The Dapple Standard
PROPERLY DOG FRIENDLY. PERSONALLY CHOSEN.
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Find your next little detour.
Award · Bowls
What suits your dog?
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We’ve been. We’ve sniffed.
Every review here starts with a visit with Luna and Dottie. Our humans remember the food and service; we remember the welcome, room to settle and very interesting smells.
We use the same questions each time, then tell the story in our own little voice. The practical details help you decide whether the place will suit your dog, too.
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A York weekend with paws.
A suggested combination from places we’ve visited—not a timed walking route.
- Explore: enjoy York at your own pace, with your humans in tow.
- Eat: choose the Viking atmosphere at Valhalla or the friendly courtyard welcome at The Fat Badger.
- Stay: Delta Hotels by Marriott York has our Bronze Bed. Bring your own bowls and bedding.
A little guide you can trust.
One award. Three kinds of adventure.
Dog beds for Stay & Snooze, dog bowls for At the Table, and paws for Out & About. Each place earns one Bronze, Silver or Gold award. The metal shows our overall verdict; the practical details show what to expect.
How we assess restaurants
We assess indoor dog access; welcome and dog provisions; space and atmosphere; food and service; and value and the overall experience. Each area contributes up to four points. Bronze starts at 10, Silver at 14 and Gold at 18 out of 20. Scores alone do not determine an award: Silver also requires at least very good food and good service. Gold requires exceptional food, at least good service and an exceptionally welcoming experience for dogs. We award the highest tier meeting both its score and minimum standards. Unknown answers are left unscored rather than counted as zero. Only restaurants welcoming dogs indoors qualify. A garden is useful, but not mandatory; parking is reported separately and does not affect the award.
Food and drink opinions come from our humans. Parking is a practical detail, not a score advantage.
How we assess stays
We look at five areas: the welcome and where dogs may join their humans; dog provisions and thoughtfulness; room comfort, cleanliness and space to settle; outdoor access and practical facilities; and value, service and the overall stay.
Each area can earn up to four points: 0 poor, 1 limited, 2 good, 3 very good and 4 exceptional. Bronze starts at 10, Silver at 14 and Gold at 18 out of 20. A score is not enough on its own: every awarded stay must provide a clean, comfortable room where dogs are welcome. Silver also needs a very good stay for both dogs and humans. Gold needs an exceptional overall stay and thoughtful hospitality that makes dogs feel like guests. Luxury facilities alone do not earn Gold, and a missing dog bed alone does not rule out an award.
We ask about beds, bowls, treats, dog charges, access restrictions, room space and noise, nearby toilet breaks, safe outdoor space, food storage or preparation facilities, and service. We report what is available rather than assume every stay offers the same facilities. Parking availability and cost are listed separately and do not affect the award. Unknown answers remain unscored; we confirm missing essentials before assigning a new award. Earlier stay awards remain our visit-based verdicts until reassessed against this checklist.
How we assess days out
We look at five areas: dog access and clear rules; the quality and variety of the outing; comfort and suitability for dogs; practical facilities and ease of the visit; and value and the overall experience.
Each area can earn up to four points: 0 poor, 1 limited, 2 good, 3 very good and 4 exceptional. Bronze starts at 10, Silver at 14 and Gold at 18 out of 20. Every awarded outing must offer a worthwhile, suitable experience with dogs. Silver also needs a very good outing; Gold needs an exceptional experience worth a special trip with dogs. Beautiful scenery alone does not guarantee Gold. Sensible lead rules and human-only historic buildings are explained, rather than automatically counting against a great outdoor experience.
We ask where dogs can go, lead and seasonal restrictions, walk length, surfaces, steps and steep sections, shade, water, rest stops, toilets, refreshments and admission costs. We note livestock, wildlife or other hazards encountered, without promising a route is safe for every dog. Parking availability and cost are reported separately and do not affect the award. Unknown answers remain unscored; missing essentials are confirmed before assigning a new award. Earlier outing awards remain our visit-based verdicts until reassessed against this checklist.
Our visit isn’t a promise about tomorrow
Dog policies, facilities and prices can change. We distinguish what happened on our visit from current rules checked on a venue’s website. Where a date or detail is still unknown, we say so. The girls’ experience will not suit every dog equally.
Independence, gifts and corrections
A venue cannot buy an award. Any gifted, sponsored or review-related discounted visit will be disclosed on its review. Suggestions from readers or venues do not become reviewed recommendations until Luna and Dottie have visited.
Spotted a change? Use “Report changed information” on a review. It opens a short form for our humans to check.