Holiday rental with a dog in Denmark: how to find a place where your dog is welcome

For many families the question is not whether the dog is coming on holiday, but where it can come along. Hotels often say no, and the dog would much rather be in the car than at the neighbour’s. Fortunately, Denmark is one of the easiest countries in which to holiday with a dog, if you choose the right type of accommodation: a holiday home, a summer house or an apartment where the host has actively said yes to four-legged guests.

But “pets allowed” in a listing is not the same as a well-planned dog holiday. There is a difference between what hosts permit, what the nature rules say, and what actually makes a week good for both dog and humans. This post walks through how to find a dog-friendly holiday rental, what to clarify with the host before booking, which rules apply on beaches and in forests, and what to pack in the car.

Why a holiday rental is the obvious setting for a dog holiday

A holiday rental solves most of the problems other types of holiday create for dog owners. There is no hotel corridor full of unfamiliar smells and sounds, no neighbours a thin wall away, and no rule that the dog cannot be alone in the room. In a summer house with a fenced garden the dog can be outside while you have breakfast, and a city apartment with a park around the corner makes walks easy without any logistics.

Then there is the freedom of everyday life. You decide when it is feeding time, and the dog has its own fixed base all week instead of changing rooms and routines. For dogs that are uneasy about change, a week in the same place with the same people is the gentlest form of holiday there is.

Just be aware that “pets allowed” is always the host’s choice. Some hosts say yes to one dog but not two. Others allow dogs in the house but not in the beds or on the furniture. It is the host’s home and the host’s rules, and a good dog holiday starts with respecting them.

What to clarify with the host before you book

The advantage of renting directly from the host is that you can ask all the questions a booking form has no fields for. Use that opportunity before you pay. The most important things to clarify are these.

Is the garden fenced, and how high is the fence? “Fenced garden” can mean anything from sheep fencing to a low beech hedge that a hunting dog clears without a run-up. Ask specifically, and feel free to send a photo of your dog so the host can judge too.

How many dogs are allowed, and are there size or breed restrictions? Always be honest about how many dogs you are bringing and how big they are. A surprise on arrival is the worst possible start to the holiday for both sides.

Does the dog cost extra? Some hosts charge a fixed supplement per dog or a little more for final cleaning, because the place needs extra vacuuming for hair. That is perfectly fair, but it should be on the table before booking, so the total price is known.

What is nearby? A host who has a dog themselves knows exactly where the nearest dog forest is, which beaches work well, and where you can eat with a dog under the table. That local knowledge is worth its weight in gold and one of the big benefits of having direct contact with the host instead of an anonymous form.

Write the agreements down in your messages, so the number of dogs, any supplements and any special rules are there in black and white. The same goes for everything else you should check before a booking. We have collected it all in our checklist before you book a holiday rental.

Rules on beaches, in forests and in the countryside

Denmark is generous with access to nature, but there are rules, and they exist for the sake of the wildlife, the other visitors and your dog. The most important rules of thumb are these.

On the beach, dogs must be on a lead in the summer half of the year, from 1 April to 30 September. In the winter half of the year, dogs may as a rule run free on the beach if you have full control of them, meaning the dog comes when you call, even when there is another dog or a flock of seagulls in the opposite direction. A dog holiday on the North Sea coast in October or February is therefore about the best thing you can give a dog that loves to run.

In forests, dogs must always be on a lead, whatever the season, unless the forest is designated as a dog forest. Dog forests are fenced or marked woodland areas where dogs may be off the lead under supervision, and there are several hundred of them across the country, including in the big holiday home areas. Ask the host about the nearest one, or look it up in advance, so you have a fixed daily destination for the walk.

The rules are administered by the Danish Nature Agency, Naturstyrelsen, and can vary locally, including in protected dune areas and reserves, where stricter rules may apply or dogs may be banned entirely at certain times. The signs on site always apply, and rules can change, so check the Danish Nature Agency’s guidance or the local signs before you unclip the lead.

Remember the basic duties too: pick up after your dog, including in the dunes and on the beach, and keep your distance from fields with livestock. These are the things that decide whether hosts and local communities keep saying yes to guests with dogs.

The packing list: what dog owners forget most often

Most of the dog’s luggage takes care of itself, food, bowls, basket and lead. Experience says these are the things that get forgotten or underestimated.

A long line for the beach and open areas, so the dog gets exercise in the summer season when leads are compulsory. A ground anchor or tie-out screw for the garden if it is not fenced. Towels that belong to the dog, because a wet dog and a sandy coat belong on your towels, not the host’s. A blanket or sheet to put over the sofa if the dog is used to lying there at home, so you hand back the property without hair in the furniture. The dog’s health record, your vet’s number from home and the number of an emergency vet in the holiday area. And for coastal holidays, tweezers or a tick remover, because ticks are plentiful in dune plantations and tall vegetation.

Think about the dog’s daily life in the property too. Bring the basket or blanket from home, so there is one thing that smells of home. Most dogs settle into an unfamiliar property within a day or so once their own spot has come along.

Frequently asked questions about holiday rentals with a dog

Are dogs allowed in every holiday rental? No. It is always the individual host who decides whether pets are allowed. Look for properties where the host has explicitly said yes to dogs, and ask if anything is unclear. Bringing the dog without an agreement is a serious breach of trust and can cost extra cleaning and a sour goodbye.

When may the dog run free on the beach? As a general rule from 1 October to 31 March, if you have full control of it. From 1 April to 30 September, dogs must be on a lead on the beach. Local conservation rules can be stricter, so always follow the signs, and check the Danish Nature Agency’s guidance, as rules can change.

Does it cost extra to bring a dog? Often a small supplement or a little more for final cleaning, but it varies from host to host. Clarify it before booking, so you know the total price.

What if my dog damages something in the property? Tell the host straight away and find a solution together. Also check your own contents insurance and the dog’s liability insurance from home, because third-party liability insurance for dogs is required by law in Denmark, and it typically covers damage the dog causes.

Aren’t autumn and winter bad times for a dog holiday? Quite the opposite. A dog off the lead on the beach, empty dune paths, no queue at the ice cream kiosk and lower prices. For most dogs, a week on the coast in November beats a week in July, when heat and crowds limit what you can do together.

Book the dog holiday directly with the host, with no fees on top

Once you have found the right property, there is no reason to pay a middleman for pressing the booking button. On the big international platforms, a service fee of typically 14 to 16 % is added on top of the rent, money that goes neither to the host, the property nor the dog.

FlyMHD is a Danish platform where you rent holiday homes, summer houses and apartments directly from the host, with no commission for the host and no guest fee for you. Direct contact is also exactly what a dog holiday needs: you can clarify fencing, supplements and dog forests with the host before you book, and the payment goes directly to the host via Stripe, where the amount is reserved at booking and only charged when the host confirms. The whole process is described on how it works.

We are in the process of launching, with Denmark as the first market. Sign up on the front page, and we will let you know when you can book and holiday with the whole family, including the part of it with four legs, with no fees on top.