Special Interest Holidays and Experiences With Canine Companions
Unleash new adventures with your dog in 2025. This is the year to pack off to new horizons and experience unique activities with your four-legged friend. Time away with your hound isn’t just about walkies. There are all sorts of unusual events, workshops and experiences you can enjoy with your dog on holiday. Explore new places and strengthen your bond with your canine companion on these special interest holidays with your dog.
Obedience, Agility and Fitness Holidays with Your Dog
Why not combine your waggy-tailed adventures with a dog-training course or fun-packed agility session? Whether you’re looking for something fun and stimulating to do with your four-legged friend while you’re away, or want to use your time off to improve their behaviour, you can join in a range of dog training courses across the UK.
One of our top dog-friendly destinations is the Lake District, where Cumbria Canine Services offer dog training, workshops and mantrailing – an exciting dog sport that teaches your dog to hunt down a missing person.
Meanwhile, on the edge of the Peak District, Peak Performance Dog Training in Derbyshire offers a range of canine fitness and training classes in its dedicated dog gym.
Doga – Yoga With Your Dog
Fancy getting a double hit of happy hormones on your holiday by doing yoga with your dog? Doga, or dog yoga, classes have taken off across the UK, enabling energetic play that boosts bonds between humans and their canines, along with all the mental and physical benefits of yoga practice.
Head to Brighton, one of the UK’s most dog-friendly seaside towns, where you can enjoy a Vinyasa Flow yoga class with your dog, focusing on poses that are inspired by the movements of your furry friend.
Hydrotherapy Holiday with your Dog
While we love to go wild swimming with the dog, not all dogs are keen to dip in the Great Outdoors. So why not make the most of your holiday to build their confidence and swimming skills in canine pools and aqua parks?
Dedicated doggie pools provide a safe, controlled environment for your dog to enjoy the water, socialise with other dogs, and exercise while staying cool, and aqua parks are often equipped with toys and obstacle courses designed specifically for canine fun.
Action Petz in Swansea has a large outdoor aquapark for dogs, featuring a shallow pool, splash pads and water fountains, while on the Isle of Wight there is a canine hydrotherapy pool at the Doggy Paddles Canine Country Retreat.
Flyball Fun
If you and your dog love doing sport, then this is the year to try flyball. This energetic, fast-paced activity is the ultimate way for humans and canines to have fun and get fit together. Hurdles, training and chasing all go into the course, and many centres throughout the UK offer taster sessions and competitive leagues.
Why not use your holiday as a chance to castaway to the Isle of Mull on the west coast of Scotland, where Paws by the Loch Dog Training run individual and group sessions where you can learn the sport of flyball together.
Festivals with Fido
Music, food and fun-packed festivals aren’t just for humans – a plethora of pooch-friendly events are popping up across the country, where your furry friend can join in the festival spirit. So why not time a trip away with your four-legged friend to coincide with one of these festivals for dogs?
DogFest, Goodwoof and Paws in the Park are some of the UK’s best-known dog events for agility and entertainment, while heading up the pack for the party spirit – with a doggie disco and muddy paws tavern – is Dogstival in top dog-friendly holiday destination the New Forest.
Paddle Power with your Pooch
Stand-up paddleboarding is one of Britain’s fastest-growing watersports, honing your core and arm muscles with a low-impact workout while exploring stunning coves, coastlines and waterways. In calm water, with a little preparation, it’s fairly easy to take Fido on your adventures afloat.
Make sure you use a doggy lifejacket, practise close to the shore while you both find your salty sea-dog legs, and ensure any coastal explorations include plenty of hopping-off spots for your hound. Once you’ve got the knack of it, you’re free to explore the nooks and crannies of our beautiful waterways, from Scotland and the Lake District to Wales and the Wye Valley.
Kayaking with Canines
Kayaking with your dog is another fantastic way to explore Britain’s lakes, lochs and coastline. And a kayak is a little safer and more comfortable than a paddleboard for your canine companion.
Head off on a dog-friendly guided kayak tour in Devon, or paddle between the towering fells of The Lake District, where established operators such as Windermere Kayak and Canoe allow you to take your hound onboard.
Ready to try something new with Rover?
Book your special interest dog-friendly holiday for 2025. Whether you fancy festival fun with Fido, or are keen to try a new activity with your pooch on land or sea, book one of our dog-friendly cottages and start planning your unique holiday experience today.
