New member and first time poster. We are planning our first big trip to begin later this year and plan to spend up to a year on the road seeing as much of Australia as we can. We have a 4 year old well behaved Rottweiler (obedience/protection trained) that we are thinking of taking with us given we plan to do a lot of solo travel and spend time alone in remote sites and would appreciate the piece of mind of having him with us.
What parts of Australia and areas of note are we going to run into limitations of either being able to transport himand enter or have him at sites. Any advice is much appreciated, we are weighing the decision and making sure we do the right thing.
Although there are many lists that feature dog friendly parks you will find that heaps of those parks only accept small dogs. Check with the management that they actually take large dogs before planning to use those parks.
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PeterD Nissan Navara D23 diesel auto, Spaceland pop-top Retired radio and electronics technician. NSW Central Coast.
Many farm stays don't allow dogs like Rotties, National Parks don't allow anything other than a service dog. But if you're freecamping no worries - there are no State Border restrictions anymore. As Peter says check before booking van parks for rules.
I reckon any place that won't allow dogs/pets is only just missing out on business - Just take him and ensure you always have him on a lead near the bush owing to 10-80 baits (not always signposted). Oh and always carry and use a doggy-doo bag.
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Possum; AKA:- Ali El-Aziz Mohamed Gundawiathan
Sent from my imperial66 typewriter using carrier pigeon, message sticks and smoke signals.
If you free camp, please ensure you keep your dog on a lead (and you can hold onto him) you will not be welcome with other campers with dogs otherwise.
Or other campers without dogs.............. Do yourself and everybody else a favour and leave the dog at home.
Not "EVERYBODY ELSE" - Some of us will mind him for you when you want to go on a tour or in to Town for a while and welcome him to our camp/s.
Just like living in any Aussie Street - campsites are full of people with differing views, as long as your dog is controlled and doesn't leave land-mines around (and it's not OK not to pick up because no-one else is currently there) and you don't take him to other people's camps unless they ask you to, then take him - the local butchers will thank you.
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Possum; AKA:- Ali El-Aziz Mohamed Gundawiathan
Sent from my imperial66 typewriter using carrier pigeon, message sticks and smoke signals.
We're not concerned about him wandering and bothering other people, etc. He's a very well trained dog. We've done a couple of short trips with him and there has been no problem. The only issue we had was other people with small dogs that kept them uncontrolled and thought they could just run up and be aggressive towards him. If people with small dogs think they don't have to control them and keep them well behaved that's not our problem.
We're more concerned about the practicalities of being able to venture to certain spots or if certain wonderful parts of the country will be off limits or impractical because of having a dog. We already know that National Parks are going to be a little difficult, we figure for some of them we will be able to do day trips,etc while leaving him in the van. To us it is a question of balance. If we thought we'd have to forgo too much we'll make arrangements to have him looked after but our preference is to be able to bring him with us.
CharlesF wrote:We're more concerned about the practicalities of being able to venture to certain spots or if certain wonderful parts of the country will be off limits or impractical because of having a dog. We already know that National Parks are going to be a little difficult, we figure for some of them we will be able to do day trips,etc while leaving him in the van.
To us it is a question of balance. If we thought we'd have to forgo too much we'll make arrangements to have him looked after but our preference is to be able to bring him with us.
I think it is a case of you "suck it and see." Try one long trip with him and see what happens. If he restricts your activities too much then leave him home next trip and see how that goes.
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PeterD Nissan Navara D23 diesel auto, Spaceland pop-top Retired radio and electronics technician. NSW Central Coast.
We're not concerned about him wandering and bothering other people, etc. He's a very well trained dog.
Well I get concerned when they wander into my van for a "visit". Of course, my little dog goes ape. Its happened on a few of occasions. Please keep your dog restrained at all times.
I would be interested to see what happens when a well trained small dog, and a well trained big dog wander to meet each other.
As a comment, I would be especially careful when on a trip as the dog will be out of its natural and comfortable environment, and as such may react somewhat differently when it comes across other dogs and people. It may be fine after a few trips, but until that is established the dog should be restrained.
