# How do you handle your dog at the beach?



## Persinette (Jan 31, 2015)

As a general rule, I am not a fan of dog parks beyond distraction training outside of them. I think there are too many chances for something to go wrong with other ill-mannered dogs and their owners.

That said, I live minutes from a dog friendly beach (the only kind of beaches dogs can go to, lol). I would LOVE to take my future dog there to play in the water, run in the sand, etc. Such great exercise and fun!! :surfer: That said, I'm sure it does all of the same risks/problems as the dog park plus the added issue of no enclosed fencing.

How do you handle your dog at the beach? Is it all on leash or do you do off leash as well?

Do you let your dog swim/fetch in the waves or worry too much about currents/undertow? Life vests? Long line to tow them back in if necessary or fish of entanglement?

For management, do you just stay alert and body block/defend your dog if/when necessary from other dogs you don't want to engage with? Do you play fetch? Off leash? On a long line?

I'm super curious to see how others manage!

On a side note, does anyone do tandem kayaking with their dog? I saw an article on it and it looks super fun! (In this case, I think a doggie life vest would be a must!)


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

They are just as bad as dog parks, maybe even more chaos. Dogs are off leash, kids are everywhere, then there is water conditions. There has been dogs killed at the beach due to dog fights. The last time I went there was a single woman with two dogs that went in different directions, the doberman decided to guard the sand area and attacked every dog coming out of the water. We were stuck in the water for a while until she got her dog Now if you can get there and there is no one there or its not crowded, it can be fun

This picture was several years ago and this would be considered not crowded(it gets way more crowded) and it was still chaotic.


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

Persinette said:


> As a general rule, I am not a fan of dog parks beyond distraction training outside of them. I think there are too many chances for something to go wrong with other ill-mannered dogs and their owners.
> 
> That said, I live minutes from a dog friendly beach (the only kind of beaches dogs can go to, lol). I would LOVE to take my future dog there to play in the water, run in the sand, etc. Such great exercise and fun!! :surfer: That said, I'm sure it does all of the same risks/problems as the dog park plus the added issue of no enclosed fencing.
> 
> ...


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## gsdlover91 (Jul 21, 2012)

Mine are off leash... Never worried too much about currents... And I play fetch with them. I kinda let them do their own thing. They want the ball thrown in the water and to play in the sand and water. Mine are pretty well trained by the time I expose them to the lake so they have zero interest in other dogs/people.

And FYI; I live in downtown Chicago and haven't had a problem with other dogs. I don't go to the dog specific beach though.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

gsdlover91 said:


> Mine are off leash... Never worried too much about currents... And I play fetch with them. I kinda let them do their own thing. They want the ball thrown in the water and to play in the sand and water. Mine are pretty well trained by the time I expose them to the lake so they have zero interest in other dogs/people.
> 
> And FYI; I live in downtown Chicago and haven't had a problem with other dogs. I don't go to the dog specific beach though.


Just an FYI...dogs are not allowed at any beaches except Montrose, which is a designated dog beach and a permit is needed. There is also very strict leash rules in any area that isn't designated to dogs. I personally didn't know you needed a permit for the dog beach until like a year ago. Just be careful you don't come across anyone that wants to start trouble, the fines are ridiculous.


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## gsdlover91 (Jul 21, 2012)

llombardo said:


> gsdlover91 said:
> 
> 
> > Mine are off leash... Never worried too much about currents... And I play fetch with them. I kinda let them do their own thing. They want the ball thrown in the water and to play in the sand and water. Mine are pretty well trained by the time I expose them to the lake so they have zero interest in other dogs/people.
> ...


Oh I know! We go to north avenue/montrose during the off season (so when it's closed to people) and haven't had any issues. I see a lot of other people with dogs there as well. We also go to actual beaches that aren't in the city - one in Zion that's dog friendly and not well known and one in Highland park that's part of a forest preserve and you have to really hike it to get to the beach. 

But yeah, I'm aware of those insane fines! I haven't had any problems with my dogs being off leash though... Anywhere in the city. People see that they're under my control and are fine. I'm actually surprised how many people have their dogs off leash in the city in general. Definitely shocked me when I moved here. I don't go to any of the dog specific areas because you need a Chicago dog tag and it's ridiculously priced for intact animals if I'm correct. And the dog beaches/areas here are always insanely over crowded... Luckily there's a lot of hidden gems in the city that we have found.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Persinette said:


> How do you handle your dog at the beach? Is it all on leash or do you do off leash as well?


Ours are off leash. 



> Do you let your dog swim/fetch in the waves or worry too much about currents/undertow? Life vests? Long line to tow them back in if necessary or fish of entanglement?


