Dog friendly activities you can enjoy with your pet!

We all adore our furry friends and wish they could accompany us on every occasion and outing, other than just a daily dog walk. Luckily, Traditional Punting Company have created the below list of dog-friendly days out around the UK, providing you and your four-legged friends with a wonderful activity you can both enjoy!

Our top 10 dog-friendly days out

1. Have a weekend break at a pet-friendly hotel

There are many pet-friendly hotels around the UK, so why not take full advantage and book yourself and your furbaby a lovely night away? Make a day of it and go on a nearby hike, stop off for some food in a dog-friendly restaurant or pub, and have a relaxing night. 

If you’re visiting Cambridge with your dog, the Wicken Fen trial is a great one – there is also a dog-friendly pub in Cambridge, located nearby (Maids Headen Wicken), where you can enjoy a drink and some food before heading to one of the nearby dog-friendly hotels, such as The Golden Boar Inn, for a relaxing nights sleep.

A dog on a be

2. Do some ‘Doga’

A fun way for you and your pup to unwind is to do some doggy yoga, aka, Doga! ‘Puppy’ and ‘doggy’ yoga has become extremely popular over the years, with many yoga studios incorporating puppies into their classes for ultimate enjoyment. If you’re looking for a relaxing dog-friendly day out, this is the ideal choice. 

There are two types of doga, one is simply doing yoga next to your dog (where they will definitely get involved wondering what you’re doing!) The second style involves guiding your dog through the stretches – for example, you can help your dog get into the wheelbarrow position by lifting their back legs. There is a range of benefits provided by doga for both you and your pet, including better sleep for you, and becoming familiar with being handled for your dog.

3. Go on a punting tour

Punting in Cambridge is on many people’s bucket lists, but did you know that you can bring your dog along?! A relaxing tour on the River Cam, taking in the wonderful site of Cambridge, including the college backs, with your furry friend sounds like the ultimate dog-friendly day out. 

At Traditional Punting Company, we love to see your doggos join our tours! We offer two different services for you: a shared or private tour, both of which are catered for your furry friend to come along. If you have a large dog, we may suggest that you book a private tour, so there will be more room for you all to enjoy. Why not visit The Punter after for a bite to eat – this is a dog-friendly pub in Cambridge which provides treats and water for all furry friends as well as providing comfort for the owners too! Other dog-friendly pubs in Cambridge include The Fort St George, The Red Lion and The Pickerell Inn. 

4. Have a doggy spa day

What better than a spa day? A spa day with your furry BFF! There are dog-friendly spas around the UK that offer treatments for your pooches, such as a deluxe pawdicure, a deep tissue massage, or a deep conditioning treatment. You can also hold a doggy spa day in the comfort of your own home, where you can create the ultimate relaxation experience for both of you. 

Start your at-home spa day by giving your dog a full body massage, this helps relax and reduce stress for them and also strengthens your bond. Give them a pawdicure, cutting their claws and soaking their paws, followed by a warm bath and a nice treat to end the day. Set the scene with candles and relaxing music and don’t forget to pamper yourself too!

5. Attend a doggy meet-up!

Multiple dog meet-up events are put together across the UK, many of which are breed specific. These events give your companion a chance to meet new doggy friends to play and have fun with, whilst also allowing you to socialise with new people and fellow dog lovers.

These events often include pop-up stalls for all your dog-parent needs, such as dog-friendly bakery items, doggy boutiques, new food suppliers, and more. Check any upcoming meet-up events here.

6. Take your dog swimming

Many dogs love to swim, and it is a great way for them to cool off on a hot summer’s day and simply just have fun! Why not visit your nearest beach and paddle with your pooch in the sea, or let them have a dip if you pass a lake on a walk?  

If your dog isn’t great off their lead and you’d rather not get wet with them, or you don’t live close to a beach or lake, there are a range of dog swimming pools around the UK, including Hydrofurapy in Cambridge. These swimming baths allow you to take your furry friend for a swim in a safe environment. There are many benefits to taking your dog swimming, such as weight loss, fitness, bond building, confidence boosting, and many more.

7. Take part in the Muddy Dog Challenge

Every year, Battersea Dogs & Cats home run a charity event called Muddy Dog Challenge. This challenge is a 2.5k and 5k obstacle course that pets and owners can take part in! Whether you’d prefer to walk or run the event, with or without your pooch, you will help Battersea raise money for dogs and cats in need. 

This is a fun and worthwhile activity for you and your dog to get involved in! It takes place in multiple locations across the UK between April and October 2023. You can even do a DIY muddy dog challenge.

8. Throw your dog a puppy party

What better way to have some fun with your BFF than inviting your friends and their furbabies?! You could throw a party for your dog’s birthday, or just for a fun day with friends. This is a great way for you both to spend time with friends, helping your four-legged companion get used to being around other dogs.

When planning your puppy party, decide on a fun theme for you and your furry guests to get involved with, such as a ‘puppy love’ valentines theme, or costume party. Be sure to plan some pooch party games and activities and have plenty of yummy dog treats with fresh water.

9. Take part in an art class

There are pet-friendly art classes across the UK that allow you to bring your pooch along and paint a fabulous portrait of them! These events are open to anybody, regardless of whether you’re a beginner or more advanced. There are also usually dog treats available at these events, ensuring your pup is also having a great time.

If you’d rather stay home with your pet, why not do an art class from home? Buy some animal-friendly paint and get your dog involved with the art by painting their paws and letting them walk on a canvas, printing their perfect little paws. Or if you’d rather not leave a ton of mess, buy some supplies and do your own pet portrait at home.

10. Visit a museum

Many of us love a museum trip, so why not let our dogs join in on the fun?! There are many dog-friendly museums across the country, such as the Museum of Technology in Cambridge, the Natural History Museum in London, Derwent Pencil Museum, and many more! 

While we can’t guarantee that your dog will be thoroughly invested in the museum exhibitions, we can guarantee that they’ll love experiencing a new environment and meeting new people with their human.

We hope this list has provided you with some fun activity ideas for you to do with your furry friends – dogs bring us so much joy, so it’s great to be able to give them some back and spend even more time with them. 

We love seeing pets coming along on our Punting tours – if you decide to bring your pet along and capture the moment, we’d love to see! Please share images with us on Instagram @traditional_punting_company. 


Posted on March 21st, 2023, by the Traditional Punting Company Editor