Holiday Ideas With The Dog

Ok, some of you probably know about USA '14 that me and SWMBO have been planning for the last 18-24 months. Originally, that was supposed to be a month over in the States, but seeing as we now have Jeff, we're cutting that to just 2 weeks.

We was hoping to be in the states to cover SWMBO birthday on 7th Nov, and also mine on 26th Nov, obviously we'll only be able to cover hers. So we're planning on a week away in the UK somewhere when we get back to cover my birthday.

I need ideas where to go. Ideally dog friendly. So far, we can only think of either Centre Parcs, or somewhere in Yorkshire where her brother and SIL went with their dogs (they stayed in a yurt somewhere).

All ideas welcome. Not sure what budget we'll have. Not many requirements - dog friendly, plenty of places to walk, nice pub grub (ideally, one that may let a dog sit inside).

Thanks

Comments

  • There are lots of holiday cottages and B&Bs that are dog friendly - ours particularly appreciates it if we rent somewhere with an open fire or wood burner! So it depends whether you want self catering or catered, countryside or coast.........

    If you think you can or you think you can't you're probably right.
  • Not thought about catering yet. Countryside probably best.

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

    A lot of the smaller B&Bs will put if they're dog friendly but you may want to check any local areas of natural beauty to see if they allow dogs at all/at certain times of the year.

    We've taken ours to the New Forest and camped without any issue. We're trying to plan our summer holiday at the moment and thinking of walking in the alps with him.

  • There are loads of self catering cottages that are pet friendly

    Cumbrian Cottages look after the Lakes, and their web site has links to their other outfits around the country, There is a facility to search for pet friendly

  • are you looking at UK or abroad?

  • Ramdom used this site in the past and found some nice places if any good. http://www.cottages4you.co.uk/?gclid=CJCxzOHcgrwCFazHtAodQVoAuw&clickcd=21200

     

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭
    Maxs Mum wrote (see)

    are you looking at UK or abroad?

    if anyone has any european ideas - i'd be interested to see them

  • Emmy, if your dog has a passport, France is pretty much dog friendly in most places, dogs are even allowed in a lot of restaurants. Most hotels are dog friendly.
    We take our dog with us to the Alps, lots and lots of walkies!! he is in heaven most days when we are there.

    Spain and Italy not so, in spain i think dogs have to stay on the lead all the time, and in italy it seems to us (just from observation) that dogs are either handbag dogs or great big snarling hunting dogs so they are not set up for normal pet dogs that just want to go walkies and chase balls!

    I cant vouch for any other european countries though as we havent taken him elsewhere.

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

    He has a pet passport so he does come wherever I want.... (within reason)image

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

    Max's mum - what part of the alps did you go to? We've done Germany and Germany is really dog friendly. He slept in our room and could come into the restaurant as well.

    We're trying to plan our holidays at the moment and would love some recommendations of good places that people have used before.

  • Hi Emmy,

    we usually go near Chamonix, but only because we know someone with an apartment there! image

    However we have also stopped over in a hotel in Argentiere once and they were very nice, cheekily said that the dog could come in as long as he was cute!
    he was allowed in the room and the restaurant.
    we have been to that area several times, unfortunately this also means he now knows where the vet is and puts the brakes on image

    Interesting to know about Germany being dog friendly

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

    Max's mum - thanks for the info. We've been to Germany several times and they are SO dog friendly. Welcoming into the houses/shops. The only issue is if you have what is considered a dangerous dog the laws are a lot stricter - but we have a husky and he's always on the lead anyway.

    We did a weekend in the Mosel with him last weekend and he was treated so well! His own bowl of water, treats and affection from the staff. Really impressed!

  • http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/giving/ourpartners/welcomecottages/#.UtgFH_avpZ8

     

    Cottages that the Dogs Trust have on their website. Booking via them probably isn't the cheapest but 10% goes to Dogs Trust.

  • Max's mum - yes, I can attest to Germany being really dog friendly, you can take your dog anywhere, even into zoos. When we take our White Swiss Shepherd to our favourite restaurant he gets his own water bowl and a dish of bits and pieces from the kitchen. Living here and having GSDs and white shepherds for over 30 years, the only place we have ever been refused with our dogs was a hotel in Austria where we had already checked prior to booking whether dogs were allowed. Apparently not big dogs! The tourist office very quickly found us another hotel. Our black GSD Nemo has been to hotels, shops and restaurants all over Europe.

  • thanks for the info ironwolf!

  • We have used the following many times for cottages.

    http://www.underthethatch.co.uk/

    The cottages vary from luxurious to quite basic. We tend to go with indestructable / basic  to cope with two large muddy dogs. We used to have a lot more things available with one dog, but I notice lots of rental / b&b's retricting you to one large dog or two small.

     

  • That's where the dogs trust one is good as you can put in the number of dogs as a filter (along with other filters)............

    As the owner of 3 (quite big) it's been invaluable as we are restricted as to where we take them

    Not done abroad - seems like a lot of paperwork and vets visits and I always worry about heart worm and other nasties.........also although my dad lives in France he has cats and Number 1 dog does not like cats one little bit!

  • They have changed the rules for going abroad now. Used to be a bigger pain, but as long as you have a passport for each dog (cirka £200 each) then you give them a rabies jab x weeks in advance you can just take them abroad, they used to have to have injections each year to maintain their immunity, but now they've decided they don't need that. So slightly easier.

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