How to find dog-friendly places without clicking through a dozen websites: the types of apps compared honestly, the marks of a genuinely dog-friendly place, and the way from a lucky find to a proper day out.
An app for dog-friendly places helps you find cafés, restaurants, parks and day-trip destinations to visit with your dog. Souldog provides a Discover map and an outing-ideas section on iOS and Android. Downloading the app and searching for places are free; selected additional features require Souldog Plus. A map entry is a starting point for planning, not a guarantee of current dog-access rules.
ant to start searching? Open the dog-friendly places directory, choose your city and browse suitable categories. You do not need to download the app to use the directory in your browser. This guide helps you turn a search result into a suitable outing.
Start with the task you need to solve. A map, a route planner and a dog app can complement each other. The table compares these tasks; it is not a product test or ranking.
| Your plan | What to look for in an app | What you still need to check |
|---|---|---|
| Find a café or restaurant to visit with your dog | Search by location and category, specific dog-access information | Are dogs allowed indoors or only on the terrace? Is the information current? |
| Find a park or a short walk | Location, access and information about the terrain | Leash rules, designated off-leash areas and local signs |
| Plan a longer hike | Route, distance, elevation and reliable navigation | Your dog's fitness, weather, water access and current trail closures |
| Organise a day trip | Outing ideas, place details and a way to find interesting destinations again | Opening times, tickets, transport and the operator's dog rules |
Look for specific, current information. An old photo showing a dog or a single review does not confirm that your dog may enter today. A large number of results also tells you little about which places suit you.
In Germany there are four common ways to find dog-friendly places: the community map DogMap, general maps such as Google Maps, smaller dog apps such as WauWo, and dog apps with their own place map such as Souldog. None of them is best for every purpose. The table shows what each is good for (app details as of October 2026).
| Option | Strength | Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| DogMap (Pfotenpiloten e. V.) | Free community map with a very large number of places marked worldwide, focused on access for assistance dogs; available as an app and in the browser | Entries come from users; only asking ahead tells you whether a place is still dog-friendly today |
| Google Maps and OpenStreetMap | Almost every café and park is listed, with opening hours and directions | No dog filter; you search for terms such as "Hundewiese" or "Hundeauslauf" and read reviews |
| WauWo | Free app with dog parks, dog beaches, recorded walking routes and poison bait warnings | Still a small user base, so few entries in some regions |
| Dog's Places | Map view with reviews from other dog owners | According to the App Store, last updated in 2021 |
| Souldog | Map for Germany with more than 1,000 dog parks as their own category, plus cafés, restaurants and outing ideas; the same app also covers health, nutrition and pet sitting | Focused on Germany; here too, check the dog rules before you visit |
If your main question is whether a business admits assistance dogs, DogMap is the obvious choice. If you are looking for a dog park, a café and your next outing nearby and want to organise the rest of your dog's everyday life in the same place, a Germany-focused dog app such as Souldog is the better fit. Many dog owners use two tools side by side: a dog map to find places and Google Maps for opening hours and directions.
The Discover map lets you look for places nearby and narrow the selection by category. The experiences section provides further outing ideas. The app also offers dog profiles, ways to meet other dog owners and tools to organise pet sitting. The guide to an app for dog owners (in German) explains these areas in more detail.
You do not need a Plus subscription to search for places. Selected additional tools, such as elimination-diet and food-transition tools, require Souldog Plus. Pet sitting is booked and paid for separately. Check the displayed price before subscribing or booking; a free download does not mean every service is free.
The map helps you discover places. For a demanding hike, also consult a suitable route planner and current local information. Do not rely on an app entry alone for opening times, admission or trail closures.
For more inspiration, see our guide to dog-friendly day trips in Germany.
A quiet resting spot, water and clear dog-access information are useful signs. A terrace or a ready-filled bowl is not a requirement for a business to welcome dogs. What matters is whether the rules and setting suit your dog. Bring your own water and mention your dog when reserving a table.
For Germany, the federal ministry explains food-hygiene rules and assistance-dog access (in German): pets should generally be kept out of areas where food is prepared, handled or stored. Assistance dogs have specific access rights. For a visit with an ordinary pet dog, ask the business which guest areas are accessible.
The city directory lists places by city and category. These guides add local outing ideas and information about rules. Recheck the linked operator and city information before travelling:
South and centre: Munich · Stuttgart · Nuremberg · Augsburg · Karlsruhe · Mannheim · Frankfurt
West and Ruhr: Cologne · Düsseldorf · Dortmund · Essen · Duisburg · Bochum · Wuppertal · Bielefeld · Bonn · Münster
North and east: Hamburg · Bremen · Hanover · Berlin · Leipzig · Dresden
Start with a destination that suits your next free afternoon. The places directory opens directly in your browser. For the Discover map and other app features, download Souldog free from the App Store for iPhone or Google Play for Android. Check your chosen destination's current rules before setting off.
Souldog
