Visiting Petworth with your dog

Close-up of a visitor holding their dog on a lead at the Vyne, Hampshire — Bring your four-legged friend to Petworth | © National Trust Images/Karen Legg

We love dogs at Petworth House and Park, in fact spaniels were the favourite pet of the 3rd Earl of Egremont when he lived here. These days dogs are welcome to stretch their legs at Petworth all year round, and with over 700 acres of parkland there are plenty of paths to explore. Assistance dogs are welcome in Petworth House and the Servants' Quarters.

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.

Petworth 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 Pleasure Garden and Deer Park. Please stay on the paths in the Pleasure Garden and keep your dog on a short lead. They are allowed off the lead in the Deer Park but must be closely supervised in order to keep the herd of deer safe.

Where can’t my dog go?

Only assistance dogs are allowed in Petworth House and the Servants’ Quarters.

Visitors walking their dog in the parkland at Calke Abbey, Derbyshire — Take a stroll in the park at Petworth | © ©National Trust Images/John Millar

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

The fawn season

Spring and early summer are fawn season in the park for the fallow deer, as the young are born in June and July. Please keep your dogs on leads when you visit during this time to make sure the young deer remain safe. Mother deer often leave their fawns alone in the long grass, so if you find one of these hidden on your walk, please give them space.

Facilities available for my dog

Dog waste bins are situated in the main car park, around park entrances and at the far end of the Pleasure Garden, towards Petworth House. We encourage responsible dog ownership and there are spare dog waste bags available at reception points.

Visiting Petworth town

You can easily visit the town from the park. Further west from the Park Gate to the Pleasure Garden is a slope through another gate that leads under the Cow Tunnel. Follow this for pedestrian access to Petworth town.

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.