🎄 Festive Dog Events in the Cotswolds 2025

📍Meeting Santa Paws at Dobbies with Wilma & Flow, and enjoying the Festive Christmas walk with Chicken, Groot & Harry

Looking for the best dog-friendly Christmas events in the Cotswolds? Whether you’re planning a festive day out with your dog, searching for Christmas markets that welcome pups, or hunting down the cutest Santa Paws experiences in Gloucestershire, you’re in the right place!

After such a lovely response to my Autumn Dog Events blog, I couldn’t resist putting together a festive edition too! As a former dog walker who spent many winters exploring with pups, I know how special this season can be with our four-legged friends by our side.

This year, the Cotswolds is packed with dog-friendly festive fun. We’ve rounded up the top dog-friendly Christmas events in the Cotswolds for 2025, so grab your lead, pop on your pup’s warmest Poochie Suit, and discover the most paw-some festive dog days out in the Cotswolds this Christmas. 🐾✨

🍂 Dogs Go Free Weekends – Painswick Rococo Garden

📅 1st–23rd November 2025 (Weekends Only)
🕓 10 AM – 4 PM (last entry 3 PM)
📍 Painswick Rococo Garden, Gloucestershire

For four weekends this November, dogs can bring their humans to the stunning Painswick Rococo Garden for free! It’s their way of saying thank you to our four-legged friends for always making us smile.

✨ Teckels Winter Ball 2025

📅 Friday 21st November 2025
🕖 7 PM – Midnight
📍 Hatherley Manor Hotel & Spa, Gloucester

Kick off the festive season in style at the Teckels Winter Ball, a glamorous evening filled with sparkle, purpose, and plenty of paw-sitive energy. Guests will enjoy a three-course dinner, live music, charity auction, and even a chance to meet some of Teckels’ beloved rescue dogs who’ve found their forever homes.

🎁 Cheltenham Animal Shelter Festive Fayre

📅 Thursday 27th November 2025
🕓 4:30 PM – 7 PM
📍 Cheltenham Animal Shelter

The Cheltenham Animal Shelter Festive Fayre, there’ll be Christmas stalls, fun games, a raffle, a BBQ, hot drinks, mulled wine and more.

Visit Santa’s Grotto or head to the Santa Paws Grotto so your furry friend can meet the big man too! With raffles, fun games, and late-night shopping in the charity shop, it’s a feel-good event supporting a brilliant local cause.

🎅 Allsorts Tinkley Gate Santa Dash

📅 Sunday 7th December 2025
📍 Tinkley Gate

Get ready to dash, jog, or stroll your way into the festive season at the Allsorts Tinkley Gate Santa Dash a brand new charity event hosted by Stroud & District Athletic Club in support of Allsorts, a local charity helping children and young people with additional needs.

They’re calling for 250 Santas (plus a few festive pups!) to take part in this joyful 5km off-road run around the National Trust’s beautiful Tinkley Gate site, with a shorter 2.5km option for those who prefer a gentler pace.

🎄 Pup Up Café: Jingle Paws Christmas Tour – Bath

📅 Sunday 7th December 2025
🕑 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
📍 The Bath Brew House, 14 James Street West, Bath, BA1 2BX

The Pup Up Café is back with Jingle Paws Christmas Tour! Expect Christmas jumpers everywhere, puppuccinos flowing, wagging tails galore, and plenty of festive cheer.

Mett other dogs, snap festive photos with themed props, and enjoy a cosy afternoon of off-lead play, treats, and festive fun. Every dog receives a little Christmas gift, and there are prizes for the best dressed pups too!

🐾 Paws & Claus Breakfast – Gloucester Garden Centre

📅 2nd–12th December 2025
📍 Gloucester Garden Centre, Gloucestershire

A fun, relaxed festive event that includes a delicious cooked breakfast for you, a festive goody bag for your dog, and a visit from a very special someone.

You and your dog will be able to meet Father Christmas individually, so you can get the perfect photo of Santa with his new little helper – you’ll even get a free doggy Santa hat for maximum cuteness! Paws & Claus is the perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit and have a bit of fun with fellow dog lovers.

🐾 Cheltenham Animal Shelter Festive Group Dog Walk

📅 Saturday 13th December 2025
🕓 9:45 AM for a 10:00 AM start (approx. 90 minutes)
📍 Starts at Cheltenham Animal Shelter, through Pittville Park

⭐ OUR FAVOURITE FESTIVE EVENT

A festive fundraising walk that’s as joyful as it is jingly! Join fellow dog lovers for a 90-minute circular walk around Pittville Park, dressed in your best Christmas jumpers, Santa hats, and sparkly accessories.

There’ll be prizes for the best-dressed duo, photo ops, and refreshments waiting back at the Shelter. A brilliant way to spread some cheer while helping animals in need.

