As the weather warms up, a winery visit is a great spring activity to relax and enjoy the outdoors. Sometimes, a chilled, refreshing Sauvignon Blanc is best enjoyed with a cute puppy.

In recent years, many businesses, including wineries, have become increasingly pet-friendly. While there are many pet-friendly wineries, there is no one-size-fits-all pet policy, so it’s important to do your homework before visiting. Here’s the inside scoop on pet-friendly wineries, including how to find them, what to expect, and tips before you go.

Which Wineries Allow Pets?

As the name suggests, pet-friendly wineries allow you to bring your furry friends with you. But different pet policies often mean different levels of “pet friendliness”. Some wineries may require pets to be kept on a leash, restrict pets from entering certain parts of the winery, or enforce pet or breed restrictions.

Winery may use the term “pet-friendly,” but dogs are the most common pets you’ll encounter at the vineyard. However, if you have a particularly social cat (or rabbit, lizard, or guinea pig) that behaves well in public, you can take them to a pet-friendly winery where all pets are welcome.

Types of Pet-Friendly Wineries

On a theoretical scale of pet friendliness, imagine “pets are welcome” on one side and “pets allowed” on the other.

Often, businesses that welcome pets not only allow pets, but also encourage them. Pet-friendly wineries often offer amenities specifically for pet owners, such as water bowls, treats, poop bag stations, or on-site dog parks. You usually see a lot of pets and pet owners in these places.

Businesses that allow pets will often have more restrictions and fewer amenities. A common restriction at the winery is that pets are allowed in the outdoor space, but not in the tasting room.

It’s important to respect the pet policy, and remember that there are restrictions in some places, and that doesn’t mean that the winery owner or employees are against animals. Often, there are reasons behind the restrictions that are beyond their control, such as zoning requirements or state laws.

How to Find a Pet-Friendly Winery

There are multiple ways to find a pet-friendly winery near you. One of our favorite ways to do this is to take advantage of online resources that have already done the research for you. These sites often contain listings, ratings, and reviews of pet-friendly businesses. We recommend BringFido, which contains reviews of hotels, restaurants, activities, and events in all 50 states; and Cork Hounds, you can search for dog-friendly wineries, vineyards, honey mills, and breweries by zip code.

You can also check the pet policy of a winery near you. You can usually find out if they allow pets on their website’s FAQ page, but sometimes a bit of research is required. If you can’t find a pet policy on a business’s website, you might be lucky enough to search their social media pages or type the name of the brewery and “pet friendly” or “pet policy” into a search engine. As a last resort, you can always call the winery to ask about their pet policy. If the winery doesn’t advertise their pet policy upfront, they may not be very welcoming to pets.

What to Look for When Visiting a Pet-Friendly Winery

If this is your first time taking your pet to a winery or something similar, you may notice that your pet behaves a little differently. Your Golden Retriever may be a well-trained, obedient angel at home, but in a new environment, with new sights, sounds, and smells, this training may go away, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on them.

You may also receive extra attention from other animal lovers, especially those who feel extra social after a glass or two of wine. If your pet is easily frightened, politely ask the person approaching them to slow down or not disturb your pet. Also keep an eye out for children, as they are usually allowed into the winery.

No matter how pet-friendly the winery is, you shouldn’t expect them to have everything you need, so it’s always a good idea to bring your own water bowl and plenty of fresh water. You may also want to bring some treats or toys to keep your pet occupied.

Tips for Visiting Pet-Friendly Wineries

Like most outings, before you take your pet to the winery, we recommend asking yourself: am I doing this for my pet or for myself? Think about whether your pet really likes to stay in places that may be crowded or overstimulated. A few questions you can ask yourself include:

• Does my pet love exploring new places and meeting new people?
• Does my pet have a history of biting, or do they pose a threat to the safety of other people or animals?
• Can my pet relax and sit quietly in a winery environment?
• Will I be able to have fun or will I worry about my pet?

If you decide that you still want to bring your pet, here are some tips:

• Be well prepared: This includes knowing the pet policy of the winery you plan to visit and bringing water, treats, and other supplies that your pet may need.
• Choose leashes and collars or harnesses wisely: Your pet may need to be leashed all the time for a period of time, so they may be better suited to harnesses rather than collars. You may also need a leash that you can strap to a chair or table to keep your hands free.
• Know the weather: If it’s too hot or too cold, taking your pet to an outdoor winery can be uncomfortable at best and dangerous at worst.
• Be careful with grapes: Grapes are poisonous to dogs, so it may not be a good idea to take them for a walk on the vines of the vineyard as they may eat the grapes that fall.
• Responsible: At the end of the day, you are responsible for your pets, so you should always be aware of where they are and what they are doing. It can be tempting to relax, especially when it comes to wine, but if you’re not comfortable taking care of your pets throughout your adventure, it’s best to leave them at home.