Top Dog Friendly Beaches for Kiwi Canines

Dog friendly beaches in New Zealand offer the best of both worlds… Picturesque settings that welcome both people and their pets. However, not every beach accommodates canines, so before you don your sunscreen and hat and Rover hops in the backseat, be sure to know which ones do.

Kiwi beaches are known for their immaculate beauty. People travel from all around the world to experience their treasures, like our clear water and wonderful wildlife. Thankfully for us Kiwis, these spoils are right on our doorstep.

To help you and pup get the best out of this experience, we’ve rounded up the top dog friendly beaches for Kiwi canines.

But before you read on, first familiarise yourself with NZ’s Lead the Way programme – and its seven steps to follow towards keeping you, your pooch and native wildlife safe while you’re enjoying the coast.

Are there dog friendly beaches in my hood?

Whether you’re on North or South Island, there are plenty of dog friendly beaches close at hand. But do take note some beaches have doggo curfews and only allow dogs at certain times of the day (during certain times of the year).

In the same vein you’ll notice dog friendly beaches aren’t always off-leash. Or they do allow dogs to roam off-leash but, again, only within certain times. Wherever possible we’ve included these details in this article. That said, always check the rules with your local council in case they’re updated and changed.

First, think of the wildlife

When it comes to wildlife preservation, keeping your dog on-leash helps greatly. Even if your dog doesn’t attack other creatures its proximity and energy can frighten them out of their natural habitat. Ongoing disturbance from dogs and other pets can even result in wildlife moving on to a less suitable home.

And just like with our pets, stress can lead to health issues in our native wildlife.

We know your dog wants off-leash time (don’t we all!) but when doing so please be very mindful of the other creatures in reach of their zoomies.

With that said, here’s PD Insurance’s list of dog friendly beaches and what you need to know about them. Note, given we’re islanders, there are many many beaches and this list is non-exhaustive…

Dog friendly beaches in Auckland

• Takapuna Beach. During summer dogs are allowed off-leash before 10am and after 6pm. The rest of the year off-leash is allowed throughout the day.
• North Piha Beach. North Piha beach is the dedicated off-leash part of Piha beach.
• Te Henga/Bethells Beach. This dog friendly beach welcomes dogs off-leash year round.
• Omaha Beach. Dog friendly beach that dogs (and owners) love throughout the year.
• Cockle Bay. Offers great grass and sand areas for dogs to run and play.
• Mellons Bay. A firm favourite for dog owners, though note Mellons Bay doesn’t allow dogs southeast of the water pipe between 9am and 7pm during daylight savings. The rest of the time it’s off-leash for perky (and, as always, well-behaved) pups.
• Point Chevalier Beach. During the summer dogs are allowed off-leash between 5am and 10am and on-leash between 5pm and 5am. The rest of the day, it’s a no dog zone (between 10am and 5pm). In winter dogs can be off-leash between 4pm and 10am (on-leash between 10am and 4pm).   
• Bethells Beach. Dogs can be off-leash in winter and need to be on-leash in summer to protect birds that nest on the beach. You can walk along Bethells Beach and cross the river to Waitakere Bay where there is an off-leash zone.

If you’re heading to the park instead of the beach, read the PD guide to dog park safety in New Zealand.

Dog friendly beaches in Wellington

• Lyall Bay. This beach has a designated off-leash dog-exercise area for pups to socialise outdoors. Dogs aren’t allowed in the kid’s playground area or on the steps in the seawall.

Dog friendly beaches in Christchurch

• Waimairi Beach. Dog friendly from April to October. Luckily there’s another option close by from November to March – next on this list!
• Bottle Lake Forest Park. This park is just behind Waimairi Beach and offers a great spot for more off-leash doggo time.

Dog friendly beaches in Dunedin

• Brighton Beach Reserve. Perfect for dogs to run and play on the sand and splash around freely (under your watchful eye).
• Ocean Beach Domain. Off-leash for pooches.
• Smaills Beach. East of the middle track, dogs must be on-leash. Then it’s off-leash west of the track (except when there are temporary closures to dogs for the purpose of nature conservation).

Dog friendly beaches in Nelson

• Tahunanui Back Beach. Dogs are not allowed on the eastern two thirds of the beach and need to be on-leash.
• Patons Rock Beach. Great for dogs to play off-leash.
• Rangihaeata. Great for dogs and they can be off-leash.
• Pohara Beach. Also off-leash.

5 safety tips for trips to dog friendly beaches

When walking your perky canine on any of New Zealand’s pristine beaches make sure you know how to keep your dog, other dogs, the wildlife and other people safe. Here’s a breakdown of what to do:

1. Cleaning up after your dog

Yes it’s common sense not to leave your dog’s poop lying around for other people to squelch between their toes. But people do still do it. You’ve probably seen someone looking shifty while their pooch drops to its haunches to do its thing as they plan to pretend not to see it.

Hopefully you’ve never been this person. Either way, read puppy poop etiquette to get yourself prepped and ready to scoop the poop.

2. Beat the heat

Like people, some dogs have sensitive skin that gets sunburnt more easily. Avoid visiting dog friendly beaches at the hottest time of day. Also be sure to read how to keep pets safe in summer for tips on preventing sunburn, dehydration, overheating and more.

3. Dogs in hot cars

If you drive with your dog to the beach avoid taking the trip to and from during the hottest hours. Also be sure to have your car packed and ready before letting Rover climb in. You’d be surprised how fast the temperature inside the car can cause brain damage to dogs.

Always make sure your dog is well hydrated for beach trips and read about dogs in hot cars to know what to avoid.

4. Water safety

Dogs have powerful instincts but that doesn’t always mean they intuitively know how to swim. Drowning is something every dog parent should safeguard their pups against. This means around the clock eyes-on.

Read about pet safety at the beach and pet safety in summer for more tips on water safety, and preventing accidental ingestion of sea creatures, plants and sand.

5. Controlling your dog

Keep your dog well-behaved so every creature and human in or near the beach is safe – this is an absolute must. If you’re not confident Fido’s going to be on best behaviour, avoid beach trips or keep him leashed until he’s well socialised and trained.

Make sure you understand why dogs bite and how to stop it from happening. We’re all for positive reinforcement dog training for wagging tails and happy owners.

Also read about how crucial it is to control our pets so we can protect our wildlife.

Free pet insurance for your beach-friendly dog

Enjoying dog friendly beaches is easier when your perky pup has pet insurance. A pet plan means that if they get scraped, scratched, bitten (or they bite someone else or damage their belongings), you’ll be financially covered. It means you can get your dog the medical attention they deserve if and when they need it without worrying about the costs.

With us you can get one or more months of free dog insurance if you sign up online to become a customer. Why not take two minutes to get a quote?