Testimonials
See what some of our previous guests thought about their stay.
Bracken - February 2026
We had the absolute best time staying at Red Dog Retreat celebrating our very nervous girlys 3rd birthday! Nikki and Chris are incredible, it feels like we've known them for years as they have been super accommodating, welcoming and truly went above and beyond to ensure we had the best holiday experience ever! The hard work and high level of attention to detail that has gone into creating the best reactive doggo holiday cabin ever is admirable. Bracken (who usually has to be encouraged into a new place for the first time) couldn't wait to get in soon as we arrived, she able to sleep deeply, cuddle us properly (for the first time ever!), and had a reaction free week (which is absolutely huge!!). It is so peaceful, with incredible walks (even right from the cabin so you don't have to drive if you don't want to), we were also able to truly relax ourselves (having a reactive dog is hard work, so if you know, you know, just how great to relax is!) we absolutely cannot wait to go back and are so grateful to the wonderful Cooper for inspiring it all. We have definitely found our favourite holiday destination we will be visiting again - thank you for everything you've done Nikki and Chris!
Mishka and Skyla- February 2026
We were honestly a little nervous booking before this place was even built, but we loved watching the progress as it came together — and now we can confidently say we’ve found our dream dog-friendly stay!
This isn’t just “dog friendly” — it’s built for dogs (who just happen to bring their favourite hoomans along!). Finding somewhere that says it’s secure and actually is secure is such a breath of fresh air. Dogs are allowed everywhere, with no hidden “no-go” areas when you arrive. For those of us with big pups who have no recall and can be reactive, this place is an absolute dream.
The cabin itself is lovely and we loved the dog-suitable flooring, the generous supply of dog essentials, and the charming old furniture and dog-themed décor. You can really tell this place has been designed by people who get it.
Arriving with two over-excited dogs can be overwhelming, but having a food delivery met in advance made everything 100% less stressful. We were able to let the pups run off their excitement straight away without any worry — exactly what you need after a journey to a new place .
Thank you, Cooper, for inspiring such a fantastic place — and thank you Nikki & Chris for creating something so special. We’ll be booking again as soon as the diary opens!
Misha and Junior- March 2026
An amazing week in an amazing retreat! Red Dog Retreat is perfectly set up to help reactive dogs to find peace and safety in a secure environment. Nikki and Chris have put a lot of thought into creating the retreat, both from their own knowledge and also actively listening to others with experience and different reactive responses. Both myself and my two Shiba Inus highly recommend Red Dog Retreat and hope we are lucky enough to go again in the future 🥰
Hendric and Judy - March 2026
We had an absolutely brilliant week at Red Dog Retreat. Nikki and Chris have thought of everything to make it a perfect stay for both dogs and their people. Our daughter spent many wonderful hours playing with the dogs in the private woodland and we enjoyed exploring lots of the recommended walks- very peaceful and beautiful scenery. Our dogs loved having so much freedom to explore and going on new adventures everyday before curling up infront of a cosy fire. We can’t wait to come back, thank you for a fabulous week
Ria and Charlie- April 2026
Thank you to Nikki and Chris for creating such wonderful retreat and to Cooper for being the inspiration. Finding a truly secure dog friendly location in such a beautiful place can be hard, but Red Dog Retreat hit and exceeded all our needs and expectations. The lodge and cowshed were just perfect with everything you and your dogs could possibly need and plenty of space so we didn't feel crowded in. The wood burner kept us toasty warm (a must in March) and the outdoor space was brilliant for our 2 to run about, sniff and play to their hearts content before heading out through the private woodlands onto trails leading to some stunning views. Nikki and Chris were able to meet us in person, but were incredibly respectful, ensuring our dogs were ok with this before coming over to say hi. We feel incredibly lucky to have found this place and highly recommend it to others with nervous/reactive dogs as it has been designed and built (with so much love and attention to detail) for them, with the added bonus of being a fabulous and relaxing environment for their humans too. We can't wait to visit again.
Nellie and Molly- April 2026
We had a fantastic stay at Red dog. Everything is fantastically set up for dogs and this made it very relaxing for our stay. The cabin is very well thought out and comfortable for the humans too. We enjoyed walks out the back gate through the woods, not having to get in the car for every walk was lovely. There are many beautiful walks a short drive away too. Nikki and Chris are just the best hosts, nothing is too much trouble. We will definitely return 😊 ps the cider locally was very enjoyable!
Max - April 2026
Excellent set up for nervous or reactive dogs. Large garden/wooded area for the dog to roam around without stress or risk. A nice secluded spot which was perfect and allowed us to relax in the knowledge our dog was safe and happy. There are lots of walks in the local area for anyone looking to venture out, most of which are pretty quiet too. There were some sheep and cows on the hills but easy to avoid and all dogs must be on leads which is perfect for us.
Maisy and Beau- May 2026
With 2 nervous dogs who don't settle away from home, Red Dog Retreat was the perfect spot for us all to relax for a few days. The fully secured outside area provided plenty of space and enrichment for the dogs to enjoy zoomies and chill in the shade of the private woodland. The hosts Nikki & Chris couldn't have been more helpful and have clearly designed the retreat with the dogs needs 1st, which allows for the humans to also enjoy the stay with less stress too. The cabin space is lovely with everything you need for a comfortable stay, but it's the overall setup that makes it such a good place to stay with nervous or reactive dogs. I honestly can't recommend it enough and we are already looking forward to returning for another stay soon.