Dog-friendly places to go in summer

Summer is the perfect time to get out and about in the beautiful countryside and spend some quality time with our dogs. However, sometimes it can be easy to fall into a routine of going on the same walks all the time.

Taking your dog to new places can have a wide range of benefits, including new sights, smells, and sounds for your four-legged friend to explore and even the chance to make new friends. Just take care to offer your dog plenty of water, shade and food to keep them safe in the summer heat.

A great way to spend a sunny day is at an English heritage or National Trust site. These estates and monuments are incredibly beautiful (hence their protected status), but many of them are also dog-friendly.

You will most likely need to keep your dog on their lead due to these being public spaces but the variety on offer is incredible, and both institutions list dog friendliness for their sites on the website directory.

A few of our favourites include Scarborough Castle, a gorgeous ruin in the North of England with fantastic views of the surrounding countryside; The Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall, the most popular botanical garden in the UK, which is now dog friendly all year round; and Cotswold Wildlife Park, which is the only wildlife park in the UK that permits entry to dogs, and also contains over 160 species of animal.

A day at the beach gives both you and your pooch equal chance to really get into the summer spirit. As an island nation we’re blessed that most of us don’t live too far from the coast, so take advantage of this and get some exercise running up and down the sand, or take a dip in the sea.

Cornwall in particular is well known for the enormous variety and scale of its dog-friendly beaches. What’s more is that because beaches are a popular destination for dog walkers, they’ll have plenty of opportunities to make new friends and socialise while you can do the same!

Before you head off, just make sure to check local beach guidelines, as sometimes there are restrictions depending on the time of day or the season, as well as regulations for keeping your dog on a lead.

This summer, why not head off to your local dog-friendly pub and enjoy a drink and some good grub, all with your best friend by your side. This is a particularly good way to wind down after a nice country walk and many pubs will be happy to serve up a little something for your dog.

We would recommend planning a day trip around a walk with plenty of fields and green trees that loops round nicely to a pub. Institutions like National Trails are a great way to scope out some good walks, while a quick internet search will help you identify the nearest pub.

Dogs are inquisitive and playful creatures by nature, and they love exploring new areas, so why not try a new park this summer? Most of us will live in the vicinity of at least one or two parks and while your dog’s favourite might be part of their routine, it’s important to change it up every once in a while.

You might initially find that they get a little over excited or nervous at the prospect of change, but if you give them plenty of love and support they might even have a new favourite park by the end of the day.