Dogs and Touring
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We used to take our two dogs with us when caravanning. when they passed on, because we decided on trying French holidays, we did not replace them. At first we did miss having a dog, but this loss dwindled over time. Now that we are much older, the freedom to relax without having to think about a dog has made things easier. Plus, from some of the remarks I have heard regarding taking dogs abroad since the start of the Brexit problem, we are glad to be free from that. When we give up caravanning, because of our age we will probably consider a rescue dog.
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We too are free of the problems that Brexit may or may not cause. We are much happier caravanning in these islands with our dog than having to go though all the paraphernalia required to cross the channel.
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We recently ran a member survey and asked how you would rate your most recently visited Club site in terms of dog-friendliness. All of our sites have been given a "paw rating" out of five based on your feedback - take a look at some of our top dog-friendly sites across the UK: Paws of Approval
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Thanks for the warning, Rowena.
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Why not give out free poo bags as well as treats? There’s be no excuse for not picking up then. 👍🏻
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We are very much like you Nellie. Past experience has told us that too hot temperatures makes dogs very uncomfortable as well, so we prefer to stay in UK.
We are currently staying in a lovely little village called Llwyngwril, just South of Barmouth. Lovely walks to beach, and all around the village. We were surprised to see those little bone shaped poo bag dispensers hung up every hundred yards or so around the village. Obviously provided by some local committee. Haven’t seen a speck of poo anywhere, so respect for efforts and provision appears to be shown. 👍
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This household gained a cat 15 years ago when Fliss moved to live with me. He loved the garden here and at night would usually choose to sleep out on a padded cover over the patio on the back of the bungalow. Before Fliss moved in the cat had been kenneled a few times and wasn't keen. When he moved in here therefore and we went away or in the caravan he was generally left outside. We used yo also put his bed on the seat fastened down in case of high winds. My eldest daughter lived half a mile away and worked nearby and would feed the cat twice a day. There was just one occasion when the cat was confined in the home whilst we were away as night time temperatures were -15C and not above freezing all day.
The only problem we had was keeping his weight down! He was pretty friendly with next doors cat and new when breakfast was served. When we realise we asked the neighbour just to give a third sized portion. We also found that he would go next door but one the other way where a kindly neighbour would offer him food if he complained that he had not been fed. He lived here for 10 years and was missed. My daughter has since moved and we would not consider another pet
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We've had dogs for over 30 years now and never let them limit how we travel. When working we were restricted to school holidays so rarely ventured abroad. But since retiring we've had 2 overseas holidays annually - not in the van! But we're lucky in that we have an excellent kennels nearby, managed by a former student of mine. Pays to keep well in with them!
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No, we don't do 2 month trips. That would certainly mean not having a dog. Now we're retired our overseas holidays are flights and hotels, the longest time away has been 16 days so it's not a problem to leave her/them. In fact, they prob ably get more attention when they're staying there than when they're at home - certainly never show any reluctance to go back!
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Easy T- I love your cat story!
He loved the garden, as I said, and loved watching the birds and goldfish in the pond. He never tried to catch gold fish even when they approached as he was drinking. He would often sit under a flowering cherry tree and the birds were not troubled, even the ground feeders and the local blackbirds and robins would feed right up to him. I had often watched as he sat about 3 feet from his food bowl watching the local blackbirds queue on a low patio wall to take turns pinching his cat food. The local fox respectful as well
. Strangely enough he rarely begged food unless someone opened a tin of tuna and before the lid was off he would be there. The few times he did beg were when an elderly cat appeared who looked half starved and we did put food down and Olly would sit whilst this cat ate. He was as daft as my earlier Lab who would let birds eat his food and was once seen laying down with his nose 2 foot from his bowl watching a field mouse eating from it. And we all know how Labs like their food! He obviously thought that we couldn't count. Under the cover there is a low cupboard and I would put small apples on there that he loved to eat. If there were one, two, or three on there he would not take one. Once it reached four he would. He could obviously count but reckoned that we could not count beyond three. He was the same dog that would lie on the floor in the front room when we went off to do a supermarket shop and would rise from the floor to greet us when we returned. He was not allowed on the settee. Knowing how wiley he was I onced stopped 300 yds away and walked softly to look through the lounge window, He was happily dozing on the settee. I walked quietly back to the car. When we then arrived home he was just getting up off the floor to greet us. 0 -
WTG, we had cats for a few years when first married...we have also 'always' done continental flying holidays where the cat just got fed by a neighbour.
