Picnics are a quintessential part of a British summer and we love having them, as our little dog is part of our family she always comes too. Maya seems to know when a picnic is being prepared and gets very excited indeed. I am convinced this is because she sees them as a opportunity to get her paws on a few extra treats!! She is extremely food orientated, which is advantageous in terms of training her but can be a pain in the butt when on a picnic where she can requisition a sausage or sandwich in the blink of an eye. I know I’m not the only one to have a greedy little mutt so I’ve put together a few tips to help make sure your picnic is fun for all!
Tip number one Purchase yourself a spiral tie out stake – these are so useful and mean that your dog can sit around the picnic rug and be part of things but kept just out of reach of those extra snacks. We have found ours really handy whilst on holiday and visiting friends with beautifully planted gardens too!! If your dog is the social type, the stake can also avoid them joining in a strangers picnic! It’s also wise to choose your picnic spot carefully to avoid unwanted guests of your own!
Tip number two A collapsible water bowl or dog travel water bottle is much less bulky to pack than a traditional bowl. Check if there is a water source at your proposed picnic site and if not make sure you take plenty of water. If Maya will be eating one of her main meals at picnic time I have started use the slow feeding inserts that I recently reviewed to make her meal last!
Tip number three I try to avoid using any foods in the picnic that are toxic to dogs. Accidents can happen and if you stick to this rule the worst that can happen is you lose your lunch! It never fails to amaze me how quick and adept Maya is at food theft. I always give her a little bit of fruit and a special treat though, just so she feels included! Sometimes it’s a nice touch to dress your pooch up too if it is a special occasion picnic!
Tip number four In hot and sunny weather try to pick a spot with some shade for your dog to lie in. If that isn’t possible try using a sun/golf umbrella to give your pooch a little respite from the sun. If it’s a hot day a little swim really helps to cool your pooch down.
Tip number five Always go for a walk before you eat so pooch has a little less energy and is more likely to settle down and relax. Sometimes when we meet up with friends our picnics can go on for a few hours, so I always take a couple of balls and a toy for Maya to play with and take her for a bit of a stroll every hour or so in case she needs to go.!
I hope you will find these tips useful, please let me know if you have any picnic tips.
Love Sal & Maya xxx
Comments
26 responses to “5 tips for a Dog Friendly Picnic”
Great tips! Couldn’t agree more, especially with the special stake, it has saved us on so many occasions.
Amy and Tilly x
Totally agree I can’t imagine how we managed before having the stake!! xxx
Such useful tips and gorgeous photographs of Maya xx
Thanks Amanda, hope you will enjoy some picnics this summer! xxx
My mum had forgotten about stakes, what a great idea. Thanks for the tips Sal and and what beautiful photos of you Maya!
Without the stake Maya is a nightmare at picnics!! Thanks so much for your lovely comment Clare xxx
Thanks for the tips ??? and really beautiful pics Maya???
Thanks so much for reading and commenting Koke. Hope you will enjoy some picnics this summer. xxx
Brilliant tips as always!The stake idea is a great one,that will save me holding a quiche in one hand and his lead in the other!And yes,always dress to impress lol!We try to balance the time spent on the picnic with walking otherwise Fenty turns into a Diva and starts whingeing!x
Yes the stake is a real life saver. Maya is always ready to take her opportunity if some poor soul puts down a sandwich within her reach!! xxx
The collapsible bowls are a dog owners essential. We always have one in the car and a large bottle of water. They’re brilliant! We love your posts and love you Maya ❤. Do come and see us in Ripon one day ??
Thank you for your kind words Jane, I agree the collapsible bowls are fantastic. We will definitely come and see you next time we are nearby, hopefully this summer. xxx
Great tips here and some lovely pics of Maya ??very informative!
Thanks Wendy. I hope that these tips don’t curtail Gemma’s fun too much!!! xxx
Great tips Maya! Just in time for National Picnic Week too! Love Teresa, Belinha and Moleque xxx
Thanks so much Teresa and pack. I didn’t know that it was National Picnic Week soon so thanks for the heads up! xxx
Great tips! We actually don’t do to many picnics here, but maybe we should start. ?Looks lovely.
I hope you do Kirstin, they are so much fun! Thanks so much for reading and commenting. xxx
Oooo we want to go on a picnic NOW! Love the tips & all the gorgeous pics of beautiful Maya! Oh & high five to all the cocker food thieves out there! ✋???
Thanks so much for passing by and leaving a comment, hope you all have fun on a picnic soon. Maya lives in hope of stealing a sausage or something on every picnic!! xxx
Such a sweet blog post, love the pictures and fab tips! Such a brilliant blog, you always have such amazing post ideas!!
Thanks so much, picnics are one of our favourite things! xxx
Thanks for this post Sal ??? we are gonna have a BBQ this weekend! unfortunately Platón doesn’t feel included with a little bit of fruit. He needs a ribeye steak or 2 ???? love youuuuu ♥
Haha, Maya would love a ribeye too and sometimes she is lucky! Have a great BBQ! xxx
Now I know many more things about a picnic with Joy! Thanks for your interesting post Sal and Maya.
xxx
Hope you and Joy enjoy a picnic soon. Thanks so much for reading Eva. xxx