The most dog friendly places to live in the UK

We are a nation of dog lovers, but it goes without saying that some areas are better places to live for dogs and their owners. 26% of UK households have a canine companion, meaning there's a population of just under 10 million pooches out there. And although we can't move specifically to the best places for our dogs, it's always im-paw-tent to consider their needs whenever we humans make a move.

Have you ever wondered how your town or city ranks as a dog-friendly place to live? Paw-haps you just want to know where the best places to live for dogs are. We've looked into some of England's biggest towns and cities and ranked them according to the most dog-friendly places to live.

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Why urban areas? More of us live in urban areas than anywhere else. Plus, being in a city makes it more important to know about local parks and access to green spaces, as they aren't as readily accessible as if you lived in the country. If you lived in a rural area, factors for a fantastic doggy life are almost guaranteed, like acres of green space, clean air, and less traffic.

Whether you're looking for a pet-friendly weekend away with your pooch, or you are house-hunting and considering a new city better suited for you and your pup, read on to find out where the most dog-friendly places to live are.

What makes somewhere the best place to live for dogs?

There are 7 key factors that will help you assess what makes the best places to live for dogs and their owners. These criteria all have an impact on the quality of life, happiness, and health of our furry friends.

For somewhere to be a truly dog-friendly place to live, you have to consider the following:

• The abundance of green space

• The quality of local parks

• Traffic density

• Air quality

• Street hygiene

• The number of dogs per capita

• The number of dog-friendly pubs per capita

25 of the UK's major towns and cities were researched to assess how dog friendly they are. Using the factors listed above, we ranked them from best to worst, (1 being best, 25 being worst in our list) so that you can get an idea of where the best places to live for dogs are.

Why are these factors important in considering the best place to live for dogs?

Some of these factors are more obvious to consider when looking into dog-friendly places to live. For example, an abundance of green space and great local parks are all about having plenty of paw-some spots to go walkies.

Meanwhile, traffic density and street hygiene levels are matters of safety. If somewhere has lots of traffic jams to navigate and cars speeding by, you and your pup might be more at risk when out for walks. Meanwhile, litter poses a choking and health hazard if your dog decides to try and snack on it. Air quality is also an im-paw-tent health consideration, as it is with humans, because pollution can lead to respiratory diseases and even Alzheimers in dogs.

Finally, the number of dog-friendly pubs per capita is a good indication of how dog friendly an area is, and if they'll welcome your canine companion. The number of dogs in the area shows you just how pup-ular it is for fellow dog lovers. (It also means your pup will have lots of fur-iends nearby.)

Ranking Britain's most dog-friendly places to live

The following cities are ranked from the worst at #25, to the best at #1. With #1 being the best place to live for dogs.

The worst possible score is 175, which is made if an area ranks lowest on all seven factors. Therefore the lower the score, the better it is, and the more dog-friendly the place/city.

#25 - Portsmouth

Portsmouth is the worst on average out of all the places to live with a dog on this list. This is mainly because it has the least green space of all towns and cities listed, and is the second-worst for traffic congestion and air quality.

On the upside, it is in the top ten for the quality of its green space and cleanliness of its streets. So although there isn't a broad range of places to go for walkies, where you can go is pretty and pretty litter-free.

The number of dogs living here is below average, and there aren't many dog-friendly pubs to be found. However, the number of vets is about average. Paw-haps Portsmouth is home to lots of cats and other animals then, just not many pooches. And although there are fewer pubs you and the pooch can visit together, there is still a few pet-friendly hotels, eateries and attractions to visit.

It might not be the most dog-friendly place to live, but Portsmouth still has excellent levels of hygiene and quality green space provided you can find it.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)

#24 - Southampton

Sadly, Southampton leaves a lot to be desired as a dog-friendly place to live. There are two benefits to living here with your pooch, though. The first is that the streets are very clean. The second is that there is a wide availability of vets. There's a practice for roughly every 10,000 people. However, the number of dogs per household is pretty low, so not many dog lovers call this city home. Yet the number of dog-friendly pubs per capita is around the country average. This means any pooch living here will have their pick of places to go with their owner.

Otherwise, Southampton is lacklustre. There's little green space, and it isn't well maintained. There's quite a lot of traffic, and the air quality is poor. (Probably linked to the lack of green space and abundance of cars.)

Southampton's scores are a little sorry, except for the squeaky clean streets.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)

#23 - Coventry

Coventry is pretty average on many of the factors of dog-friendly living. The quality of the parks and the air, level of cleanliness, availability of vets, and the number of dogs are all very middle of the road or slightly below the norm.

