Together with your beloved four-legged friend, you can forget all the stress of everyday life here, enjoy the beautiful nature that surrounds you and let the fresh air blow around your nose. The dog beaches in the North Sea region of Dithmarschen offer fun and refreshment, and in the dog forest in Christianslust, your dog can romp around to its heart's content. You can even take a trip to Heligoland with your dog.
At the dog beach
on the North Sea
Holiday in Dithmarschen
with your dog
North Sea fun at the dog beach
But please keep them on a leash – for the sake of nature!
There is one thing in abundance here in the coastal region of Dithmarschen: water. Not only from above in the form of our sometimes inclement weather, but we are also surrounded by water on all sides: the North Sea to the west, the Kiel Canal to the east, the Eider River to the north and the Elbe estuary to the south. So there are plenty of opportunities for long walks with your dog by the water. On the endless dykes, you can walk past sheep and seagulls (please keep your dog on a leash!) with a view of the North Sea at low and high tide, always accompanied by a fresh breeze of healthy North Sea air. Of course, most dogs also love to romp around on the beach and jump into the cool water. Our dog beaches offer plenty of fun and cooling off for you and your four-legged friend.
Please note: In the area of state protection dykes, dogs must be kept on a leash in accordance with § 70 of the State Water Act – to protect the dyke sheep and the birds that rest and roost there.
Dog beaches in Dithmarschen
- Büsum
Dogs on a leash are allowed to walk freely with their owners along the entire length of Büsum's dyke crest (around 3.5 km).
- Büsumer Deichhausen
There is a specially designated dog beach in Büsumer Deichhausen. Dogs are allowed on this section of the beach as well as in the Wadden Sea in front of it. As the coastal region is part of a national park where the unique flora and fauna are protected, please do not forget to keep your dog on a leash! Guided mudflat tours for dog owners and their four-legged friends are offered here by national park mudflat guide Margret Häger. You can find the dates in our event calendar or at watterleben.de.
- Friedrichskoog-Spitze
The dog beach in Friedrichskoog is 400 metres long. Here you can go mudflat hiking or swimming with your dog to your heart's content. Please note that dogs must be kept on a leash on the dyke and in the village.
- Nordermeldorf
At the dog beach in Nordermeldorf, dogs are allowed on the dyke and in the North Sea if they are kept on a leash. There are also mudflat tours for dog lovers and their four-legged companions.
- Wesselburen
In the North Sea region of Wesselburen, there are designated dog beaches where dogs are allowed, just as they are in the Wadden Sea. As the coastal region is part of a national park where the unique flora and fauna are protected, please do not forget to keep your dog on a leash!
- Westerdeichstrich
In Westerdeichstrich, there is a designated dog beach area on both the textile beach and the nudist beach. Please remember that dogs must be kept on a leash so as not to disturb the animal inhabitants of the Wadden Sea National Park.
- Incidentally, you can take dogs with you on the boat from Büsum to Heligoland. For more information, please visit: Reederei Adler & Eils.
- Schleswig-Holstein, known as the ‘land between the seas’, is characterised by its coastline with unique natural landscapes. Millions of migratory birds stay in the national park in spring and autumn. Sheep make a significant contribution to dyke maintenance because they compact the soil and keep the grass short. Dogs running free near a flock of sheep have a great scare effect. They are also a problem for resting and breeding birds. Therefore, keep your dog on a short leash on the dykes in the national park. Ask your landlord where the walking paths are located near the apartment where your dog can run free.
- Further information about behaviour with dogs on the North Sea coast can be found in this brochure from the national park administration:
Hunde auf dem Deich und im Nationalpark (PDF).
In the dog forest: running around without a leash
What dog wouldn't want to romp around, sniff around and socialise, all without a leash? Here in the dog forest in Christianslust auf Google Maps, that's possible!
In the dog forest, four-legged friends can romp around to their hearts' content in a 12-hectare fenced-in forest area. The exercise enclosure is located between St. Michaelisdonn and Burg, then continue towards Burg. From St. Michaelisdonn, in the forest area just after the turn-off towards Süderhastedt, there is a large boulder on the right-hand side with the inscription ‘Christianslust’. Turn there and follow the sandy path (caution: potholes!) to the small car park on the right-hand side. You will have to walk the last bit to the dog run – please keep your dog on a leash here!
There are other dog runs here:
- Brunsbüttel, Eddelaker Straße (at the leisure pool)
- Büsum, dog run (3,000 sqm) on Rechenmeisterweg
- Friedrichskoog, dog park on Nordseestraße behind the motorhome parking area
- Heide, dog exercise area on Buerreekenweg
- Marne, dog exercise area at the Draisinenbahnhof
- Busenwurth, there is a dog café with a dog playground
Mudflat hike with your dog
Do dogs understand mudflats? You'll see. In any case, you can take part in a guided tour in Nordermeldorf and Büsumer Deichhausen, get to know this extraordinary habitat and you don't have to leave your furry friend behind.
After a short introduction for the four-legged friends, there is information about the national park and the plants and animals that live in the mudflats. The motto is: ‘Observe mudflat inhabitants in action’.
The tour lasts about two hours, and registration is required as a maximum of ten dogs can be taken along. More information about mudflat tours with dogs is available here: www.watterleben.de.
Leash requirement in Schleswig-Holstein
We would like to inform you about the places in Dithmarschen and throughout Schleswig-Holstein where you must keep your dog on a leash:
- in pedestrian zones, main shopping areas and other inner-city areas, streets and squares with comparable public traffic,
- at public gatherings, lifts, folk festivals and other events with large crowds,
- in enclosed or otherwise restricted parks, gardens, green spaces and forests that are accessible to the general public, with the exception of specially designated dog walking areas,
- in apartment buildings on the entire property and in the building, with the exception of rooms or areas not subject to common use,
- in public buildings and on public transport,
- in sports facilities and on campsites,
- in cemeteries
- at markets and fairs.
It is also prohibited to take dogs into churches, nurseries, schools and hospitals, theatres, cinemas, concert halls, lecture halls and meeting rooms, as well as bathing establishments and bathing areas on surface waters within the meaning of the Bathing Water Ordinance of 9 April 2008 (GVOBl. Schl.-H., p. 169), children's playgrounds and sunbathing areas. It is also prohibited to let dogs run free in these areas. Further information on the subject of ‘Private dog ownership’ can be found on the homepage of the state of Schleswig-Holstein: www.schleswig-holstein.de
Behaviour in nature reserves and landscape conservation areas:
Incidentally, there are 12 designated nature reserves and 42 landscape conservation areas in Dithmarschen where dogs must be kept on a leash and their waste must be collected so as not to damage the environment.
Further information for holidays with dogs on dog beaches
- A walk with your dog along the Kiel Canal, the world's busiest artificial waterway, is truly impressive. Here you can accompany the huge ships on their journey into the wide world as you hike along.
- Friedrichskoog also has a leisure and health centre for dogs with a dog hotel. You can find out more about this at : www.dog-ways.de
- You can also find further information about holidays with your dog in our local tourist information
So you see: Dithmarschen is the perfect place for a relaxing holiday with your dog on the dog beach. Whether for several weeks or a short break: you, your family and your four-legged friend are guaranteed never to get bored here. And that's mainly because of the unspoilt nature, the seemingly endless expanse and the wide range of activities on offer. Nature, enjoyment and adventure come together here to create a unique mix. Come and see for yourself!