What it’s like taking our reactive dog to the beach

Our entire family is from Wisconsin. When Sean and I moved to central Florida in the spring of 2020, I was psyched about the possibility of enjoying some dog-friendly beach time! I couldn’t wait to show our little cattle dog the ocean and run through the waves together.

Because of our passion for being good ambassadors for the canine species — and because of Scout’s fear of other dogs — we approach every adventure with a bit of caution and a lot of planning.

Here’s what it’s like taking Scout to the beach!

Step one: Know the rules before we go

Before we make plans to go somewhere, we read all available information about where, when, and how dogs are allowed in the specific area we’re visiting.

On Cocoa Beach, near our apartment, pets are permitted along a 12-block stretch during certain hours of the day so long as they are on a leash. This is perfect for us.

Step two: Learn from firsthand experiences of other owners

We try to find reviews from other owners for an idea of what we’re getting into. Sadly, just because an area has leash laws doesn’t mean they are regularly followed.

Some helpful sources for this are BringFido and Google Reviews.

Step three: Confirm the guidelines once we arrive

When we get to the beach, we double-check all the posted signs to make sure we’re in the right place, with the right expectations, following the right rules.

The first time we went to Cocoa Beach, I read the entire “entering a dog-friendly beach” post over again just to make sure.

Step four: Have some fun in the sun!

Once we’re there, it’s time to have fun sprinting along the shore!

Scout stays on her six-foot leash, attached to her comfy 1.5-inch-wide collar. If there is no one else around we might let her drag the line so we can use both hands for tug — and on particularly deserted days, we sometimes use our flexi leash for a bit of extra freedom.

Sean and I pay attention to make sure 1) she stays safe and 2) her presence doesn’t negatively affect anyone else’s experience. This usually looks like moving out of the way or calling her into middle (where she sits between my legs, out of the way) when people pass nearby.

If we see another dog:

And they’re on a leash

We create space if they are coming right towards us looking like they want to “say hi” — otherwise we ignore them and play with Scout, rewarding her engagement. If she fixates on the dog, we help “as much as needed but as little as possible”.

(You can read more about how we train through her fear-based dog reactivity here.)

And they’re off leash

This usually depends on how far away they are. Part of me wants to tell everyone to leash their dogs simply because it’s the law — but I’ve realized that personal pleas (without the self-righteousness) are more productive.

If we need to pass by an off-leash dog, either Sean or I will run ahead and politely ask if they can leash up. Often, just us approaching is enough for them to take action without us saying anything!

And they run at us

Thankfully, this doesn’t happen all that often. When it does, though, one of us stays behind with Scout (giving her a command to help her stay focused if necessary) while the other intercepts the off-leash dog. And most importantly, I work on managing my own emotions in a productive way.

The exact course of action depends on how much space we have, how quickly the dog is approaching, whether or not the owner is in sight… It’s rarely the exact same situation each time.

We love the beach — and want to keep it that way

We couldn’t be more thankful to have the beach nearby. We’re committed to using it responsibly so other dogs and owners can keep enjoying it, too!