Despite being a nation of dog lovers if you have a dog you will have experienced at some point a stern "No dogs allowed" sign or two on your travels.

So if you want to set off on a dog walk what can you do?

Well you could phone up the places / search on the internet to find out if they accept dogs but why waste your time when you could be walking?

From a modest price you can now buy books or guides which only feature dog friendly places.

Guides may feature a wide range of dog friendly places and venues including museums, heritage sites, pubs, boats, parks, beaches and tea rooms.

This lets you walk your dog safe in the knowledge that you and your canine companion will be accepted on route and they will not be left outside in the cold.

The guides will often include maps and places of interest along route, places to stop and historical landmarks. A good guide should go on to include dog friendly accommodation, emergency vets numbers, pet shops and even your local rehoming centre in case you fancy a new addition to your family!

The walks should be for a variety of dogs (and owners!) and have a range of walks depending on time and ability.

Often they will advise if there are awkward stiles on route which may prevent very big or very small dogs enjoying the walk, farm animals where dogs are unable to be off a lead and watering holes for your pet pooch.

From writing our own books of dog walks we have found that there are a number of surprising places where dogs ARE allowed.

Great examples of dog friendly places are the Sabrina boat in Shrewsbury which welcomes dogs on deck, Attingham Park National Trust which also stocks a range of dog toys and accessories and the lovely historic pub The Golden Ball in Ironbridge where dogs are welcomed throughout.

A guide could be a very worthwhile investment for your local area giving you and your dog a fantastic return in terms of enjoyment and satisfaction.

Also when going on holiday with your dog consider buying a guide for the local area, one that specifically tells you where you and your dog will be welcome, to ensure you get the most from your break.

As with many walking guides it is worth checking that the book has been recently published and is therefore up to date.