Threshing Barn, Charlton Marshall

Threshing Barn is a barn conversion at Sparrowbush Farm, in the hamlet of Thornicombe just outside Charlton Marshall and a few minutes from Blandford Forum. It is let as a whole house with a hot tub, and the feature dog owners keep returning to is the field: guests with dogs use it to run them properly before coming in, which is a rarer find than a garden.

That is much of why it rates as well as it does. Dog owners describe the barn as straightforwardly dog-friendly, warm and easy to settle into, with a kitchen good enough to cook in properly and room for a family. Nothing negative has been raised about how dogs were handled.

The house rules are short. The listing allows one dog per booking, the rear garden is enclosed, and there is a shared enclosed grass area set aside for dogs. There is no stated pet fee, weight limit or breed rule on record. Families have brought more than one dog here before, so if you are travelling with two, settle it with the owners before booking rather than turning up and hoping.

It is also worth remembering the setting is a farm rather than a garden plot. The grass area for dogs is shared with other guests, and it is worth asking the owners what is in the surrounding land before letting a dog off the lead beyond it, particularly if recall is a work in progress. The only note of criticism anywhere in the feedback is that the beds are on the soft side, which is a matter of taste rather than a fault.

The barn averages 9.9 out of 10 across its guest reviews and earns a 4.6 out of 5 paw rating. It suits a family or a couple with dogs who want space to exercise them on site, a hot tub at the end of the day, and Dorset walking within easy reach.