Dog-Friendly Beach Days: Vet-Approved Safety Tips for a Safe Trip
We're lucky to have so many beautiful beaches in Britain – they can be wonderful places to enjoy with our dogs. They can run, play, swim, dig, and spend quality time with their favourite humans. However, the beach can also come with hidden hazards, so it's important to be prepared to keep your dog safe.
Preparing for your dog's beach trip:
- Read PDSA's expert advice on 5 Ways to Keep your Dog Safe at the Beach, Heatstroke and Water Safety
- Check the weather and avoid visiting the beach during the hottest part of the day, or cancel your trip if it's going to be too warm for your pup. Always monitor your dog for signs of heatstroke, even on breezy or overcast days
- Check that the beach is dog friendly
- Ensure your dog is up to date with their parasite prevention and vaccinations
- Ensure your dog's microchip details are up to date
- Ensure your dog travels comfortably and safely in the car. Read our dedicated blog on travelling with your dog here
Packing for your dog's beach trip:
- Toys – choose toys that pick up less sand as eating and swallowing sand can cause stomach upset and, in severe cases, intestinal blockages. This Chuckit! Ultra Flight frisbee can be a good choice for beach play
- Water – take plenty of fresh water to discourage your dog from drinking seawater, which can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, dehydration, and, in severe cases, salt poisoning
- Travel bowl or bottle – the Henry Wag Pet Water Bottle is a little pricier than others, but its 500ml capacity ensures your dog has plenty of hydration during their beach trip. Henry Wag also do travel bowls too.
- Parasol/beach tent – to provide shade from the sun
- Towel – the Henry Wag Pet Glove Towel is soft and highly absorbent, perfect for after a swim
- Cool mat – for resting and cooling down. The All For Paws Papaya Cooling Mat will look great on the beach!
- Treats – all that extra running and swimming may mean your dog needs an extra snack during their beach trip. You could even take a snuffle mat or slow feeder bowl like the Kruuse BUSTER DogMaze for extra enrichment
- Collar, lead, and harness – the Red Dingo Rainbow Collar and Lead are perfect for the beach! They do lots of other prints too like camouflage and bumble bees
- First aid kit – this one by Charlie the Vet is compact and has everything you need for a beach trip (you can buy refills for it too!)
- Poo bags – an obvious essential to keep the beach clean. The Beco Poop Bag Dispenser comes with fifteen bags and can be attached to your bag
Written by PDSA Vet Nurse Shauna Walsh RVN, June 2026
