The Anne'x, Dalbeattie

The Anne'x is a newly finished self-catering annexe on a quiet residential street in Dalbeattie, and it works well for a couple travelling with a dog or two. Guests with dogs single out the location more than anything else: Dalbeattie Forest is on the town's doorstep, the Solway coast at Kippford and Rockcliffe is a short drive, and there is good walking straight from the front door.

Inside, the property is comfortable and genuinely warm - it held its heat through a night at minus five - and it is consistently described as very clean, which is not always a given in a dog-friendly let. Two bathrooms is an unusual bonus at this size, the bed draws praise for comfort, and there is plenty of hot water for washing a muddy dog down after a forest walk. The WiFi is reliable and the television is easy to work out.

The one thing dog owners should know before booking is the garden. It is unfinished and, at the time of the most recent reviews, had no gate. Three separate parties travelling with dogs raised it, with complaints ranging from the missing gate to there being no usable outdoor space for a dog at all. If your dog cannot be trusted loose in an open garden, plan around that; guests who were otherwise happy were clear that a finished, gated garden would make the property close to perfect. It is worth asking the host directly whether the gate has since gone in.

The smaller gripes are cosmetic: no wardrobe or hanging space for coats, and a kitchen window that could use a blind. The host is described as helpful and easy to reach when contacted. Best suited to a couple with a well-behaved dog who will be out walking the forest and the coast most of the day and want a clean, warm, modern base to come back to. It earns a 4.3 out of 5 paw rating.