At Benchmark Kennels, we are on a mission to ensure all pets are well-cared for, happy and healthy.

From training and safety, to lockdown tips and dog kennels, we’re here to help our customers and their pets. That’s why we want to round up the best dog-friendly pubs in Yorkshire, so that when they reopen, you can take your buddy with you.

It’s no secret that our pets are enjoying the 24/7 company at the moment, but they aren’t prepared for that to suddenly change. We want to help ease your pets back into ‘normal’ life, so vote for your favourite dog friendly pub in Yorkshire so other families know where to go with their pups.

If you can’t see your favourite on the list, tick ‘other’ at the end of the survey and add your favourite.

We will release the top 10 when lockdown restrictions are lifted and we’re able to visit these pubs safely.

*Update* Please note when leaving comments:

Please include the full name and location of the pub you are commenting on. If you wish to add a pub to the list, please use the last checkbox ‘other’ to add your suggestion and we will update our survey. Recommendations in the comment section of this post will not be counted, only those in the ‘other’ checkbox will be counted.

Dog agility is a recognised dog sport all over the world, with many organisations hosting competitions for owners and dogs of all breeds to showcase their skills and win awards. Despite this, dog agility doesn’t have to be a serious affair that requires you to dedicate hours into training and practise. Dog agility training can simply be a fun activity for you and your pet to enjoy together, with the added benefit that it keeps your dog’s fitness levels up and allows them to burn off plenty of steam. 

No matter how seriously you want to take dog agility, you can get stuck into the sport by constructing DIY obstacles for your garden and training yourself and dog over time to become masters of communication. Agility dog training isn’t just about teaching your dog new behaviours but involves learning new skills and developing from a dog owner to a dog handler. It takes time and dedication but the benefits for your dog’s fitness, confidence, anxiety levels and overall wellbeing make it highly rewarding. 

The great thing about starting to familiarise your dog with agility obstacles at home is you can take it completely at your own pace and keep it fun, without your dog having to be on its best behaviour. It’s important to keep in mind that some dogs are more naturally gifted at agility than others and not all dogs will enjoy or excel in competitions. Dog agility training at home allows dogs of all breeds, sizes, ages and abilities to have fun without the pressure of an audience. 

Dogs love to be active and learn from their masters, both things that agility allows them to do, so what are you waiting for? Grab some old household items and spend some quality time outdoors with your dog. Benchmark Kennels are here to share some of the major benefits of dog agility training with some easy DIY dog training equipment to try. 

Is agility training good for dogs?

While dog agility involves dogs following many behavioural commands and might seem like hard work, a dog will never view it as such. Agility gives dogs the opportunity to do what they’re born to do, keeping both their body and mind active and stimulated. 

• Reduces anxiety

An active and busy dog is a happy dog, which is why behavioural issues and separation anxiety is seen more in dogs that spend a lot of time lazing around or on their own. By starting an activity that involves both you and your dog being up on your feet and learning new commands, you can tire your pet out mentally and physically. 

If you find your dog is still energetic after a long walk this is usually because their mind has not been active – agility ticks all boxes, leading to a healthy and happy dog. Once you’ve started regular dog behaviour training using agility obstacles, you are sure to notice far less negative behaviours in your dog when you do have to leave them in outdoor dog kennels or in your home for periods of time. 

• Trust and communication

As well as improving the overall behaviour of your dog, dog agility training also hugely strengthens the bond between an owner and their dog. Your dog will learn to trust you completely as both your communication skills develop. Agility training essentially involves the two of you learning a mutual language to communicate with each other, consisting of body language and verbal commands. As your dog learns to understand your every move, your relationship can only get stronger, benefitting you in a range of other situations where you need your animal to behave and stay by your side. 

What age should you start agility training?

It’s important not to start using agility obstacles or courses until your vet has approved this. A young dog below one or two years can severely damage their bones if they try to jump or move in certain ways while they’re still growing. 

Although you need to wait till your dog is fully grown to start agility, being proactive with any dog behaviour training from an early age is still important if you want to start your dog’s behaviour on solid foundations. Teaching your dog basic key commands like ‘sit’, ‘lie down’, ‘stay’ and more will always be valuable in everyday life but especially when it comes to trying your hand at agility, whether you plan to do it for some fun or to compete. A dog that is already familiar with learning commands and can listen to your communication will find it far easier to pick up agility tricks than a dog who has been allowed to run riot all through its early life. 

How to start dogs in agility training:

Attention

First off, you need to make sure your dog can focus its whole attention on you. Try to set up any dog training equipment in an area of your garden with minimal distractions at first, to give you and your dog the best shot at learning new tricks. Once your dog has shown that is can listen carefully and follow your lead, you can start to practise in slightly busier areas to build up your dogs ability to block out potential distractions. 

