wendiain Posted November 5, 2007 Share Posted November 5, 2007 Hi there, not only new to fora but also to motorhoming. We pick up our first van in January so can't wait to get out and about. My concern is that we are taking our dog along with us, both in the UK and Europe. We've already had the Rabies jab and stuff so are fairly aware of the legal issues, but I'm really interested in the practicalities of taking a dog along and other people's experiences. Such as - how easy is it to take your dog on public transport, what beach restrictions do you find in Europe with a dog and what about if you have to leave the poor dog behind whilst you go to the supermarket. Or are we going to be resigned to the fact that only one of us can go into a shop or a local attraction at any one time? We'd be very interested in your stories and advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ike Posted November 5, 2007 Share Posted November 5, 2007 Hi and welcome to motorcaravanning. We have travelled to France and Spain a number of times with dogs. france is very dog friendly. We've even been in restaurants where dogs were allowed - not that we took ours into restaurants! Never seen dogs inside a supermarket (and wouldn't want to either). Ditto museums etc. I suppose it may depend on the size of your dog. A little one that tucks under your arm you might get away with. We have a rottie ( who has to be muzzled in France/Spain) and he's too big to hide! Some campsites insist (on paper) that dogs cannot be left alone in your unit but we have done so eg for a meal or a short spell sightseeing and haven't fallen foul of the authorities. In my experience most beaches in France, unless well off the beaten track, are barred to dogs in the high season. After September seems to be ok. A lot depends on how the local council views things. good luck! ike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david lloyd Posted November 5, 2007 Share Posted November 5, 2007 Hi wendiain We have been taking the dogs along for several years and have much the same experience as ike above Even in Germany this year they were much more dof friendly than here - even though we are supposed to be a nation of animal lovers!! At the Dusseldorf Show, for instance, there were lots of dogs (of all shapes and sizes) in the man halls - try doing that at the NEC! One main difference in europe is that they do not seem to clear up after their dogs very much (which probably goes some way to explaining the ban on dogs on beaches) but we try to keep setting an example and not fall into their ways in that regard. One thing that stands out for us is that our dogs have always absolutely loved camping and can't wait to get to a different place. We have also left them for short periods in the van which is much easier to control the temperature of than a car - you can leave roof vents open and close blinds to keep the sun out. However, you will be the one who knows whether your dog is happy to be left or not. The Pets Passport Scheme has transformed our camping now that the dogs can come with us to europe and we tend to use the channel tunnel for that as it is so convenient to sit in the cab with the dogs for the short (35 minutes) crossing. Much better we find than leaving them in the hold on a Dover/Calais ferry. For travel in the UK you may like to check out the website www.dogfriendlybritain.co.uk as they have listings of cafes, shops etc in various towns that are dog friendly. Good luck with your travels, Regards, David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat P Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 Our experience in both France and Spain is that nobody follows the rules! One thing to be aware of in mediteranean europe is that there are diseases that we do not have over here. Your vet will have the details. There are collars that you dog can wear to ward off the sandflies that carry the disease. We have traveled extensively with both of our dogs with no problems. The campsite we use in Almeria gives us discount each time we leave because our dogs have not caused any problems! Enjoy your travels Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W3526602 Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 Hi, I have seen dogs (albeit small) being pushed round supermarkets in the trolleys, in France. Clearing up after your dog is likely to raise a round of applause from the local "old biddies". We asked to be allowed to walk our GSD half way between Portsmouth and St Malo. Frankly, he didn't seem bothered, so we just left him sleep on future trips. Its perhaps not a good idea to walk him immediately you get off the ferry...we were told that the port gates would be closed as soon as the last vehicle had departed, so we might be locked in. Or maybe that was just late at night????? Vehicles may be tightly packed on the ferry or train, so you might have difficulty getting him out of the car. Returning by chunnel, you MUST report to the pet office BEFORE trying to self-serve yourself through the gates. Your dog must have a tic treatment administered by a vet at least 24 hours before you sail...but not more than 48 hours. This gets expensive if you need to visit the vet on a Sunday to sail on Monday. 602 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 So far we've only toured in the UK but Dexter, our dog, always goes with us. Some public transport will allow dogs some won't. We've never had a problem leaving him in the 'van while we go out for a few hours as long as you make sure there is water for them and adequate ventilation if its hot. If there is a problem its simply that as he's a big dog (35 KGs) and its a relatively small coachbuilt 'van (under 16 feet) he always seems to be in the way. