A SOMERSET town has made a list of the best places for active dogs and their owners.

While walking the dog can feel like a hardship, even to the most dedicated dog lover, we often don’t realise how walkies can bring a number of benefits.

In a bid to pin down the best walking locations, Hills Pets Nutrition analysed 119 towns and cities across the UK to find the prime places for pets and pedometers.

And Weston-Super-Mare made the list – Somerset’s sole representative.

Hills said dog walkers cover an average of 750 miles a year with their pooch and, using 12 data points, listed the top 10 places to get out and about.

Factors in categories including accessibility, fitness and outdoor experience were analysed to produce the list.

Dr Hillary Pearce, a veterinarian who partners with Hills Pets, said: “From my perspective, a city is most dog-friendly if it has access to safe walking routes, green spaces, and accessible veterinary practices.

“Some cities go even farther by welcoming dog-walkers and dogs into businesses like pubs. Public water access points are also a fantastic thing to have to help keep dogs and owners active safely.”

Hills found the top 10 towns for active dogs and their owners are:

1. Bury
2. Guildford
3. Sutton Coldfield
4. Maidstone
5. Weston-super-Mare
6. Harrogate
7. Warrington
8. Bolton
9. Bournemouth
10. Bracknell

The top locations outside of England are East Killbride, Cardiff, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Newport.

Weston has a beach to add to your dog-walking fun

Dr Pearce also outlined some of the biggest misconceptions people have about dog fitness – and gave advice to dispel them.

“I have found that people often do not realise that dogs need to be trained and conditioned up to higher levels of physical activity, just like people,” Dr Pearce said.

“Even an energetic dog can become overly fatigued and/or injured if being asked to do endurance or strenuous physical activity beyond what it is used to.

“Dogs want to please us and are happy to be spending time with us, so they may not always show their exhaustion or soreness in the moment. It is important to build up to higher levels of physical activity in small increments, and to pay attention to signs of fatigue and pain, allowing proper rest, just as we would when training for our own fitness.

“Additionally, it’s important to understand that some breeds of dogs, especially flat-faced or heavily-coated dogs, are more susceptible to heat-stress and heat-stroke.

“Even in temperatures that we might consider mild and pleasant, these dogs may succumb to heat-related illness, particularly if the humidity is high.

“Dog owners should always carry plenty of water for their dogs, and provide rest breaks in the shade as needed.”

READ MORE: Pets news from your Somerset Leveller

And she made a number of recommendations for keeping dogs safe and comfortable while exercising in different weather conditions.

“Always consider the weather conditions before taking your dog out for exercise,” the vet said. “In general, while cold can be uncomfortable, heat can be deadly. Check pavement temperatures with your own hand and if uncomfortable for you, it will be too hot for your furry friend’s paws. Play indoors or on grass instead.

“Always carry plenty of clean, fresh water for your dog to drink and offer it often. Be sure to teach them how to drink from your preferred carrying format (bottle, bowl, etc).

“Flat-faced dogs are especially susceptible to heat-related illness even in temperatures we might consider pleasant, especially if the humidity level is high.

“Some dogs prefer not to get wet, so finding a comfortable, well-fitted jacket for them in wet or windy weather may make outdoor exercise more enjoyable. Be sure any clothing is properly fitted and does not rub under the armpits or at the waist. As always, listen to your dog’s signals.

“If they are hunched and shivering, they are likely uncomfortably cold.”