THE VALE of Glamorgan ranks in the top five places in the UK for dog-friendly beaches.

The region comes in at fifth place with 37 beaches dogs are able to use 365 days a year. It comes in behind Pembrokeshire at first place with 81 beaches, Devon with 68, Cornwall with 54 and Anglesey with 43.

The research comes as people are looking to continue to holiday at home as Wales and the UK begins to re-open and international travel is still looking unsure. It was carried out by Uswitch and can be viewed here: https://www.uswitch.com/car-insurance/guides/uk-dog-friendly-beaches-mapped/

In their list of 10 beaches from across the UK, Ogmore Beach comes in third place behind Cayton Bay in North Yorkshire and Oxwich Beach near Swansea.

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The Uswitch guide says that Ogmore Beach is best for fishing, walking and dog-friendly pubs and the car park costs £6 a day, with dogs allowed on the beach all-year round and there are no restrictions. They say that the beach is a sand and shingle beach and has a reputation for being one of the cleanest in the region. There is a coastal walk, chance to go fishing, surfing and views of Tusker Rock.

For those owners who may not yet have ventured to the beach with their pups or are concerned about behaviour while at the beach, Wood Green’s dog behaviour and training specialist, Wendy Kruger, has provided some tips to prepare your dog for the beach.

• Ensure your dog’s microchip and collar tag details are up to date – just in case.

• Get used to checking ground surface temperatures before you take your dog out, as dry sand can be too hot for dogs’ paws on sunny days. To check the ground temperature, place the back of your hand on the ground. If its too hot to hold comfortably for five seconds, it’s too hot for dogs’ paws.

• Practise basic, reward-based training when out and about to help your dog to maintain focus and engagement on walks.

• Recall is also an area that needs particular attention. Even if your dog has a great recall at home, its not something that can be guaranteed in unfamiliar environments with exciting new distractions. Games with toys are a fantastic way to help your dog engage with you when there are other distractions around.