Would appreciate comments in relation to holidaying with my 2 dogs. My wife and I are considering buying a mid size late model caravan or pop top and exploring our countryside for between 3 days to 30 days at a time. I have 2 dogs (westie and spoodle) they are reasonably behaved but unsure if the places I choose to stay may not be suitable for them, this is my first venture into caravaning so initially I'll stay in caravan parks, I understand the dogs need to be under supervision at all the times which I agree is the best thing for all concerned however leaving them tied up while popping into a shop or when showering lets me to think they it maybe too much for the dogs and the general public.......Any previous experiences in relation to this issue would be appreciated
May I be one of the first to welcome you to this great forum
I have seen many travellers with dogs, but can only speak of dogs in free camp situations.
If dog/s are on a lead, then other travellers will tolerate them
If travelling in WA, always keep the dogs on a lead, due to Government dog baiting, around the countryside Dogs in WA are not allowed in national parks
Hopefully those who travel with dogs, will come forward, and advise how they cope while travelling with their pets/companions
G'day Shane2. Welcome from us as well. When on the road we take out 2 dogs and would not travel without them. They can be a problem at times. Some parks will not allow them but more and more are realising the money they loose with this stance. There are several books available that list pet friendly parks. Some so called pet friendly parks will put you down the back blocks far away from the toilet/shower block. Some are an absolute delight. You are right about keeping them on a leach but that need not be a short one. You will have to get used to one of you staying with your pets as not many places will let you leave them alone. You will not be able to go to national parks if that is on your plans.
You will soon get into a plan where one goes to showers and one stays with the fur kids and so on. This also apply's to shopping.
In some parks you may find someone who will look after the kids for a short time. For longer times there may be a vet who will house them (for a small fee as we found out)
Every time you walk them take doggy bags as someone will always see you not picking up.( not suggesting that you would not)
Our fur kids live inside with us at night. We stayed at a place one night where the dog was outside all night and it whined all the time. Could not understand the owner but it was his dog.
The bottom line with us is if they do not want our dogs we do not wish to stay there.
All the best with your travels and you will pick it up as you go.
Take your pets with you and enjoy.
Cheers.
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Jack Cherie and the memory of the four legged kids.
Hi Shane and Karyn,
Welcome to the group we travel with a dog and stay more in show grounds, recreational grounds most of these are pet friendly have more room and find people are more friendly and are much cheaper than caravan parks and still have power water toilets and showers. We also free camp.
When we go shopping or anywhere else one of us stays with the dog while the other one goes in then we swap. We ask at pubs is there anywhere we can sit with the dog for a meal or a drink have only had a few say no so we moved onto one that did.
We would not go anywhere without our furbchild.
Hope this helps
Hi Shane 2
If you would care to go for a stroll through the travelling with pets pages you will notice I posted on April 5th 2015 how we travel with our two pups. This is on Page 3.
Info is just a suggestion but it works well for us. Many great ideas posted in previous pages by experienced travellers with pets. Just take a stroll.....
Cheers,
Robyn
We travel with our dogs.
As above, always on a lead, and always with a doggy-bag.
Yes, some one stays with the kids when the other is shopping or showering etc, but that can be an issue for single travellers, and I have seen dogs trained to stay behind for short periods and it seems to work well.
Your travels are different with your dog.... no National Parks and few meals out unless the café or pub has a suitable area..... but different is not awful.
Always make sure your dogs are vaccinated and you have your documents with you...........we missed the Dubbo Zoo some years back because we could not get doggy day care without proof of vaccinations.
Tick and flea control as per normal
We carry a dog emergency kit, and a grooming box, as well as ample dog towels.
oh..........and don't feed them canned food when travelling..........dog fart in an enclosed space concentrates.
The method we use, is to select the route and destination, then use WikiCamps with a filter set to "Without No Dogs Allowed" (tap "No Dogs Allowed" twice, turns red) to find camp sites and caravan parks........
This new site could help you. campingwithyourdogs.com.au/
We've been traveling for years with our dog. They can be restrictive at times but you learn to live with it.
Carry plenty of water & a decent sized bowl with you. They get very thirst in the car even in cool weather so a drink/wee stop every 100kms is essential.
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Cheers Keith & Judy
Don't take life too seriously, it never ends well.
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