8 Things to Bring Along for a Fun Time at the Beach with Your Dog

As the weather warms up, it’s officially time to get those beach shorts out and spend some quality time with your family. This time, why not take your dog along? Everything from the open sandy expanse to the blue ocean will leave your dog with the feeling of pure, unadulterated happiness. If you choose to venture to a quiet and lonely beach, then your dog could also enjoy several off-leash activities. While beach destinations are amazingly fun for the entire family, you need to take a few things along when traveling there with a dog. Most of these can be bought from local pet stores while other you might already have at home. Without further ado, following are 8 things you need to pack if you are taking your dog to the beach.

Foldable Cup and Water: The irony of going to a beach is that you will be surrounded by water but none of it is drinkable. Dogs will run around with their mouths open and their tongues hanging out. This means their mouths are going to get dry being exposed to the sea breeze. Bring along a large water bottle and foldable silicon cups for your dogs to drink from.

Collar with ID Tag: It can be nerve-racking to lose your dog at the beach knowing there is no way it can make its way back to you. To prepare for this very probably scenario, it’s best to fit a collar around your dog’s neck before heading outside. Make sure the collar has an ID tag with your current phone number.

A Small First Aid Kit: When going to the beach you need to prepare a small first aid kit. Don’t forget to include an eye drop as dogs tend to get sand in their eyes when digging holes and playing at the beach. Also, pack in a tweezer to remove anything that might get lodged in their paws. Beaches are usually full of broken pieces of shells and other debris, so this is a real threat. Apart from these, pick up all the common pets medical supply, including antibacterial cream, antiseptic liquid, bandages, pet vitamins, and others.

An Umbrella: Beaches get really hot during the day. What’s worse is all the naturally shaded areas fill up pretty fast. The best way forward is to create your own shade by carrying along a beach umbrella. Don’t forget this one because heat exhaustion and heat stroke are quite common in dogs.

Pet Life Vest: Even if you are confident about your pet’s swimming abilities, it makes sense to carry along a life vest for your dog. This way you won’t panic every time your dog venture into the water.

Poop Bags: You want to leave the beach as pristine and clean as you found it. Be a responsible pet owner and bring along lots of poop bags to clean up after your dog.

Fetch Toy: To avoid playing with a dirty tree branch, it’s always best to pack in your dog’s favorite fetch toy. Frisbees are perfect for beaches as they are assisted by the windy conditions.

A Bag of Tasty Treats: Dog treats give your dogs a dose of calories after they are tired from all the running around. Treats also work well to distract your dog away from a dangerous situation, maybe a washed-up jellyfish.