Use the cottage garden without assuming it is secure
Treat the garden as a place to enjoy together until you have checked how it is arranged and understood the host's conditions.
Look before relying on the boundary
Keep the dog controlled while you inspect the perimeter on arrival. Look along the ground, beside gates and behind outbuildings, not just at the most visible fence. Check whether anyone else uses the entrance or garden. A description of an enclosed space does not account for every dog's ability or every change since the photographs were taken.
Notice the surroundings too. Livestock, passing dogs or a road beyond the hedge can affect how you use the area. Decide on a suitable arrangement for your dog rather than assuming that a closed gate answers every question. If the space differs from the listing or something is damaged, contact the host and use another plan while it is clarified.
Look again after a maintenance visit or anything that changes the space. A gate that was closed in the morning may have been used later, and furniture may have been moved to reach a border. You do not need to repeat an elaborate inspection every few minutes, but the arrival check should not become a permanent assumption that nothing can change.
Keep supervision practical
Choose a place to sit where you can actually attend to the dog, rather than expecting to keep track while cooking in another room. Keep the lead accessible and follow any shared-area rules. If several adults are present, say who is responsible when somebody goes inside. A garden can feel contained enough that each person assumes another is watching.
Avoid attaching equipment to garden furniture, trees or fittings without agreement. Do not move heavy objects to close a gap or alter the boundary yourself. Such changes may create problems for the property and still fail to provide the arrangement you need. It is often simpler to use the space on lead with you and choose suitable walks elsewhere.
Make it one part of the stay
Enjoy the garden for breakfast, reading or a quiet interval between outings if that suits the dog and the rules. It does not have to become an exercise area to be valuable. Collect toys and waste before leaving, keep gates as instructed and allow shared users their space. A modest, supervised use of a pleasant garden can be easier than making the whole holiday depend on unrestricted access.