Body and spatial awareness

Although our dogs are eager to learn and are intelligent by nature, when it comes to some practical skills like spatial and body awareness, they can fall short. Luckily, you can help your dog to understand its own size and be aware of its limbs and where they’re being placed. Rather than investing in legitimate dog agility training equipment, use narrow household items to practise your dog jumping up and keeping its balance. 

The ‘back up’ trick, in particular, requires dogs to think of each individual leg as they walk backwards, benefitting both spatial awareness and coordination skills – and an ideal command to teach to help with agility! 

Flexibility 

Dog agility training is great for improving your dog’s flexibility as well as their fitness. Certain tricks, like weaving between poles and bowing, help to stretch a dog’s muscles in ways they wouldn’t normally get to. To start off with, teach your dog to weave between your legs. Once your dog understands how to move their body in certain ways, you can move onto helping your dog practise weaving around poles or other obstacles. Improved flexibility has major benefits for your dog’s mobility and joints, something which will be hugely valuable for your animal in later life. 

Handling

While the main focus is on your dog learning certain moves and tricks, the methods used by you as a handler are key to grasping basic agility training. You need to use positive techniques and have a trusting relationship already established with your pet if you are to succeed. 

Transforming from a dog owner into a handler involves using firm language and positive reinforcements such as treats or attention to reward your dog when necessary. It’s important to be patient and tackle each trick and agility obstacle one by one and gradually, to avoid confusing your dog. 

What obstacles are in a dog agility course?

Agility is an easy and highly accessible sport to get into. Don’t go out and invest in a range of agility dog training equipment when you can create DIY options that are just as effective for beginners.

• Contact obstacles

There are a few contact obstacles such as the ‘plank walk’ which involve your dog jumping up or walking along objects. While there are specific dog planks on the market, save yourself some money and start out using park benches or other long items around your garden to help your dog practise balancing and become familiar with moving along an object. 

• Tire jumping

Use safe objects such as large spare tires or hula hoops to practise your dogs jumping. Keep your DIY agility obstacles at a reasonable height of around two inches to avoid your dog straining its back and use a training lead to direct your dog to jump through, not around, the object. Using plenty of treats and consistent ‘jump’ commands should have your dog ‘jumping through hoops’ for you in no time. 

• Tunnels

Got any old kids play tunnels in the back of a shed somewhere? These are ideal replacements for agility equipment and perfect for teaching your dog to run through tunnels. You can even use hollowed out cardboard boxes lined up. Dogs are naturally wary of unknown and dark spaces, so you will likely need to offer a treat or inventive at the other end while your dog gets used to this obstacle. 

• Weave poles

Weaving is arguably the hardest agility obstacle for dogs to learn. It involves your dog bending in ways it likely hasn’t had to do before, so you should be prepared for the long process and plenty of patient practise required. At first, use sticks, brooms, plastic cones or any long object that you can stick in the ground on diagonals to each other, allowing you to build up the amount your dog has to bend its body. With enough practise, your dog will understand how to do the movements and will be able to weave in and out at great speed! 

Need a wooden dog kennel to help with your agility training?

Investing a quality wooden or WPC eco-thermal dog kennel is a great way to keep your dog safe and secure outdoors when you’re not training. With dog agility training being mentally and physically stimulating for your pet, you can use an outdoor kennel as space for them to relax and unwind out of harm’s way, without having to leave them unattended in your home. 

Benchmark Kennel’s are a leading dog kennel manufacturer, offering custom kennels with quick installation to homes all across the UK. Get in touch with their team of dog experts today or customise a kennel online and have it delivered in as little as seven days!

Before 2020, the term ‘socially distanced’ was unknown to many, but thanks to COVID-19, it’s since become a commonly used phrase. Coronavirus has caused countless disruptions to day-to-day life, but the strangest change for many is keeping two meters apart from anyone outside of your household. Still, where is better to maintain a distance while exploring the British countryside than with your dog, in one of our national parks? 

We’ve taken the top five national parks most suitable for taking your dog on a socially distanced walk, by comparing key factors including the length of walking routes, ease of parking, and the odds that you’ll stay dry. 

The Top National Parks for Socially Distanced Dog Walks

Exmoor ranks number one

The only national park with low visitor numbers from the south, Exmoor, takes the top spot. With just 5,479 daily visitors, Exmoor is the third quietest park in England, with the second-lowest amount of walkers overall per kilometre of walking route. In comparison, the New Forest has 175 daily visitors per kilometre of footpath – you could bump into over 30 times more visitors than Exmoor.

Exmoor also has the best temperature of these socially distanced national parks, reaching an average (not so) toasty 6.75 °C through the winter months. While this may not be a worthy substitute for a winter getaway to escape the UK’s weather, dog walkers can be safe knowing that there won’t be too much ice and frost across Exmoor from December to March. Still, make sure you check the forecast before exercising in this national park – to avoid cold showers or slippery footpaths without the right gear.

