Get your dog pub ready

It’s been a while – but this week the shackles are starting to fall off, the shutters are up, and the pub gardens are open. And if you’re planning a trip to your local, you might also be taking your dog along with you. Neither of you have been in this kind of social (potentially crowded) situation for a while, so here are a few things to help keep your dog calm (and ultimately enjoy a stress-free drink).

Take a few extras

The weather is all over the place at the moment. So we’d definitely recommend taking a blanket with you – not only will it keep them warm when the sun goes down, the familiar home-smell will keep them calm too. We’d also suggest taking your own water bowl with you (then you don’t have to share the pub’s). And also take treats/toys to keep them occupied – something that holds a tasty morsel and takes a lot of chewing to get it out is probably a good idea.

Play it cool

Okay – containing those high-pitch squeals of joy will be hard. But when you do finally have that first sip, remember that your dog will play off your reactions. Sounds obvious, but these are still strange times and your pup will notice if you’re not quite yourself. Also, try to ignore any signs of hyperactivity in your dog and only address or reward them when they’re calm – all the usual things you did when you trained them to be sociable the first time.

If you’ve got a puppy, this might be your very first pub trip together. So here’s some useful advice to help you make it a memorable one – 10 Tips To Get Your Puppy Ready For The World.

You know your dog better than anyone

So keep them close and reward calm behaviour. They’ll feed off you, so don’t do anything you wouldn’t normally do. The pub garden might be full of tipsy adults, excited children, and other dogs – a recipe for disaster if you’re not in total control. You could always take your pup for a stroll round the block if things get too much. Or just make a quick exit if it gets too rowdy for them. At the end of the day it’s all about enjoying yourself and having a good time with your dog!

We’ve put together some of our favourite dog-friendly pubs too – Five of the best dog-friendly pubs.