Setting Up a Dog Friendly Holiday Cottage

For new holiday cottage owners getting ready to launch, ensuring your holiday cottage is ready for the pet-friendly market can ensure a calendar full of bookings for you. Dog-friendly holidays in the UK have never been so popular, with an ever-increasing market. Some of the pros:

Widen your market appeal, opening up your property to a larger customer base now so many families stay in the UK for the sake of their pets.
Gain higher occupancy rates as pet-friendly properties tend to book more consistently.
Increase revenue through pet charges to cover the additional wear and tear.
Earn repeat bookings, as dog owners are often loyal to places they feel welcomed and well looked after.

For guests, booking a dog-friendly holiday home saves the cost (physical and emotional) of using an expensive kennel or the hassle of getting a pet passport.

Top Tips to Consider:

Provide a warm welcome

Dogs are a big part of most families and they’re on holiday too! So make sure you offer them a warm welcome by creating a separate little Welcome Hamper. You could include dog bowls, blankets for them to use during their stay, a spare lead, a ball or squeaky toy, spare poo bags and a few tasty treats – some of these may get forgotten by the guest. This will help to make the perfect dog friendly holiday home.

Easy to clean flooring

Let’s face it- dogs do like to get wet and muddy and whilst they think it’s fun it won’t be appreciated if dirt ends up on a nice cream carpet… Having an entrance that leads onto easy to clean flooring in an enclosed room means that the dog can stay in here until they are nice and clean. Providing some old towels for this purpose is also a good idea in your dog friendly holiday home.

A safe and secure garden

Having a garden isn’t essential, although it is something a lot of people will look for. A frequent enquiry we receive is about enclosed gardens so adding a dog-proof fence will make your property more appealing. Also, consider creating a useful information sheet that could include local doggie daycare services and vets.

Establish the ground rules

It is essential that you provide clear guidelines as to where dogs are and aren’t allowed in your property. We would recommend that dogs are not allowed in bedrooms, on the furniture or anywhere upstairs. You may also want to consider where you want the dogs to sleep as you don’t want them exploring the house whilst their owners are asleep so consider adding a stair gate to prevent them heading upstairs.

Consider the dangers

Think about any areas where dogs could come into harm, any steep areas they could fall off or wild animals that may be in the field next door. Advise if there are any “shoots” in the area so dog owners know in advance to keep their dogs on a lead. Similarly, you may want to consider any breakable items and place them out of reach, again a stair gate can come in handy!

Highlight dog-friendly walks and activities

Yorkshire is a very dog-friendly county and the number of pubs and cafes that will welcome your four-legged friend is ever increasing. Highlight any dog-friendly walks and pubs as well as certain attractions which are also dog friendly especially gardens, castles and abbeys.

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