How to holiday with your dog

With a little forward planning you can ensure that your four legged friend enjoys a holiday as much as you! Before

Travelling

• Is your dog a fussy eater? Make sure to take plenty of your regular brand of food as you might not be able to get hold of it whilst you are away.
• To help anxious dogs it’s a good idea to take a familiar item with you such as their blanket or bed. A selection of their familiar and favorite toys are also worth grabbing to keep them entertained.
• Pack an emergency kit such as a tick remover and some dog shampoo. Be sure to pack any medicines that your dog has to take.
• If it’s warm and you don’t have aircon in your car make sure you make an area of shade in the car so your dog doesn't over heat. Drape a towel or blanket over part of your dog crate to create a cool spot on hot car rides.
• A lint roller or soft lint brush is a must! Not just for your clothing, but for keeping your holiday accommodations fur free!

On the Road

• If you’re traveling by car it could be worth investing in a pet carrier so that your dog can’t roam free whilst you are driving. It can be distracting, especially if you are also traveling with your family, but for safety it is sensible to ensure your dog is safe and sound.
• Make sure you plan ahead for your journey and allow your pet plenty of comfort stops. For obvious reasons allowing your dog to relieve itself is a sensible idea! Letting your dog have a little run around in the fresh air will relieve some of the tension caused by extended car journeys.
• Keep your dog hydrated with plenty of water to drink on your journey.

On Holiday

• When you’re in your holiday accommodation you need to make it obvious where your dog needs to go, to er go… Avoid any toilet mishaps by setting the rules as soon as you can. Take your dog outside regularly so that you avoid any accidents within in the property.
• Double check that any gardens or courtyards are secure enough to let your dog roam free. Just because your property is pet friendly doesn't mean that the garden is fully contained.
• Linen may be included, but pet towels will have to be brought from home. You can never have too many when traveling with your pet. Accidents will happen, and muddy paws won’t be too mindful of the holiday property you are staying in.

Picnics

• Take one of those screw in to the ground pegs with us that you can loop a leash on to. That way you can enjoy our picnic on a blanket at ground level as intended- without your dog stomping through to get to the food.
• Another trick is to pack a dog toy that you can hide food in. This means your dog can also enjoy something to eat, but with a little time consuming ingenuity. Meaning you’ll get to enjoy your food without interruption.

Walkies

• Make sure your dog's leash is up to the job and not in tatters! If your dog lead should happen to break who know what adventures you may end up having. Better to be safe than sorry. 
• You can buy some ingenious items online. One of the most satchel friendly items I’ve found is a water bottle that has a flip out water tray so that you can dispense water to your thirsty pooch on the go.

Where to holiday with your dog

If you haven’t quite found your ideal pet friendly holiday cottage you might like to have a look at some of the following for a bit of inspiration. The UK has some fantastic dog friendly locations and there is an excellent choice of pet friendly cottages available.

The Woodland near Aylsham in Norfolk is pet friendly. Aylsham is a lovely market town with a number of cafes and pubs that are happy to offer your dog a refreshing bowl of water. North Norfolk is a great place to take your dog. Country and coastal walks, and a plethora of dog friendly attractions will keep everyone happy.

Marshland Estate Barn on the Suffolk coast allows one pet. Suffolk is full of dog friendly things to do and places to go. With annual doggy events such as Woofbridge at Woodbridge you’ll find plenty of things to do on your holiday.

Why not take your dog to Whitby? Swordfish Cottage is just a great example of the kinds of pet friendly cottages you can rent in this charming seaside town. A walk along the beach isn’t out of the questions, and with the Yorkshire Moors on your doorstep you can enjoy an outdoorsy getaway with your four legged friend.

As long as you dog is happy your pet friendly holiday will go smoothly. A little forward thinking will ensure you have everything you need to make sure your pets stays happy whilst on vacation.