It depends on the tides. Our dogs will swim in the ocean and are not afraid of the currents, but I'm paranoid about it, so if the surf looks a bit rough, we either throw the ball along the beach or just far enough into the water that they're basically wading. They are very strong swimmers, and with four legs and a lower center of gravity they're much more stable in the ocean than I am! I also take my cue from other people - if I see their dogs swimming safely into the water I figure the current isn't too bad, and I don't need to worry about undertow. They don't have life vests and I've never used a long line at the beach. Keefer likes to body surf the waves into shore. 



> For management, do you just stay alert and body block/defend your dog if/when necessary from other dogs you don't want to engage with? Do you play fetch? Off leash? On a long line?


We play fetch, and if we see obnoxious dogs heading our way we divert as necessary. Any time I'm out with my dogs in public, on or off leash, I tend to be very alert to our surroundings and their demeanor. 

This is Fort Funston in SF, the beach we go to:





































It's a fun place for meetups!


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

Persinette said:


> As a general rule, I am not a fan of dog parks beyond distraction training outside of them. I think there are too many chances for something to go wrong with other ill-mannered dogs and their owners.
> 
> That said, I live minutes from a dog friendly beach (the only kind of beaches dogs can go to, lol). I would LOVE to take my future dog there to play in the water, run in the sand, etc. Such great exercise and fun!! :surfer: That said, I'm sure it does all of the same risks/problems as the dog park plus the added issue of no enclosed fencing.
> 
> ...


We do not have dog beaches where we live. We do have some public beaches we can bring our dogs. I take max to beach during the week later in the day on season and anytime off season to avoid large crowds One beach is an ocean where you can bring your dog only to the left of the beach. This is the side you would enter if you had a camper. This side of the beach is much more quiet and are no crowds and are away from everyone. We have a bay that we go to after 5:00 p.m. when most of the crowd is gone and we travel to the side where there is not to many people. In all the years we have had dogs always took them to the beach. If there are any dogs around they are always leashed. I had one encounter where the owner had let go of the dogs leash but i grabbed its leash before there were any issues. I think this is a better way to go then a dog beach as there not many and no loose dogs running about. You just need to know your local beach rules. The ocean is a huge beach we are able to get away from everyone. Many i times i let max off leash when no dogs or people are in sight otherwise he is leashed as you can get a fine. He loves running through the water where the waves break. When he was a pup he wasnt to sure about the water but he would watch me walk in the water along the shore and became more comfortable with it. The third visit to beach he was chasing sticks along the shore. You do have to be aware of riptide alerts. I do not have him swim in the ocean as the waves are much to big and he can be knocked and tumbled by them. I brought him to the beach many times as a pup to socialize him. I always ran into people who either have or had german shepherds which helped with socializing so much as he began to grow and get big. The beach where the bay is much smaller i do keep a long line on him at all times here as it not as secluded and he is still in training During season we come here after 5:00 when it is more quiet. The bay is where i let him actually swim. The first time he swam I did put a life jacket on him at first and we went in with him throwing one of his floating water toys. He was hooked. After a first few swims i took his life jacket off. The kids and i love the water and love going swimming with max. Swimming is great exercise and the beach can be a fun place to share great memories.


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## EchoThePuppy (Jul 16, 2015)

How do you guys do with younger dogs at the beach?

I'm planning on a family trip to the beach next weekend. Echo's only 5 months old. Fairly well behaved; she doesn't show aggression to dogs or strangers. But she does like going over to people to say hello... I can't help but feel that off leash at a beach she'd be pretty inclined to go say hi to anyone playing. 

Would it be better to avoid the beach or is there an alternative? I wanted to get her swimming and I thought this would be a great option.


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## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

I think it depends on the beach, the vibe you initially get. Cassidy's Mom posted photos of a really great beach in CA, Ft Funston, she actually introduced me to it. It has a really special, safe feeling and there are not problems letting the dogs off leash. This beach is really for the dogs.

I'm more cautious at a mixed use, off leash beach, where there are lots of kids, joggers, dogs on and off leash. At this type of beach, I'll do off leash when we are more secluded, and on leash if we see another dog on-leash or there is lots of activity, busy.

Molly gets protective when we are seated, so what works best for us it to keep walking and not stay in one place, unless we are alone. Or if we want to sit, go away from the water by the dunes. Since Molly does not swim, just romps in water, we don't bring a swim vest. We encouraged Molly to dig in the sand for fun so she doesn't always have to be in the busy area by the water. Just pay attention to the heat of the sand so paws don't burn and bring plenty of fresh water.

Also, Cassidy's Mom mentioned meetups - she had a great group photo. I found Molly behaves best when at meetups with other GSDs. She really feels good being around her own kind. You can see if there are any meetups at meetup.com in your area.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Gretchen said:


> I'm more cautious at a mixed use, off leash beach, where there are lots of kids, joggers, dogs on and off leash.


