Visiting Shugborough Estate with your dog

Brown spaniel wearing a high-vis jacket. | © Dog holding a ball in its mouth

Shugborough is the perfect place for a day out with your dog, with so many acres to explore. We've put together some simple tips for visiting with your four-legged friend.

Forthglade Paw Print System

We’ve worked in partnership with Forthglade to create the pawprint rating system, which shows the facilities for your dog at our places. Shugborough is a 'Two Paw Print' rated property, this means that Shugborough has 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. Take a look at this webpage to find out more about the facilities avaialbe for you and your dog, as well as where they can and can't go.

Where can my dog go?

We welcome well-behaved dogs in Park Farm café and all outdoor areas of the estate, including the walled garden and pleasure grounds. Assistance dogs are allowed inside in all buildings, including shops, cafés, the house, servants’ quarters and Park Farm House.

Where can't my dog go?

Dogs are not allowed in the tea-room, shops, house, Servants’ Quarters and Park Farm House. This is for the comfort and safety of other visitors and the collections.

There are some paddocks and electric fenced areas within the parkland that are home to livestock; please keep your dog on a short lead when passing these areas. We also ask that all walkers who use the bridleway keep their dogs on leads for the comfort of other visitors and the livestock in the neighbouring fields.

Assistance Dogs at Shugborough | © Annapurna Mellor

Facilities for Dog Walkers

There are dog bowls, taps, and tie up points in Park Farm and the Midden Yard. As well as several dog poo bins located across the estate.

We ask that the Mansion Tearoom is dog free, except assistance dogs, however there is sheltered seating in the midden yard for dog walkers to enjoy Food and Beverage from the Mansion Tearoom. The 'paw friendly' tearoom can be found in Park Farm, where you can also find pupa-chinos, doggie ice-cream and doggie muffins.

Grab a Pooch Passport

Between 1 September 2024 and 28 February 2025, every time you and your dog visit a different place we look after, you can get a stamp in your passport. You can pick up from a Pooch Passport for free Visitor Reception and the Mansion Shop. Once you’ve collected six stamps, you can get a free packet of natural dog treats. When you collect 12 stamps, you’ll get a free snood.

Pooch Passport

Two women walking a dog across the red bridge at Shugborough — Two friends walking a dog across the red bridge at Shugborough | © National Trust Images/ Annapurna Mellor

The Canine Code

We want you and your dog to have a fun and stress-free day. We also want to protect farm animals and precious wildlife habitats, as well as ensure everyone can enjoy the countryside, whether or not they have a dog. This is why we've teamed up with natural pet food maker Forthglade to put together 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.

What is close control?

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