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✅ How to book your XL Escape
All bookings for Dogs Love Holidays are managed directly through their website.
For the latest prices, availability and booking information, please click "Book Now" to be directed to their page.
Kim & Chris Ewen
We are SO excited to welcome you to our home! As the founders of XL Escapes, we pour our hearts into creating a space where you can relax, unwind, and make lasting memories.
With two rescue dogs—Holly from Bosnia and Buddy from All Bullie Rescue—and Nala, our beautiful ginger cat (and undisputed Queen of the house), we understand how important it is to feel not just at home, but truly content and relaxed—especially when traveling with your furry companions.
Our goal is to offer more than just a holiday; we want to provide a home away from home where you can escape daily pressures, have a laugh, and enjoy quality time with loved ones. Whether it’s a cosy night in, exploring the local area, or simply making time for yourself, we’re here to make your stay special.
If you have any requests—big or small—just let us know. We’re always happy to help (and we love an excuse to bring a smile to your face, drink in hand, of course!).
Meet Your Hosts
Dogs Love Holidays was founded by Mandy, a professional Dog Trainer and Behaviour Consultant with over ten years' experience working predominantly with fearful and anxious dogs, including five years with Dogs Trust.
She is a Fear Free Certified Dog Trainer, a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, holds a First Class Honours Degree in Psychology, a Certificate of Higher Education in Companion Animal Welfare and Behavioural Rehabilitation with Bristol University, and is a qualified Dynamic Dog Practitioner.
Mandy's approach is built around kindness, respect, fairness and modern science-led training methods. Her passion for dog welfare inspired the creation of Dogs Love Holidays after seeing how difficult it was for owners of reactive dogs to find genuinely suitable holiday accommodation.
Together with her husband Michael, an artist and sculptor, they moved to Mid Wales to create the peaceful retreat they had always wished existed for their own dogs.
XL Escapes Peace Of Mind Promise
Every business you see on XL Escapes has confirmed to us that they welcome XL Bullies.
Before being listed, we ask the questions we'd want answered ourselves — from real experience living and travelling with XL and reactive dogs.
That includes confirming they are happy to host XL Bullies, that their listing details are accurate, and that they've considered their own legal and insurance responsibilities.
We don't assume.
We don't guess.
We ask — and they confirm.
If anything changes or a business doesn't stand by what they've told us, we take it seriously.
If a business listed on XL Escapes turns you away because of your dog's breed, contact us.
We will review it, remove them if necessary, and refund your membership.
Cancellation Policy
Home Rules & Useful Information
Dogs Love Holidays
⚲ Staylittle, Powys, Mid Wales
Reactive dogs welcome · XL Bullies welcome · Sleeps 4 guests · Exclusive 15 acres of private land · 6ft fenced paddock · Hafren Forest location · Multiple dogs stay free
A bespoke holiday designed around your dog. Dogs Love Holidays specialises in providing quiet, stress-free holidays for dogs and their owners, with a particular focus on reactive, fearful and anxious dogs. Set in the heart of Hafren Forest, this peaceful retreat offers privacy, enclosed exercise areas and beautiful woodland walks straight from the door.
Full Property Description:
Dogs Love Holidays was created with one simple aim – to make holidays as quiet, relaxing and stress free as possible for both you and your dog.
Rather than simply being "dog friendly", every aspect of the accommodation has been designed with dogs in mind, especially those who find everyday life overwhelming. Whether your dog is reactive, anxious, fearful or simply enjoys peace and quiet, this bespoke holiday experience offers somewhere you can truly relax together.
Located within the beautiful Hafren Forest in Mid Wales, the accommodation is surrounded by nearly 10,000 acres of forest where your closest neighbours are trees. Guests can enjoy peaceful walks directly from the door, along with exclusive access to extensive private land.
The accommodation sleeps four adults and has been carefully designed to make life easy for both dogs and their owners, with enclosed outdoor spaces, practical dog facilities and the flexibility to accommodate individual needs wherever possible.
About This Listing
This property is owned and managed by the host. The information below is provided by the property owner and confirmed as accurate by them.
XL Escapes publishes this information to help guests make informed decisions and does not own or manage this property.
Full Property Description:
Dogs Love Holidays was created with one simple aim – to make holidays as quiet, relaxing and stress free as possible for both you and your dog.
Rather than simply being "dog friendly", every aspect of the accommodation has been designed with dogs in mind, especially those who find everyday life overwhelming. Whether your dog is reactive, anxious, fearful or simply enjoys peace and quiet, this bespoke holiday experience offers somewhere you can truly relax together.
Located within the beautiful Hafren Forest in Mid Wales, the accommodation is surrounded by nearly 10,000 acres of forest where your closest neighbours are trees. Guests can enjoy peaceful walks directly from the door, along with exclusive access to extensive private land.
The accommodation sleeps four adults and has been carefully designed to make life easy for both dogs and their owners, with enclosed outdoor spaces, practical dog facilities and the flexibility to accommodate individual needs wherever possible.
Paw of Approval
Photos from real stays, with dogs who gave it their paw of approval.
Amenities:
Dog-Friendly Details That Matter
XL Bullies are welcomed.
Reactive, fearful and anxious dogs are actively catered for.
Multiple dogs are welcomed free of charge, subject to available space.
There are no other resident dogs, pets or livestock on site.
Guests have sole use of an approximately 2-acre paddock enclosed with a minimum 6ft fence.
The cottage garden is enclosed with 6ft fencing.
Guests also have unrestricted access to approximately 15 acres of private land, including woodland, paddocks, a small lake, waterfall and dingle. The land is stock fenced and gated.
Quiet woodland walks begin directly from the cottage into Hafren Forest, where the chances of meeting other people or dogs are very low.
A rarely used public footpath crosses part of the driveway and runs alongside the pond before entering the forest. It does not pass through the private paddocks or upper woodland.
Owners are shown around the property on arrival and dogs should remain on lead until this introduction has taken place.
Owners are responsible for deciding when their dog can safely be off lead.
Dogs must not be left unattended in the cottage, garden or surrounding land.
Dogs may sleep on the beds provided owners bring their own bedding.
Spare dog beds, crates, bowls and leads are available free of charge on request.
A dedicated dog room includes tiled flooring with underfloor heating, space for drying coats and towels, and storage for dog equipment.
There is an outdoor hot and cold dog shower.
Additional freezer space is available for guests feeding frozen raw diets.
The accommodation has tiled floors with underfloor heating throughout, with non-slip rugs suitable for older dogs or those with mobility issues.
Dog sitting is available, subject to availability.
Behaviour consultations and one-to-one training sessions with Mandy can be arranged during your stay.
The owners ask guests to ensure dogs are up to date with parasite treatment and that dogs with contagious conditions do not attend.
The owners cannot guarantee that fencing will never be compromised by wildlife and recommend guests inspect fencing themselves if they have concerns about particularly determined escape artists.
Neighbourhood Overview:
Dogs Love Holidays is located in the heart of Hafren Forest in Mid Wales, surrounded by nearly 10,000 acres of woodland.
Guests can enjoy quiet walks directly from the cottage through peaceful forestry where encounters with other walkers and dogs are uncommon. The private grounds include paddocks, woodland, a waterfall, a small lake and secluded natural spaces, creating a tranquil setting for dogs who prefer calm surroundings.
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