I had the pleasure of heading out to Assateague Island with Kevin and JoJo over the weekend.  It’s a place that’s far enough away that we don’t go a lot, but close enough that when we do go it’s not a horrible drive.

JoJo LOVES going to the beach so I thought I’d put together a list of the top 5 things that  help make the day go smoothly:

1. Bring lots of water and a bowl for your pooch to drink – they will be getting sand everywhere – and unfortunately there is no way to stop them from swallowing a ton of it.  Also the sun will most likely be shining and they will be hot from running around.  Your doggy friend will thank you for any chance to have a drink!
2. Bring poo baggies to clean up.  (This should go without saying)  If your pup is anything like mine she will hold it while walking through grassy areas that look perfectly fine and then once you walk down the boardwalk, over the dunes, and start down the beach – she will squat and poo.  Then you have to pick it up and backtrack all the way to the car to find a trashcan. LOL  But please as tempting as it is, don’t cover it and leave it – someone could come along and step in it which would seriously wreck their time at the beach.
3. Bring a ball to play with.  JoJo has her favorite ball she like to play with at the beach – we like to go in the off season so a lot of the time there are virtually no people on the beach and we can let her run for a bit to get her energy out.  We keep a leash on her in case people start showing up.  We are lucky JoJo listens very well and knows to stay with us, but we respect others when they start coming to the beach and keep Jo on a leash then.
4. Keep an eye on the time – it can be a long day for your dog so if they seem too tired or too hot from the sun, it’s time to call it a day.  Realize you may not spend as much time as you would like at the beach – your pup should come first!
5. Make sure the beach is dog friendly.  Not every beach will allow dogs – and some only allow dogs certain times of the year or on certain sections.  Make sure you know the rules of the beach before you head out!

What’s your favorite beach to take your dog to?

Here’s a quick video of JoJo having fun at Assateague – ENJOY!

If you’d like to learn more about Assateague Island click HERE to read my blog post from last year!