Visiting Standen House and Garden with your dog

A close-up image of a tan-brown dog with a white muzzle and zip, with trees visible in the background — Bring your dog on a visit to Standen | © National Trust Images/Annapurna Mellor

Your four-legged friends are welcome at Standen, in fact the Beales owned dogs themselves. You can explore acres of woodland on the wider estate and follow paths around the formal garden.

Our pawprint rating system

We’ve been working on making it easier for you to find out how dog-friendly your visit will be before you and your four-legged friend arrive. To help with this, we've created a new pawprint rating system and given all the places in our care a rating. You can find this information in the National Trust members’ handbook.

Standen House and Garden is a two pawprint rated place.

These places have water bowls, dog bins and dog-friendly walks. You’ll be able to take your dog into some areas, but not everywhere. If there’s a food and beverage outlet, you can have a cup of tea with them, probably outside. Read on to discover exactly where you can take your dog.

Where can my dog go?

Dogs on short leads are welcome at Standen in the garden and wider estate.

Enjoy a longer walk on the estate including ancient bluebell woods and meadowland which can be enjoyed all year round. Dogs are welcome on a lead.

Where can't my dog go?

Assistance dogs only in the house, shop and Barn Café. Please don't leave your dog unattended.

Be aware

Please read local notices which will inform you about livestock, the lambing season and any ground-nesting birds in the area.

Close up of a small brown and white dog — Dogs are welcome at Standen | © National Trust Images/Chris Lacey

Facilities available for my dog

You'll find waste bins in the car park, at the end of the farm track to Hollybush Wood and at the entrance to Jack and Tommy field. After a walk in the grounds and woodland, stop off at the Barn Café for a takeaway tasty treat or picnic. Dogs are welcome in the courtyard seating area and water bowls are available there and at visitor reception. Assistance dogs only in the Barn Café and shop.

Dog parking

If you are planning to leave your four-legged friend in the car at any stage during your visit, please be aware the car park offers very limited shade and is on a first come, first served basis.

There are many benches in the garden where you can wait with your dog while other members of your party visit the house.

The Canine Code

We’ve worked with our partner Forthglade to come up with this Canine Code, which helps to make sure everyone can enjoy their day:

Keep them close: using a short lead helps to keep your dog from disturbing ground-nesting birds and farm animals. It's essential to use a short lead around sheep. But if cattle approach you, it's best to let your dog off the lead, and call them back when it's safe to do so.
Pick up the poo: please always clear up after your dog. If you can't find a bin nearby, take the poo bags home with you.
Watch the signs: keep an eye on local signs and notices wherever you're walking. They'll tell you if a beach has a dog ban, for instance, or if a path has been diverted, or if you're in an area where dogs can run off-lead.
Stay on the ball: remember that not everyone loves dogs, and some people fear them. So make sure your dog doesn't run up to other people, especially children.

Keeping control of your dog

Our definition of close or effective control is:

Being able to recall your dogs in any situation at the first call
Being able to clearly see your dog at all times (not just knowing they have gone into the undergrowth or over the crest of the hill). In practice, this means keeping them on a footpath if the surrounding vegetation is too dense for your dog to be visible
Not allowing them to approach other visitors without their consent
Having a lead with you to use if you encounter livestock or wildlife, or if you are asked to use one