I am of the opinion that ALL dogs should be restrained when they are in public areas, no matter how well they are trained. I don't know how many "well trained" and "friendly" dogs make an annoyance of themselves.
PS we did have dogs and will have them again, and yes we kept on a lead at all times in public areas.
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Regards Ian
Chaos, mayhem, confusion. Good my job here is done
TheHeaths , "I am of the opinion that ALL dogs should be restrained when they are in public areas, no matter how well they are trained. I don't know how many "well trained" and "friendly" dogs make an annoyance of themselves." I fully agree with that ! Cheers
-- Edited by Recoup on Saturday 27th of May 2017 05:30:31 PM
Hi all we took our two Dane mastiff x to Flinders Ranges, Maree, Williams Creek, Coober Pedy, Yulara, Kings Canyon all the way to Darwin. Just can't take them into NP, had no dramas no complaints from other holiday makers when we left them at our camp to go into NP. We booked them into a kennel (be sure their vaccinations are upto date and bring certificate from your vet) when we planned to go into Kakadu NP.
I fully agree with Ian, mine were restrained but gave them a free run around when we were in isolated areas.
We travel with 2 kelpies, have done so for 3 years. About to add a husky to the family. We have had no issue, they are on-lead at all times when we camp. Biggest problem we've had is other people's dogs running loose.
The 'small dog only' policy tends to be more in built-up areas, we have found.
For times when we want to go away, and can't take them, we board them for the day at kennels or a sitter (Madpaws & Pawshake are sites we use).
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The Mobile Madhouse: me (Rosie), him (Troy), a kelpie, a kelpie-dingo, a husky & a rainbow lorikeet.
Take the dog, dogs need holidays too! There are many places that won't accept dogs, howeve, there are still enough to get by. You may not be able to stay where you like, but dogs are worth it. Be responsible and keep him/her on lead at all times, your idea of 'under control' is not the same as others.
Don't let on your dog is protection trained, should he/she do what he/she was trained to do it could be his/her death sentence. And of course people will attribute his every move as aggressive - people are really, really stupid! Dog attacks, no matter the reason, are frowned upon by all council bodies, except for police dogs and military working dogs, even that is sometimes investigated and/or criticised.
National Parks in Europe allow dogs, a lot of the camp grounds have a dog wash as part of the toilet blocks.
We did a trip up a river in Germany into a national Park. People took their dogs but had to buy them a ticket
I have been travelling/holidaying with dogs for 25 years. They get used to the routine very quickly. Our Present two are always tethered when in campgrounds or caravan parks, They know the routine and just crawl under the camper and go to sleep. At home they climb on their beds and go to sleep, go figure.
We put them in Kennels when required and they are happy with that also.
We would love to be able to take them into National Parks and know they would not cause any issues, Would they chase things given the chance..... yes they would. Do we allow them......No we don't, but unfortunately we all know that there are idiots out there.
The same idiots that shoot up signs, leave rubbish everywhere, toilet paper angels, tear down trees for fire wood, do donuts in the campgrounds.
On the thought of dog urine scaring away the wildlife, would human urine etc also scare away the wildlife?
Or other campers without dogs.............. Do yourself and everybody else a favour and leave the dog at home.
Get a life mate, you need to understand, this is not just your country, its everyone's, including those of us with children and pets - Toleration is the key word here...
I travelled with my cattle dog/dingo all over aust for many years and that just meant that NPs were out of the equation. (I spent the previous 6 years doing the nat parks thing before I got him)
Just dont do what a lot of people do and sneek it in and leave it inside all day
Always clean up after him
Be careful in warm areas because they overheat very quickly (I used to always leave the a/c running or park in the shade)
I have had occasion to leave him with various dog motel on several occasions and hated doing it,
On numerous occasions, little dogs have come up to him while he was on the lead (even while in my camp) and had a go at him. oh, hes never dont that before is their usual reply.
1080 baits are used all over the place so be very careful if you let him out , even in the middle of nowhere (most have notices to say baits have been laid but not always.
