Do you know which popular tourist sites in Slovenia are dog-friendly? You can take your dog along the majority of hiking routes and there is also a place for them at the seaside.
If you travel with your dog during summer months, remember to take enough water. Dogs need to be correctly protected during car trips and you must not leave the animal in a hot car.
The number of dogs in Slovenia has increased in recent years. In 2015, more than 221,000 dogs were registered on the Central Dog Register of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food. During the following year that number rose by nearly 4,000. Last year, almost 300,000 dogs were recorded in official registers, but unofficially their number is probably even higher.
Dog-friendly mountain routes
The hiking season has started and the mountains are crowded with hikers especially at weekends. Many people take their dogs with them to the mountains, but dogs need to be well-trained and good with people and other animals. The majority of hiking routes are accessible to dogs, but officially they are not allowed into mountain huts.
Žiga Macedoni, a guide with the Alpine Association of Slovenia, and his Bernese Mountain dog, head for the hills and mountains around 40 times a year, most often in winter. They started hiking gradually and have now even made it to the summit of Kredarica. "We need to adapt dogs to the world of mountains at an early age, when they are approximately 4 and 5 months old, to ensure that all their muscles and bones are developed", explained Macedoni for TV Slovenia.
"When we take dogs to the mountains, we definitely have to take water for the dog, as well as treats and food if the route is longer. A leash is of course obligatory", he added.
Dogs are also welcome at the seaside
Four-legged friends are also catered for at the seaside, where the facilities are increasingly friendly towards tourists with dogs. "We have providers who are developing this niche, they have offers for such guests, but we also have providers who maintain a "no pets" policy", said Igor Novel, director of Tourist Association Portorož.
More and more providers see this field as a new tourist offer niche. In Portorož, almost a dozen hotels are open to dogs, and there are also dog-friendly beaches. One of them is at Delamaris, another is below Belvedere. Dogs are also allowed to swim at other locations, unless it is expressly forbidden.