Holidays with your dogs

In the old days, I rarely took my dogs on holiday. I have been lucky enough to travel abroad to quite a few countries and to have some fabulous holidays. These days things look different. We now enjoy travelling around the UK, which means we can take our dogs on holiday – hurray!

Having said that, I have taken my dogs away, but mainly to stay with family. Over the past few years I have been away with a few of my dogs, staying in hotels and self-catering accommodation. Nowadays I am confident enough to take all five away with me!

What do you need to think about?

There are various websites and groups on social media, advertising ‘really REALLY dog friendly holidays‘. Reading through the posts, the first consideration when booking something seems to be ‘does it have a secure garden?’

First of all, the accommodation needs to be suitable for dogs. Some holiday companies will allow ‘one or two small dogs’, but nowadays there are plenty of ‘proper’ places advertising space for multiple dogs. I think it is perfectly possible to stay in a place for a week and leave it spotless, provided you are equipped to do so. This means taking beds, such as plenty of vetbed, together with throws and towels. If your dog goes on the sofa at home you won’t keep them off it in the holiday place, will you?

A dog friendly area?

Apparently the most dog-friendly town in the UK is Keswick, in the Lake District. It is certainly beautiful. ALL the cafes let you bring dogs into them and there are plenty of fabulous walks. We stayed in a hotel, which was great, except there was NO place to toilet the dogs! So at 10.30pm I had to set off for a five-minute walk up the road to the park. Nightmare.

Lots of people want a beach to walk along, but not all beaches allow dogs, so do check before you go. If you do go on the beach a lot, make sure you wash your dogs off afterwards and dry them thoroughly, as the sand can be a real irritant.

Hiking with your dogs on holiday

If you are going for a hike, make sure you take some water and travel bowl for your dog. Many hills and mountains have streams along the way, but you can’t necessarily count on this. If you are walking across hills, be aware that if there are sheep around, you will need to keep your dog under control.

You might want to take snacks for your dog as well as for yourself. If your dog normally only walks for an hour and you suddenly do a 2-3 hour hike, they will be just as tired as you are. Especially if they are off lead and whizzing about exploring!

What to take away with you

When going on holiday with your dog, you need to be prepared. I keep a list on my phone, ready to help me pack.

Here are some of the items on my list for taking dogs on holiday:

• leads, including a couple of spares
• bowls, including water bowls
• food, measured out into bags
• medication
• beds, towels and throws
• toys, especially chews or bones, if they are going to be left in the car or accommodation
• cleaning kit
• plenty of waterproof and walking clothes and boots

NB: There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.

Weekly Focus Challenge

Can you take your puppy away with you?  What would you have to think about?  Where will you go?  Think about what might make it possible.

Please share your thoughts and a photo? You can do this in the AYWYP Facebook group, or buy the workbook to keep your own record. Details below.

Buy the Workbook

The Workbook – A Year With Your Puppy is available to buy. It was written and designed to be a hands-on, interactive book for you. It will help you survive the first year with your puppy, but also act as a memento of that time and the journey you have been on. You can write notes and stick in pictures of your puppy throughout the year. Lovely!

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think.  If you want to know more, why not FOLLOW ME, by filling in your email address below?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.

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NB: I am not a dog trainer, or a dog behaviourist, just a dog breeder and owner. I can only offer my opinion, based on my experience.