Award-winning Dog Retreats
Give your dog(s) a tail-wagging, special getaway. Treat yourself and your family pet and create unforgettable memories:
- Up to 4 dogs per cottage
- Central Bark – our 6-acre secure dog park provides dog walking from your door and includes woods and views to Bodmin Moor
- Enclosed private garden with each cottage
- Walkable local Pub where dogs get a drink quicker than you!
- Breath-taking beach, moors and river walks nearby
- Dog welcome pack containing dog treats, poo bags and a dog toy
- Dog sofa throw (if you allow your dog to snuggle up on the sofa with you)
- Outside warm dog shower and dog towels at each cottage to clean muddy/sandy paws
- So many dog friendly beaches and pubs, you will be spoilt for choice
- Tennis balls and ‘chuckers’ for fun in Central Bark
- Dog poo bins and water bowls provided in each cottage
- We can provide dog crates of varying sizes on request.
The ultimate PAWsome Kernock Dog Retreat, whilst you can enjoy 5* luxury cottages with a private hot tub and wonderful views after long walks.
There is a small charge of £25 per dog irrespective of the length of stay. There is no charge for assistance pets.
Central Bark
Welcome to “Central Bark”, our 6-acre dedicated dog walking/exercise park, which has mown paths, a loop through the woods, benches for weary humans and dog poo bins. The bottom section has far reaching views towards Bodmin Moor with spectacular sunsets – you can see the communications beacon on top of Caradon Hill, good for some dramatic night photography!
There are several access points into Central Bark. Tennis balls and ‘chuckers’ are provided and you will find dog poo bins at each of the three park entrances.
Additionally, all of the cottages have either a fully enclosed garden, or a large enclosed area near the hot tub, so the dog can be outside with you while you soak the day away, without you having to worry about them running off. The garden in the Coach House is fully enclosed with a beech hedge, picket fence and gate. Heather Barn has an enclosed area behind the hot tub. Owl Barn’s lower garden – where the hot tub is located – is fully enclosed. Tree Barn has a large fully enclosed lawn next to the cottage.
Around the Estate
Our beautiful estate with just four holiday cottages is a superb location for holiday with your dog in Cornwall. We are very happy to welcome well behaved dogs, so that we can continue to provide comfortable and desirable cottages which are both dog-friendly and 5*. We have a separate paddock available for reactive dogs free of charge but please let us know in advance of your stay.
On first arrival at Kernock, please keep your dog on the lead while it familiarises itself with the site. Please also keep your dog under control around the other properties (you may need to keep them on a lead at the start of your walk, until you get to Central Bark). There may well be other dogs and children staying in the other cottages. Please exercise caution when with your dog around the estate. We want to make sure that everyone has a happy holiday, so your cooperation is appreciated.
We are delighted to have won fourth place (Commended) in the Cornwall Tourism Awards 2024 adding to our Gold Award at the 2016/17 Awards and also at the South West Awards for Dog-friendly Business of the Year.
Exploring with your dog
Whitsand Bay has nearly 4 miles of dog-friendly beach
If you wish to plan lovely beach, river and moors walks, visit our Walks and Cosy Pubs page for details of the local area and popular days out with your dog(s). The Countryside Code provides sensible rules for anybody (dog owners or not) using the countryside. Our Pubs and Restaurants indicates against each venue if dogs are welcomed, which will hopefully help you plan your dog-friendly Cornish adventure! Our local pub – The Weary Friar – is dog-friendly, and is only 1 km away. We provide some OS maps in each cottage.
The South Cornwall beaches are very dog friendly. Many beaches welcome dogs all year, and others only from October to March, so do click here for further details.
Care in the Cottages
Please use the dog sofa throws to protect the furniture if you allow your pet on the sofas. We prefer dogs to be kept out of bedrooms, but trust our guests to be responsible, knowing their dogs. We can provide stair gates in all of the cottages to keep the dogs in the main living areas, where there are hardwood floors.
