Dog at the beach: what to bring and other useful tips.In this article you will find tips for taking your dog to the beach and having a good time together without risking unpleasant inconveniences that could endanger the animal’s health.
Dog at the beach: what to bring and other useful tips
If you have decided to go to the beach with your four-legged friend during the holidays to swim together and spend a day full of fun and relaxation, we hope that these indications will be useful for you!
Although, in fact, going to the beach with your dog is a wonderful experience , it is important to take all the necessary precautions to safeguard its well-being.
We are lucky enough to live a few steps from the sea and Raki, in the heat, can’t wait to go for a bath.
The ones we will give you, then, are all suggestions that are based on our personal experience.
Obviously, for more specific questions, we suggest that you always ask the opinion of your trusted veterinarian .
What you will find in this article
- Bringing the dog to the sea: what to know before doing it
- What to bring to the beach for the dog
- 1 – Water
- 2 – An umbrella or a small beach tent
- 3 – Beach towel
- 4 – The life buoy
- 5 – First aid kit
- 6 – Wipes, brush and towel
- 7 – Games
- With the dog on the beach: useful advice
- Where to go to the beach with the dog (in Italy and in Europe)
Bringing the dog to the sea: what to know before doing it
If you’ve decided to go to the beach with your dog, the first thing you need to do is make sure your friend can access the beach .
In Italy and in many other countries, in fact, the regulation for the access of pets to free beaches is not always clear and linear and is often defined by the Regions if not even by the individual Municipalities.
To avoid incurring fines (generally quite hefty), the suggestion is to inform yourself in advance and carefully .
It is a boring thing, we know it well, but it is always better than finding yourself having to pay a fine and / or arguing with someone.
The alternative is to look for a pet-friendly private establishment , but in this case the prices can be even higher than a classic lido.
What we can tell you, however, is that here you can spend a really pleasant day during which your four-legged friend will be the real protagonist.
The establishments in question, in fact, are increasingly avant-garde, they provide dog trainers, play areas equipped with agility courses and real fenced “pitches” with umbrellas and sunbeds where you and your dog can relax in peace.
Remember that to go to the beach (even private ones) you will need to bring your ID, leash and muzzle with you . The latter, however, must not be worn unless requested or provided for by the ordinance.
Another thing to take into consideration is that the sun can really hurt our four-legged friends .
In fact, not only can the heat cause the dreaded heat strokes , but the sun’s rays can lead to real burns on the dog’s skin (just like us!) especially in short-haired animals.
The advice, then, is to never go to the beach with the dog during the central hours of the day , but always choose the morning or the final hours of the afternoon.
There are also real sunscreens for dogs : if your dog has light and short hair, consider buying one!
Also always remember that sea water , due to the presence of salt, if ingested in large quantities can be toxic for the dog and can cause more or less serious intestinal disorders. So prevent him from drinking it!
Finally, we would like to tell you that your dog does not necessarily like swimming or, in any case, do not assume that he is enthusiastic about taking a bath the first time you take him to the sea.
The approach to the bath will have to be gradual and it will certainly be more appreciated if in the company of games and fun.
We don’t think it’s necessary to say it, but since we’ve seen it happen sometimes, we do it anyway: don’t throw the dog in the water if he doesn’t want to go in ! This will only serve to traumatize him and certainly not to please him with the new experience!
What to bring to the beach for the dog
We told you about the main things to know before going to the beach with your four-legged friend. Now let’s see, instead, what to take to the beach for the dog .
We have selected for you some of the accessories which, in our opinion, are essential for spending a few hours of pure fun with your furry friend in total serenity.
1 – Water
Never forget the water when you go to the beach with your dogs!
With the heat, in fact, it is very important that the animal is properly hydrant by drinking fresh and clean water.
Don’t forget, then, his bowl!
We love the foldable bowls that take up very little space, but the bottle dispensers with integrated bowl are also super convenient .
Furthermore, water is also essential for rinsing the dog after a bath and cleaning it from the salt that can cause irritation to the skin .
Not to mention, moreover, the importance of washing the sand away from the eyes and mucous membranes to prevent our furry friend from getting hurt!
2 – An umbrella or a small beach tent
As we said above, the sun can be very dangerous for our four-legged friends and for this reason it is very important to guarantee them a place in the shade … even in the cooler hours!
An umbrella or a small beach tent are ideal.
We really like this umbrella with side shelters or this automatic awning .
