These are Spain's most dog-friendly destinations

Fewer and fewer 'no dogs' signs are seen across Spain and it is possible to share activities with dogs in an ever-increasing way even in urban areas.

Pablo Muñoz Gabilondo, who owns Pipper, a terrier dog, has toured Spain to promote the integration of pets in towns and cities.

“The key is that they meet the needs of families with dogs. To do this, they must have large canine recreation areas, public transport that admits animals, as well as restaurants, bars and other establishments where we can enter quietly with them,” said Pablo.

Another indicator that a town or city is dog-friendly is hotels and guest houses that accept dogs. However, there are not nearly enough of them, he said.

There are currently 9.3 million dogs in Spain, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics and during the Covid-19 pandemic many people bought dogs for the extra company.

But life with a dog is still easier in some cities than in others. Aragón is the only region in Spain that prohibits the entry of pets inside places where food is served such as bars, cafeterias and restaurants.

Most regions leave it up to the owners of hospitality establishments to decide if dogs are allowed or not. “The tourism sector must assume that being dog-friendly is a value, it is good from the marketing point of view. It always adds, it does not subtract,” said Pablo.

Zaragoza, Madrid, La Coruña or Bilbao are best in terms of outdoor spaces for dogs but Teruel and Huesca do not allow dogs in public parks.

Pablo praised San Sebastian for allowing dogs on beaches and also Malaga for its pioneering DNA analysis of dog faeces to make sure the streets are kept clean.

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria does not allow dogs on the promenade that runs along Las Canteras beach, one of the city's showcases. "Wouldn't it be better to carry out awareness-raising actions and apply exemplary fines to those who do not pick up poop instead of prohibiting a large part of its citizens from enjoying this key area for recreation?" asked Pablo.