It’s time to celebrate the magic of autumn and visit a howl-o-een style dog-friendly event! Andrea McHugh reports…
This is that glorious time of year when the leaves on the trees turn shades of crimson and amber, the fields of golden pumpkins and squashes are ready for picking, and there is great fun to be had with your dog. All around the country you will find fantastic dog-friendly events, offering a range of activities with carefully curated photo opportunities, games, howl-o-een mazes, competitions, and lots of treats! Here are a few great examples for you to consider…
Fright night warning
Before setting off always check that an event is suitable for dogs to attend, as some Halloween events involve screams, actors, and scary music, which could be very overwhelming for your canine friend. In addition, some events can get extremely busy and nervous dogs may not enjoy the experience, so take care to check websites, reviews, and talk to event organisers to assess their suitability.
Tulley’s Pumpkin Festival
Crawley, West Sussex
There’s a day dedicated to dogs
This spectacular event is billed as the UK’s largest pumpkin festival, and with over 1.5 million pumpkins and more than 30 photo opportunities for people and dogs of all sizes, we are not surprised!
Dogs are very welcome to visit, provided they are kept on lead, and your day will begin in the bustling Pumpkin Village where you will be greeted by vibrant colours, music, and the scent of delicious food filling the air. As you stroll round, you will meet some of the fabulously costumed pumpkin folk who will love to pose with you and your dogs for photos, and you can also listen to live music while sampling some wonderful seasonal street food and drinks.
Set across 100 acres of picturesque West Sussex countryside, the golden pick your own pumpkin fields are home to more than 1.5 million pumpkins and gourds! Whether you want one to carve, cook, or decorate, this is the place to find your perfect pumpkin!
The owners of Tulley’s Farm absolutely love dogs and make them very welcome on every day of the festival, which runs from 20 September to 31 October, but on Thursday, 16 October an entire day will be dedicated to dogs! The Pooches, Paws, and Pumpkins Day will include an Insta-Bingo challenge, a canine costume contest, a Puppuccino showdown, gourmet dog treats, and lots of exclusive giveaways.
To find out more, visit pumpkinfarm.co.uk
The Welsh Legends Maze
Corris, Powys
It’s ideal for the whole family
Wales is traditionally a country full of myths, legends, and dragons and the Welsh Legends Maze is a very dog-friendly experience. Here is a place where you and your dog can follow a mythical trail together, solving clues as you go along and winning prizes at the end.
During your visit, you will discover the ancient tales of bards and fairy folk hidden inside an enchanting leafy maze where extraordinary characters will reveal themselves and share their stories. There are quests that are suitable for all ages and the maze has been created to work with nature, so it is a haven for local wildlife, with dogs made welcome on leads, and gravel paths that are suitable for wheelchairs, prams, and buggies.
With seven mythical stories hidden around the maze, and a resting area at each story, this is a lovely experience. Please note that King Arthur’s Labyrinth, which is underground and on the same site, is not suitable for dogs.
As well as enjoying the maze, you can take your dog into the dog-friendly café where they can enjoy a variety of healthy dog treats and Utterly Mutterly ice creams. Afterwards, you might like to wander around the Corris Craft Centre, which has nine independent craft workshops, run by talented local artists. All workshops are dog-friendly apart from the Chocablock workshop (for obvious reasons!). Visit the Bowowhause workshop to watch a talented watercolour artist produce superb pet portraits, ceramic baubles, and unique dog tags. You can also buy natural dog treats, toys, and high-quality dog clothing.
The Welsh Legends Maze is open until 2 November, 2025 and will reopen at Easter 2026. For more information, visit kingarthurslabyrinth.co.uk
Bells Pumpkin Patch
Benington, Lincolnshire
There are brilliant photo opportunities
Billed as the East of England’s largest and original pumpkin patch, this event celebrates all things autumn and pumpkin-related and takes place on set dates throughout October. It is a dog-friendly event, with dogs very welcome across the whole site although they must be kept on leads, and it goes without saying that care must be taken to clean up after them.
Here you can find over 300 varieties of pumpkins, squashes, and gourdes, which are all grown on this family run Lincolnshire farm and all varieties are available on site. Around two million are harvested each year!
Every year the display makers go out of their way to imagine and create interactive displays and photo stations that will help to make your visit memorable. This means you will be able to get some great pictures of your dog posing by the pumpkins! Once you have picked your perfect pumpkin, you can head over to the pumpkin carving tent and get to work creating your masterpiece, before conveniently leaving behind all the mess you make and heading home! There are plenty of fun activities for all the family to enjoy, including a makers’ market that attracts some wonderful small businesses who offer a range of dog treats.
This year’s event runs on 12, 13, 18, 19, and 25-31 October, 2025. Opening hours are 9am-5pm until 26 October when the clocks go back, after which it closes at 4pm. This event will open come rain or shine, so wellies are advisable and booking is essential.
For more information, visit bellspumpkinpatch.com
Pup-kin Patch!
Dobbies Garden Centres
Check out if there’s an event near you
This October and November many Dobbies Garden Centres around the country will be celebrating the autumn season with a series of Pup-kin Patch events where dogs are invited to dig into treats, toys, and enjoy lots of fun adventures to keep them happy.
Dogs will be able to explore a colourful Pupkin ‘patch’ filled with squeaky toys, cosy autumnal plush toys, and tasty treats. There will also be an opportunity to take part in an obstacle course and play a sniff or treat game to try to pick the right pumpkin and win a spooky treat. After choosing their own autumn themed toys, dogs can enjoy a puppuccino from the restaurant, and some very special memories can be captured on camera with a free digital photo opportunity where dogs can pose in front of a stunning autumnal backdrop to get a unique autumn pet ‘paw-trait.’
Tickets to the Pup-kin Patch events will also include special offers in the Dobbies’ pet department, plus one free hot drink and a puppuccino with the purchase of any cake from the restaurant, and £5 off when £25 is spent in store. Dobbies Pup-kin Patch events will take place on Saturday 25, Sunday 26, Friday 31 October, and Saturday 1 November, and tickets are £12.50 per dog. Dates vary for each store so please check the website when booking.
For more information and check on participating stores, visit dobbies.com/events
Did you know?
Pumpkins are packed with essential vitamins and minerals that can have lots of health benefits for dogs. Pumpkins, fed as part of a balanced diet, can be fed cooked or raw, but it is always advisable to check with your vet to make sure there is no reason that your dog can’t eat them (for example, too much fibre can cause digestive problems) and then introduce them gradually and in small doses.
If you check on line, you will find lots of recipes to make tasty homemade pumpkin dog treats. Although it is not advisable to feed pumpkin seeds to dogs as they can be sharp, they can make a great human snack if the seeds are tossed in olive oil or butter, seasoned with salt and pepper and roasted until crisp. Delicious!
Perfect posing…
Have a little practice before your visit to ensure that your dog is happy posing next to a pumpkin or putting his feet on an object and staying in place for a few seconds whil you take a picture. Practice a wait or stay cue and ensure you provide lots of high value treats to reward your dog for perfecting his model poses! Make the experience fun for your dog and remember, the more patient and calm you are, the better your picture will be. We would love to see your pictures, so make sure to tag @yourdog when posting on social media, or email them to us for a chance to appear in the gallery section of the magazine