the garden is secure or not. Google maps gives you a good idea of location and if there are open fields around etc. I've never had an issue.

Most aren’t ’fully designed for dogs’, just owners who allow dogs. Hence dog friendly.
We have a holiday rental, it’s ‘child friendly’ as in children are welcome and has your basic cots/ high chairs/ toys available. But it’s doesn’t mean it’s 100% child proof, you still need to watch child and shared garden isn’t fenced off 100% ( it’s the same garden my 3 year old uses so it’s not lethal either)

I wouldn’t expect to be told if there is livestock near by. That’s my job to research the local area plus what if a farmers field is empty one week and next he puts sheep in it? You booked months ago and now there is livestock.

What you want it taylormade dog accommodation not just pet friendly. Pet friendly just means they allow your dog not that the whole thing revolves around your dog.

I’m don’t think “the majority” is people taking their dogs on holiday.
Apparently about a third of households have a dog. Lots of people don’t holiday in this country.

The majority of people still do not have a dog, so whilst it’s helpful to you, it would not be as you say catering to the majority.

Personally the first thing I look at in a holiday cottage is one that does not accept dogs, so it won’t have hair everywhere and smell disgusting!

I just count the hours spent trawling websites as one of the 'costs' of a holiday.

My bugbear is having a dogs allowed filter but not being able to filter by number of dogs so I have to scroll past loads of properties that only allow one dog (we have 2).

Also places that are advertised as having an enclosed garden but actually just have a small enclosed patio area, or an enclosed garden that's not directly accessible from the house.

It’s temporary so a little inconvenience is fine.

Whereas I think I'm on holiday and i don't want it to be harder work than it is at home.

We've just returned from a great place however, so all my hours of research was worth it. I find reading reviews often gives you extra info about the dog friendliness of a property/area.

I looked a place recently advertised on a a dog friendly holiday group that asked owners not to let their dogs toilet in the garden.

While there are undoubtedly many dog lovers in this country, I know of lots of people who love and treat their pets really, really well, but who also choose not to take their dogs on holiday, including family members, so . I also think that while many people may wish to take their dog with them, labelling accommodation as 'dog friendly' will put some people off, because they associate that with the 'dog smell' - some owners are 'nose-blind' to this but it definitely exists, even if sheets are changed, sofas are cleaned, floors are hoovered etc. As another poster said, it sounds like you are looking for something catered around dogs, as opposed to 'dog friendly'. I'm also confused by your idea that dog owners should be given more priority - why?

There are Facebook groups which are specifically for dog friendly places, on several the owners have to specify exactly where the dogs can go (on sofas, upstairs etc) as well as garden size and fencing details.

Holidays and holiday homes are for people, they’re not marketing them for dogs because the dog isn’t paying the bill. They’re marketed for people because people are. Unsure why that’s difficult to grasp.

i strongly suggest you join the dog friendly holiday cottages group on Facebook. full of dog friendly places and you can specify exactly what you want and your dates and only the relevant properties will reply.

i have a cottage in Cornwall, dog friendly (2) just a patio garden but lots of walks direct from the door. field just around the corner. fenced with 6 foot fence on 2 sides and wall and pedestrian gates on 2 sides. its dachshund proof. and any other non jumping dog. but if you have a fence jumper its probably not for you. i try to put all the info on our specialist dog section of our Website.

good luck. when you find the one, youll have a great time.

I have 2 dogs and love to holiday in the UK. I’ve never researched if the garden is secure, or if there’s livestock nearby etc. None of these would affect me as I would adjust my route and walks accordingly. My MIL offers doggy day care and most of her clients leave their dogs with her when they go away. They often go to places they could take their pet, so I think it’s a bigger percentage of people not wanting a dog friendly property.
Blow the fences, I’m there for the cream tea!

For cottage agencies who know how to do it properly, look at East Ruston Cottages or Pack Holidays (both in Norfolk). Loads of information on how secure the garden is, fence heights, proximity to other animals, and filters for numbers of dogs and lots of info.

This is why I use Airbnb. Much better website, easy to find properties which allow pets.

‘Personally the first thing I look at in a holiday cottage is one that does not accept dogs, so it won’t have hair everywhere and smell disgusting!’

Same. Restaurants too. If it says ‘dog-friendly’ it’s off our list. We want to go to clean places!

We've taken our dog on cottage, caravan and 'lodge' holidays in the UK. All that we require is dog-friendliness; we don't make other assumptions about fences, walks etc, as we always go out all day anyway.
If property owners are expected to do all those other things regarding dogs, then it would likely result in them not wanting to have dogs staying at all and result in fewer properties to choose from.

Yep, you need the multi dog holiday cottage facebook group.

The admin on it is excellent at getting detail out of owners, tho it is a challenge!

I actually found the Facebook group a bit annoying as I twice asked for recommendations and about half the replies didn't actually fit the brief (and my brief wasn't particularly complex)

'Dog friendly' just means that a dog is allowed. You seem to be looking for a holiday specifically for a dog, with everything a dog might need supplied. That has to be a niche market and I would imagine that it would be very expensive and underused by the majority of holidaymakers ( with or without a dog). I don't believe holiday makers taking their dogs on holiday in the UK is anywhere near a 'majority' I'm sorry

I'm another one here who avoids places which say they are dog friendly, because they usually smell of dog, no matter how clean the place is. Smell gets into the soft furnishings etc