Please take a Tour of our Home

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You'll always receive a warm welcome at Rye Close, though it may be a little noisy (as you will know, dachshunds give their own 'special' greeting to newcomers!)

As you enter our home, you'll see we have a portable barrier: guests can't make their great escape & visitors aren't bowled over by over-excited sausages! On your right, our noticeboard displays useful information about dachshund health, first aid  & general dog safety.

To your left, you'll see our fire point - with carbon monoxide detector, powder (all purpose) extinguisher, fire blanket, emergency kit bag (with spare leads, collapsible drinking bowls) & fire evacuation plan. There are smoke detectors on every floor & an additional fire blanket & carbon monoxide detector on the top landing.

On the right is our admin area, where we keep our hard copy records, diaries & operations manual (which you are welcome to browse through). The noticeboard means we have easy access to emergency information of the dogs in our care. 

The first room on the right is the large living room, which leads to our conservatory through a set of lockable French windows. 

Our large living room is dachshund friendly (with plenty of steps to aid small legs) & clutter free.

Looking at the living room from the other side of the room, you will see we have plenty of space for sausages to relax and unwind. It's also great for dogs who love to fetch, especially when we open up the conservatory to give even more runway!

The snuggle sofa is particularly popular! It provides a handy spot to keep guard & watch all the comings & goings out of the front window.

The light, airy conservatory is one of Benji's favourite places & he regularly asks us to open the door so he can find another comfy spot to sleep on. There's an air conditioning unit if it gets too hot or too cold & we monitor the temperature of the room regularly with one of two portable thermometers. 

There are even more places to snuggle in the conservatory!

The plum ottoman is a treasure chest of toys, snuffle mats, hide & treat toys & an electric ball thrower courtesy of our neighbour (mini red smooth) Maddie & owner Sam.

The lockable patio doors in the conservatory provide a second handy exit to the back garden. They can also be safely wedged open if we're fortunate enough to have some sun!

Returning to the entrance hallway & past the living room, straight ahead, there is a downstairs toilet (not accessible to the dogs), which provides a handy base for cleaning equipment & a sink to wash dog utensils.

To the left of the downstairs toilet is the door to the large kitchen area, with plenty of surfaces to prepare food for the masses (humans & dogs alike, though not at the same time of course!)

Once at the far end of the kitchen, if you turn you'll see the archway leading to a second lounge area (previously a dining room). This is used for feeding & sleeping by guests.

The sofa bed at the far end, not only provides further viewing points for watchful dogs, but also can & has been used by Kathryn to sleep with first time guests to help them settle more easily into an unfamiliar environment. Usually one night is all it takes!

The crate on the right is Frankie's feeding area (he likes to know that nobody else is going to steal his food). We can stagger mealtimes so it can be borrowed by other dogs who feel the same. Many guests like to bring their dogs' own baskets, but we do have plenty of spare baskets & a second luxury crate (without door) just in case!

So he doesn't feel left out, Benji also has his own feeding area, hidden away, on a large footstool, accessible by a ramp. Again, with staggered feeding, this can be used by guests. Benji isn't precious!

The lockable back door in the kitchen provides access to a separate area of the conservatory, which we use to store dog equipment, food etc. It leads to a second lockable back door to gain access to the back garden.

We have a separate fridge and freezer for dog food & medication, so can accommodate a raw food diet on request. There's also plenty of storage in the lockable filing cabinet for tinned food, grooming equipment, medication & our stock of Lily's Kitchen & Eden dried food.

The lockable back door leads out onto the garden, with two paths to the left or right to reach the grassed area (offering either a ramp or low step access).

On the left of the back door is a path and accessible ramp leading up to the garden, ideal for those dogs who are a little uncertain of any steps. 

We have a lockable half gate providing a second barrier, as well as a full height lockable gate at the top of the path which leads to the front of the house.

The separate alleyway is where we keep the dedicated poo bin. The garden is checked & cleared regularly, often straight away. The poo bin contents are taken to the nearby council dog bins for safe disposal. We typically take the dogs for walks after feeding, so they do their business away from home (& we always have plenty of poo bags!)

We have a large back garden, giving the dogs plenty of space to run, chase & play, though guests are also treated to walks twice daily. 

All flower beds have borders to prevent access & the garden is regularly checked & maintained to keep it safe.

A barrier prevents dogs accessing our main decking area (with table & chairs), while garden stakes prevent curious noses seeking out the decorative border feature & mock 'pond' in front.

Back inside the house, at the entrance, is the staircase leading to the first and second floor. The dogs don't typically have access to the upstairs and there are stair gates at every access point.

On the first floor, to the right, is the family bathroom, which is where  any dogs who decide to roll in something nasty will be thoroughly cleansed!

The master bedroom is the next room along, which is where Frankie & Benji have their own luxury crate...

...though (like many dachshunds) they often find their way into our King size bed to snuggle under the duvet.

Stair gates prevent unwanted access to the second floor.

The large office on the second floor has spare bedding & baskets so Frankie, Benji & any guests can take a snooze if Kathryn has any work to do.

The office has windows to the front & back, but we also have a portable, rotating high-powered fan to keep cool in summer.

The office is kept tidy & wires are hidden away for safety. 

We hope you enjoyed your tour. There are three other bedrooms, which belong to our sons, so won't be accessible to guest dogs. Visitors are always welcome to come & take the tour in person, but we realise this may not always be possible before your visit if you live too far away.