I agree. FF is nice because you have to walk down and back up some pretty steep dunes to get there, so it's not mobbed like many other beaches.

All our our dogs learned to swim in the SF Bay, not the ocean. By the time they went into the water at the coast, they had swum many, many times in calm water, and were strong, confident swimmers. 

For a 5 month old puppy, I don't think the beach is the best place to learn to swim. I'd probably stick to splashing along the shore, on leash.


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## Vega-gurl (Sep 1, 2014)

I tend to keep Vega on a 30 foot long line. The beaches here in the PNW typically aren't crowded, but there are usually enough dogs off leash running around that I don't feel comfortable letting Vega off lead because she isn't the most friendly towards other dogs. That being said, it is fairly easy to keep her busy with playing in the water or with toys. We play in the shallows, Vega doesn't like swimming, but does like trying to eat the waves.  Most of the public beaches here don't have much in the way of undertows or strong currents, so I don't worry to much about them. Like another poster said, I take my cues from other swimmers or dogs, so if they are avoiding an area, I do too. The long line is great because I feel like she can run around and play, but I still have an iota of control about how far she goes/have the ability to move her if people or dogs are near by. 
I think packing a line and plenty of toys would be good, that way you can judge what you might want or need when you get there to cover your bases and see how your dog is reacting to his surroundings. 
A good thought is always "Its better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it!" :thumbup:


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## viking (May 2, 2014)

We go to the beach every day (year round). We go weekdays in the morning when there's only a handful of 'regulars'. I generally avoid the weekends anytime after 8 a.m. because its just too crowded, often with less responsible dog owners and really just not as fun for Hans or for me. 

I check the beach conditions online before we go because there are often enough advisories for rip tides and/or strong currents and on those days we stay on the shoreline. 

My view is a long leash is probably not the best approach. It can cause more problems than it potentially solves. A lot of dogs feel a territorial perimeter on leash, especially when everyone else is off-leash. There's also an annoying (and possibly dangerous) entanglement issue that often arises. Also, if your dog is toy possessive, leave them at home. If you do take toys, be prepared that at some point another dog will probably come along, pick it up and run like the wind with his/her newly found treasure.  Don't be that person who gets irritated by this. Make your way along following and the other owner will look to return it to you. You do the same if your pup makes off with someone else's toy. Its a nice way to make an acquaintance!

The dogs are there to exercise and have fun! 98% of the scuffles are a lot of storm and fury without a scratch and are properly managed. But you must remain aware and 'eyes on' at all times. The 2% can go downhill quickly, and will, if the owners are distracted. 

Keep an eagle eye on your pup and approaching other dogs. I wouldn't get too worried if some dog is a loudmouth or just a rough-and-tumble player but if you see 1) raised hackles, 2) sneering/snarling and 3) low-threatening growling be prepared to command that dog to 'out'. I have found a loud, sharp 'hey' works works well to distract and break the focus of a would be aggressor. Others there are just as invested as you are in there dog's well being. 

Someone else gave you good advice about introducing your pup to the water and I'll also second another poster who advised wait for calm, smooth water, no breaker action.

I'm a big proponent of the dog beach "lifestyle" within these parameters. They learn a lot from one another and they do establish relationships/friendships with other dogs. Its a joyful thing!


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## Dunkirk (May 7, 2015)

If shark activity is a concern in your area, avoid being in the water around dawn and dusk.


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## viking (May 2, 2014)

Ah! Good point Dunkirk! We are on a freshwater lake (Lake Michigan), so no sharks.


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## Persinette (Jan 31, 2015)

Oooo, thanks for all the great ideas and responses everyone! I love hearing everyone's experiences. And the photos are awesome!

I think what I will start with is taking my pup when he is very young and just sitting with him to 'people watch' at the people only beaches to start. Let him play in the sand a bit, etc. So many sites and smells! So long as he isn't actually running around on the beach, I don't think anyone will care if we are sitting at the edge (especially as an adorable little puppy!).

I'm not sure how long it will take to get a good recall on him, but definitely no off leash stuff until we get that hammered down cold. I'm thinking, at the dog beach (the beaches around here have an outright ban on dogs aside from the dog beach, so options are limited) walking on a leash and letting him play in the shallow water to start. I don't live near a lake or have access to a pool, so we'll just have to take it slow and look for gentle water days. I'll try going at off-peak times in the early AM or evening and just, as others mentioned, being aware of what's going on/avoiding trouble as best we can.

To my knowledge sharks aren't an issue here, but I'll do some research.

