Taking Your Dog to the Beach: A Safe, Fun Day Out

Check the beach rules before you load the car

Plenty of public beaches ban dogs outright in summer, allow them only before or after certain hours, or require a leash at all times. Rules can change from one stretch of sand to the next, and state parks, city beaches and national seashores often set their own. Look up the specific beach on its official website or call the park office the day before, because a ticket or a long walk back to the car is a poor start to the day.

When you arrive, ask a lifeguard about rip currents, jellyfish and anything else that has washed up recently. Dogs are easy targets for jellyfish and sea lice because they run straight into the shallows. If your dog will swim, sort out a dog life jacket before the trip. Early weekday mornings tend to be quieter, which matters if your dog is nervous around crowds, children with food, or other dogs off leash.

What to pack for a dog beach day

Fresh water is the single most important item. Bring more than you think you need, plus a travel bowl, and offer it often, especially after swimming or a game of fetch. Pack shade too: a beach umbrella or a small pop-up tent gives your dog somewhere cool to lie down between swims. Add a towel, poop bags, a long leash or a well-fitted harness, and their usual meal if you will be out past feeding time.

A dog life jacket is worth packing for any dog that is new to the water, any short-legged or heavy-chested breed, and any beach with waves or currents. The AKC notes that even strong swimmers benefit from one in open water. Choose a jacket with a top handle so you can lift your dog out of the surf quickly. Finally, bring a sunscreen made for pets, not one from your own bag.

Salt water: why drinking it is the main risk

Most dogs will gulp seawater while they swim, retrieve or play in the waves. A small amount usually causes nothing worse than thirst, but a lot can make a dog genuinely ill. Salt pulls water into the gut, which leads to vomiting, usually within a few hours, and diarrhea. In severe cases it upsets the balance of sodium in the blood and can cause weakness, muscle tremors, confusion or seizures.

The AKC suggests taking a break away from the water about every 15 minutes and offering fresh water during each one. If your dog keeps heading to the surf to drink, stop the game, move up the beach, and redirect them with a toy. Call your vet or an emergency vet if your dog vomits repeatedly, has diarrhea, seems wobbly or confused, or trembles after a day in the ocean.

Sand, hot sand and things that wash up

Sand gets swallowed when dogs dig, chew wet toys or carry a ball that has rolled through it. A little passes through, but a lot can pack into the intestines and cause a blockage, which is serious. A flying disc picks up less sand than a tennis ball, and a solid "leave it" cue helps when your dog starts to dig and eat. Rinse toys in fresh water during the day.

Midday sand can get hot enough to burn paw pads, so walk along the wet sand at the water's edge or use dog boots. Keep your dog away from dead fish, crabs and seaweed piles, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea, and from jellyfish, even ones that look dead, because they can still sting. A sting causes pain, redness and pawing at the face; a dog that eats one can get sick and should be seen.

Sun and heat on the sand

There is little shade on a beach and the sand reflects heat back up at your dog. Go in the morning or late afternoon, when the sun is lower and the sand is cooler, and keep sessions short for flat-faced breeds such as Bulldogs, Pugs and French Bulldogs, which overheat quickly. Puppies, senior dogs and heavy-coated breeds also need more breaks in the shade than you might expect.

Dogs with pink noses, thin coats or white fur can sunburn on the nose, ear tips and belly. The ASPCA warns that human sunscreens can cause vomiting and diarrhea if licked off, and some contain xylitol, which is dangerous to dogs. Use a product made for dogs and ask your vet which one suits your dog. Heavy panting, drooling, bright red gums, stumbling or vomiting can mean heat stroke, which is an emergency: move into shade, wet your dog with cool (not ice-cold) water and drive to a vet.

Before you head home

Rinse your dog thoroughly with fresh water before they get back in the car. Salt and sand left in the coat can dry and irritate the skin, collect between the toes and in the ears, and leave hot spots after a long day. Pay attention to the armpits, the base of the tail and the spaces between the paw pads, then towel off and check each foot for cuts from shells or rocks. Rinse the dog life jacket too.

Watch your dog closely for the rest of the day. Some tiredness is normal after a big outing, but repeated vomiting, diarrhea, a bloated or painful belly, weakness or a refusal to eat are signs to call your vet the same day, and seizures or collapse mean the nearest emergency vet straight away.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your pet.