Even during the most beautiful weeks of the year, you don't want to and shouldn't do without your dog. This is also important, because your beloved furry friend would much rather be with his pack than sitting alone and sad in a kennel. Only if there is no other option should the dog stay with relatives or friends it knows well. At SABRO, we prefer to take our dogs on vacation with us. However, there are many things to consider beforehand when you jet off on vacation with your dog. In this article, we present our experiences and directly applicable tips.
Preparations for a successful vacation with a dog
1st check: Dog friendliness
If you are not traveling self-sufficiently with a camper van, you should first check whether the vacation apartment or hotel of your choice even allows pets. If you want to save yourself a long search, we recommend the website Hundeurlaub.dewhere you can find suitable, dog-friendly accommodation for all popular vacation destinations. Incidentally, the site was named the clear test winner for vacations with dogs by the renowned travel magazine fvw in 2018 following an anonymous test vacation. By the way: Austria, France, Switzerland, Sweden, Poland and the Czech Republic are considered to be very dog-friendly vacation destinations. Many EU countries have special regulations when it comes to entering the country with a dog - for example, special breeds (keyword: fighting dogs) may not be allowed. You must also bear this in mind for all transit countries when traveling by car.
2nd check: Health of the dog
If you are traveling to another country, you should always plan a short visit to the vet beforehand to have your dog's vaccination status and condition checked. Caution: in some southern European countries there are infectious diseases such as babesiosis, filariasis, hepatozoonosis or leishmaniasis, which are transmitted by parasites native to these countries.
All EU countries require an EU pet passport, also known as a blue passport, a valid rabies vaccination at least three weeks before the trip and a microchip (preferably ISO standard 11784 or 11785).
In addition, you should always have a small dog first-aid kit in your luggage containing tick and insect spray, sunscreen, diarrhea tablets, motion sickness medication, wound spray and other items; your vet will advise you on this individually for your dog. A bit of favorite food and treats as well as poop bags are also recommended.
3rd check: Take a piece of home with you
Your dog will be happy and feel more secure if he has a cuddly piece of home with him on vacation. This can simply be his favorite blanket. It's even easier with a special dog ice mat such as Resor, which you can roll up compactly and then always have with you. You can even pack our Kudde dog bed in a small vacuum bag with the new "Kudde travel set" accessory and take it with you on vacation. A food and drinking bowl should of course also be a matter of course. A water bowl like Bil is ideal for traveling, because the special rim ensures that nothing spills over during the journey.
Going on vacation by plane or train with your dog
Flying means absolute stress for your dog. And if it weighs over five kilograms, it will be separated from you in this unpleasant situation because it has to be transported in the cargo hold. If he weighs less than five kilos, he is allowed in the cabin, but not out of the transport box. Not so nice either! We therefore advise against traveling on vacation with your dog on the plane. If there is no other option, only in the cabin and only for a short distance.
The situation is similar when traveling by train: small dogs have to sit in the transport box, larger dogs are allowed to sit in the train carriage on a lead and with a muzzle after paying half the fare or the child fare (depending on the route), but - just like on the plane - they have no opportunity to go for a walk. This can be particularly unpleasant for everyone in the event of unforeseen incidents, even with a grooming kit in the suitcase. As a general rule, a train journey should not take longer than two to three hours.
On vacation with a car and dog
The car is the best way to travel with your dog. There are no dog opponents here, you decide for yourself when you take a break, you can pack enough food and drink and offer your dog a place to retreat, which in most cases he knows. Securing your four-legged friend during the journey has top priority, as dogs that are not secured with an animal safety harness, a separating grid or a transport box can result in fines of up to 75 euros and a point in Flensburg, for example in Germany. Incidentally, you can counteract any nausea during the journey by not feeding your dog extensively for several hours before the journey.
With the dog at your vacation destination
You've arrived safely at your destination, what's next? It's best to find out all you can about your vacation destination before you set off so that you can comply with the local laws, such as the requirement to keep your dog on a lead. Just like at home, you shouldn't sit on the beach with your dog when it's around 30 degrees or in the midday heat. As he prefers to run anyway, it's better to go for long walks on the beach at cooler times. Check in advance which parts of the beach and which restaurants allow dogs. Otherwise, enjoy your vacation in any case and have a few nice days.
Where have you been on vacation with your dog? Do you have any tips for other dog owners? We look forward to your sunny comment.