The pub, in Theale, Berkshire, has been recognised for its dog food menu, comfy dog beds and a range of water bowls of all shapes and sizes.
The pub’s licensee Jayne Tilsey said: “Winning this award keeps us firmly on the map as the place to bring your woofer, whether you fancy a drink, lunch or dinner.”
Making a fuss
She continued: “Welcoming dogs into the pub keeps us a community hub and ensures there’s always a conversation point.
“Being dog-friendly is the best part of my day – we love meeting new dogs and getting to fuss over them.”
The pub was announced as the national winner of the fourth nationwide Dog-friendly Pub Awards which is run by Rover.com – the world’s largest network of pet sitters and dog walkers.
The awards celebrate pubs with dog-friendly initiatives and encourage pubs across the country to welcome those with four legs as well as two.
Fighting for favourites
With more than 2,500 pubs entering the awards from around the UK and dog lovers in each region fighting for their favourites – 17,000 votes were placed in total.
The 12 finalists (listed below) were then assessed by a panel of judges from Rover, RSPCA, The Morning Advertiser, Your Dog magazine and The Guardian – with the Fox & Hounds, Theale coming out as the top of the pack.
1. The Fox & Hounds, Theale (South-east and national winner)
2. The Keel Row, Whitley Bay (North-east winner)
3. The Dog at Grundisburgh (East of England winner)
4. The Oak at Baginton (West Midlands winner)
5. The Lion at Basford, Nottingham (East Midlands winner)
6. The Maltings, Warrington (North-west winner)
7. The Ship Inn, Teignmouth (South-west winner)
8. Wags N Tales, Surbiton (London winner)
9. The Calder Vale Hotel, Wakefield (Yorkshire winner)
10. The Sun Trevor, Llangollen (Wales winner)
11. The Stables, Glasgow (Scotland winner)
12. Sunflower Public House, Belfast (Northern Ireland winner)
Best of the best
Rover marketing director Simon Le Grice said: “We’ve had so many fantastic entries, it made judging really tough.
“For the fourth year running we, with the help of dog lovers up and down the country, have been searching for the best of the best when it comes to dog-friendly pubs, and with the Fox & Hounds at Theale, we’ve found just that.
“The superb service demonstrated shows real consideration for dog welfare and happiness, which we, at Rover, value above all.
“The whole Rover pack is proud to congratulate Jayne and her team on winning the national UK Dog-friendly Pub Award and hope that the awards will inspire dog owners country-wide to discover and support their local pubs, while also encouraging more pubs to consider our two-legged friends in their offerings.”
