London named most dog-friendly city in UK beating the likes of Manchester & Glasgow to top spot - see the list

London has been revealed as the most dog friendly city in the UK. A survey conducted across 48 UK cities saw the capital taking the top spot against the  likes of York, Manchester, Glasgow, Cambridge and more.

The study was carried out by Lords and Labradors who set out specific parameters to determine which city was deemed the most dog-friendly. These include:

• Number of dog-friendly restaurants and cafes        
• Number of green spaces and parks in each city  
• Number of vets per city that treat dogs  
• Number of local pet shops  
• Number of dog walkers and sitters  
• Number of dog groomers  
• Number of dog-friendly shops   

London achieved the coveted top spot as the capital boasts 3,000 parks and green spaces as well as 513 dog-friendly restaurants and cafes. It is also home to 141 dog-friendly stores, scoring London 331 points and a dog-friendly percentage of 99 percent.

Founder of Lords and Labradors, Johanna Buitelaar Warden, has also shared their top tips for dog owners keen to explore more of what the UK’s towns and cities have to offer. Offering a dog’s-eye-view of a trip away, Johanna said: “Much like with humans, visiting busier locations can be somewhat of a sensory overload for your four-legged friend due to all the new sights, smells, and noises that come along with them.”

Full list of dog-friendly cities in the UK

1. London 
2. York 
3. Glasgow 
4. Manchester 
5. Cambridge 
6. Derby 
7. Leicester 
8. Nottingham 
9. Bristol 
10. Gloucester 
11. Northampton 
12. Oxford 
13. Leeds 
14. Cardiff 
15. Sheffield 
16. Durham 
17. Edinburgh 
18. Aberdeen 
19. Liverpool 
20. Norwich 
21. Birmingham 
22. Newcastle upon Tyne 
23. Swansea 
24. Plymouth  
25. Brighton 
26. Exeter 
27. Kingston upon Hull 
28. Southampton 
29. Peterborough 
30. Belfast 
31. Coventry
32. Warrington 
33. Newport 
34. Bath 
35. St Albans 
36. Bradford 
37. Chelmsford 
38. Blackpool 
39. Carlisle 
40. Dundee 
41. Wrexham 
42. Portsmouth 
43. Wolverhampton 
44. Walsall 
45. Sunderland
46. Lisburn 
47. Middlesbrough 
48. Derry 

Tips for taking your dog to the city

Cities can be noisy, overwhelming and full of distractions for our four-legged friends so Johanna recommends making sure you arm your pooch with some simple training to keep them safe and under control.

Here are the basic commands they recommend working on ahead of any outing with your dog:

Sit: This one is a staple command in the world of dog training. It’s a great cue for your pooch to master, as this will come in hugely handy for those moments where you would like your dog to wait quietly, such as on public transport or in restaurants and cafes.

Wait: Similarly to ‘sit’, ‘wait’ is another key command for your canine to learn. This can be pivotal for traffic safety, with increased road and foot traffic in the busy city.

Leave: City streets can be full of unsafe objects, litter, and germ-ridden food remnants. Teaching your dog to drop anything that could be dangerous to them can be crucial to their health. Top tip: remember to reward with a treat!

Curbing: Encouraging your dog to do their ‘business’ on the curb instead of the pavement is the essence of this term. Essentially, this ensures that your dog doesn’t leave a mess in the middle of the path where people tend to walk. To achieve this, gently lead them towards the curb when you see your pooch sniffing around for a place to go.”