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.

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