What lets Coventry down is that there is a real lack of green space in the city, and there is quite a lot of congestion. There are also fewer dog-friendly pubs per capita than most towns or cities. All in all, it means you and your dog will be struggling to find places to go together. Overall, Coventry isn't a bad place to live for dogs, but it's not fantastic either.

With below-average scores across the board, Coventry could be better but could be worse as a home city for dogs and their humans.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)

#22 - Leicester

Leicester is sadly far below average on all but two of the factors of dog-friendly living. It is not the best place to live with a dog, which is probably why the number of pups calling the heritage city home is so small. It has less green space than usual, very few dogs, and even fewer vets.

However, the green space it does have is pretty and pleasant to enjoy. The streets are less enjoyable places to walk, given the higher congestion, pollution, and littering levels. Despite the dwindling dog pup-ulation, this city has slightly more dog-friendly pubs than most places on the map. So at least you can enjoy a nice walk and a pint with your pup.

Leicester lacks any sparkle in its scores, except for having beautiful parks.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)

#21 - London

It isn't really surprising that London isn't a very dog-friendly place to live. It also won't be a shock to anyone that the capital is the worst place to live in terms of traffic density and air quality. It also has the smallest pup-ulation of dogs anywhere listed. With such a low canine population, it likely correlates with London being the second-worst place to find vets, with roughly one practice for every 200,000 people.

Despite these rather unsurprising lows points about London, there are some incredible benefits too. It has a fair amount of green space, which is all kept in fantastic condition. London's parks are some of the biggest and best in the country, making them paw-fect for walkies. (Particularly in boroughs like Richmond, out in Greater London.) It also has the second-highest ratio of pet-friendly pubs anywhere in the country. Making London paw-fect for walkies and a pint, only there aren't many pups out there to enjoy it.

London's trio of terrible scores is no shocker. Yet it's the paw-fect place for walkies and a drink. Paw-haps worth a day trip, if not a dog-friendly place to live fur-ever.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)

#20 - Kingston upon Hull

If you and the pooch plan on cruising around town with the windows down, Hull is the ideal place to go as there is little congestion and less pollution than average. It's also got a booming pooch population (the fifth largest in the country). However, other than lots of other furry friends and fewer cars, there's little in the way of making Hull a dog-friendly place to live. That being said, there is an active community of dog owners trying to keep tabs of where in the city is dog friendly.

There's not much green space in the city, and it isn't in the best condition either, making walkies a little less enjoyable than some other places. The streets aren't the cleanest, and there is a distinct lack of dog-friendly pubs. There are also fewer vets per capita than average, despite the fact, there are so many dogs that call Hull home.

Hull is one of the most pup-ular places to live, but seeing the scores, it could be made even more dog friendly.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)

#19 - Birmingham

Birmingham might not have many parks, but what green space it does have is splendid. Considering it is one of the biggest cities in the UK, it is surprising the level of traffic and pollution isn't higher. It is still below average, however.

There are very few dogs in Birmingham, which is reflected in the number of pet-friendly pubs and vets practices. Birmingham is the worst place in the country in terms of vets per capita. Each practice must cover over a quarter of a million people. However, the city has very clean streets and is a vibrant city for any person or pup to call home.

However, it might be possible to explain one reason why there are so few pooches calling this city home. Birmingham is, without a doubt, a student city. There are eight universities here, and almost a tenth of the population are students. It might not sound like much, but compared to other cities, that is a huge proportion. Most rentals and student accommodation are pet-free; it can be easy to see why keeping a pooch is off the cards.

But if you can find an area away from the student hubs like Selly Oak, you will probably find a clean and quiet place to call home.

Birmingham could be a booming doggy paradise, provided there were more dogs.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)

#18 - Stoke-on-trent

When it comes to low congestion levels, clean air and streets, Stoke-on-Trent is another strong contender. However, in terms of finding ample green space and dog-friendly pubs, this city falls flat. It might be famous for its pottery, but certainly not for its parks. However, there are a handful of hidden gems in and around Stoke-on-Trent, paw-fect for walkies.

Stoke-on-Trent ranks the worst out of all towns and cities listed for the quality of parks, and availability of dog-friendly pubs. The number of vet practices is also below the norm. A shame really, because there's plenty of reasons to love the city and to consider it as a home for you and your canine companion.

