personally,i would find a dog friendly location,if possible,and focus on visiting dog friendly places.My parents use to simply put our dog in a local kennels when we went on holiday when i was a child.We always use to laugh when we got back,and found the dog was not only so much healthier than before she went in,but also so much more happier and active.
------------- Boris Karloff: '' now will you give me my chalk!? ''
My Tents:
Eureka K2 XT
Terra Nova Solar 2
Outwell Jersey S Pop Up Tent
Hennessy Hammock Explorer Deluxe.
our dog comes with us - staked out when on site. He goes everywhere where possible. We are lucky we stay on a farm site where the farmer lets us leave our dog in a barn or kennel for a few hours. ( if we want to go to dog ban beach or shops ) Other than that we would leave the dog in the car for an hour or so in the evening ( meal ). Inbetween all this my dog gets worked ( obedience and gundog )...so he is always worked before and tired out whenever we intend to leave him.
I have been a dog owner for many years & i agree with Britains policy. I would never take my dog into a busy city as believe its just not a place for dogs to be & why should people have the inconvenience of trying to avoid our 4 legged friends when out shopping, in restaurants etc etc.
We have a small dog that is just not happy being walked for miles upon miles so when we used to have our caravan, we would never worry about leaving him behind for a few hours. Always shut the blackout blinds, make sure its ventilated & left out plenty of water. I just dont see the problem. A dog are great pets, but certainly no reason to let them dominate your life or your holiday imo.
Now we have a tent again it does make things more tricky. I would never leave him in a car for a long period, in case someone tried to steal him & obviously when weather hot its a no-no. I also wouldnt leave him in the tent in case he went wandering. I would NEVER take him into a restaurant & i wouldnt eat somewhere that allowed them .... so if we are planning to more urban type holiday he stays with my folks & when we are looking for more of a countryside or outside type break we take him with us. Its the fairest solution imo
A dog is part of the family. Anyone who dosent consider them as just that shouldnt keep one. There are simply loads of places that are "dog friendly" its just a matter of finding them.
------------- hawk
"Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone"
I have the body of a greek god - its in my freezer
I think its each to his own really. Our dog is part of our lives - ...however, he is also considered to be a working dog. Having kept dogs for many years I don't let them rule my life and I don't believe in foisting dogs into situations that might offend others...such as pubs or eating places or shops. Some dogs don't enjoy being dragged round everywhere either, especially not in the heat. And some dogs don't have the correct temprement to be taken into busy areas where there are lots of people. Some owners don't have the correct attitude either since they let them foul pavements !...ergh...
I'm pretty sure that all the dogs I've ever owned would prefer to go walking ( or working in the countryside ) then left to crash out in a kennel or car... than being hoiked round shops or the pub. Certainly suits me better too !
I've got 2 dogs, both Labradors and one is older and only walks on 3 legs. He doesn't like walking far so I booked him in for day boarding at a kennels near to the site we were staying at. He was more than happy to sleep all day while I took the younger one out and about as he loves walking.
On the Sunday, we just did shorter walks and thankfully it was much cooler so once the older dog had had enough, I popped him back in the car, with the crate fan on that's attached to the dog guard, and he slept while me and the other dog walked more.
Both of them love being on site, secured to their ground spike, while they watch the world go past. Neither bark for no reason and they enjoy camping as much as I do, so for me, going without them is not an option.
No being a dog owner, we don't have this problem, but totally agree that leaving them in the car is not an option. I had a blazing row with one owner outside a pub years ago, having watched his heavy coated collie struggling to get his nose through the dog guard to access the slight breeze through the inch of window that had been left open. I was on the verge of calling the police, when the owner and his family returned. I suggested that he was not wise leaving the dog in the car, and he persisted in standing there arguing that his dog was the best cared for in the country, whilst still leaving the car closed and not letting the dog out!!!! Couldn't make him see sense at all, and I ended up just walking off in disgust.
Incidentally, has anyone seen the little "dog tents" for sale in Asda at the moment. Not sure how large a dog they take, or how secure they are but definately cute!
My aunt and uncle had a caravan for years, and used to take their cat on holiday with them. Having been introduced to it from an early age, she never strayed far from the awning and seemed to enjoy her holidays!
Not an option when its hot, No. But otherwise no probs. Granted, it does make things difficult when the weather is too hot to leave the dog in the car...which is why we go to a site where the farmer allows us to leave ours in a kennel. I think some sites do have more official facilities, which I think is a good idea ( better if situated away from the main site due to possible noise ! )
There's absolutely no reason why a dog can't be left in a car or caravan for an hour or two, unless it's too hot of course. Mine seem to love the peace and quiet, and I'm sure they prefer a snooze rather than being dragged around crowded shops etc.
They are actually designed by nature to go to sleep for long periods, it's normal behaviour for them.
Sorry, I should have qualified my point by adding "on a hot day". Sadly people forget that it may be cloudy, but once the sun comes out the temperature in the car can soar very quickly. I wasn't meaning to suggest NEVER leave dogs in cars or caravans.
How young are your small dogs? Consider some puppy training courses also to make your dogs easier to handle in campsites and out and about. We acquired one of our mostly human family slightly later in life with little social etiquette, and much as we love her, we have to outsource her to family or boarding kennels when we go on farming or camping holidays. They (dog training) may also give you some further tips about where to go and how to handle them on site. You might have to resign yourself to the fact that your dog simply does not have the personality to cope with being left in a campsite with loads of new noises and smells happening constantly without barking her nose off.
Quote: Originally posted by Cornish Maiden on 02/8/2009
Sorry, I should have qualified my point by adding "on a hot day". Sadly people forget that it may be cloudy, but once the sun comes out the temperature in the car can soar very quickly. I wasn't meaning to suggest NEVER leave dogs in cars or caravans.
No probs
You are right, it's amazing how quickly they can get hot. Always err well on the right side of caution
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Topic: Dogs on Holiday
