Should I Take My Dog on Holiday?

These days more people are taking their beloved
pet dogs on holiday, due to the thought of
leaving poor family member Fido behind and the
rising cost of boarding kennels. Pets travelling
abroad is now becoming more common and a lot
easier than ever. So let's take a look at the
pros and cons of holidays with dogs.

Going on holiday is always exciting, but there
is always so much to think and plan out,
including making arrangements for your dog to
either join you on holiday in a dog friendly
hotel or for your dog to be cared for by a pet
sitter or taken into a boarding kennels.

Pros for Taking a Dog on Holiday

o Taking a dog with you is less stress and
upheaval on yours, your families and your dogs
part, as no-one likes the thought of being away
from the family pet, while someone who they
don't really know looks after him or her in
their own way. Often they will not be looked
after to the same standard or way that you would
care for your dog. So bringing your dog with you
will give you that extra peace of mind that he
or she is in your safe hands.

o Now there are ever expanding dog friendly
accommodations available for you and your family
to stay in with your dog either locally or abroad
.The accommodation ranges from dog friendly
hotels to b&b's to tasteful cottages, there is
something to suit everyone and every pet. The
wide variety of places to stay enables you to
choose whether you would like to stay somewhere
basic, medium class or first class, so taking
your dog with you does not restrict your choice
of standards.

o Due to the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) it is
fairly easy now to travel with your dog to any
other countries that are in the EU. After
following a few formalities your dog can then
travel alongside you with their passport. From
January 2012 this process will also be made
easier due to the UK relaxing their rules on
dogs entering and leaving the UK. Movement with
dogs will be less restricted than it currently
is.

o Having your dog micro chipped and tagged in
order to travel is also a great benefit for the
dog's future. If the dog loses its way at
anytime, any vet can scan the microchip and find
out the dogs health and history, including owner
contact detail so the dog can be reunited with
its owner.

o If you are planning on driving to your holiday
destination, your dog can join you in the vehicle
and if you are planning on crossing the channel,
you can travel on a ferry or by Eurotunnel with
your dog as long as he or she is kept in the
car. There are many airlines that transport dogs
on their flights. However you plan to travel it
is always a good idea to buy dog travel cages.
There are even specific pet travel agents who
have a lot of experiences of the formalities
involved. So there is a lot variety on where you
can travel to and how to get there.

Cons for Taking a Dog on Holiday

o You must take care of your dog and be extra
vigilant, due to him or her being in unusual
surroundings, this is to ensure that your dog
doesn't get lost, end up falling from a mountain
or cliff side or have problems swimming against
the tide and can't get back into safety. So you
need to be fully aware what is going on around
you.

o On the journey you will need to make regular
stops for your dog including toilet and water
breaks to ensure that your dog is comfortable
throughout his or her journey.Make sure he has
his favourite dog toy with him. Also some dogs
suffer from travel sickness, so as well as
tablets, additional stops may be needed for this
cause. o Remember that the dog should come out of
the vehicle on all stops that you initiate, as
inside vehicle temperatures can increase very
quickly, especially when the vehicle is sitting
idle and this can be a real danger to a dog's
life. Obviously this will add extra time onto
the complete journey time it takes to arrive to
your destination also it will restrict you from
where you take your breaks as dogs are not
always accepted, so this must be considered.

o Some airlines refuse to take dogs, so you may
have to pay extra or travel further to an
airport with an airline that will accept your
dog on board. So time and costs must be thought
through.

o Some breeds of dogs may not be suited to a
hotter climate and they may struggle with heat,
particularly if the dog is elderly or has health
problems. So check with your vet to see what
their views are on your dog travelling.

So here is a summary of the positive and
negative factors to help influence your decision
as to whether taking your dog on holiday with you
is the best option for you or not.

----------------------------------------------------
Alex Kelly

As a pet and website owner, my articles are
based on issues I feel are important for fellow
animal lovers.
Pet Promenade has everything you will need for
the furry member of the family. From pet food,
dog leads, grooming equipment and bird cages.
With over 5000 pet products, at competetive
prices, it's worth paying us a visit at
http://www.petpromenade.co.uk/

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