Throughout October, DogBuddy is sniffing out the country’s most dog-friendly pub, for its third annual awards, which recognise those that go the extra mile to make dogs and their owners feel welcome.
The aptly named pub, the Dog in Grundisburgh, Suffolk, is currently set to take first place in the east of England.
Dog haven
Owned by self-confessed dog lovers Eilir Rogers and husband Charles, the ‘paw-some’ pub offers doggy treats at the bar, water bowls on arrival and the option of booking a dog table in advance.
Eilir said she was “over the moon” when she heard the news of the pub's position in the contest.
“We are very excited as we’ve always been dog-friendly and we are so glad that our customers agree with us and have been voting for us to win,” she added.
“We love dogs and have three of our own – they are a really important part of everything we do at the Dog.
“They have been very well behaved and we’ve never had any issues with dogs on the premises – if anything, they are made more of a fuss of than the people.”
A no-brainer
As well as showing some well-deserved appreciation of existing dog-friendly establishments, the awards aim to inspire dog owners in the UK to discover and visit their local pubs.
Last year’s winners, the Fox & Hounds in Theale, Reading, Berkshire, went the extra mile by raising money for animal charities and even greeting pets before humans.
Pub landlord Gareth Griffiths said that being dog-friendly was a “no-brainer” because it was beneficial for business and the community.
With figures showing that as many as 29 pubs are being closed down each week, a survey carried out by DogBuddy found that more than a quarter of 3,000 dog owners surveyed (26%) say they visit a pub more than once a week – meaning being dog-friendly could save a pub.
The winners from 12 regional categories will be announced 9 November.