Dog Destination Ideas For Fun, Thrills And Adventure | AD
*This is a collaborative post
You can stay in the flat or house all day with your pooch, but they won’t be happy about it. Dogs are naturally inclined towards adventure. It’s something that oozes out of their very souls. A dog that doesn’t have some sheep to terrorise or a puddle to play in just isn’t happy.
But how do you get your dog out of the house? That’s the question we answer in this post. Here are some ideas.
Take Them To Your Local National Park
The UK has a whopping fifteen national parks, and they’re quite well distributed across the country. And even if you don’t live near one, there are plenty of “areas of outstanding natural beauty” which make nice substitutes.
National parks are like giant playgrounds for your pets. They hardly have any roads so your dog can roam free. And they tend to be quite sparsely populated, too, so your pup can really let its hair down (or should we say fur?)
National parks in the north of the country have the most mountains, so they’re great for dogs with lots of energy. Forested parks in the south are relaxing and enjoyable.
Meet Friends For A Canine Playdate
Dogs also love to be around their kin, so organising a play date with other canines is a great idea. These days, there are plenty of dog-friendly places where you can do this, such as parks or cordoned-off areas of shopping arcades. But you can also just go to a friend’s house and take your dog with you, particularly if they have a large garden.
Ultimately, you should aim to tire your dog out as much as possible. Plan to make the day as exhausting as you can by getting your dog to fetch, do tricks and run around with other dogs. Enforce plenty of exercise so that you can teach your pup the meaning of hard work. Make sure that they have the opposite of an easy time so that when you take them home with you, they’re as good as gold.
Fun And Games In The Park
The park is a great place to take a dog. It’s a real canine spiritual home. Open fields, ducks to harass, and plenty of other people make it an extremely interesting place to be.
There are many games you can play with your dog in the park including:
- Fetch with sticks
- Frisbee
- Follow the leader
- Hide and seek
- And tug of war
Remember, as before, the goal is to leave your pup feeling utterly exhausted and drained. The dog should sleep in the car on the way home and require you to carry it through your front door and lay it down on its dog bed.
Take Your Dog On A Doggie Holiday
Unlike people, dogs don’t particularly like a change of scenery. They’re creatures of the home and hearth at heart. But there are such things as doggie holidays. And they’re a great way to spend time with your pup, particularly when they are growing.
If you can, take your dog on holiday when it is young to get used to the idea of travelling a long way. If you have a Labrador puppy, put it in a crate and take it to dog-friendly destinations around the country. Fortunately, there are many hotels, campsites and other venues that would be more than happy for you to bring your pooch with you.
Go For A Swim
Even dogs that have never been swimming before love to go in the water. It’s something that feels natural to them and comes pretty easily.
Again, there are plenty of places where dogs can go swimming around the country. Just make sure if you go to a natural river or lake that your dog can climb out. You want locations with shallow banks, not steep ones or walled sections.
Take Your Dog To An Obedience Lesson
Naughty dogs are an epidemic in the UK. We’ve all seen them and their antics.
That’s why obedience lessons are becoming more commonplace. Like Ms Trunchbull in Roald Dahl’s Matilda, these boot camps straighten unruly pooches out and teach them the value of discipline and order. Pets go to training as puppies and emerge as dogs.
Go For A Photo Shoot With Your Dog
If you’re just looking to get your dog out of the house but you want to do something different, try going for a photo shoot with your pooch. These are great opportunities to create memories and share valuable time with each other.
Dogs actually quite like posing for the camera. And you can get some great pictures of them in all their poses.
Take Your Dog To Work
More employers than ever before now allow you to take your dog to work with you. Dogs, apparently, help reduce stress and make people more productive, so you’ll see them in offices up and down the country.
If you do this, make sure you bring your dog with you to meetings. They can help contribute to your Powerpoint presentations.
Take Your Dog To The Grooming Parlour
We expect discipline from our dogs in 2022. But in return, we give them plenty of treats that were unthinkable for dogs in the past.
And that’s where a trip to the grooming parlour can come in handy. Here, dogs can get their coats thoroughly washed and their nails clipped. Plus, they can enjoy a nice massage as a reward for being so well-behaved.
Build A Dog Garden
While you might like the idea of swanning through a beautifully manicured Georgian garden, complete with a fountain, it’s never going to happen if you own a dog. Therefore, you might as well just concede defeat and let them have it their way.
How do you turn your garden into dog heaven? Easy. Just add a few ramps, play tubes, and sand pits. This way, they can learn tricks and dig to their heart’s content.
Go Camping
Dogs love being outdoors. And, therefore, they especially love the idea of going camping. All that time in nature is extremely attractive to them.
Camping with dogs is a lot of fun. They keep things interesting, and they run alongside you when you cycle. Just remember to bring bowls for their food and water. And, if you want, you can create a separate space in the tent for them to sleep all night.
Take Them To An Outdoor Event
Dogs also love going to outdoor events, particularly if there are a lot of people around. Think music festivals, fetes, country shows, markets, parades and fiestas. There’s usually something going on in your area so check the calendar. If you’re part of a religious organisation, you can ask if you can bring your dog along with you.
Try Geocaching
In the olden days, it was called orienteering. But now, thanks to GPS, everyone calls it geocaching. The idea is to hunt around for hidden-away items and then find them later.
Fortunately, there are all sorts of geocaching apps and websites out there.And dogs tend to be pretty good at hunting for stuff out in nature. Just make sure that you wear a warm coat if you’re planning on exploring any windswept moors.
Go To A Different Town
Going on road trips with dogs can be a lot of fun. And they love to explore new towns. If you love exploring new places, take your dog with you to enjoy all the new sights and sounds of a fresh place.