In a dog park your dog may run free, off-lead. These areas go by many names - dog wood (hundeskov), dog park (hundepark), off-leash area (fritløbsområde), fenced dog area (hundefold), dog playground (hundelegeplads) or dog run (hundegård) - but the rules are basically the same. Here you will find the rules, the law and tips on avoiding conflicts and injuries.
Your dog may run off-lead - but under full control
Inside a dog park your dog may run off-lead, provided you have full control over it. This means you can stop your dog and call it back to you at any time - also if it approaches other dogs, people or animals. If your dog's recall is not completely reliable, keep it on a lead or at heel until it is.
Outside the dog park your dog must be on a lead
Outside the designated dog parks and off-leash areas, the Nature Protection Act (naturbeskyttelsesloven) generally requires dogs to be on a lead in most places in the countryside. The rule applies to all dogs - whatever their size or breed. It protects wild animals from stress and shows consideration for other visitors, who may feel uneasy around off-lead dogs.
Rules for dogs on the beach
On Danish beaches your dog may run free in the winter half of the year - from 1 October to 31 March - as long as it is under control and is not a danger or a nuisance. From 1 April to 30 September dogs must be on a lead on the beach, out of consideration for animals breeding along the coast. On some beaches dogs are not allowed at all - always follow the local signs. See all dog beaches in Denmark.
The law and fines
The rules on off-lead dogs come from several laws. Under the Dog Act (hundeloven), in towns and built-up areas a dog may not be on streets, roads, paths and squares unless it is either on a lead or accompanied by a person who has full control over it - that is, who can stop the dog and call it back. If your dog is on a lead, you must keep it close to you. Outside towns your dog must not roam, and in the countryside the Nature Protection Act (naturbeskyttelsesloven) generally requires a lead in most places outside the designated dog parks.
Many municipalities and police districts also have local rules that make it compulsory for dogs to be on a lead in certain areas such as parks, beaches and town centres. So always follow the local signs - and if in doubt, keep your dog on a lead.
If you break the lead rules, you can be fined; this is enforced by the police. Under mark- og vejfredsloven (the Danish act on fields and roads) you can also be liable for damages if your off-lead dog causes harm; in serious cases, where a loose dog chases game or livestock on someone else's land, the landowner may, under special conditions, have the right to put the dog down.
Rules in private dog parks
A private dog park is on private land, and here the owner or operator sets the rules. These may cover opening hours, access, payment or membership, and requirements that your dog is vaccinated, microchipped and insured. Access always requires the owner's permission - you may not let your dog run on private land that you do not have the right to use.
Wherever you are, you are always responsible for your dog - including any damage it may cause. So check the rules of each dog park before you visit. See all private dog parks.
Tips: avoid conflicts and injuries
Most conflicts and accidents can be avoided with a little thought. Here are some tips before you let your dog off the lead:
- Train a reliable recall. Only let your dog off if you can call it back to you - even in the middle of play. If the recall is not there yet, practise first on a lead or in a fenced area.
- Read your dog's signals. Dogs play and react differently. Watch whether the play gets too rough or your dog becomes uneasy - and step in in time. Repeated bad encounters can make a dog insecure or aggressive.
- Show consideration for others. Even a dog on a lead can seem frightening. Call your dog to you and keep it close when you meet other dogs, children, riders or cyclists.
- Remember the hunting instinct. All dogs - even calm, well-trained ones - have a hunting instinct. Keep an extra eye out near game, livestock, birds and horses.
- Not all dogs have to play together. Some dogs are happiest with a calm walk without wild play. It is perfectly fine to move on if the chemistry is not right.
- Always pick up after your dog, and leave the dog park the way you would like to find it.
Special rules in individual dog parks
Some dog parks have their own rules - for example about puppy areas, swimming or opening hours. Always check the signs on site, and see each dog park's page here on the site, where you can also see who runs it.