Stoke's scores are almost great if it wasn't for the pair of bottom-placed rankings for parks and pubs.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)

#17 - Sunderland

If you want to live somewhere that's clean; you'll not find many towns or cities better than Sunderland. Not only is it free of cars and congestion, but there's also little litter or pollution here. Sadly, this city is let down by having less green space than average, and it's parks are in pretty poor condition. If the parks were as clean and loved as the city streets, Sunderland would climb the rankings as a dog-friendly place to live.

The dog pup-ulation is dwindling here, and this shows as the number of pet-friendly pubs is equally slim. The number of vets per capita is also pretty low. However, a smaller number of dogs in the city isn't a huge problem, so long as you can still socialise your pup regularly. And should the number of dogs grow, we think the amount of pet-friendly pubs might increase too as there will be more demand.

Sunderland's scores show that with a few more doggy residents, and some TLC for the parks, this city could turn it into one of the best places to live for a dog.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)

#16 - Derby

Derby might have a little less green space than the average city, but the parks here are beautifully kept and always full of other pups to play with. Derby has the second-highest number of dogs per household, so it must be a pretty dog-friendly place.

Sadly, it's also got more than its fair share of cars too, and the air quality is a little lacking because of it. Thankfully, the city is clean and has quite a few dog-friendly pubs. If there were a bit more green space and a little less traffic, it would be within the top fifteen, if not the top ten. But if you are happy to travel beyond the city boundaries, there are plenty of countryside walks a little further afield for you to enjoy.

The dog days aren't over in Derby, which is one of the most pup-ular places to live despite some so-so scores.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)

#15 - Middlesborough

Middlesborough scores similarly to Liverpool but is ranked a step lower because it is an area of extremes when it comes to living there with a dog, which you can see in the town's scores.

There's a lot of traffic, but the air quality is surprisingly good. This could be because there is so much green space in the city. The only thing Middlesborough has an average score for is cleanliness, where it is right in the middle of the board. Otherwise, it's either end of the table.

There is quite a small population of dogs, and it's below average in terms of vets per capita. However, this town has more dog-friendly pubs than anywhere else so you and your dog will be spoiled for choice when you're looking for somewhere for a drink and a Sunday lunch. The quality of the green space is lacking, but the amount of space available certainly isn't. So if you like long walks and cosying up with your dog while you have a drink, Middlesbrough might be the paw-fect place to call home.

According to the scores, Middlesbrough leads the pack for dog-friendly pubs. Shame some of the other scores are so lacklustre.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)

#14 - Liverpool

Overall, Liverpool is a pretty good place to live if you're a dog or a dog lover. Yet in terms of scoring, it's a pretty mixed bag.

Liverpool stands out as one of the most dog-friendly places to live because of the very well-maintained parks, and because there's more green space than average. There's also a much higher number of dog-friendly pubs than most towns or cities, which is surprising because fewer dogs than average call this city home. There are fewer vets per capita, though, and the level of street hygiene is some of the worst in the country. It's a shame because otherwise, Liverpool scores pretty well. That's why we think Liverpool is just about average in terms of where to live with your dog. It's got some great things about being there, and some that could be improved.

Liverpool's scores aren't to be sniffed at; it's an excellent place for walkies and doggy socialisation according to the scores.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)

#13 - Reading

Reading is a fantastic place to live for you and the dog. Although it has fewer parks and gardens to go walking in, the green space is in immaculate condition. It also has very few cars in the city, which you'll notice if you walk through the centre. The number of dogs per household is a little less than average, but on the upside, there are a lot more vets and more dog-friendly pubs per capita than most cities.

The lack of places to go walking isn't a huge problem since the green space available is beautiful and a pleasure to explore. Plus, there are plenty of great places in easy reach of the city to go for a more rural stroll with the pup. If Reading had a little more green space, it would certainly be within the top ten places to live with a dog.

You'd be barking mad if you couldn't see why Reading has the paw-tential to be one of the best places to live for a dog.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)

#12 - Bradford

Tied with Sheffield on points, Bradford is ranked lower because the two factors that let it down are pretty noticeable. Out of all the towns and cities assessed, Bradford had the worst problem with littering, which can be a big problem for nosy or peckish pups. There are also very few dog-friendly pubs, despite the city having one of the highest pup-ulations of anywhere in the country. It's also one of the ten worst places to be in terms of the vets per capita, meaning each practice has to cater to several thousand people and their pets.

It's a shame because otherwise, Bradford scores well. It has plenty of parks, fewer cars than usual, and excellent air quality. The number of pets and parks on offer means you will probably always meet up with other dogs out on a walk, making it the paw-fect place for a social pup.

