Wimbledon 2026 begins on Monday 29 June and runs through to the finals on 11 and 12 July. Which means a fortnight of long, warm afternoons in front of the tennis — strawberries, a slightly-too-early Pimm's, and a dog who would very much like to be involved. Here's how to do a dog-friendly Wimbledon weekend, with the dog content and (mostly) asleep by the third set.
The shape of a tennis afternoon
There's a rhythm to watching Wimbledon at home, and it doesn't suit a dog one bit. You settle in. The match is long. The good bits demand your full attention, and the changeovers don't last nearly long enough to throw a ball in the garden. Meanwhile the dog, who started the afternoon hopeful, has worked through hopeful, then pointed, and is now doing laps of the sofa with the energy of someone who has Plans.
The trick to a peaceful tennis afternoon is the same trick that works on any long, warm, slightly aimless day: give the dog their own job before you start watching yours. A dog with something to do — properly absorbed, head down, settled in their spot — is a dog who'll happily let you watch five sets in peace.
Three small things for a dog-friendly Wimbledon weekend
1. A chew that lasts a full match
This is the big one. Hand over a long-lasting natural chew at the start of play and you've bought yourself a genuine stretch of quiet. We keep the ostrich bone (£8.99) in for exactly this — single-ingredient, gentle on the stomach, and it keeps a determined chewer occupied for a proper while rather than three minutes. For lighter chewers, a rabbit ear does a gentler version of the same job. (If you want the full rundown of which chews actually go the distance, here's our guide to long-lasting natural dog chews.)
2. Walk early, watch later
High summer means the middle of the day is too hot for a proper walk anyway — for the dog's sake as much as your own. Get the real exercise done in the cool of the morning, before play starts, so by the time you've found your spot on the sofa your dog is pleasantly tired rather than wired. A well-walked dog is a far better tennis companion than a restless one.
3. Cool, calm and shaded
If your dog is going to be flopped near you all afternoon, give them somewhere cool to do it: a shaded spot out of the direct sun, a bowl of fresh water within reach, and the cool kitchen floor available if they want it. Keep the strawberries and anything sweet, creamy or grape-adjacent well out of reach — grapes are toxic to dogs, and most "human" snacks aren't worth the upset. A dog with their own treat doesn't need yours.
The picture you're after
It's a good one, when it comes together. The windows open, the commentary low, a long rally building on the screen. And down by your feet, a dog who started the afternoon convinced something exciting was about to happen — now fast asleep, chew abandoned mid-job, one paw twitching through a dream of their own centre court.
That's the whole thing, really. The tennis is the excuse. The quiet companionship is the point.
Wimbledon 2026 runs 29 June–12 July. If you want your dog settled for the long afternoons, the ostrich bone is where we'd start.
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