Trixie, aged 3, thinks that Runswick Bay is the best place on earth! She can run, dig, and jump in the streams to her hearts content, and is even getting braver at swimming in the sea but tells us that she needs lots more trips to be able to practise — Trixie, aged 3, thinks that Runswick Bay is the best place on earth!

Planning a staycation in Runswick Bay and want to bring your beloved furry friend along but not sure where to start? Fear not, we’re here to help.

As a soon to be dog-friendly hotel, we wanted to create a guide full of tips and advice on what to consider when planning a dog-friendly staycation in Runswick Bay. And as dog owners ourselves, we know how important it is that your dog has just as good a time on holiday as you do, so we’ve covered all bases.

As a bonus, we’ve even featured some of the regular furry visitors to Runswick Bay and got their verdict on why it’s a ‘pawesome’ place for a staycation.

Standard policies for dog friendly places to stay

Before we delve into the ins and outs of planning your staycation, it’s important to mention that there are some general guidelines which help you determine whether taking your dog for an overnight stay is a good idea.

Your dog:

Must be reasonably trained
Must not show severe signs of aggression towards humans/other dogs
Must be toilet trained
Must be up to date on vaccinations and flea/worm treatment

You:

Must be willing to try and ensure your dog fouls in appropriate places where possible and pick up their mess
Must feel confident in your dog’s ability to stay away from home without getting distressed leading to noise disturbance

Booking a dog-friendly hotel

First things first, you need a place to stay. But be careful not to choose just any hotel – it’s rather easy for someone to advertise that they are dog friendly without putting meaning behind it, so we’d recommend delving a bit deeper into what dog-friendly means to them.

Check where dogs are allowed

If a hotel is truly dog-friendly, they will have considered how to make sure you don’t feel punished for bringing your dog along with you. If a hotel only allows dogs in your room – and worse doesn’t allow them to stay alone in the room – then you’ll be pretty limited to what you can do during your stay.

Most truly dog- friendly hotels will:

Have dog-friendly rooms which are equal in quality to non-dog rooms
Have dog-friendly areas for eating and drinking
Have water bowls around the property
Have a jar of treats at reception

Of course, every hotel differs in their offering, but as a standard they should cover the above.

Get other’s opinions

Reviews have always been important when it comes to choosing a place to stay and they are no less important when it comes to finding a dog-friendly hotel. One of the easiest ways to determine if the place you want to stay is truly dog friendly is to look at what others have said about visiting with a dog.

Check for hidden fees

There’s nothing worse than being hit with unexpected costs when you’re on holiday. Sadly, sometimes this is the case for many dog owners who choose to take their dog away on holiday with them. Fees for the dog weren’t mentioned initially and were added to the bill upon leaving, or a deposit was requested when checking in that hadn’t been mentioned during booking.

Our advice is to check the hotel’s website to see whether fees are mentioned. If there’s nothing online, be sure to drop them an email or call their team and obtain clarity. That way there’ll be no surprises later down the line.

Packing your bag for a stay at a dog friendly hotel

Packing for a staycation doesn’t just involve packing for you, your dog needs its own items too. But, what to pack for your stay at a dog friendly hotel will totally depend on the dog itself, what it’s used to and how well they cope when somethings not the norm.

Learn what the dog friendly hotel provides

As we mentioned earlier, some dog friendly hotels only offer the basics – a room that allows your dog to stay in it. However, some dog friendly hotels go all out. What the hotel provides will massively influence what you take with you.

Some typical things dog friendly hotels tend to offer are:

Water and food bowls within your room
A bed and blanket for your dog within your room
Water bowls around the hotel

Consider how your dog copes with staying away from home

Every dog is different and that means the way they cope with being away from home differs too. If this is your dogs first time away or you know that they struggle being away from home from past experience, you might want to consider bringing something along that is familiar to them, such as a blanket that smells like home or their own bed.

In addition, some extra tips for helping them cope are:

Ensure they have a long walk to tire them out before settling down for the night
Don’t leave them unattended in the room for too long
Enter the hotel room with your dog on a lead and allow them time to sniff around and get used to the environment and smells
Take them on a tour of the hotel and grounds, again letting them get familiar with the area
Don’t panic – dogs can sense if you’re worried and this could make their anxiety worse

Basic checklist

Food
Treats
Dog poo bags
A coat or jumper (weather dependent)
Lead
Toys
Dog bed (if not provided)
Water and food bowls (if not provided)
Any medication if required
A dedicated dog towel – or two

Check for dog friendly activities in the area

One of the best parts of a staycation is being able to enjoy the local area where you’re staying. So, there’s nothing worse than getting to your destination and finding out that there’s not much you’re allowed to do if you have your furry friend with you.

Luckily, Runswick Bay is an extremely dog friendly place and so there’s lots of activities you can get involved with.

Dog friendly walks in Runswick Bay

Every dog loves a walk – we’ve all seen how they react when the word is mentioned. Runswick Bay is known for its beautiful coastal walks and with these being outside, they are of course dog friendly.

Whilst there are many, many walks you can enjoy with your dog, we’ve listed some of the most popular below.

Cleveland Way National Trail

Runswick to Staithes Walk

Runswick Bay Easy Access Walk

Runswick Bay beach rules for dogs

Unlike some other beaches along the coast, Runswick Bay is a dog-friendly beach, meaning dogs are allowed all year round. It’s an ideal place to take your dog to let off some steam due to the long sandy beach and shallow sea edges.

Whilst there aren’t any hard and fast rules, there’s a general expectation that you’ll keep an eye on your dog and ensure it’s not being disruptive or aggressive and pick up their mess if they do need to go to the toilet.

Get a dog’s point of view

To really demonstrate just how dog friendly Runswick Bay is, we took to social media to ask residents and tourists to come forward and share with us a picture of their little furry friend enjoying the bay.

Check them out below.