🎅 Cotswolds Dogs & Cats Home Christmas Market

📅 Saturday 13th December 2025
🕓 11 AM – 3 PM
📍 Slimbridge Village Hall, GL2 7BJ

Step into the festive season at the Cotswolds Dog and Cats Home Christmas Market, enjoy hot chocolate, homemade cakes, family fun, and a fabulous selection of stalls to explore, all in support of animals in need!

Children can step into Santa’s Grotto and meet the big man himself! Every child will receive a special present to take home and treasure.

☕ Breakfast with Santa Paws – Dean Heritage Centre

📅 Saturday 13th December 2025
📍 Dean Heritage Centre, Forest of Dean

Start your festive morning at Dean Heritage Centre, with a breakfast for you and your pooch! Enjoy a breakfast sandwich (bacon, sausage, or vegan) and hot drink, while your dog tucks into their own mini breakfast, treats, puppicino, and a gift from Santa Paws!

🐾 Teckels Christmas Fair & Dog Show

📅 Saturday 13th December 2025
🕓 11 AM – 4 PM
📍 Churchdown Community Centre, GL3 2JH

A joyful festive fair in aid of Teckels Animal Sanctuaries, complete with a dog show, Santa’s Grotto, children’s games, and live music. Explore local stalls and show off your pup’s best Christmas jumper!

🎶 Sighthound Christmas Carol Concert – Bath

📅 Monday 15th December 2025
🕢 7pm for a 7:30pm start
📍 St Michael’s Without, Broad Street, Bath

Join the Forever Hounds Trust for their annual candlelit carol concert, a festive evening celebrating sighthounds and the joy they bring.

Sing along to classic carols, enjoy mince pies and mulled wine, and bring your greyhounds, lurchers, galgos, podencos, whippets and any other sighthounds to relax by your side. Guests are invited to bring a small gift for the hounds still waiting for their forever homes.

✨ Santa Paws & Dog-Friendly Light Trail – Winter Glow

📅 Santa Paws Dates: 21–22 Nov & 15–18 Dec 2025
📅 Dog-Friendly Light Trail Dates: 21–22 Nov & 15–18, 27–31 Dec 2025
📍 Winter Glow, Three Counties Showground, Malvern

A dazzling evening out where dogs are part of the magic! Dog-Friendly Days are back at the Winter Glow! Wander through the Illuminated Light Trail, meet Father Christmas, and stop by Mrs Claus’ Bakery for a dog biscuit or two.

🎁 Santa Paws at Dobbies Garden Centres

📅 29 November – 24 December 2025
📍 Various Dobbies locations – including Tewkesbury & Cirencester

Get ready for the ulti-mutt Christmas experience! Join Santa for a festive sniff-ari, play with his elves, and take the perfect Santa photo. Each dog receives a special gift, and some stores even feature a mini obstacle course for the most playful pups. Dobbies always host fantastic dog-friendly events, and they usually sell out fast!

✨ Finally, I highly recommend...

🎄 A Visit to the Rodborough Common Dog Tree – A Local Christmas Tradition

📍 Rodborough Common, Stroud, Gloucestershire

Each December, a special tree on Rodborough Common becomes a heartfelt symbol of love and remembrance for local dogs. Known as the Dog Tree, it’s decorated by the community with baubles, ribbons, and handwritten tributes to cherished pets past and present.

Many visitors also leave donations and food supporting Teckels Animal Sanctuaries, helping more animals find their second chance.

It’s one of the Cotswolds’ most touching dog-friendly Christmas traditions.

📍📍A remembrance bauble for my best friend, Brando, at The Rodborough Common Dog Tree

🎄Final Bonus Tip:
Many local pup-friendly Christmas markets are also happening across the Cotswolds, perfect for exploring with your dog if they’re confident around crowds and cheerful chaos.

Some examples include:

Blenheim Palace Christmas Market (Great Court) - browse the wooden chalets and festive treats; dogs are allowed in the market area though not on the trail.

Bath Christmas Market is a little further out, but is absolutely magical. Do note it can get very busy, especially on weekends, and the crowds can be stressful for dogs who do not like environments like these, so its's best to visit during quieter times, such as mid-week mornings or lunchtimes.

Stroud and surrounding villages have traditional markets with craft stalls, seasonal food & drink and plenty of festive charm.

✨ Looking for a Christmas gift for your dog?

Looking for dog christmas pajamas? Our Poochie Suits are designed for chilly winter adventures, ultra-soft, stretchy, and as snug as a festive hug. Whether you’re off to meet Santa Paws, wandering the light trails, or visiting the Dog Tree, your pup will stay warm, comfy, and camera-ready from tail to snoot!

Frog Chérie

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