The Old Cart Shed

The Old Cart Shed is a spacious self-catering house in the countryside around Winterborne Stickland, in the chalk valleys north-west of Blandford Forum, and what makes it work for dogs is the fenced private garden. Guests who brought dogs describe being able to let them run loose there without worrying, which is rarer than it should be in rural Dorset lets and saves a lead walk every time a dog needs to go out.

The house itself is roomy and well kept, with three good-sized bedrooms, two bathrooms, a fire for cooler evenings and a games room right next door that families and groups make plenty of use of. It is cleaned and stocked to a high standard, and the information booklet left for guests gets a mention for being genuinely useful. There is ample parking off the road and an electric vehicle charger.

A few practical points. The parking area is laid with slate that dog owners have found uncomfortable underfoot, for themselves and their dogs, so expect to carry a small or older dog across it or head straight for the grass. Arrival is handled through an app rather than by a host waiting at the door, which suits independent travellers but means there is no one to ask on the spot. The house can be a little tricky to find the first time, and with no air conditioning it gets warm in a heatwave.

The setting is quiet and rural, so a car is needed for most outings. Milton Abbas is close by, Blandford Forum covers shops and takeaways, and the Jurassic Coast, with Lulworth Cove, Durdle Door and Corfe Castle, is within an easy day trip. The booking listing gives no detail on how many dogs are accepted or whether a charge applies, so confirm both when you book.

It earns a 4.5/5 paw rating and suits families or small groups travelling with a dog who want a comfortable, well-equipped Dorset base with somewhere safe for the dog to run.