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dshague Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 we have been to France a few times ,always left our airedale dog at home with son. but he as now flown the nest .put dog in kennels this year ..never again. so of to vents last week for jabs .cant wait for next year to take her to France booked the tunnel June and September . on your postes we have made the right decision sun sea and walksa dog is for life and taking camping Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigal55 Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 make sure the french vet stamps and signs all the pages, 3yrs ago the vet didn,t stamp the frontline page, i spotted it outside, thank goodness, our dog would not have been allowed back in. try Andorra, dogs are allowed in supermarkets, ours is only medium sized but he nearly broke my arm when walking past the salamis, needless to say we didn,t buy any Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlieme Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 Dexter weighs in at 35K, blimy that's half a person ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred grant Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 not half of fred its not!!!!!!! f Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigal55 Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 Charlie&me - 2007-11-06 9:58 PM Dexter weighs in at 35K, blimy that's half a person !that.s also a lot of salamis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenewellhome Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Its also a lot of dog (five and a bit stone in old money) but we love him. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmp Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Hi We have just returned from our first trip with our dog. It was very successful and she was totally used to the van and could be left as guard for reasonable periods - meals out etc with no problem. The main reason I'm replying is that you should be aware that there is an option for the worm or tick treatment on returning to the uk. Injection or pill. If in any doubt take the pill option, take a very best treat to help. The injection uses quite a large needle and the fluid is cold and thick. It reduced our dog to a howling wreck. During which time I got bitten - not her fault. I have carried out injections on dogs for allergies and they were painless. The vet inferred that this was not unusual. I have to say that our dog is a little bit of a wimp but.... Anyone else had this problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 jmp - 2007-11-07 12:16 PM Hi We have just returned from our first trip with our dog. It was very successful and she was totally used to the van and could be left as guard for reasonable periods - meals out etc with no problem. The main reason I'm replying is that you should be aware that there is an option for the worm or tick treatment on returning to the uk. Injection or pill. If in any doubt take the pill option, take a very best treat to help. The injection uses quite a large needle and the fluid is cold and thick. It reduced our dog to a howling wreck. During which time I got bitten - not her fault. I have carried out injections on dogs for allergies and they were painless. The vet inferred that this was not unusual. I have to say that our dog is a little bit of a wimp but.... Anyone else had this problem? Hi I must admit you have worried me with that !! as our dog is a 2.95kg chihauhua he will be 2 years old when we travel *-) does anyone else have a small dog ? and do they use the same size needle for all? I cant see my dog swallowing a pill in the vets he is too nervous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 If its made in a tablet then its also made in liquid form. Vice Versa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffersonCampervan Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 We've taken our dog (a well-behaved standard poodle) along twice on one-month long trips - & we have to fly him over from Canada. Compared to North America, we have found Europe to be extremely dog-friendly - we have never had a restaurant deny him entry in France, Belgium, NL or Germany. In off-season in the south of France, he was even admitted to several attractions, including a castle with an art exhibit happening. We'd never consider bringing him if we had to leave him for long periods in the RV. As much as he hates the flight, he hates us leaving him in Canada even more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ike Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Maggyd I don't know if they use the same size needle for all dogs. All I know is that my 42k rottie howled when he received his jab! Some vets won't use tablets as the dog can sick it up. Others don't seem to care much. One time the vet didn't even check the microchip and gave us the medication to administer. Still charged us 90 euros though (for two big dogs). Re the collars for sandfly we found they are cheaper to buy in France than in Spain and both much cheaper than in uk. Re shopping and what to do with the dog - my hubbie has the solution - he and the dog go for coffee/a bowl of water and I do the shopping! ike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 ike - 2007-11-07 6:32 PM Maggyd I don't know if they use the same size needle for all dogs. All I know is that my 42k rottie howled when he received his jab! Some vets won't use tablets as the dog can sick it up. Others don't seem to care much. One time the vet didn't even check the microchip and gave us the medication to administer. Still charged us 90 euros though (for two big dogs). Re the collars for sandfly we found they are cheaper to buy in France than in Spain and both much cheaper than in uk. Re shopping and what to do with the dog - my hubbie has the solution - he and the dog go for coffee/a bowl of water and I do the shopping! ike OUCH :-( I thought when we started all this that we just had to take Frontline pippets!! Im goin to be worrying all he time were away about that flipping needle :-( We do the same shopping in this country Im used to going it alone! mind this one might get better as he gets older we used to be able to leave our last chi for about half an hour but I do have a carrying bag which he fits in but I didnt think we could take him in a supermarket we were told we coudnt take him in BQ the other day and I