Dog-Friendly Getaway Essentials – Guidelines and Information

We totally understand the importance of making sure your furry family members are well taken care of during your dog-friendly getaway. We’ve covered as many questions as we could think of below, but if there’s anything we missed, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

We very much hope to have the opportunity to meet all your family. Best wishes – Jen and Phil Wheeler and or course Hector and Bird our dogs.

Bringing Your Furry Friend?  What You Need to Know FAQ’s

• Are dogs welcome at Preseli Hills Cottages?
  • YES absolutely, in fact it was one of the reasons started having holiday cottages in the first place!  We wanted to provide ‘high end’ luxury dog friendly cottage accommodation.  Somewhere luxurious but where we could take furry family members. Up to 2 well behaved dogs (any type or size!) are welcome. 
• How dog proof are the cottage gardens?
  • Each cottage has its own dedicated garden complete with patio and garden furniture and a wood fired hot tub. The gardens of all the cottages are landscaped using Pembrokeshire stone walls around the perimeters, these are about waist high (for an adult, not a dog – 😊). There are shrubs planted on top of these walls however if your dog can jump higher than waist height then the gardens will not be fully dog proof. Each garden has wooden farm gates and stable doors into the cottages.

• Are dogs permitted on the furniture and if so, do you provide blankets or dog throws?
  • Furry family members are not permitted on sofas and chairs unless the furniture is fully covered by a thick dog blanket or throw.  You are welcome to bring these with you.  We do not supply them because each owner has their individual approach to this, plus dogs like familiar things.
    • Mill cottage – One 2 seater sofa and a poof.
    • Byre cottage – One 2 seater sofa, 2 armchairs and a poof.
    • Milking Parlour – One 2 seater sofa, 2 armchairs and a poof. 
• Are dogs permitted in the bedrooms?
  • The short answer is ‘no’.  We pride ourselves on providing luxury bedding and linen.  We respectfully ask that your furry family members retire in the living rooms in the comfort of their own beds or crates.  Thank you.
• Are there guards or facilities to prevent dogs going into bedrooms?
  • All the bedrooms in The Byre and The Milking Parlour have doors which can be kept closed.  The Mill has an open staircase up to a mezzanine bedroom.  There is a free-standing guard which can be used at the bottom of the stairs to keep your furry family downstairs.  Dogs are not permitted upstairs in The Mill because it has fitted cream carpets on the stairs and in the bedroom area.  
• Is it OK to leave furry family members in cottage unattended?
  • It is not recommended that you leave your pet unattended whilst during your holiday.  There is a local pet sitting company who has a great reputation if you need to leave your pet because you have a boat trip booked etc.. Cotton’s Crèche – Doggy Daycare Pembrokeshire (cottonscreche.co.uk)
• Do you have details of a local vets?  Just in case.
  • Our dogs are registered with Priory vets in Crymch – https://www.prioryvetscardigan.co.uk/ who have been very good with us.  
  • We also hear good things about – https://www.malthousevets.com/

• Is there a local pet shop nearby? 

The closest pet shop, Burn’s, is in Narbeth, a 15 minute drive. There is also a Pets at Home in Haverfordwest (20 mins away). 

• Can you suggest any research that can be done on dog friendly beaches and dog friendly places to go and places to avoid ahead of our visit?
  • Yes, and this is a really good idea.  A good place to start is Ernie’s Ruff guide to Pembrokeshire.  There is also a guide to dog friendly beaches Pembrokeshire.
• What dog poo disposal facilities do you have?
  • There is a dedicated dog poo bin where the bins are located near your cottage.  We ask people use composable dog poo bags which are available to buy, just in case you don’t have enough.  
• What facilities do you have for washing and drying our furry family member?
  • Each garden has an outside tap should any members of your family get really muddy.  There is also a hose with a spray attachment outside the laundry shed.  We also have a dog hairdryer which is in the laundry room.  It’s REALLY powerful and quite fun.  There is also a washing machine in the laundry room, not for your dog – ha ha but to wash any towels and blankets you might need.  There are zip up bags to put dog rugs and towels in to wash them, so the machine doesn’t get clogged up with fur.
• What are the arrangements around your cottage for allowing dogs i.e., in the communal gardens and public areas?
  • We are a small, rural location with just 3 small cottages about 200 meters down a driveway from a quiet country road.  Guests are welcome to walk around our small lake and up and down the drive for an early ‘wee’ walk or last thing at night (if the moon is not bright you might need a torch, there is a wind up one in your cottage). We do have a small herd of cows on the farm so whether you are comfortable letting your dogs off a lead is dependent on how well behaved they will be.
  • Beyond your own private garden there is a communal area next to a stream with wooden benches and a fire pit area (wood for the fire is complimentary).  This area is shared between all the cottages and is not fenced in.  It adjoins farmland so if you are concerned about safety it might be a good idea to bring a long training lead or similar so your dog can wander but not go too far.
• Are facilities for washing dog bedding, towels and throws if necessary?
  • Yes, indeed there are, please see the question above – What facilities do they have for washing and drying our furry family member?

We hope these questions and answers have addressed your concerns about bringing your furry friend. If you need further information, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us 07733 121897. We’re here to ensure both you and your pet (s) have a fantastic stay with us!