Depending on how it goes, we'll see if off leash or long line works better. I'll observe a lot and see what the environment is like at our dog beach. I've never been there so some reconisance is in order! I'd love to be able to let him play fetch freely in the surf and sand eventually, have a wave buddy. And I'm still interested in looking into tandem kayaking! haha

It's just such a great resource, I want my little guy to get to enjoy it!


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## WateryTart (Sep 25, 2013)

I think the smaller area and close quarters of a dog-friendly beach would give me hives! And none of our beaches in the city seem to be dog-friendly anyway. But I'm reading this thread anyway for tips on water safety and swimming, because there's lakefront property in the family, and I definitely plan to take my girl sometime (she's already been invited).


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## amburger16 (May 22, 2015)

I leave an old leash attached to Bear in case he sees something interesting. I let him swim in the waves, although they aren't that bad in my area. A couple beaches on Lake Ontario I keep a close eye on him. He doesn't go far from me when in the water so all is good. Never go to dog beaches, just public beaches and only let go of the leash when there aren't any dogs around. Or small children in close vicinity.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

Kayaking sounds fun but be careful and make sure your pup doesn't jump out of kayak. Our first shepherd loved the water. My husband went to the park and had decided to take him on a rowboat in the lake by himself.!!!! Not to far away from land but far enough. My husband did not notice the our dog thinking about jumping out of boat. Our 90lb shepherd jumped out of small row boat and went for a swim in lake. Luckily he didn't tip rowboat over. He was circling the boat trying to get back in. My husband struggled to get our 90lb soaking wet shepherd back into the row boat- very difficult. Very lucky our dog didn't drown or boat didn't tip over. He was able to get our dog back in boat. Everyone was okay. Crazy story!!!!! So best to train your dog to stay in kayak, wear a life jacket and don't venture to far from land at first with your dog.


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## Chai (Dec 11, 2014)

We are always at a beach! I don't like it when it's busy as it becomes a big, sandy dog park, so we only go when it's quiet. WA is a wide open, quiet state and the government invests a great deal in outdoor infrastructure and nature, which is very lucky! The early mornings or evenings usually sees just a few peeps and their dogs at my favourite dog beaches. 

In summer we both swim, and when its so cold and rainy that I cant feel my feet, we jog and romp. We also have dog showers and drink stations at ours. The emptiness means I can comfortably use a long line on him. Here we are practicing recall with seagull distraction! 

I thoroughly recommend it  just remember to pack fresh water, first aid kit in case of jelly fish or cut pads, and lots of towels!


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## Ruger Monster (Jan 29, 2015)

Luckily our favorite beach is nowhere near as crowded as the more commercialized beaches here. We usually find a stretch that has no one else on it and play there with the ChuckIt, go swimming, etc. We have broken the "leash" rules before when we're alone on a stretch, but he has his e-collar on and tends to behave VERY well while it's on. If we tell him to come because he's wandering too far down the part we're on, he immediately does. If there's a few people on the stretch we're on, we'll leave a leash attached while playing. We went once while it was busy, and he kept chasing a beach ball  It wasn't near as fun when people were hitting a beach ball over to where we sat every 5 minutes, so it was a short beach day. Ruger loves zooming through the sand, jumping in the waves to get his ball, and play with us.

He isn't a big fan of swimming through the waves, so we have to bring him out further past the wave breaks with us to get him to swim, but we only bring him to where we are on either side of him and maybe waist/chest high. I want to bring him to the lake to swim more without the waves breaking like they do in the ocean and see what he does there.

Attached some pics from about 2 months ago  We haven't been back recently - seems tourist season is at its highest point and the beach is busier than we like, even though it's still nothing like how busy our other beaches are!


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## ChiTownBound (Oct 13, 2015)

*Moving to Chicago*

And FYI; I live in downtown Chicago and haven't had a problem with other dogs. I don't go to the dog specific beach though.[/QUOTE]

Please help! We're relocating to Downtown Chicago with our 95lb German Shepherd in July. Can you assist with where to live? Any places that accept German Shepherds? They seems all be on the restricted breed list.


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## viking (May 2, 2014)

The South Loop/Printer's Row area is walking distance to downtown and is a very dog-friendly neighborhood. I'm sure there are others but I know that one is for sure because I live in it. When are you moving here? July 2016?


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## Amshru (Aug 7, 2015)

We started taking Elva to the beach at 3 months, so she didn't have what I would consider a solid recall even though she was a very willing puppy. We're lucky in Scotland that we have lots of beaches and very few people, so the programme was - let her off leash totally if there was no-one in sight, and put her on leash as soon as anything came into view. She didn't really care about the leash, just loved the beach and all the interesting new smells!

Incidently, on the way home, we saw swans on the sea, feeding and swimming about. First time for me, I'd always assumed they were fresh water birds!


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