Amanda Teixeira
The beaches of the sea and lakes are very busy in summer. Dogs are not always welcome on the beach and shore. With our tips, you and your dog can still enjoy the summer months on the water.
Dogs like to accompany their people on vacation and most dog owners like to take their dog with them on vacation. When traveling with a dog, you are somewhat limited in some respects, but many travel destinations are also suitable with a dog, for example, the Netherlands, Austria, Italy, France or Scandinavia. A German coast is also an option. It is only important to make the journey as pleasant as possible for the dog and to know the regulations of the respective accommodation and the respective country. Because there are often special rules for dogs. You should also pay attention to a few things on the beach with a dog.
When and where are dogs allowed on beaches?
On many beaches, there is a leash obligation and a bathing ban only during the day, when the bathers make themselves comfortable there. In the morning or in the evening, however, dogs are often allowed on the beach. In addition, in some places the dog ban on beaches only applies during the high season.
It is therefore always worth asking whether dogs are not allowed on the beach of your choice at certain times and to move splashing, mudflat hiking and shore games to these times. Where nothing works at all, there are more and more designated dog beaches where every four-legged friend can happily romp and swim.
Think of poop bags and garbage disposal
Equip yourself with enough waste bags and always collect the dog poop on the beach. All permits to take dogs to beaches are quickly forfeited if other bathers step into the dog poop or put their bath towels in it.
Be on the lookout for a way to properly dispose of a full bag early on, so you don’t have to carry the bag around endlessly. Make sure that male dogs don’t stray around, shake the water out of the fur of other bathers or even put their scent marks on their bathing bags. Also, remember to dispose of your own picnic waste so you leave nothing but footprints and paw prints on the beach.
Always ensure sufficient shade
On sandy beaches in particular, but also on pebbly areas around unplanted shores, it quickly gets hellishly hot for dogs. A swim in the water cools you down, but does not protect you from sunburn and sunstroke. Too much sun is also unhealthy for dogs! Dogs that are very sensitive to heat are best left at home in a cool room during the day when it is very hot, or you can offer them sufficient shade.
Always choose a spot on the beach where there is enough shade or provide shade yourself (e.g. with a parasol). An emergency solution that is comfortable for the dog is a deep sandpit in which to lie down and cool off. He will definitely help with the digging and you can build a sandcastle with the excavation. Dogs with a light-colored nose can be protected from sunburn with unscented sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (baby cream).
Are flea and tick repellents waterproof?
If your dog is wearing an anti-parasitic collar, remove it before swimming. Otherwise the antiparasitics will be released into the water. If you use spot-ons, don’t apply them before a walk on the beach, as they take time to penetrate the skin. You should also avoid powders and ointments if you have a water-loving dog.
Always have a water bottle and treats for the dog with you
Rage makes you thirsty and hungry. However, dogs should not drink seawater and the water from lakes and ponds is not necessarily the cleanest either. Therefore, take a bottle of drinking water with you to the beach and offer it to the dog. A few snacks also belong in the backpack. There are special containers with which food and water for dogs can be easily transported and from which the dog can eat or drink immediately.
Protect dog paws from burns and wounds
As wonderful as the fine sandy beach is, it heats up when the sun beats down on it – torture for the dog’s paws. Unfortunately, campers and grillers leave shards and rubbish on almost all waterfronts, against which even the thick paw pads can do little. Avoid polluted beaches and put a blanket on the floor for the dog when you rest.
Grooming the dog after a salt water bath
Sand baths, like salt water, are good for the skin and coat, but irritate them when grains become lodged. So let your dog splash around, wallow and roll around as often and as long as he wants. Before heading home or into the car, a freshwater shower rinses the salt and sand out of the fur. If there are none, first rub the dog thoroughly with a towel and brush it vigorously again (even short-haired ones).
Beach with dogs: You should also pay attention to this
One should not begin “water play” until the animal is eight months old. In cooler weather, young dogs should definitely be given a good toweling after the bath so that they don’t catch a cold.
Careful thought should be given to clipping the hair, as it has a negative effect on the hair structure, and the dog is not wearing a bathing suit. The undercoat warms when bathing.
As a precautionary measure, please check with the tourism associations before you travel that dogs are actually still welcome on the beaches in question, as this can quickly change.