Normally at this time of year people will be thinking of going away on holiday – usually to somewhere abroad. They’ll be flying off to the sun and enjoying themselves. But this year we’ve been advised to holiday in the UK and this means that you can take your dog away with you rather than leave them behind!
I recently went away to Selsey for a few days and it was the first time I’d taken my dogs away with me. Normally I leave them at home because dogs = work for me. But I took the plunge and we had a lovely couple of days exploring the beach and a local museum. For more details of how we got on you can read the whole article on my website at: rewardsdogtraining.co.uk/holiday-tips/ but here are a few tips to help you:
- Take your dog’s bed or a travel crate with you. Your dog will have somewhere to sleep that is like home and won’t get on the furniture or the bed at the holiday place.
- Check if there is an enclosed area outside your room or self catering place. If not, take a long line with you and remember to keep your dog on lead when requested.
- Try and find place local to your base that allow dogs.
- We visited a dog friendly cafe and the museum was also very dog friendly.
- If you stay at a hotel check on whether you can eat in a dog friendly area, if not you may have to leave your dog in the room or have room service.
- Make sure you have plenty of your dog’s own foodwith you. It will help to keep them from getting an upset stomach.
- If you are going to be walking a lot, keep plenty of spare water in the car and take bottles with you on your walk.
- Check with your breakdown cover that they will accept dogs if they have to come and attend to you. The regulations are that your dog has to stay in the car on the hard shoulder and you should always advise that you are travelling with a dog when you report an accident or breakdown.
Best of all have fun! Taking your dog away might just be more fun that you expected. I really enjoyed it and will be taking them away with me again soon.
Finally, the puppy lifeskills sessions and teenage good manners sessions are running weekly at Smithbrook Kilns on Saturday mornings. Contact me for more information if you would like to join the groups.
Have a lovely August with your dogs,
Sara, Edie & Rupert.
Contact me, Sara Bridgeman on 07504 925341 or visit my website at: www.rewardsdogtraining.co.uk
