Years ago, taking our dogs on holiday involved trawling through magazines and endless phone calls to try and find somewhere that was suitable and happy to take dogs. Today there are so many options for time away with our pets from camping to country cottages, there is something to suit us all.
There are however several things to consider to make the time away safe and enjoyable for you and your dog.
Here are a few hints and tips so the vacation runs smoothly.
Try to quickly establish some sort of routine for toileting, exercise, mealtimes, and bed. Using the dogs’ usual bed or at least a familiar blanket will help them to settle.
Although possibly not at the forefront of our minds, it is always better to be prepared should your dog become ill or injured. Getting the details of the local vets, including an out-of-hours service and establishing the location of the surgery should be done immediately on arrival or with some homework online before you head off to your holiday destination.
Take a well-stocked first aid kit that can be used by all the family, including the dog. Check the use by dates on any wound cleaners, eye washes, gels and wipes and make sure you have a tick removing tool.
It is possible to view the interior of most holiday lets online and laminate and tiled flooring is often chosen for hygiene and ease of cleaning. This however can be very hazardous, particularly for the senior, less mobile pet or the dog that is terrified of slipping, so refuses to walk on it. The very thin, rubber-backed mats and runners are essential in this instance. They roll up neatly and take up limited room in the car.
Check the garden thoroughly and ensure the fencing is sound and that any gates can be securely closed.
Some dogs are very fussy about their drinking water, which can be a potential problem in hot weather. If this is the case, then it will help to take a water container from home with their usual drinking water as their main water source for a couple of days, gradually topping up with the new supply of water.
Check your dog’s microchip details are up to date and that there is a tag attached to their collar with contact details clearly shown, adding a temporary form of ID tag with current location is also a good idea.
In unfamiliar surroundings, it is often wise to keep your dog on a lead or longline for the first few days.
If you need to give your dog a short walk after dark, then a LED collar or clip on collar light is really useful for added visibility, particularly if you have to use an unlit country lane.
A selection of old towels and even a towelling drying coat can come in very handy for limiting the amount of mud, sand and general debris that is brought into the accommodation after a busy day exploring the sights.
While we welcome a change of scenery and new experiences, for the more sensitive or nervous dog, it can be a stressful time. Having some natural remedies at hand can help to settle their emotions.
If you have a sensitive dog or know that they are likely to be upset initially by the different surroundings, then using a natural calming supplement with the addition of relaxing sprays put onto a cloth and placed near the dog to settle the nerves is worthwhile. It is important to introduce any calming supplement, rescue remedy, pressure vests or body wraps for at least 3-4 weeks before your holiday to gain maximum benefits.
If your dog is used to having a radio on, then a small portable radio can be useful day and night to give them a feeling of security and familiarity.
Catering for Raw Fed Dogs or those on a Home Cooked Diet.
For the dogs on a raw or home-cooked diet, it does involve some forward planning to ensure you have enough food to last for the duration of your holiday.
If you can only take a limited amount of raw food with you, or maybe taking raw meat is out of the question, then there are a few alternatives.
If you know that you will have to resort to feeding something else, it is crucial that you feed your dog the alternative food for a period of time at home beforehand to confirm that it suits your pet and to prevent any upset stomachs while you are away.
Many holiday lets are so well equipped the chances are there is enough freezer space for a few tubs of frozen food, or the very least a fridge and ice cube compartment where you can freeze a few ice blocks to keep topping up your cool box. Homemade meals can be measured out into individual portions and frozen, remembering to take one out each evening to defrost for the following day. In hot weather the food needs to be defrosted in the fridge or your cool box.
Packs of frozen raw food
Many of the frozen complete meals come in 1 kilo tubs, and when tightly packed together in a cool box with the addition of a few ice blocks, will take around 4 days to completely defrost.
By using the completes you do not have to worry about taking additional edible bones or vegetables with you.
Some good alternatives…
Freeze-dried food is made by quickly freezing fresh food at temperatures as low as -50C in pressurized chambers over 18 hours to gently draw away the moisture and retain as many nutrients as possible. It is a matter of just adding warm water to rehydrate before feeding.
Cold-pressed food is manufactured at low temperatures, around 50C, so fewer nutrients are destroyed in the process, unlike the very high temperatures needed to make extruded kibble. It does require some warm water to rehydrate it, and the recommended feeding is for every 100g of food, 125ml of warm water is added and left to stand for 5 minutes before feeding.
Just check the ingredients before purchase, as some contain rice and grains which may not suit your dog’s particular needs.
Dehydrated food is made by blowing warm air across the ingredients to remove moisture. It has a good shelf life and once warm water is added to rehydrate, you store and feed as you would raw food. As with freeze-dried food, it is light in weight and not as bulky to store as other dried or tinned food.
If your dog is fine on tinned food or the steamed “chub” rolls then this is another option.
The downside with tins is that they are bulky and heavy, and you will have to dispose of them somewhere once empty.
Tinned sardines or pilchards in spring water or tomato juice are extremely useful to take plus they seem to be sold in every corner shop across the country, even in the most remote of village stores. They are a good emergency measure should you run out of food or as an addition once or twice a week.
If you are near a farm shop or village store they will undoubtedly have free-range eggs for sale which again are a healthy, protein-rich way to make meals go a little further and can be fed raw or lightly cooked.