Dog bucket list: 50 adventures to do with your dog

I've spent years ticking off my own bucket list. Dex is two and has only just started on his, so here's what's on it. Tick them off as you go: your ticks stay on your phone.

0 of 50 done

Out and about

1. Climb a hill, and get the summit photo, tongue out.
2. Walk a stretch of a National Trail, the South Downs Way, the Ridgeway, Offa's Dyke: pick one and do a day of it.
3. Do a sunrise walk, out before anyone else is up.
4. Do a sunset walk on a beach, and let them run until the light goes.
5. Find a waterfall walk, Wales and the Lake District are full of them.
6. Kick through autumn leaves, in a proper woodland.
7. Play in the snow, the first snow day is always chaos.
8. Go on a night walk, with a light-up collar so you don't lose them.
9. Explore a forest you've never been to, new smells are the best thing you can give a dog.
10. Have zoomies in a secure dog field, you can hire a private field by the hour all over the UK.

Water dogs

11. Paddle at a dog-friendly beach, check the local seasonal ban first.
12. Swim in a lake or river, somewhere safe, and stay out if there's blue-green algae.
13. Fetch a ball from the sea, and see how far they'll go.
14. Try a dog swimming pool, great for nervous swimmers and hot days.
15. Take a canal boat trip, lots of narrowboat hire firms take dogs.
16. Ride a ferry, even a short crossing counts.
17. Go paddleboarding together, with a dog life jacket.
18. Find a rock pool, and watch them work out what a crab is.
19. Shake off right next to someone, everyone's dog has done it. Tick it off.
20. Dry off in front of a pub fire, after a soaking wet walk.

Food and fun

21. Have a pup cup at a café, a little pot of cream or dog-safe treats.
22. Sunday lunch in a dog-friendly pub, under the table, waiting for a stray roast potato.
23. Bake homemade dog treats, peanut butter (xylitol-free) and oats is a good start.
24. Throw a birthday party, with a dog-safe cake.
25. Share dog ice cream on a hot day, plenty of shops now sell it.
26. Have a picnic in the park, and see who guards the sausages.
27. Do a doggy afternoon tea, some hotels and cafés do one.
28. Make a frozen lick mat, for a lazy summer afternoon.
29. Have a proper sofa day, nothing planned, nowhere to be.
30. Open a present on Christmas morning, and wrap it badly so they can rip it.

Learn something

31. Learn a new trick, paw, spin, play dead, whatever they'll do for cheese.
32. Try agility, jumps, tunnels and weaves.
33. Try scentwork, hide treats and let the nose do the work.
34. Try hoopers, like agility but easier on the joints.
35. Run a parkrun together, dogs are welcome on a short lead.
36. Enter a canicross race, you run, they pull.
37. Enter a fun dog show, waggiest tail, best rescue, dog the judge would most like to take home.
38. Pass a Kennel Club Good Citizen award, bronze is a good place to start.
39. Try flyball, the loudest dog sport there is.
40. Find out about becoming a therapy dog, visiting care homes and schools.

Trips and memories

41. Go on a road trip, and visit a county you've never been to.
42. Go camping, a night in a tent with a dog is a cuddle you can't escape.
43. Stay in a dog-friendly cottage, with a log burner and a big garden.
44. Ride a steam train, most heritage railways take dogs.
45. Visit a castle or stately home, loads of them let dogs into the grounds.
46. Do a city break together, plenty of cities are more dog-friendly than you'd think.
47. Go abroad, with an Animal Health Certificate from your vet (you need one to travel from Great Britain to the EU).
48. Meet a gang of the same breed, boxer meet-ups are carnage, in a good way.
49. Get a professional photo shoot, or a really good one on your phone.
50. Make a paw print keepsake, and a photo book of the year.

Got one I've missed? Email me and it might make the list. And if your dog's ticked off more than Dex, I want to see the photos.

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