Dog safe holiday - secure garden Help!

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Our crazy cocker is 5 years old. Unfortunately he has zero recall and pulls like a train. We can’t leave him at kennels because it’s just to stressful for him.
We would love a change of scenery. It’s proving difficult to find somewhere to go that has a fully secure garden. Does this exist?

Recommendations please if you know of such a place.

Try any of the barefoot reatreats properties in Burnham Market (Norfolk Coast). Pattern Makers Close (Barefoot Retreats) has a fairly good garden and I know for a fact it’s secure as it’s 100% wall with one garden gate (6ft) that locks😊I stayed there with two of my girls a while ago.

They also have a few in Brancaster as well that are good - but they tend to be bigger and more expensive. Their house descriptions always say how dog proof a garden is as well 😊

Excellent walks (and coffee) nearby.

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/618810736185550390?viralityEntryPoint=1&s=76

Have a look at properties through East Ruston Cottages or Pack Holidays in Norfolk. Both agencies describe the security of the gardens really well and have very secure gardens on their list.

Over 7k cottages here https://www.sykescottages.co.uk/en-ppc/enclosedgarden/pets/?full_title=Enclosed+Garden+Dog+Friendly+Cottages&rfx=3&pcrid=730874475813&pkw=enclosed%20garden%20dog%20friendly%20cottages&pmt=e&slid=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20706458580&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIisDPgY3RjQMVT5FQBh0ksQChEAAYASAAEgL_EvD_BwE

If the link doesn't work, go to the Sykes website. I am looking for similar atm and typed 'dog cottage secure garden' into Google and it pulled up the Sykes link, which works in google

Just use the filter option for “enclosed garden” and “accepts dogs” on sites like cottages.com, Sykes, Hoseasons, holidaycottages, snaptrip… there are loads.

Pets Pyjamas list dog friendly hotels .

If you read the fine print on ordinary cottages like Sykes they never actually guarantee that the gardens are really secure. I always pick ‘secure garden’ when going with our dog and about 50% of the time I’d say he could still get out if he was determined. I keep him on a long line and don’t let him out unsupervised unless I am really sure it’s OK after a perimeter check.

I think East Ruston or Pack Holidays which are dog friendly specialists are the way to go if your dog is a real escapologist.

So many cottages are secure for dogs. Read reviews to spot any weak spots in the garden.
The cottage we are going to this Summer has a secure courtyard for the dogs ( good for last let out at night) but the lawn at the front overlooking the coast is open so we will take a couple of those screw in stakes for securing a long leash if we are sitting out there.

We stayed in a lovely cottage on Main Street in Higham, Derbyshire Peaks where our escapologist collie didn’t escape the hedged garden. It’s on the Sykes website.

I always double check with the agency if there's any doubt about the garden. I have memories of staying in a cottage that basically has Dartmoor as an outside space.

You can send a message to ask first. I always do this about freezer size, as we use frozen dog food, after a disaster where the freezer capacity in one cottage was miniscule. It's easy to do and they always respond straight away

We stayed here with our escape artist goldies - totally secure and a great place for walks.

https://www.holidaycottages.co.uk/cottage/93058-white-acres

Which aren't remotely accurate!

I always opt towards a "secure / enclosed garden" for my service dog even though his recall is perfect and he will never wonder far from my side even when not working. To date 90% of the places I have booked have not had secure or enclosed gardens. I think "fenced" might be slightly more accurate most of the time, but "fenced in" would often be a stretch.

My last three bookings

• One had no gate and a five foot gap directly on to a farm lane with horses passing most of the day, then a fence of sorts around the rest of the garden, with huge gaps under and between the horizontal slats that a NewFoundland might have a tight fit to squeeze through!
• One had an "enclosed garden" with an insecure fence and a gap down the side of the cottage with no gate into the "enclosed front garden" with a two foot high wall that a chihuahua could have jumped.
• One had paddock type fencing and gates that would have kept a horse in but not a dog.

Often those descriptions appear to be more describing a "private garden" than something that is remotely secure. I would agree with a PP - ask (and be very specific about the question so there is no room for misunderstandings).

You may want to try more "specialist" sites like https://www.pawsandstay.co.uk/ and https://thisisthespot.dog/ (this one is for reactive dogs but I used it to find places without livestock nearby because I have a goldie sheep chaser and it was very useful)

If you look for ones that advertise themselves as for reactive dogs - you’ll find ones with not just secure gardens but secure fields to use as well

not all of them, but there’s quite a few sites with things like that, where it’s designed as a place for dogs rather than just, yeah I suppose you can bring them

If this fence is a boundary, that wouldn't be containment for many dogs. Mine could clear that with ease from a standing start. Luckily they're not escape artists so I don't have to be quite so particular but many of the fully enclosed gardens in places we've stayed are not secure.

Yeah I looked at both properties linked and my nearly 10 year old BC with no inclination to escape could clear both boundaries in the blink of an eye. As I said - private / enclosed does not mean secure.

one in Scottish Borders. Audrey’s cottage. I have many dogs and none have escaped. Huge set aside field beyond for walking as well.

This company have dog secure gardens. Our dog could go in and out as he pleased without us having to constantly watch him. escapecottagesscotland.com

The rescue charity I got my springer from recommends this one:

https://www.dogfriendly.co.uk/cottages-and-self-catering/listing/drifters-cottage-holiday-let-91541#:~:text=Drifters%20Cottage%20has%20everything%20you,miles%20of%20blue%20flag%20beach.

There is actually a really high metal fence behind that leading to the farm but I can see what you mean - my working line retriever could jump that but didn’t and I didn’t take into account breeds like B/C - thanks for pointing out.

Watching for further recommendations.

We've had a sheep in an enclosed garden and separately a garden where there was just a 5 bar fence separating the garden from the sheep field. My girls could jump or go through the gaps, luckily they're not interested in sheep, but can't imagine it would be a very relaxing holiday if you had a border collie or any sort of herding breed!

We've also been somewhere that advertised 5 foot fencing and found one section was actually a wide stone wall which mine decided was an excellent vantage point to see what was going on with the neighbours.

Based on the OP, I would probably just not worry too much about secure gardens and take the dog out on a lead when needed if it turns out the garden is unsuitable. I have a dog who has quite good recall but can be a bit cheeky, so I don't let him off-lead if the garden is escapable, but I also have many other holiday cottage criteria (I have two small DCs) so I don't make dog-safe gardens the priority. It's slightly annoying to have to put the dog on his lead when taking him out for his bedtime wee, but totally doable.

The OP makes it sound like the only two options in this case are 'take the dog' or 'don't go on holiday', so it feels like a reasonable compromise to not be able to sit in the garden without the dog on its lead. You can still get a change of scenery and have lots of nice days out. You could also look for a place with a balcony or courtyard so you can sit out in the evening without messing around with leads, then you only need to pop a lead on for toilet outings.