First Croatian dog beach opens

First Croatian dog beach opens

A dog may be a man's best friend, but it's not always the most welcome when it comes to public places.

But a small town in Croatia has opened what it says is the country's first ever dog beach.

If you're furry and four-legged, Crikvenica, along Croatia's Adriatic Coast, is where you want to be.

"My dogs love to swim, they love to lie on the air mattress in the water, in the evening they are then very tired and are looking forward to going back to the beach the next day," says German tourist Sonia Rifermann.

Croatia is traditionally a popular tourist spot, and that means canines usually aren't allowed on beaches along the Adriatic Coast. 

"Before we came here it was a nice beach," says Igor Montanari Knez, owner of the nearby Monty's Beach Bar.

"The point why this beach is special is because it is in the centre of the city. That is what people want, they don't want a dog beach on some periphery.

Of course any doggy beach spot wouldn't be complete without a beach bar. It even has dog beer on tap - a non-alcoholic beverage named Snuffle.

So while owners are taking a dip, their pooch pals can sit back with a drink made from beef or chicken and malt barley extracts.

"Every dog owner - at least I look at it that way as a dog owner - wants to have the same comfort as everybody else on any other beach," says Mr Montanari Knez.

Newshub.