Dog Friendly

Poole is an all year round dog friendly holiday destination, with beautiful dog friendly beaches, stunning parks and nature reserves, welcoming eateries and most importantly a place to ‘rest and relax’ and have a well-deserved ‘good night’s sleep’ after a fun day on the ‘coast with the most’.

Dogs just love ‘playtime by the seaside’ and until 1 May, they’re free to enjoy the full stretch of our coastline. Between 1 May and 30 September, they need to go back on the lead and keep to the prom and paths. There are designated parts of our beaches where they can enjoy the beach all year round, head to Branksome Dene Chine and at the western end of Sandbanks beach. For more information see the Dogs on the Beach leaflet and map. You can find out more about these locations by visiting our beach pages.  Why not enjoy the beach in comfort and hire a beach hut on one of our dog friendly beaches.

Poole and the surrounding area is a perfect location for a walking holiday. Our local nature reserves, parks, wooded chines, historic quayside and bustling harbour offer that perfect walking and exploring opportunity.  Highlights include discovering the award winning Upton Country Park with 160 acres of parkland and shoreline.  They even have a ‘dog walkers’ car park which gives direct access to the large new off-lead space. Visit their dog walking pages to find out more information about their DIY Dog Wash, their ‘Paw Prints’ code and Dog Training Area and Play Pen. If you fancy a gentle stroll around Poole Harbour start from Poole Quay and keep a lookout for tall ships, fishing vessels and luxury Sunseeker powerboats, then head towards Harbourside Park to enjoy the stunning harbour views out towards Brownsea Island. Continue into beautiful Poole Park or head towards Sandbanks stopping at the fabulous Evening Hill Viewpoint along the way.

Poole and our surrounding area offer an excellent selection of places to eat that are dog friendly including cafes, bars and restaurants.  

If you’re coming from further afield and planning a mid-week break or a longer stay, you’ll find a variety of dog friendly places to stay. Well behaved dogs will be welcomed and are in for some lovely treats at our local hotels, self-catering properties, surrounding holiday parks, and camping and caravanning parks.