Broad Oaks Dog Retreat - FAQ

Yes, we are fully licenced with Somerset West & Taunton Council and have been awarded a 4 star higher standards licence. 

Every guest at Broad Oaks Dog Retreat will be given their own collar and ID tag for the duration of their stay. We provide a variety of toys and enrichment, together with beds, water and food bowls.  You will be provided with a checklist of items to bring upon booking, however please see some examples below:

• We ask that you provide all food needed for your dog’s stay (we always keep them on the same food) and this can be dry or a raw diet.  It is recommended you provide slightly more than you think will be needed.  
• Lead
• Treats
• Any Medications (if required)
• Up to date vaccination card

Yes, our guests do require to be fully vaccinated and also require the kennel cough vaccine.

Our guest's have the choice of sleeping in our large open plan living area, cosied up on the sofa, in their own room, or with company - it is important to us that our guests follow their usual routine as closely as possible and preferences can be requested on our booking form. 

We are insured with Petplan Sanctuary - details are available upon request.

There will be at least 2 walks a day - if your dog cannot be exercised for any reason they will receive at least 2 forms of enrichment per day suitable for their needs. We facilitate shorter walks for puppies and younger dogs to ensure they are not doing too much whilst they are still growing. We also have a large garden for your dogs to play and run around in.

Our retreat is within the grounds of our family home and is occupied 24 hours per day. 

We only book a maximum of 4 dogs at a time to ensure that we give our guests the maximum attention and care that they require. 

Yes, I have been canine first aid trained by a qualified trainer in August 2023.

Absolutely! We will provide you with daily photos and videos so you can follow along on your dogs holiday. Follow us on social media too for updates. Rest assured, your dog(s) will be treated as one of our family, with lots of attention, cuddles and play - we keep our numbers of guests low to ensure we are able to give each dog the time and individual attention they need.

Yes, but this does depend on the medication required. We are happy to administer most medications, but only with exact instructions. Medication will be kept in a secure location and at a suitable temperature. 

Yes, we do accept un-spayed females, in an ideal world we would prefer for them not to be in season during their stay. 

Sadly, we are unable to accept entire males over the age of 6 months.

To maintain our calm evening environment and routine for all of our guests, and to respect our local neighbours we regret no collections are available after 6 pm – an additional day of accommodation will need to be booked if you cannot collect by 6 pm.

On overnight trials, we get to introduce a new guest into our home, learn about their unique personality and establish whether we are a good fit for each other whilst we build a new friendship.

We spend time introducing a new guest to our home, for them to familiarise themselves with our environment and to see how well they integrate. We assess their behaviour in a variety of situations which gives us a good insight into whether we think they will thrive in our unique set up. 

Our assessment is based on suitability and temperament rather than breed. 

Our ideal guests are sociable, responsive to basic commands, able to walk nicely on a loose lead, in tune with social cues from other dogs, quiet and calm. As this is our family home and we respect our local community and neighbours we do not accept dogs who are very noisy and bark relentlessly.

There are limitations for larger breeds. Due to handling, lifting and transportation. 

Unfortunately, we are also not able to accommodate dogs with any history of aggression or reactivity to either other dogs or humans.

Bookings will be confirmed upon receipt of a 50% deposit, payable up to 24hrs of receiving the invoice. This is a non-refundable deposit and is deducted from the total balance payable.  

The final 50% balance is due 7 days before arrival. Any additional charges for top-up care, veterinary fees, or incidental items will be added to the balance and will require to be settled upon checkout. 

Booking balances are fully payable if cancellation notice is received within less than 7 days of the booking.

If for any reason Broad Oaks Dog Retreat has to cancel your booking we will give you 14 days notice and the 50% deposit will be returned to you. 

Our full terms and conditions will be provided to you for signing with our booking from, together with our policies and procedures.