then, due to pressure from daughter, we got a springer. It soon became 'my dog' (kids off doing something else) and I walked/ran him as much as I was able for the 12 years we had him.
he went to kennels for the fortnights family foreign holiday.
he passed away around 13 yrs ago, just as I was retiring and we were subsequently 'introduced' to motorhoming...(friends asked us to bring their van back from Scotland and pick them up at the end of their John O groats to Lands End bike ride...)
we had a whale of a time and were smitten...and within 4 weeks we had bought our first MH.
in the background had been the discussion about replacing the springer but it was soon apparent that we would now be able to visit some pretty far flung places with this machine and for months at a time, so we chose neither of your options as we went for 'limiting pets to enable lengthy foreign travel'.
we don't miss having a dog, lord knows there's plenty on any CC site
and our daughter and sister both have Springers from the same litter, brother with usually three or four....and horses, sheep etc....we have friends with a fabulous little dog, who tour overseas with us from time to time but, for us, despite the regs not being too tricky to comply with, lengthy holidays without the limitations of taking a dog took precedence.
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When we had a dog it did impose some restrictions. At present I could not walk a dog the distances that I used to nor rough and tumble the same with them. When I had both the Lab and German Shepherd I would occasionally pick up a broom handle and ask 'who wants a beating' They would both come running but the German Shepherd bitch always tried to keep just out of range whilst the Lab would make sure that he got hit before running off to come back again.
If there was a noise in the garden at night and I went to investigate the Lab was the first one out with the GS hiding behind me.
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Our dog is not an excuse for us to travel abroad, WTG, we can't be bothered with all the hassle (as far as we are concerned) of taking him over the water. We find that there are more than enough interesting places for us to visit in this country. We've been "over there" in the past when we had a dog and could leave him with our children, but they've there own lives to live and it would not be fair on them to have to look after our dog, and we would certainly not consider putting him in kennels. He's part of our family and we all travel together. We've caravanned for over well 40 yrs and have had a dog for the vast majority of that time.
Hope this answers your question.
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If you find that then you should immediately report it to the authorities.
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We’re like Nellie, love having dogs with us. Only time we have ever not taken ours with us was a big birthday treat my OH planned for me in London. OH spent most of time wondering if they were ok.
We aren’t fussed with all the hassle of taking them abroad, and having seen how overheated they can get in a hot Cornish Summer, we decided it was another factor in terms of staying in UK.
Wales (Ceredigion/Gwynedd) area is proving to be very dog friendly, enjoying it here.
We were forced to take our very elderly cat with us a couple of times, bloody nightmare to be honest, but at 19 he had never been introduced to travelling, so couldn’t blame him. We had to keep windows closed, and take a big crate with us, didn’t trust him to roam. Had to walk him on a harness, which he wasn’t fond of, despite getting him used to it prior to setting off.
On another holiday, someone’s cat set off a blazing row on a CL we were on. The cat roamed freely, and seemed to enjoy tormenting the dogs from other vans, which had to be supervised diligently at all times. I had a water pistol which kept it away from our dogs, but it got too close to next doors Doberman, normally a very quiet placid dog who we knew well. It was tied up, but the cat got too close and the dog did what dogs do, and took a bit of fur off cats tail. Cat owners came out all guns blazing, took CL owner to sort it out. 😲 😕
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I think that’s shocking. Not only is it cruel, it’s putting the dog’s life at risk. Imagine the consequences of a rear end shunt…
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I am with TW on this one, find it appalling, even if the MH has an internal garage door. It’s akin to letting a pet travel in caravan being towed. Was it in a crate in garage? Or just tethered in garage space? Either way, if I saw this in UK I would be onto RSPCA.
Mind you, in this day and age, possessions and resale value are almost a cult obsession.
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I would not judge too harshly. No idea why the garage should necessarily be hot. The cokes in the boot of the X-Trail stay cool under the boot cover. The dog might be quite happy and may be well secured on a cosy bed. We do not know.
Our cat was quite happy in his wicker carrying basket riding pillion on my motorcycle.
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“I would not judge too harshly.”
I certainly would. Cattle and sheep travel in better conditions than that.
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