The Yorkshire Dales offer the most secluded walk

If you’re planning long walking routes and days out in the countryside, the Yorkshire Dales are a perfect fit. Explore the incredible 3,200km of walking trails that this area has to offer, while safe in the knowledge that the Dales receive the least yearly visitors of any national park – just 520,000, or 1,425 daily visitors. Per kilometre, that’s over 14 times fewer visitors than top spot Exmoor.

This quiet location is particularly beneficial for owners with nervous and reactive dogs as it ensures pooches can run around freely with minimal risk of unexpected encounters with strangers and fellow dogs.

North York Moors takes third place

While this park has a slightly shorter walking route of 2,200km, it has the lowest chance of rainfall – great for a weekend escape to the countryside. While Yorkshire isn’t known for its weather, on average 56% of winter days are completely dry in the North York Moors – almost 10% higher than Exmoor.

Some of the best dog walks in this national park include the forest walk Newton Dale, and Clay Bank and Greenhow Plantation which entails a combination of tracks, trees, and stunning views.

Northumberland places fourth

Another option for socially distanced dog walks even further North East is Northumberland. It’s the second least visited national park behind the Dales and has plenty of history to take in as you walk around. Retrace the steps of the guards of Hadrian’s Wall and view Roman remains, all while unwinding in the fresh air.

As the nights get darker earlier, before you drive back from this national park, take in the best view of the night sky on the continent – with meteorites, stars, comets and moons often visible. Northumberland is the largest protected ‘Dark Sky Park’ in Europe, a designation that results in the lowest levels of light pollution across the continent, so visitors can sit in the car at the end of a long hike, and enjoy the best view of the night sky in Europe.

The Peak District rounds up the top five

This area, which was designated the first national park in the UK, is easily accessible to 16 million people living within an hour’s drive, making it extremely popular. It sees 13,250,000 yearly visitors, with 2,900 km of walking routes, ensuring that you can enjoy a backdrop of gorgeous scenery without passing many people.

The Peak District contains an incredible mix of hills and valleys, resulting in some of the most beautiful and varied walks in the country. There are plenty of areas to explore, and 45 separate car parks provide the opportunity to park up wherever you choose to exercise. Mam Tor is a hill popular with walkers, where you can walk atop a ridge to Lose Hill and take in some of the best panoramic views the UK has to offer. Ladybower Reservoir is another stunning walk, where you can walk by the tranquil water through the woodlands.

The most crowded walks

The New Forest has the shortest walking route of any national park (235km) and 15,000,000 visitors a year – the third most annual visitors. The limited space proposes a risk of an overcrowded walk, making it difficult to socially distance. For a quieter experience, try visiting this area during off-peak hours. 

The Broads are also clearly popular among dog walkers, with short routes and scenic waterways attracting 7,000,000 visitors a year. However, you could bump into 63 visitors per kilometre here – over ten times more than in Exmoor or Northumberland, which may make it more difficult for both you and your dogs to stick to the social distancing rules.

To ensure social distancing is possible on your dog walk, opt for a location with lots of space and fewer visitors, such as the Peak District and Yorkshire Dales. The New Forest and The Broads appear to be the most crowded, so when visiting these national parks, try getting up and out earlier than usual.

If your dog still craves the outdoors even after a long walk, an outside dog kennel provides a safe and comfortable environment for them to get shelter when in the garden. Benchmark Kennels manufacture bespoke dog kennels to suit all breeds, shapes, and sizes. To find more information and advice on the best kennel for your dog’s needs, go to our website or contact us directly.

If you’re planning a quick after-work walk with your pooch, or even just a Sunday mooch, view the full results here to find the best national park for you.

Welcoming a dog into your home and forming a relationship with your animal can bring huge amounts of joy to a household. Whether you are a large family looking for a dog that can entertain and play happily with children, or you live alone and simply want a loving companion to keep you company, dogs are ideal pets. Of course, though, it’s essential to think long and hard about the decision to get a new dog. While they make great members of the family, they also demand constant care, attention, exercise and most of all time. You should think of choosing a new dog to bring home like having another child – you have to be ready. 

Rushing or making an impromptu decision to get a dog can only lead to problems down the line when you realise you simply don’t have space, time or money to meet your dogs needs both practically and emotionally throughout their life. You will be far happier welcoming a dog into your family when you are certain that it’s the right decision. 

At Benchmark Kennels, we support households all over the UK with our custom-made WPC eco-thermal or wooden dog kennels that can help you manage your dogs and provide them with a safe space, making life as a dog owner a lot easier. Perhaps you’re considering welcoming a large dog into your family, or you already have a dog and are worried about how a new one will cope? An outdoor dog kennel can put your mind at ease, allowing your dog somewhere comfortable and warm to spend time out of harm’s way. 

