Caravanning / travelling with dogs can be a fun and rewarding experience, but it requires careful planning and preparation. Here are some tips to help make your next trip with your furry friend a success.

When you start planning a holiday do you say “let’s take 3 of the kids and leave the other one at home” no, of course you wouldn’t. Your fur-baby is part of the family at home and on the road.

Caravanning with dogs, can be controversial. I’m a caravanner, but when it comes caravanning with dogs that seem to cause the most controversy.

But why all the controversy?

I LOVE dogs, but let’s face it, dogs can be disruptive to the serenity of a holiday park. Some have been known to harm local flora and fauna. And others just leave their… poop in the most inconvenient places.

However, it only takes a little common sense, respect and planning to ensure that your trip with your dog is stress-free with as minimal impact on the environment and fellow travellers as possible.

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Here are my ten easy rules for travelling with a dog…

1. IS YOUR DOG COMFORTABLE TRAVELLING

First and foremost, make sure your dog is comfortable with travelling. If your dog gets anxious or motion sick in the car, consider using a pet booster seat, carrier or crate to keep them secure and calm. Introduce your dog to the carrier or crate well in advance of the trip, and gradually increase the amount of time they spend in it. You can also try taking your dog on short car rides to help them get used to the motion.

Heavy Duty Dog Travel Crate

Car Booster Seat

Soft-Sided Carrier

2. PACKING FOR YOUR DOG

When travelling with your dog, always bring along plenty of water and food. Be sure to bring along any medications or supplements your dog may need, as well as their vaccination records and a copy of their health certificate. You will also need their harness, leads, treats, bed, favourite toys, food and water/food bowls and it’s a great idea to carry a portable water bottle for when you’re out and about. If you’re travelling to a colder climate remember to back your doggies winter woollies and a rain coat.

3. PLAN & RESEARCH YOUR STAY

Before heading off into the wild blue yonder, research and plan where you will be stopping for the night. Ensure that the park, cabin, or pub stay is dog friendly and management are happy to have your four-legged family member. If you’re free-camping, this is very important as you can’t take dogs into any national parks.

More and more holiday parks, however, have become dog-friendly, realising it’s better to embrace the fury members of the family dogs and their owners, with sensible policies, rather than to rejecting them.

Some parks also offer dog-friendly cabins, and others provide a dog pen, where the dog must stay when it’s out of the caravan. Alternatively you can bring your own dog pen. When you are camped there are lot of portable fences to allow you dog some freedom to move around without leaving your site.

Click on the images for more information

Folding Dog Pen

Multifunctional Dog Pen

Portable Pop Up Pet Pen

One tip is to get a long extendable leash which will help you cover all the various rules.

4. BE CONSIDERATE

Be aware, not all travellers like to be around dogs, especially if they have young children. And that’s totally their call. As a responsible pet owner, it’s important that you’re respectful of other people and keep your dog appropriately restrained. Never let your dog off the leash to explore, unsupervised, a holiday park or natural environment.

If kids come over to meet your dog, supervise the interaction. Through no fault of their own, kids aren’t always as gentle as the dog would like and it might react in an unexpected way.

5. ATTEND HAPPY HOUR

YES, it’s great to have some drinkies but it’s also helpful to get to know other dog owners, too. One of the hardest aspects of travelling with dogs is what to do when you need to go shopping, out on a day excursion or one of the other hundred fun things you can do on holidays.

Getting to know other dog owners offers you the opportunity to share in some dog minding which gives you both some extra flexibility.

PLEASE NOTE:

Do not leave dogs locked in caravans or cars while you go off exploring.
It would be bad dog management to simply leave your dog tied to the awning arm while you duck up to the shops. Take it with you.

6. KEEPING YOUR DOG CLEAN

Some holiday parks offer washing stations for dogs which is a terrific idea. But during long travel days, how will you prevent your pooch from bringing dirt and muck back into the car after stretching its legs?

An idea is to consider a makeshift washing station.

7. EXERCISE

Dogs need to get exercise to burn off some energy. When travelling with a dog, exercise is of fundamental importance. A morning walk is probably the most important thing so they can tire themselves out a bit. On the day of departure, get up extra early and take them for an extra-long morning walk. When you're on the road, be sure to take plenty of breaks to let your dog stretch their legs and relieve themselves. Look for rest areas or parks where dogs are allowed, and bring along plenty of poop bags and cleaning supplies.

8. KEEP POOCH SECURE

It’s really not acceptable to let your dog have the run of the back seat when you’re towing your van to your next stop. There are a range of special harnesses and other belts that will restrain your pet using the existing seat belt clasps.

Also consider buying a cover to protect your vehicle’s upholstery, that also secures your dog.

9. PICK UP THE POOP

Having said all that, one of the most important ways to keep other travellers and park management happy is to always, PICK UP THE POOP

10. BE PREPARED FOR EMERGENCIES

Finally, be prepared for any emergencies that may arise. Keep a first aid kit on hand, and make sure you know the location of the nearest veterinary clinic or emergency animal hospital. You may also want to consider getting pet insurance, which can help cover the cost of unexpected medical expenses while you're on the road.

There you have it, 10 easy rules to make travelling with a dog much more enjoyable, for you and your fellow travellers.

Travelling with your dog can be a wonderful experience, but it does require some extra planning and preparation. By following these tips, you can help ensure that your furry friend stays safe, happy, and healthy on your next adventure together.

It goes without saying that you need to ensure your fur-baby has access to plenty of drinking water… and never leave it locked in a hot car.

However, if you can’t take your fury family member with you contact Chelle’s Doggy Stays to arrange their own holiday.