“The acceptance of dogs roughly causes about 1 hours extra work,” says Mair Hardwick, owner of a self-catering holiday cottage near Builth Wells, in Wales.  “I’ve been fortunate so far and not had much trouble other than scratches on doors.”

          A self-catering holiday in the UK offers dog owners immense flexibility.  You can get up when you want, eat when you want, and even stick to the usual routine that your faithful friend is used to at home (the one where you tickle his tummy whilst you watch Eastenders).  There are no set meal times to adhere to, as you would expect hotels, guest houses and B&B’s to insist upon, so a self-catering break can really be a home from home.  But that doesn’t mean that you can let your dog treat the property in the same way that he does with yours.  Even though you’re used to living with dog hairs on every surface, a caretaker still has to clean from top to bottom between every booking.

          A little preparation in choosing your idyllic holiday cottage can reduce the stresses of self-catering with dogs.  Whether you are searching through a brochure or on the Internet, make sure the properties accept pets in the first place.  Quite a few don’t, and if they don’t state it clearly, make sure you ask.  Never assume.

          Be reasonable and practical when looking for a cottage.  If a property says it has a spiral staircase up to the main bedroom and Rover always sleeps on his bed in your bedroom, will he be able to cope with such an unusual staircase?  And if he doesn’t mind going round and round on the way up, will you be able to get him back down again?

          Idyllic beach-front properties are very romantic, especially when the sky is pure blue, the sea a calm azure colour and the beach is completely empty despite its perfectly white, fine sand that the brochure portrays.  How romantic is it when your dog dashes out to roll in all the seaweed, dead seagulls and other natural matter found at low tide, every time you open the front door?

          Upon arrival at your holiday cottage, meet the owner or caretaker and let them show you around and point out where everything is.  Keep your dog in the car to ensure that you’re not fretting about what they might knock over as they dash about excitedly, whilst you’re trying to hear to what the owner has to say.  And listen to them carefully.  Stick to any ground rules laid down.  Some owners don’t like dogs going upstairs for example. 

          If they don’t mention it, ask the owners where they would prefer you to take your dog to do his ‘business’.  Remember, a holiday cottage is your home for just a week or two.  The grass lawn could be filled with babies and young children a few days after you’ve gone back home.

          Once you’ve been shown around, get some large blankets or covers and spread them across the floors of the main rooms where your dog will be.  During your stay, these will catch most of the loose hairs and other mementoes that tend to fall from your hound’s coat.  At the end of your holiday, once you’ve put your dog back in the car to go home, all you need do is lift these, and the floors and carpets will be much easier to clean.

          The owner or caretakers will have plenty of local knowledge so make the most of them.  If you’re staying on a farm, find out where you can and can’t go with your dog and enquire whether there are any areas where your dog allowed off the lead.  Penny Whitaker, owner of a holiday cottage in Carmarthenshire agrees.  “Ask where you can walk the dogs, especially on a farm, and don’t let wet and dirty dogs into the house without rubbing them clean and dry.”  Ask them where the dog friendly or quieter beaches are, and where the nearest vet is in case of an emergency.

          One of the most important points to remember is that you are only temporary guests.  Just because a cottage is dog friendly, it doesn’t mean that only dog lovers stay there.  One owner said that when they clean a property after a dog has stayed, they always clean it thoroughly in case the next occupant is allergic to dogs.  That’s no easy task, particularly when most owners or caretakers have only a 5-hour window on changeover day to clean right through.

          Pat Priestly suggests that owners should go one step further, and “ensure that your best friend is wormed and free of fleas.”  The next dog to stay may not like his new friends!

          Ask cottage owners what the biggest problem with dogs is and the same answer comes back loud and clear.  Although you may leave your dog home alone when you go out shopping, you can’t do this when self-catering.  Mike Hogg lets out a cottage in Herefordshire.  “Do not leave a dog in a cottage on its own.  It can become frightened in a strange house and cause damage.”  Carol Kilpatrick operates Slipperfield Loch Cottages in Scotland and tells how one dog “chewed the lino in the kitchen when left alone all day.” 

          Keep a close eye on your dog at all times.  One holiday cottage owner kept getting complaints that the bathroom suite was faulty.  After flushing the toilet, the clean water would apparently disappear from the bowl.  When he began investigating, he soon located the cause of the problem.  The central heating system was turned up too high.  Not high enough to cause the water to evaporate but hot enough to force the dog to drink any water he could find, to cool down!

          It is often said by owners and caretakers that children cause more damage than dogs.  However, dogs cause more cleaning difficulties.  Sean Hassall from Bolberry Farm Cottages in Devon sums it up best.  “The perfect guest is one that really cares about being able to take their pet on holiday and follows our guidelines.”