was carrying him!! and have you seen the dirty workmen that go in there? this country is ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ike Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Sorry didn't mean to worry you. I'm sure your wee dog will be fine. Your reply made me smile when you said "this one might get better as it gets older" I thought you were referring to your hubby and his willingness to go shopping improving with age! (lol) ike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigal55 Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 maggyd - 2007-11-07 6:49 PM ike - 2007-11-07 6:32 PM Maggyd I don't know if they use the same size needle for all dogs. All I know is that my 42k rottie howled when he received his jab! Some vets won't use tablets as the dog can sick it up. Others don't seem to care much. One time the vet didn't even check the microchip and gave us the medication to administer. Still charged us 90 euros though (for two big dogs). Re the collars for sandfly we found they are cheaper to buy in France than in Spain and both much cheaper than in uk. Re shopping and what to do with the dog - my hubbie has the solution - he and the dog go for coffee/a bowl of water and I do the shopping! ike OUCH :-( I thought when we started all this that we just had to take Frontline pippets!! Im goin to be worrying all he time were away about that flipping needle :-( We do the same shopping in this country Im used to going it alone! mind this one might get better as he gets older we used to be able to leave our last chi for about half an hour but I do have a carrying bag which he fits in but I didnt think we could take him in a supermarket we were told we coudnt take him in BQ the other day and I was carrying him!! and have you seen the dirty workmen that go in there? this country is ridiculous.i went in a pub in plymouth, wife shopping, my dog was having to pull his paws off the carpet, when we eventually got to the bar, sorry no dogs. if your dog will fit in a shoulder bag then you should be able to take it in most attractions, chateaus etc, in france Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 ike - 2007-11-07 7:01 PM Sorry didn't mean to worry you. I'm sure your wee dog will be fine. Your reply made me smile when you said "this one might get better as it gets older" I thought you were referring to your hubby and his willingness to go shopping improving with age! (lol) ike (lol) My Hubby loves shopping its me that hates it. >:-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 bigal55 - 2007-11-07 7:08 PM maggyd - 2007-11-07 6:49 PM ike - 2007-11-07 6:32 PM Maggyd I don't know if they use the same size needle for all dogs. All I know is that my 42k rottie howled when he received his jab! Some vets won't use tablets as the dog can sick it up. Others don't seem to care much. One time the vet didn't even check the microchip and gave us the medication to administer. Still charged us 90 euros though (for two big dogs). Re the collars for sandfly we found they are cheaper to buy in France than in Spain and both much cheaper than in uk. Re shopping and what to do with the dog - my hubbie has the solution - he and the dog go for coffee/a bowl of water and I do the shopping! ike OUCH :-( I thought when we started all this that we just had to take Frontline pippets!! Im goin to be worrying all he time were away about that flipping needle :-( We do the same shopping in this country Im used to going it alone! mind this one might get better as he gets older we used to be able to leave our last chi for about half an hour but I do have a carrying bag which he fits in but I didnt think we could take him in a supermarket we were told we coudnt take him in BQ the other day and I was carrying him!! and have you seen the dirty workmen that go in there? this country is ridiculous.i went in a pub in plymouth, wife shopping, my dog was having to pull his paws off the carpet, when we eventually got to the bar, sorry no dogs. if your dog will fit in a shoulder bag then you should be able to take it in most attractions, chateaus etc, in france Thats good news alan how about Holland and Germany we intend going through them first and travelling back through France . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigal55 Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 i don,t know about holland but germany is pretty much the same as here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Tables or injection, it depends very much on the vet's view, we have been asked once which we would prefer, and said tablet. Our dog Midge (see photo) screamed like a howler monkey the first time he had his jab at a French vet, it took about 5 seconds before he realised something had been stuck into him, then he let us have it!!!! To get tablets down, take some of your dog's favourite food/treats with you, you can then get him to nibble the treats and slip the tablet into one of them, if he's anything like our dogs they don't even touch the sides! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Mel B - 2007-11-07 7:27 PM Tables or injection, it depends very much on the vet's view, we have been asked once which we would prefer, and said tablet. Our dog Midge (see photo) screamed like a howler monkey the first time he had his jab at a French vet, it took about 5 seconds before he realised something had been stuck into him, then he let us have it!!!! To get tablets down, take some of your dog's favourite food/treats with you, you can then get him to nibble the treats and slip the tablet into one of them, if he's anything like our dogs they don't even touch the sides! He is on Antibiotics at the moment but he is getting wise *-) he managers to eat the chicken and spit the tablet (lol) one tablet takes about 3 tries and the vet gave me 2 small instead of one larger. I hate to admit it but I think it will have to be the jab. 8-) Cant make out what you have done to your little pooch Mel put me out of my misery and tell me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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