To help you in your decision of choosing a new dog or breed that suits you, we’ve highlighted some of the key aspects to consider. 

How do you choose a dog?

While you inevitably may be swayed towards dog breeds that are typically deemed to be ‘cute’, appearance should never be the deciding factor in choosing a dog. Ultimately, there are far more important factors such as size, temperament, coat type and more to take into account that will determine whether a dog fits in with your household. 

Size

Although appearance is not important, size definitely is. For example, if you live in a small house with no garden, a large dog breed would not be ideal. You and your dog would end up feeling claustrophobic and your dog would have nowhere outdoors to run off steam, which would require you to take your dog on multiple walks a day. 

As well as thinking about the size of your home and garden space, size is also important if you have small children or other pets living at your property. While large dogs are actually usually more docile, they can be intimidating for other pets such as cats and require you to be wary of leaving them alone with young children due to their natural strength. 

Despite this, outdoor dog kennels are ideal for those who want a big dog but don’t have room to allow them to roam free indoors. Having a large dog kennel installed at your property with plenty of space for the dog to roam around, play and rest mean you can keep a happy pet without your dog making your home feel a lot smaller. 

Temperament

Another tip to finding the perfect dog breed for you is to consider temperament. Yes, all dogs have their own unique personality, but breeds as a whole still carry natural instincts which determine how they behave. For example, some were bred for herding, others for guarding or hunting – whatever a dog breed was originally made for, they will still have some of these instincts ingrained in their behaviour patterns. 

Keep in mind that mixed breed dogs are usually a combination of their parents. Many mixed-breeds have grown in popularity in recent years, like the ‘Cavapoo’ and ‘Cockerpoo’ which carry both spaniel and poodle characteristics making them ideal family pets. 

Lifestyle

As well as considering the temperament of a dog breed, think about your own temperament and lifestyle too! Do you want a dog that’s highly energetic and can accompany you on runs, hikes and such? Or, are you after a dog that can be largely calm and offer protection when needs be? You should aim to find a dog that fits in with the lifestyle of your household so you can largely stick to your usual routines. 

Another part of your lifestyle to keep at the forefront of your mind is how often you are out of the house and would need to leave your dog alone. While no dog should be left alone for long periods of time, some dog breeds are more prone to anxiety than others and don’t deal well with being on their own. 

Finally, think about your dog’s lifestyle. If you are thinking about welcoming an adult dog or rescue dog into your life, it’s worth doing plenty of research and asking questions about their life so far. A rescue dog who has lived with an elderly person that’s died, for example, may find it traumatic or become aggressive if it’s brought into a busy household with young children. You should learn as much as you can about your prospective dog’s previous experiences to make sure you are a good fit for them, as well as the other way round. 

Age

Although puppies may seem more appealing, adult dogs can be far better options for families that are busy or households that don’t want to deal with the initial training process. Adult dogs are also usually a lot calmer, less destructive and more socialised so will be able to slot into a home and adapt to your household easier than a baby can, who needs teaching how to behave. 

If you do feel like you have the time for a puppy in your life though, they can be great additions to your family and allow you to make sure your dog is used to your way of life from birth, rather than bringing an older dog into an unfamiliar environment that they may not react well to. 

Cost

Last but not least, think about your budget and how much you have to invest in a new dog. Aside from the initial cost of the animal, there are many ongoing aspects to consider such as vet bills, pet insurance, dog beds, equipment, food, and much more. 

Types of dog breeds:

• Toy dogs – these are small dog breeds that require less but still regular exercise. 

Examples: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Pug, Chihuahua. 

• Terriers – bred for hunting rats and other vermin so are typically confident and intelligent dogs. 

Examples: Jack Russell, Border Terrier, Bull Terrier.

• Hounds – working dogs bred to hunt meaning they are highly independent and less affectionate by nature.

 Examples: Beagle, Dachshund, Whippet.

• Working dogs – bred to carry out a specific job such as guarding.

Examples: Boxer, Husky, Rottweiler, Doberman

• Pastoral – bred to work with livestock so are highly intelligent and eager to learn from their owners. 

Examples: German Shepherd, Border Collie. 

• Gundogs – bred to hunt game and work alongside humans meaning they’re highly sociable animals. 

Examples: Labrador Retriever, Cocker Spaniel. 

Need an outdoor dog kennel for your new family member?

The Benchmark Kennel’s range of kennels offers solutions to suit dogs of all shapes, sizes and temperaments, whether you need a small kennel to use as a temporary place to keep your dog or a larger insulated and reinforced wooden dog kennel for a large dog to live. Give us a call or order a custom kennel today.