The Wee Hoose, Ruthwell

The Wee Hoose is a small self-catering house in the Dumfries and Galloway countryside at Ruthwell, a couple of miles back from the Solway Firth, and the garden is what makes it work for dogs. It is large, fully enclosed and shared with the owners, who live on site with two Boston terriers, so a dog can be let out to roam rather than walked on a lead every time it needs to go out.

The welcome goes further than most self-catering lets. Guests arrive to lights and heating on, a food pack that has included eggs, bread and jam, and dog blankets, treats and waste bags put out ready. The owners are next door if something is needed and stay out of the way otherwise, and they are the ones guests credit for the local knowledge: which stretch of the Solway coast to walk, where the supermarket is, what is worth the drive.

Inside, the house is finished to a higher standard than the nightly rate suggests, with a comfortable bed, a good bathroom and a spacious lounge, and it is described as spotless in review after review. There is off-road parking. Powfoot and the estuary are close enough for a morning walk down to the seafront, Annan and Dumfries cover the practicalities, and Gretna Green is a short drive for anyone who wants shops.

What to weigh up is the isolation. It is properly rural, and the last stretch is on narrow lanes, which is worth knowing if you are not used to them or are arriving after dark. Most guests came for exactly that quiet, but it does mean anything beyond the walk from the door involves the car. The listing does not state a pet fee or a limit on numbers, and guests have stayed with two dogs, so confirm what you are bringing when you book.

The Wee Hoose earns 4.8/5 on paw rating and suits dog owners who want an enclosed garden, a quiet base near the Solway coast and hosts who have thought about the dog as well as the guests.