Please do not leave any dog alone and unattended in your cottage unless it is crated. We have provided a long list of pubs where you can eat with your dog, but we know that it is not always possible or practical to take the dog with you. We have several crates from Small to XXXL we can lend to guests, which are perfect if you are going out to dinner for a few hours. We are proud of our 5* Gold grading, and need to keep the cottages in top condition to keep it, which is incompatible with dogs chewing furniture. This is particularly relevant for puppies. Reimbursement for any damage caused to the furniture by your dog will be your responsibility.
Please ensure that the cottage is clean and free from dog hair before you leave. We regret that we will charge an additional cleaning fee of £50 if your cottage requires extra cleaning of rugs, carpets or furnishings.
If any dog is persistently causing nuisance or distress to other guests, we reserve the right to ask the owner to leave.
Dog Charities
We are a dog loving holiday destination. We know that your dog is part of your family. We support all organisations that focus on the wellbeing of dogs and other pets, in particular the following local and national organisations. If you have any unwanted dog food/treats or outgrown collars, coats etc we will willingly ensure these get to the charities that need and can use them.
GABLES Gables Dogs and Cats Home (rescue and rehoming centre), Plymouth. A local dog charity that is supported by our village (Pillaton) summer fair ‘The Cherry Feast’.
RSPCA The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is an independent, communit0based charity that provides animal care and protection services across the UK. It is the oldest and largest animal welfare charity, rescuing, rehabilitating, rehoming animals since 1824.
CORNWALL SEARCH DOGS: We value the special skill set our dogs have to search and want to help those when they need us most. The object of Cornwall Search Dogs (Searching for lost People and Dogs) is:
1. The preservation and protection of health and the saving of lives by providing a dedicated and trained emergency search service consisting of appropriately trained dogs and volunteer handlers to assist and support the emergency services and voluntary rescue services in the search and rescue of missing persons in Cornwall.
2. ‘For the benefit of the public to relieve the unnecessary suffering of animals by the searching for lost dogs’.
LOST DOG CORNWALL: On the Kernock Estate, the Dog Park is fenced and enclosed so safe for off-lead exercise. However, if you happen to lose your dog whilst you are on holiday in Cornwall, there is a Facebook Group to help reunite you with your dog.
Recommended Veterinary Practice
Hopefully you won’t have need of a vet while you are staying here, but if you do have an emergency then we would recommend Calweton Veterinary Group in Callington. The address is 79 Tavistock Rd, Callington and they have a 24-hour helpline:
T: 01579 383231 SN: PL17 7RD W: www.calwetonvets.com
Dog Groomers
There are several dog groomers in the area, some of whom will even come to you:
Callington Dog & Cat Grooming Services – Complete dog and cat grooming service. All breeds and cross-breeds welcome. They offer show-preparation for all breeds. The owner ( Eve Somers ) is the most highly-qualified dog groomer in the South-West of England and is a member of The Guild of Master Groomers. This grooming salon welcomes and abides by The Small Animal Welfare Act 2007. Address – 79 Tavistock Rd, Callington
T 01579 383004 SN PL17 7RD
Tamar View Dog Groomers – Tamar View Nurseries, Carkeel, Saltash. Cornwall PL12 6PH
T 01752 840988 W www.tamarviewdoggroomers.godaddysites.com
Doggystyle Mobile Grooming – Loveton, Vollards Lane, Hatt, Saltash. Cornwall. PL12 6RD
T 0333 666 1966
Dog Walkers and Doggy Day Care
Central Bark offers dog walking, boarding and doggie daycare services throughout the Plymouth, Saltash and East Cornwall areas.
T 07522 404955 W www.central-bark.co.uk
Wild About Walkies services include dog walking, dog-sitting, and pet taxi.
T 07890 161738 W www.forwalks.co.uk/dog-walkers/wild-about-walkies-saltash/