Can you take your dog canoeing in Värmland?
Short answer
Yes. Dogs are welcome in Värmland's lakes and forests, but from 1 March to 20 August Swedish law keeps them from running loose, which in practice means a lead, and in Glaskogen nature reserve a dog may never be let off and may not go onto bathing beaches. A dog coming from another EU country needs a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and an EU pet passport. If your route crosses into Norway, the dog also needs a vet's tapeworm treatment first.
Your dog can come along on most canoe trips in Värmland. The rules differ a little between areas, and the Norwegian border runs through some of the lakes, so decide where you will paddle before you pack the dog’s bag.
The rules by area
| Area | Dog rule | Check before you go |
|---|---|---|
| Whole of Sweden | 1 March–20 August: the dog must not be able to run loose where there is wildlife | Outside that period it must still not chase game |
| Glaskogen nature reserve | Never off the lead, never on bathing beaches | Reserve rules come before the right of public access |
| Nordmarken lakes | Swedish law and the right of public access | Lakes on the border: Norwegian rules on the other side |
| Klarälven raft or canoe | Vildmark i Värmland’s FAQ does not mention dogs | Ask the operator when you book |
The lead period from 1 March to 20 August
The Swedish law on the supervision of dogs and cats says that from 1 March to 20 August a dog must be kept under such control that it cannot run loose in areas with wildlife. That is the breeding season, when wildlife is most sensitive. Naturvårdsverket, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, reads the law as a lead for most dogs. Only a very obedient dog may walk free, and then within about a metre of you.
The paddling season falls almost entirely in that period. On a summer trip, plan for a dog on a lead at every landing, portage and campsite. A long line of 5–10 metres gives it room at camp without breaking the rule.
As the owner you are responsible for any damage your dog causes. Keep it away from other paddlers’ food and tents, and away from grazing animals near farms along the shore.
Glaskogen: stricter than the rest of Värmland
Glaskogen has its own regulations, and they apply all year. You may not let a dog or other pet loose, and you may not take pets onto the bathing beaches. Let the dog swim from a stretch of shore away from the beaches.
Read more about the reserve in Is Glaskogen a good place for a canoe trip?
The Klarälven with a dog
On the Klarälven you drift for days on a timber raft or in a canoe with Vildmark i Värmland. Its FAQ answers questions about mosquitoes and fishing licences and says nothing about dogs, so ask Vildmark before you book.
If they say yes, think about the raft itself. You build it from logs and rope and spend whole days on it, so a dog has to settle on an open, wet deck. In a canoe it can lie between your feet. The differences between the two trips are in Should you raft or canoe the Klarälven river?
Nordmarken and the Norwegian border
The Nordmarken lakes around Årjäng follow general Swedish law: the lead period, the right of public access and the rules of the nature conservation card. DANO, which runs the campsites, lists no separate dog rule.
Stora Le’s western branch runs into Norway, and some routes continue along the Halden Canal. Norway’s food authority, Mattilsynet, requires a dog entering from Sweden to be treated against fox tapeworm (Echinococcus multilocularis) by a vet 24–120 hours before it crosses, with the treatment recorded in its pet passport. A canoe trip makes that hard to time, so with a dog the simple choice is to stay on the Swedish side. See How do you canoe in Nordmarken? for the lake layout.
Bringing your dog into Sweden from another EU country
Jordbruksverket, the Swedish Board of Agriculture, asks for these four things (2026):
- A microchip, put in before or at the same time as the rabies vaccination.
- A rabies vaccination, given at 12 weeks of age or older. After a first vaccination, wait 21 days before you travel.
- An EU pet passport from an authorised vet, with the chip number and vaccination in it.
- A declaration to Swedish Customs, online in advance or at the border.
Tapeworm treatment is not required for Sweden, but Jordbruksverket recommends it before you travel. More than five dogs, cats or ferrets in one vehicle trigger extra rules, including an official health certificate. For the drive or the ferry, see How do you get to Värmland?
A dog in a canoe
- Buy a dog life jacket with a grab handle on the back, so you can lift a wet dog back into the canoe. Let it wear the jacket at home first.
- Practise on land and in shallow water first. Teach the dog to step in, lie down in the middle and stay there. A dog that shifts its weight suddenly can tip a canoe.
- Never tie the dog to the canoe. If you capsize, a lead fixed to the boat can pull it under.
- A mat on the floor gives grip and protects the hull from claws.
- Count the weight. A large dog takes the place of a person, so a two-person canoe with two adults and a big dog sits low. Pack lighter, or rent a bigger canoe.
- On a hot, still day the dog has no shade on the lake. Give it water at every stop.
Ticks
Värmland has ticks, and they are active through the paddling season. They carry anaplasma and borrelia, which can make dogs ill. SVA, the Swedish veterinary institute, recommends a tick preventive from your vet and a regular check of the coat to remove ticks before they pass on infection. On a canoe trip, check the dog every evening at camp, and bring a tick remover.
At the campsite
Wind shelters at the campsites are shared. If another group is there, ask before your dog joins them, and keep it on the lead near their food and fire. Dog waste goes well away from the water and the path, the same as your own.
Where we would start with a dog
Outpost North in Gustavsfors welcomes dogs on a lead. It sits on the water between Lelång and Västra Silen, so you can paddle out from the camp’s own jetty with no car transfer or bus ride for the dog. You book a canoe package that starts on any day you choose and lasts 1 to 14 days, with the route in an app and a map of the lakes. For The Canoe Trip, a fixed 8-day week from the same base, ask when you book whether your dog can come.
Sources
Riksdagen: Act on the supervision of dogs and cats (2007:1150), Naturvårdsverket: dogs in nature, Glaskogen: regulations, Vildmark i Värmland: FAQ, Jordbruksverket: dogs from EU countries, Mattilsynet: travelling to Norway with a dog, SVA: anaplasmosis in dogs, Dalsland Nordmarken (DANO), Outpost North, The Canoe Trip.