Despite the low score on street cleanliness, Bradford is a brilliant place to live for dogs and could easily climb into the top ten with a bit of a scrub.

Bradford's scorecard is filled with fantastic highs and just two disappointing lows.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)

#11 - Sheffield

If you and your pooch value a leisurely pace of life, you'd do well in Sheffield. It's got low traffic density, and some of the cleanest air in the country. It also has a touch more green space than average, but it is let down by littering in the streets.

Sheffield has a slightly lower population of dogs than most urban areas and has fewer pet-friendly pubs and vets to cater for you and your dog. On the other hand, there's still a good number of canines that call Sheffield home; you just might have to schedule puppy playdates to ensure your dog is well socialised.

Sheffield's scores show why it's a bit of an underdog, and didn't quite make the top ten dog-friendly places to live.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)

#10 Southend-on-sea

Southend-on-Sea scores are average or better for all but two factors, making it a brilliant place for dogs to live across the board. The only let downs for this seaside town are that the air quality is lower than normal, and there are few dog-friendly pubs. But if you're not too worried about having your dog accompany you to your local, you might find Southend to be the paw-fect place to live.

There's plenty of well-kept local parks and beaches for your dog to enjoy (within restrictions). Southend-on-Sea is also one of the best places in the country for the number of vets available, and it is an exceptionally clean area. If you and your pooch value peace-of-mind and walkies in clean surroundings, you'll love this town. That's why Southend-on-Sea closes out our top ten dog-friendly places to live. But if a few more pubs and eateries welcomed our furry friends, it would no doubt jump up into the top five!

Southend scored average or better on all but two factors, so it's definitely a doggy haven.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)

#9 - Bristol

Bristol is a compact and clean city, with plenty of places nearby where you can venture on a day out. This city is in the top ten places in the country due to its large puppy population and numerous dog-friendly pubs. Without a doubt, it is one of the best places to live for dogs and dog lovers.

However, it is let down by the amount of green space and local parks that you can visit, and how well-kept they are. This small city's compact nature is probably why the traffic density is slightly higher than average, and the air quality levels are lower as a result.

That being said, if you can look past the lack of parks, you can find plenty of good walks outside the city and an active dog-loving community. Bristol is a vibrant town where you and your furry friend will be warmly welcomed and enjoy a fantastic time together.

Bristol's scores comfortably fetch it a spot in the top ten dog-friendly places to live.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)

#8 - Nottingham

It's still a tight race for places in the top ten best places to live for dogs. Nottingham is within the pack leaders because of the amount of green space and the number of dog-friendly pubs on offer. There's no shortage of places to go for walkies with the pup or to cosy up for a Sunday roast. The number of vets per capita is about average, and the traffic density is slightly lower than usual for most towns and cities. Plus, Nottingham has one of the largest populations of dogs, cementing this city's place as one of the most dog-friendly places to live in England.

However, there are only two real drawbacks to life in Nottingham for a dog. That is that the air isn't as clean as it could be. But, most notably, the parks aren't as good as other cities. They're a little lacklustre, but there are loads of them available. So if ample space to run around off the lead is your pup's priority, then Nottingham could be the ideal place to call home for you and your dog.

Nottingham scored above average in all but two areas, proving why it's pup-ular for dog owners.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)

#7 - Leeds

Again, only a point lower, we find Leeds. This city has plentiful parks and green space for you and the pooch to go walking in. Sadly, the green space on offer in the city is a little lower quality than average and litter can be a problem here. There are tons of places to go walking just a short drive in the countryside.

However, there is much less traffic in this city, and you can tell, particularly in the higher air quality. Although there are slightly fewer dog-friendly pubs than average, you and the pup still have plenty of choices when it comes to finding somewhere to "pup" in for a pint. Leeds also has one of the highest dog populations for any town or city, so there must be something making it so pup-ular!

Leeds scores easily lead them into being one of the best places to live for dog lovers and their canine companions.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)

#6 - Brighton

As you can tell from the scores, it starts getting very hard to pick one town over another to decide the best places to live for dogs. Brighton is only a point behind Manchester, and like the big city, when it scores well for something, it does incredibly well.

Brighton has got the highest quality parks out of everywhere listed, and is also in the top 5 for the amount of green space available, making it paw-fect for walkies. It's also in the top ten for the number of dogs and dog-friendly pubs, so man's best friend is very pup-ular in Brighton. In fact, it has more doggy meet-up groups than anywhere else in the country, paw-fect for social pups and owners. Brighton is without a doubt one of the most dog-friendly places in Britain, so you and the pooch should definitely take a day trip if a move is off the cards.

