Alf is now a well-traveled dog, and I am often asked how I can balance my love of travel and my life as a dog owner. But with planning, good consideration, and the right attitude, I believe it can be done.
Just last year, Alf has been on a trip to Germany, Austria and Sweden. But how do you include your dog in your holiday plans? Is a holiday with a dog for everyone? And what does it take if your dog is going with the family on a summer holiday? Based on my own experience, here are my 7 tips for a successful holiday with your dog.
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Consider whether the dog fits into your holiday plans
It is important that the dog's well-being can be combined with your own expectations for the holiday, otherwise it quickly becomes a burden rather than a pleasure to have the dog with you. For example, if you have planned a week at the beach with pure relaxation, it can be stressful to have to think about a dog sitting back in the holiday apartment and getting bored. Or if you have planned a shopping trip in a big city, it is hardly enriching for the dog to be with you. The holidays where it has worked well for me to have Alf with me are holidays where the planned activities are also fun for him – for example hiking and a week surrounded by nature on a deserted farm in Sweden.
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Make a realistic assessment of whether the dog will thrive on the trip.
Family vacations are not for all dogs. If you have a dog that gets stressed out easily, becomes insecure, has problems being alone, or does a lot, it is not certain that the vacation will be a pleasure for either you or the dog. Therefore, you should always make a realistic assessment of whether the dog will enjoy being part of your vacation, or whether it is actually better for him to stay at home.
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Get a passport for your dog
You need to have your passport and papers in order when you travel with your dog. Most trips within the EU can be handled with a dog passport, which is issued by a veterinarian. The dog must be vaccinated against rabies no later than 21 days before departure, and the vaccine is then valid for 3 years. In addition, some countries may have special rules, so always check the rules for the individual countries before traveling.
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Think about transportation
When I travel with my dog, I prefer to travel by car or train, but it is now neither unusual nor difficult to bring a dog on board a plane – especially if you have a small dog (under 8 kg) that can be brought in the cabin. But it requires a little more planning. Check the rules of the individual airlines before booking your ticket.
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Choose a dog-friendly destination
It is my impression that Denmark is actually one of the countries in Europe where it is most difficult to have a dog with you. Therefore, it can be a pleasure to have your dog with you on a trip to countries where it is allowed to go to shops and restaurants. Germany and Austria are two examples of dog-friendly destinations where Fido is allowed to go almost everywhere – except grocery stores.
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Find a dog-friendly hotel
When you search for accommodation on, for example, Hotels.com or Airbnb, it's easy to do a filtered search so you can see exactly which hotels allow you to bring your dog. However, before booking, it's always a good idea to call and double-check the rules for four-legged guests.
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Bring things that will make your dog feel safe.
New places and new smells can cause insecurity. That's why we always have at least a few objects with us on the trip that Alf can recognize by smell. It could be a blanket or a toy, for example.
About the blogger:
Celine is 28 years old and works daily with social media at the Danish Nature Conservation Association.
Alf is a 1.5 year old French Bulldog who goes by the profession "professional life enthusiast". It's mostly something he came up with himself. As bloggers, we get to blog about life on the go, as we're often out and about. Alf was born in Denmark, raised in Germany and has visited 5 countries. In addition, we have many good stories to tell about a life that is quite dog-related. So much so that I've sworn that I'll have to keep all the updates far away from Facebook for fear of becoming known as the crazy dog lady among my friends.
Take your dog on holiday – 7 useful tips
Alf is now a well-traveled dog, and I am often asked how I can balance my love of travel and my life as a dog owner. But with planning, good consideration, and the right attitude, I believe it can be done.
Just last year, Alf has been on a trip to Germany, Austria and Sweden. But how do you include your dog in your holiday plans? Is a holiday with a dog for everyone? And what does it take if your dog is going with the family on a summer holiday? Based on my own experience, here are my 7 tips for a successful holiday with your dog.
It is important that the dog's well-being can be combined with your own expectations for the holiday, otherwise it quickly becomes a burden rather than a pleasure to have the dog with you. For example, if you have planned a week at the beach with pure relaxation, it can be stressful to have to think about a dog sitting back in the holiday apartment and getting bored. Or if you have planned a shopping trip in a big city, it is hardly enriching for the dog to be with you. The holidays where it has worked well for me to have Alf with me are holidays where the planned activities are also fun for him – for example hiking and a week surrounded by nature on a deserted farm in Sweden.
Family vacations are not for all dogs. If you have a dog that gets stressed out easily, becomes insecure, has problems being alone, or does a lot, it is not certain that the vacation will be a pleasure for either you or the dog. Therefore, you should always make a realistic assessment of whether the dog will enjoy being part of your vacation, or whether it is actually better for him to stay at home.
You need to have your passport and papers in order when you travel with your dog. Most trips within the EU can be handled with a dog passport, which is issued by a veterinarian. The dog must be vaccinated against rabies no later than 21 days before departure, and the vaccine is then valid for 3 years. In addition, some countries may have special rules, so always check the rules for the individual countries before traveling.
When I travel with my dog, I prefer to travel by car or train, but it is now neither unusual nor difficult to bring a dog on board a plane – especially if you have a small dog (under 8 kg) that can be brought in the cabin. But it requires a little more planning. Check the rules of the individual airlines before booking your ticket.
It is my impression that Denmark is actually one of the countries in Europe where it is most difficult to have a dog with you. Therefore, it can be a pleasure to have your dog with you on a trip to countries where it is allowed to go to shops and restaurants. Germany and Austria are two examples of dog-friendly destinations where Fido is allowed to go almost everywhere – except grocery stores.
When you search for accommodation on, for example, Hotels.com or Airbnb, it's easy to do a filtered search so you can see exactly which hotels allow you to bring your dog. However, before booking, it's always a good idea to call and double-check the rules for four-legged guests.
New places and new smells can cause insecurity. That's why we always have at least a few objects with us on the trip that Alf can recognize by smell. It could be a blanket or a toy, for example.
About the blogger:
Celine is 28 years old and works daily with social media at the Danish Nature Conservation Association.
Alf is a 1.5 year old French Bulldog who goes by the profession "professional life enthusiast". It's mostly something he came up with himself. As bloggers, we get to blog about life on the go, as we're often out and about. Alf was born in Denmark, raised in Germany and has visited 5 countries. In addition, we have many good stories to tell about a life that is quite dog-related. So much so that I've sworn that I'll have to keep all the updates far away from Facebook for fear of becoming known as the crazy dog lady among my friends.