Tips for Bringing your Dog to the Beach

Enjoy a fun, stress-free beach day with your pup.

This summer, my puppy, Ginny, discovered that swimming was her favourite activity.

We knew she had an affinity for water. She never misses a chance to dip her paws in a puddle and her favourite walks involve crossing rivers.

However, she had never fully taken the leap to swimming.

This summer, a heatwave hit the South of France. So we brought Ginny to the beach in Spain.

It didn’t take her very long to immerse herself in water. And, once she had, it was nearly impossible to get her out.

We went to a number of beaches in Spain and in the South of France. In doing so, I learned a few tips to have a fun day at the beach with your puppy.

Make sure your dog is allowed on the beach

One thing we rapidly discovered is that dogs are not allowed on most beaches in France and in Spain.

It’s understandable. A lot of people allow their dogs to poo on the beach and do not pick it up. No one wants their kids to dig up dog poo when they are building a sandcastle.

Because most beaches don’t allow dogs, it is important to check in advance. It’s very disappointing to drive all the way to a beach, only to find out you can’t bring your dog.

While we were in Spain, I used the following map to find beaches near us:

It came in very handy. I’m sure there are equivalents for other countries.

One thing to keep in mind is that, even if a beach is marked as dog-friendly, sometimes only one part of the beach accepts dogs. So make sure to read all the signs. It is usually very clear which parts of the beach do not accept dogs.

Do not force your dog to do things she doesn’t want to do

Some dogs love swimming. Others prefer staying on the beach and digging holes.

That’s okay.

You need to follow your dog’s lead and not force her to do things she is not comfortable with.

If she doesn’t want to go in the water, do not carry her in the water. That might traumatize her and remove any chance she might have of enjoying the water.

Instead, encourage her gently. Show her that there is nothing to fear. Throw a stick in the water to see if she wants to run after it.

And if she decides that she wants to stay on the beach, let her.

If your dog is not friendly with other dogs, keep him on a lead

There are very few dog-friendly beaches, at least in the area where we were. Because of that, and because a lot of dogs love going to the beach, these beaches tend to be packed with dogs.

Overall, we had mostly positive experiences with all the other dogs and dog parents we met. However, at one of the beaches we went to, a dog was kept off-lead and bothered the other dogs, almost causing fights a number of times.

Eventually, that dog was put back on a lead. It was irresponsible for the owners of that dog to leave him off-lead in the first place.

I understand that they wanted their dog to have a fun day at the beach. But if your dog is not socialized properly and can’t get along with other dogs, it is important for their safety and the safety of the other dogs and humans around that that dog be kept under control.

You know your own dog. You know if they are capable of handling interactions with other dogs. Take the appropriate measures to make sure everyone has a fun day.

Bring the right equipment

There are a few things I would advise you bring for your dog at the beach:

• A towel if you don’t want your car to be full of salty water and sand on the drive home
• A water bowl and some water. Your dog will probably try to drink the salty sea water, which is dehydrating. Moreover, your dog will run, swim, and be active under the sun. It is therefore important to have some water for your dog to keep them hydrated
• A waterproof or cheap lead. We made the mistake of bringing our nice extendable lead to the beach. It got soaked in salty water and some of the metal components rusted. It would be better to find a lead that can get wet without suffering damage.
• Some clear water to rinse your dog. If there are no showers at the beach to rinse your dog, you might want to bring some water with you. If you have a long drive home from the beach, it will be uncomfortable for your dog to remain soaked in salty water and can cause skin irritations.

Another unusual piece of equipment we wish we had brought was water shoes for ourselves. A lot of the beaches that allow dogs are not the nicer beaches. They are a bit out of the way and are often rocky. A number of times, we weren’t able to swim with Ginny because the ground was too rocky.

Pick up after yourself

This shouldn’t have to be said. If your dog poops on the beach, pick it up and throw it away in the garbage.

A lot of people seem to think that, because it’s sand, they can just bury it.

As I’ve mentioned above, no one wants their kids to come upon poo when they are building a sandcastle.

No one wants to walk down the beach and step in dog poo.

There is a reason why most beaches don’t allow dogs and it is because of people who do not pick up after their dogs and who do not keep their dogs under control.

Allow your pup to rest

Spending a day at the beach is exhausting for your dog. It involves a lot of running, swimming, digging holes, discovering new smells, etc.

It is important that your dog be allowed to rest after a day like that. While we were in Spain for a few days, we didn’t bring Ginny with us every time we went to the beach. We left her at home to relax and recuperate.

We had so much fun at the beach with Ginny. It was incredibly rewarding to see her discover new experiences and have the best day of her life, over and over again.

However, it did require a bit of preparation and following some rules while we were there.

If you follow these tips, you are sure to have an incredible outing at the beach with your pup.