The drawbacks of Brighton are the number of cars and cleanliness. There's very high traffic density, poor air quality, and the streets aren't the cleanest. However, as long as you can keep the dog on a lead (and stop them picking up any litter), these problems can be negated. Especially when there is so much clean, green space for you and your furry friend to visit.

If the air and streets were a little cleaner, Brighton would have been within the top five places to live with a dog for sure.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)

#5 - Manchester

When Manchester does well on a dog-friendly factor, it really delivers. It's in the top ten for most of the scores, and better than average in terms of cleanliness. The only downsides to living in Manchester with your dog is that the quality of the local parks is a little lacking and it's vet practices are busier than normal. It's the third-worst in the country in terms of vets per capita, and each practice has to serve 181,833 people. There aren't many dogs in the city though; it's the second smallest pup-ulation in the country, so paw-haps there's a lack of demand. Either that or Manchester is just full of cat people.

Conversely, it's got more dog-friendly pubs than you could shake a stick at, so you and your pooch will be spoiled for choice whenever you do go out together. As long as your pup has a few faithful fur-iends, they can regularly see to socialise; the lower pooch population shouldn't be a big problem. Overall, Manchester is a pretty paw-some place to live with your pet.

Manchester's scorecard is a mixed bag of results.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)

#4 - Plymouth

Plymouth is another paw-some place to live with your four-legged friend. The only drawbacks are that some of the streets could do with a little litter-picking, and there are fewer dog-friendly pubs than most places. Plymouth is around average for the number of vet practices per capita, so your pup will always have help nearby should they get sick. However, it is above average or in the top ten for every other factor of a dog-friendly place to live, so it's certainly not to be sniffed at.

There's ample green space in Plymouth, but it certainly isn't the only place to go walkies. One big benefit of this town is that you're not far from some fantastic countryside walks, and you can enjoy days out on the beach together with your pup. With so many places to go for walkies, clean air, and fewer cars than normal, it's the paw-fect place to live for dogs and owners

Plymouth's scores brought it in as one of the top five places to live with a dog.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)

#3 - Bournemouth

Bournemouth was one of the very few cities that has both good quality parkland and plenty of it. In fact, none of its scores were far below average.

The level of traffic density is more than average, but if you're in one of the many parks, that shouldn't pose a problem. Walking to and from your favourite green spaces will be pretty pleasant, as Bournemouth has the cleanest streets in the country. Not to mention, your pup will have plenty of op-paw-tunities to make new fur-iends here as there is a healthy population of pooches. Best of all, a move or visit to Bournemouth means you and the dog can enjoy plenty of seaside strolls together.

Bournemouth scored very well across the board as a paw-some dog-friendly place to live.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)

#2 - Preston

Preston has got the largest amount of green space available in ratio to built-up areas, as well as more dogs per capita than anywhere else in the UK. With plenty of potential canine companions and places for walkies, it's easy to see why Preston is a close second as the most dog-friendly place to live in the country.

Preston is also in the top ten for air quality and the number of dog-friendly pubs. At the same time, it's park quality, and traffic density are about average. The only downside to this city is the street cleanliness, but even that is only a little below average.

If there was a little less litter, it would have pipped Newcastle to the post as the best place for dogs to live. It is easy to see why there could be a bone to pick between the two to decide the top dog, as Preston has more green space on offer and a booming canine pup-ulation.

Preston's leading the pack as one of the best places to live for dogs.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)

#1 - Newcastle upon tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne might be a comparatively small city, but it's within the top 10 for all but one of the dog-friendly factors. This makes it the clear leader of the pack when it comes to dog-friendly places to live. Not to mention, there are plenty of rural walks easily accessible from the city, so you and the pooch are never far from a long walk together. It has more vet practices per capita than average too.

This city has everything im-paw-tent in raising a happy and healthy dog. Clean air, lots of green space, plenty of vets, and long walks within easy reach. And for rainy days, there's plenty of pet-friendly pubs and cafes too, many of which have their own doggy menus or treats available.

Newcastle is a city of dog lovers, and for those without a pooch, they can still head to The Dog and Scone for some quality time with a new furry friend. This lively city hasn't just got everything needed to be named the best place to live for dogs in the UK; it's pretty great for people too!

Newcastle's scores show why it's the top dog when it comes to the best places to live for dogs.

(Remember – The smaller the score, the better)