What Your Dog Needs at The Beach

Beyond your own supplies to keep you and your family stocked all day, you need to bring along a few extras to make sure your canine companion is just as comfortable. Bringing everything they need with you doesn’t mean packing them a whole extra case, but there are some handy things you may want to pack away in your bags to keep them content. Once you find a dog friendly beach you can visit together, the next step is figuring out what you need but don’t worry, we’ve done the job of putting it all in one place to make your day stress free!  

Instead of being pushed into the very corner of your own beach towel to sunbathe, consider bringing your pooch their very own. Whether they want to avoid lying directly on the sand and getting it caught in their coat, or you’re taking a water baby to the beach and need to try them off, an extra towel is always a great idea. The Rufus and Rosie Quick Dry Towel is a super soft and lightweight towel that won’t bulk up your car too much with extra weight or baggage to carry down to the beach.  If you do take a dip into the sea, it’s much easier for us to dry off than it is for our four-legged friends. Five minutes in the sun and we’re bone dry again, but fur tends to hold water for a lot longer. Whilst lightweight, it’s still extra absorbent for after those dips into the sea.  

Their very own beach towel will encourage them to rest after running around on the sand, as the beach can be quite challenging on their joints and tire them out faster. 

If your pup is less of a paddling type and prefers to go for a full swim that drenches them from head to toe, the Scruffs Noodle Drying Towel Grey is a great option for getting a lot of moisture off them. It will help stop them running all over dry towels with their wet paws and shaking off and getting you more wet than you intended on getting!  

 

If you’ve ever gone swimming in the sea, then you know exactly what it’s like to get out of the water thinking you look like a mermaid, but the tangled mass of hair on your head really ruins the illusion. When hair soaks up seawater, it can become dry and dirty, making it susceptible to forming knots, and your pooch’s mane is no different. There’s plenty of dirt and debris floating around in the sea, not to mention the wet sand that will no doubt get stuck in their coat after a swim. You’re not looking to do a full groom at the beach and get your pooch to a show dog standard but being able to brush out knots and dirt means you can avoid a more difficult job later.  

Since you’re not looking for a professional grooming standard, a sturdy basic brush like The Spa Medium Double Sided Brush is great for removing tangles and dirt from both short coated and long coated dogs. Similarly, the Four Paws Magic Love Glove will work a charm on stripping any dirt and loose coat from your pooch after a swim in the sea or a roll in the sand.  

 

Fresh water should always be available to your canine companion to make sure they stay hydrated, so if you’re going anywhere that is longer than a short walk, you should take water. Don’t worry, though, you don’t have to take the heavy ceramic bowl from the kitchen. You can instead get a handy travel bowl like the Smart Choice Collapsible Travel Dog Bowl With Belt Clip. It’s lightweight and folds flat, so it’s the perfect addition to your beach day without adding too much bulk to what you need to pack. If you want your pooch to have their own source of chilled, fresh water, you can go a step further and bring along the KONG Travel Water Botttle. It has an attached clip to carry it on the loop of your belt or attached to a bag and even has an integrated bowl so you can keep everything together.  

 

If you’re going to the beach for the day, you’re likely going to indulge in some tasty treats, so why not plan ahead and make sure your canine companion feels included as well? You can bring along some quick bites like Pedigree Tasty Bites Chewy Cubes With Chicken, which are great for using as a reward to reinforce good behaviour throughout the day. If you need something a little more distracting so you can eat your lunch without your pup bouncing around in the sand trying to get a bite, Hollings Dried Pigs Ears are a great long-lasting chew. You’ll be able to settle your pup down so you can sunbathe or eat peacefully while they happily chomp away at their natural treat.  

Without proper protection, sitting on the beach all day can leave you going home with dry skin or even worse, looking a little like a freshly cooked lobster. Even if your pooch has a healthy covering of fur, that doesn’t always protect them from all of the elements. Their paw pads can get dry from walking on sand all day, and that excess heat can lead to cracking. Just like they don’t have fur all the way to the tips of their nose, there are always going to be some areas that are exposed to the harsh heat and sun. The Spa Cracked Paw & Nose Balm will help heal and prevent any cracking and keep them thoroughly moisturised all day. It absorbs quickly into the skin and is a great addition to any outing, whether it’s during the summer or winter.  

If you want the added protection of a sunblock, Paws Right There Sun Protection Pet Balm is great for sensitive skin. The sun can be especially harmful to pooches with light coloured pigment in their nose, so putting a nice layer of sun protection on can help them enjoy their day without the risk of sunburn.  

 

If you plan on spending all day at the beach rather than just going for a stroll, you’ve likely thought of ways to keep yourself cool. We will often take sunglasses and a peaked hat to keep the sun off our faces, but dogs don’t have such an easy option to stay out of the sun. You might bring along an umbrella or a beach tent to enjoy the shade if it gets too warm, and you should make sure your pup gets plenty of shade as well. If you need a little extra space, they can even have the luxury of their own cooling tent with Cheeko Pop Up Pet Dome that can give them a nice shaded area to rest in.  

Many beaches have rules regarding letting your canine companions off the lead and many pups may not be the recall experts you hoped they would be by the time of your beach trip. You don’t have to worry about your pooch running riot off the lead and refusing to come back and you don’t have to keep them restricted and at your side either. A long line like the Lightweight Recall Long Line Dog Lead can give them plenty of freedom even if you need a safety net to make sure they come back to you. You can also bring along a flexi lead like the Flexi Classic Retractable Cord Medium Dog Lead to help reel your pooch back in if they decide that making friends a family over is better than sitting with their own family  

You can find everything you need for a fun day at the beach with only the right amount of chaos in store and online.