We are probably biased, but we definitely think that the Newport area is one of the best places in the UK to visit with dogs. Pembrokeshire is very good for dog friendly places to visit, but you will find that many of the beaches have seasonal restrictions that will impact what you can and cannot do with your furry friends.
The good news is that all the beaches in Newport are extremely dog friendly and they can run free at all times of the year. Whilst we would always encourage responsible dog ownership and to be respectful of other beach users, it is so nice not to be excluded from any areas of the beach or to be forced to use a lead at all times.
We know from first hand experience how much dogs enjoy the beach and the surrounding countryside, as you can see from a selection of photos of Peggy loving life in Newport:
It really is dog heaven and you can be sure that your pooch will be shattered after a day roaming free on the beautiful beach. It is also incredibly friendly in term of fellow dog owners – we have never encountered any dog snobbery and it is impossible to go for a walk without ending up chatting to / laughing with fellow dog owners. It is that sort of place.
Dog friendly pubs in Newport
The beach is the obvious playground for dogs, but the town itself is incredibly dog friendly and you will find a warm welcome pretty much wherever you go in Newport.
Some venues, such as the Cat Rock Cafe at the golf club, have special areas for dogs and that works really well but most of the pubs in Newport are very welcoming of dogs. You are spoilt with choices and do not feel that a dog stops you enjoying the excellent eateries on offer.
The only place where we haven’t been able to take Peggy into is the Spar supermarket on Market Street, which only allows guide dogs to enter. To be confirmed, but I don’t think that Tides restaurant is dog friendly either but we have yet to actually make it there, so watch this space…
Is Peg-y-Don dog friendly?
We very much welcome dogs at Peg-y-Don and are extremely confident that you will be love staying at the cottage with dogs. The beach is on your doorstep and you have a massive dog playground to explore.
There is a dog crate in the living room that you are welcome to use if your dog likes chilling in a crate and there is a stair gate to help encourage wet dogs to stay downstairs, where all the flooring is hard wearing and copes well with sandy paws.
The garden is enclosed by a fence, but you should be aware that the fence is very open and it is definitely more of a psychological than physical barrier, as you can see in a screenshot from the webcam that looks out over the bay:
We had originally planned on putting chicken wire over the fence, but it would be such a shame to impact the views from the garden, which have to be seen to be appreciated, so we are holding fire on that plan.
Speaking from personal experience, we know that Peggy could easily jump over the fence if she really wanted to (she is an olympic high jumper…) so we feel that chicken wire would not actually add any real benefit whilst it would get in the way of the views.
We are training her to keep within the fence and it seems to be going very well as she only escaped to chase rabbits once when we were there last week! She is usually a spent force after chasing seagulls on the beach, so seems very content to doze in the garden rather than constantly try to get out.
In all seriousness, we have never stayed in a holiday cottage in Newport that is 100% dog safe but it has never worried us as we either keep an eye on the dog or use a stake / leash to keep them from going to the beach on their own.
The golf club is extremely dog friendly and you will see quite a few dogs on the course itself, either accompanying players or one of the green keepers, who you will see in the mornings working with his faithful hound alongside. I think you are supposed to keep your dog on the lead if you are actually playing a round, but I have seen a few mad spaniels that would suggest that this rule isn’t heavily policed 🙂
To summarise, we definitely believe that Newport is one of the most dog friendly places to stay in Pembrokeshire! It certainly has one of the best dog friendly beaches in Pembrokeshire. Book your stay now and your dog will be eternally grateful.