3 – Beach towel
The beach towel is not just an object for us humans, this, in fact, will also be super useful for your four-legged friend to prevent him from lying on the hot sand or stones .
Furthermore, if he has his own towel, he will also have a quiet place to rest… in short, a sort of personal bunk!
4 – The life buoy
If your dog is still inexperienced or if he is a little hesitant, the life jacket can help him face the sea with more confidence .
This tool, in fact, will allow him to swim with less effort and will allow him to stay afloat more easily .
We only recently bought it for Raki to go canoeing, but we also tried it on the beach and we must say that although he is already an excellent swimmer in himself, the life jacket helps him, makes him even safer and makes him less tired .
We think it’s a really good buy!
You will find many models online. We bought this dog life jacket on Amazon and we are very happy with it.
5 – First aid kit
The first aid kit may seem like an exaggeration, but believe us, it’s really important and can help you solve really unpleasant situations !
We recently bought it to go trekking with Raki , but we also take it with us in other situations.
Just think that your four-legged friend could get injured on the rocks when he emerges from the water or he could break a spur playing on the stones.
These are accidental situations which, however, can cause annoyance or even pain for our boo… and the first veterinary clinic is not always just around the corner!
With a first aid kit at hand you can start intervening before reaching the vet !
We have this first aid kit for pets made up of over 80 pieces , but alternatively we also recommend this kit which also includes a specific band for fractures .
6 – Wipes, brush and towel
Before leaving the sea, spend a few minutes cleaning the dog to remove any salt and sand residues.
Bring wet wipes with you to remove the salt and then brush it well to remove as much sand as possible .
Finally, don’t forget to dry your ears at the woof if you’ve had a bath: ear infections are really ugly
7 – Games
Raki swims with his toy
Hey, you don’t want to go to the beach with the dog without even a toy!
There are tons of games created specifically for the beach . We, for example, really like to have one dedicated to this moment rather than using the ones we have at home and with which we usually play.
We would like to advise you to avoid the balls because the dog could drink or get the water sideways to grab them .
We believe it is much better to choose a flat game that is easier to catch , especially for small pets.
For example, this Trixie frisbee is perfect or this game of fetch is perfect .
With the dog on the beach: useful advice
Raki enjoys his chew at the beach.
We talked about what to know before going to the beach with your dog and what to take with you, but before concluding this article, we would like to leave you a couple of recommendations .
Going to the beach with your four-legged friend is not exactly like going alone.
You will have to be much more careful towards him, make sure he is well and comfortable , but also have the kindness not to disturb other people around you .
Look for a quiet corner and avoid positioning yourself right in the middle of other people who are there with their four-legged friend, especially if your pooch is one of those little guys who always want to play and seek interaction. This is because your dog would not relax at all and you would risk that the day at the beach would only become a very strong source of stress !
If you think it might be useful, you can try asking your umbrella or towel neighbors to let the two animals sniff so they can get to know each other and calm down. However, don’t allow your dog to annoy the people around you : you too are looking for a day of relaxation, aren’t you?
To make him relax, you could bring a natural chew with you to help release some tension in moments of boredom . We do it and it’s a very useful habit!
Deer horn is perfect in this sense, but Raki also loves beef head skin !
Finally, if the boo gets dirty, remember to clean it up : nobody likes the idea of sitting on a poo or pee, right?
Ah, here you find onesuper offer for poop bags!
Where to go to the beach with the dog (in Italy and in Europe)
Now that you have taken note of what it takes to go to the beach with your dog, here are some very quick suggestions on the destinations you could choose for your “furry” holidays !
- Rimini. Destination always at the forefront when it comes to tourism. Here you will find some beaches for dogs such as the Rimini Dog , but also super-equipped hotels for our four-legged friends such as the Hotel Virginia which also offers them a swimming pool!
- Tuscany. In this region there are numerous beaches equipped for four-legged friends and among these we certainly want to point out the Dog Beach San Vincenzo .
- Greece. Here the beaches are all accessible to dogs! Browse the section of the blog dedicated to Greece to get some inspiration.
- Croatia. There are many beaches for dogs especially in the Istria and Kvarner area. Don’t miss Monty’s Dog Beach & Bar in Crikvenica!
- The French Riviera. One of the most pet friendly destinations in Europe.
We hope that these tips of ours can be useful for you to spend a wonderful day with your dog at the beach!
