In the old days, dog owners who wanted to go on a holiday had two typical choices – leave your pet at home and arrange for someone to care for them, or take your dog to a minding facility like a dog kennel.
Leaving your dog at home presents a number of challenges. You need to find someone trustworthy and reliable to regularly check in on your dog, feed them and ensure they have reliable access to water. It can be quite an imposition to burden someone with that responsibility. However, sometimes that is not enough. Some dogs can get quite lonely and will pine for their owners, barking and whining, possibly disturbing your neighbours.
Putting your dog into a kennel facility also has its challenges. Your dog will be taken to an unfamiliar location with strange people and will spend an extended time there which may stress them out. While many dog kennel facilities claim to provide individual attention to dogs, the reality is that you cannot expect one staff member to dedicate their whole day to pampering your pooch in the same way you would do in your own home. Despite the best intentions of the kennel facility and their procedures, there is always a risk that your dog may pick up a disease due to the number of dogs that come and go from there. Lastly, dog kennels are not cheap, with some first class facilities having rates that approach the cost of a motel room for a human.
There is a solution – take your dog on holidays with you!
Dogs miss their owners, their owners miss their dogs, and there may be anxiety from both sides when they are separated. Bringing your pet with you can eliminate those issues.
These days, an increasing number of accommodation providers are welcoming guests who are travelling with their dogs. Most allow dogs inside the property with their owners. Some places are wonderfully set up for pets, providing secure fenced areas, play spaces and even a complimentary basket of treats for your pooch to make them truly feel welcome.
When enquiring or booking dog friendly holiday accommodation, communication is the key. Provide full details about your pooches to the accommodation provider as some may restrict guests bringing dogs based on their breed, size and the number of dogs. The reason for these restrictions may have to do with the property itself. After all, a cosy cottage with a small courtyard garden and low fence might be fine for your cavoodle, but not for a couple of energetic golden retrievers.
For a shared accommodation facility like a caravan park, holiday resort or apartment building, the manager may impose further restrictions at very busy times, like at Christmas, for the comfort of all guests on the property.
So now you are thinking about taking your dog away on holidays with you, where do you start?
Head to the Dogs On Holidays website which features over 350 dog friendly holiday properties throughout all regions in Victoria. These properties include holiday homes, cottages, apartments, villas, cabins, bed & breakfasts, motels, caravan parks and holiday parks.
One of the great features about the Dogs On Holidays website is that you get to enquire and book directly with the property owner or manager, saving you money and providing a personal touch to the whole process.
Not only does the Dogs On Holidays website feature dog friendly holiday accommodation, but it includes a selection of dog friendly cafes and restaurants that have outside or semi-outside eating areas where your dog can join you for a meal, snack or refreshments. There is also a section covering the beaches where you can bring your dog, including those off-leash beaches where you can freely enjoy some fantastic playtime with your pooch. You can also browse the selection of off-leash parks, some of which have dedicated fenced off areas where your dog can be exercised safely.
So what are you waiting for? Plan your next getaway with your pooch today!
