Beach Etiquette With a Dog

When you first take your pooch to the beach, what you do is going to depend on their preferences and confidence level. It really depends on how much of the environment is new. There can be lots of people with children running around or lots of other dogs. If your pooch isn’t used to seagulls, they can come as a bit of a shock. They might love a dip in your local lake, but the sea is entirely different from the waves, it’s a less still body of water that can be more intimidating. The sand might even feel strange under their feet!  

Your first trip should be all about taking it at their pace and letting them soak in and enjoy the new environment. They might be happy to quietly sit and observe for their first visit or they might take to it with ease and be charging around and playing fetch on the sand in no time. If you have a pooch who loves to dog, you might just make their wildest things come true with the biggest sandbox they’ve ever seen. Every dog enjoys the beach a little differently.  

Getting your beloved pet comfortable with the beach and enjoying their walks is just one thing to consider but you also need to consider what is appropriate behaviour. You aren’t always the only person on the beach, and everyone should be able to enjoy the space.

If you’ve been to the beach before, you’re likely to have seen the signs asking you to leave the beach how you found it. Nobody wants to go to the beach and find it covered in litter or let their child build a sand castle only to have a few nasty surprises. When you take your pooch to the beach, you should leave nothing behind, and that includes their waste. It’s always better to over prepare than find yourself short of what you need. You should always have plenty of poo bags with you, no matter where you go or what time of day.  

You can buy 120 bags for under five pounds with Rufus & Rosie Premium Lavender Poop Bags so you can always have a healthy supply. They even smell great in case there’s a bit of a walk to the bin. Cleaning up after yourself not only creates a nice environment to be in but also means everyone else can enjoy it too. When beaches become overrun with dog mess, local councils can choose to restrict where dogs are allowed or ban them altogether. Cleaning up after your dog means you can come back for a day out time and time again. 

While you can take a towel and a brush to give your pup a quick wipe down after a swim or brush as much sand out of their coat before you get in the car, you’ll never be able to guarantee it’s all out. Swimming in salt water can dry out the skin, and the combination of the wet sea and dry sand can leave all manner of things caught in their coat. If you’ve been swimming in the sea, you’ll know that a good shower after makes you feel nice and fresh again - and your pooch is no different! 

A bath will help you groom out any debris left on them that you may not be able to see and get some much needed moisture back into their skin and coat. This 2 In 1 Shampoo, Shea Butter & Honey is perfect for that post dip bath. It will help to cleanse but also soothe and moisturise the skin and coat to leave your pup feeling their best.  

Be aware of the weather 

You should always check the forecast before you head out for a day at the beach. You will want to make sure you’re not going to be surprised by showers in the middle of the day or unusually high winds. If you’re having a nice summer’s day at the beach with your pooch, you should be aware of the temperature to make sure it’s not too hot. While you might enjoy lying on the beach and cooking yourself, your beloved pet has an extra layer of fur and very little capacity to sweat. They may enjoy a day lying on the cool tiles in the kitchen instead.  

If you go out on a hot day, you should bring plenty of water and ways to keep your canine companion nice and cool. Consider giving them the option to sit in some shade and relax on a cooling mat like the Kingdom Fruit Cooling Mat. The last thing you want to do is go to the beach on a hot day and have your pup overheat and need vet attention. When it comes time to grab an ice lolly to cool yourself off, you can consider bringing along some frozen goodies for them as well like the Rosewood Chilla Soak Shark Dog Toy.

While there are lots of ways to enjoy the beach like playing with a ball or going for a swim or even just lying on the sand with your best buddy, you should always be aware of what not to do as well. Avoiding these will mean that you and everyone else using the beach can have a fun day as well.  

While it might not seem fair that some beaches only allow dogs to use it for part of the year or not at all, there are plenty of dog friendly beaches you can enjoy with your pooch. Rules are often in place for a reason, and you can be fined for breaking them. You should avoid taking your pooch to beaches that don’t allow dogs at all and obey the rules at the beaches that do allow them.  

Venturing onto the beach in the middle of summer when they’re only allowed to use it in the winter months can easily lead to a year round ban on dogs using that beach for everyone and not just you. If the beach rules require your furry friend to be kept on lead at all times, you should pay attention and follow the rules to make sure everyone can have a good time.  

You can usually check which beaches are dog friendly and what the rules are on the local council's website who manage that area. You should always check before you go.  

Before you let your puppy pal go for a swim, you should be aware of their ability. The sea isn’t the best place to teach your tiny puppy how to swim because of the tide. The sea is not a still body of water, and you’ll find it easier and safer to teach them either in a pool in your garden or in a still lake or pond. The currents in the sea add an extra level of difficulty that not all dogs are able to enjoy or even cope with.  

Even if your four-legged friend is a strong swimmer and you’re confident in their ability, you should never let them go and explore the sea on their own. Tides and currents can change quickly and they can easily get further out to sea than they intended. Our beloved pets are also not great at deciding when they’re too tired to continue but with you close by you can call them out of the water to make sure they get any rest they need.   

Your pooch should have some basic training before you consider letting them off the lead at the beach. You may be a few sessions deep into training your puppy to come back when called but they might not be ready for the distraction of other dogs, people, food, or birds. The beach is a fun place filled with lots of different smells and sounds and it’s easy for a dog to forget you exist for a few minutes if something tickles their fancy. If your pooch won’t come back when called, they should not be going off lead. Some dogs won’t appreciate a friendly pup running over to say hello, if they’re kept on lead, they may be on lead for a very good reason.  

Families having picnics on the beach don’t want the addition of a dog throwing sand everywhere and trying to help themselves so you need to be sure your training will work against other high-value distractions. Don’t worry, you’re not alone if your pooch gets blinkers on as soon as they see anything exciting, it just means you may need a little more management. Taking a lead like the Halti Black Retractable Dog Lead or a Clix Long Line Training Lead will give them extra room to run around but you will still have control over them. Having your dog under control isn’t just a courtesy but it’s also a legal requirement no matter where you go with them.  

You can find everything you need for a fun day at the beach while keeping both yourself and your pooch safe and able to enjoy yourselves in store and online.