Visiting Osterley Park with your dog

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.

Osterley Park 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 are welcome in the park at Osterley – please keep them on a lead on the main paths by the house and courtyard. They are also welcome in the Stables Café, outdoor courtyard and the shop, but please keep them on a lead. Assistance dogs on leads are welcome in all areas.

There is an off-lead area on the front lawn, but please keep your dog under close control.

Winter Walkies

4 November 2024 - 28 February 2025

All throughout winter, your furry friends can join you on a stroll through Osterley's formal winter garden.

As you breath in the cool air and explore our gardens together, you can see the winter plants and flowers that blossom this time of year.

A maximum of two dogs per person and five dogs maximum are allowed in the gardens at any one time. Leads are compulsory.

Lead-free paths in Osterley Park are still accessible for your four-legged friends to enjoy.

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

Where can't my dog go?

During the spring/summer season (March 1 - November 1) dogs are not allowed in the garden.

Facilities available for my dog

There are water bowls outside the Stables Café and six dog waste bins located around the estate.

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.