Would you like to go on vacation with your dog to the Baltic Sea or North Sea? We give you an overview of where the best dog beaches are located and what regulations apply there.
Vacation with a dog by the sea
If you have a dog, you don't have to miss out on a relaxing vacation by the sea. Perhaps not exactly in the South Seas, but both the North Sea and the Baltic Sea offer beautiful sandy beaches. Getting there is easy, as you can travel in your own car. There is also no shortage of accommodation where dogs are allowed.
All you need to do now is find a beautiful beach where dogs are allowed. Depending on your destination, you should check this carefully, as unrestricted access and off-leash walking is not always possible. Fortunately, there are many places with specially designated dog beaches. We have put together a nice selection and would like to briefly introduce you to them.
Beautiful dog beaches on the North Sea
The German North Sea coast is over 600 kilometers long and offers numerous dog beaches. Here are our suggestions for your next vacation at the North Sea:
- Sylt
The island of Sylt is considered to be particularly dog-friendly. There are 15 designated dog beaches. With a few exceptions, dogs are allowed to run around freely. The beach sections are mainly located on the west coast and are beautifully spread out from the northern to the southern tip. There are facilities in Westerland, Wenningstedt, Kampen, Rantum and Hörnum, among others.
- Amrum
The island of Amrum offers three beautiful dog beaches near Norddorf, Wittdün and Nebel. However, as many birds breed on the island, dogs must be kept on a lead everywhere on the island.
- St. Peter-Ording
The municipality in North Friesland is part of the Wadden Sea National Park, where dogs must normally be kept on a lead without exception. Dogs are allowed to run around off the lead in two specially set up dog exercise areas in the town. There are also five dog parks on the coast: Böhl, Ording, Ording-Nord, Dorf and Bad.
- Juist
The small East Frisian island is also known as the "dog island". Although there are two specially designated dog beaches, "West" and "East", dogs must be kept on a lead as the island is part of the Lower Saxony Wadden Sea National Park.
- Spiekeroog
A dog beach has been created in the eastern area of the beach. Dogs are allowed to romp with their fellow dogs off the lead here. Otherwise, dogs must be kept on a lead on the island.
Beautiful dog beaches on the Baltic Sea
The German Baltic Sea coast is almost 1000 kilometers long and attracts visitors with countless dog beaches. In most cases, four-legged friends are allowed off the lead. Here are our suggestions for a great vacation on the Baltic Sea:
- Rügen
Almost all seaside resorts on the island of Rügen have designated dog beaches. There are 14 of them in total, some of which allow dogs off the lead. These include the dog beaches in Dranske, Nonnevitz, Juliusruh, Glowe, Prora and Binz. Out of season, you can walk your dog on almost all of the island's beaches.
- Usedom
The Baltic Sea island has a number of dog beaches. Officially, dogs must be kept on a lead everywhere, but depending on the season and the number of visitors, this is not always interpreted quite so strictly. However, you should not take advantage of this and always keep your four-legged friend close by under supervision. Popular dog beaches include Karlshagen, Zinnowitz, Ückeritz, Bansin, Ahlbeck, Heringsdorf, Kölpinsee and Trassenheide.
- Warnemünde
There are four dog beaches above Rostock (Diedrichshagen, Warnemünde, Hohe Düne, Markgrafenheide). The rules are inconsistent with regard to the obligation to keep dogs on leads and times of use. To be on the safe side, these should be checked on site. From October to April, dogs can be taken to all beach access points, although leashes are compulsory from Westermole to beach access point 21.
- Flensburg
With the Ostseebad and Solitüde dog beaches, the city of Flensburg offers two opportunities to walk your dog off the lead. From October 1 to March 31, four-legged friends are also allowed on all other beaches.
- Kiel
There are several dog beaches above Kiel. In addition to Falckensteiner Strand and Schönberg, the largest by far is the Laboe dog beach. The area is over 10,000 square meters in size and dogs are allowed to roam freely. A real paradise!
- Bay of Lübeck
The seaside resorts on the Bay of Lübeck have several specially designated beach sections for dogs, where dogs are not required to be kept on a lead. Popular dog beaches include Dahme, Grömitz, Kellenhusen, Rettin, Sierksdorf, Scharbeutz and Timmendorfer Strand. In summer, dogs are not allowed on the main beaches, but out of season almost all of them are open to dogs on leads.
Regulations for dogs by the sea
There are no nationwide regulations for dogs at the seaside. Each municipality can set its own rules in this regard. It is therefore important to find out about these locally. The following often applies: In the low season, i.e. from around October to March, dogs are allowed on all beaches. In many cases, dogs are allowed off the lead, but in nature reserves, dogs must be kept on a lead.
The best place to take your four-legged friend is on the numerous specially created dog beaches. Look out for the signs, which can usually be found on every dog beach and list the applicable rules. Even a dog beach is no guarantee that your dog will be allowed off the lead all year round.
When dogs drink seawater
If a dog is having fun in the sea, it is almost impossible that he will not swallow some salt water from time to time. Small amounts are usually not a problem, but larger amounts can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, cramps and restless behavior. If you already know that your dog is susceptible to this, you should only let him swim in the sea for a certain period of time.
It is also advisable to avoid playing fetch in the water, as the dog automatically swallows water all the time. If the dog has more than mild diarrhea, it is advisable to consult a vet.