Taking dogs on holiday - options and experience?

lil_me

We currently have 2 dogs, basically I don't want to leave them in kennels, pet sitting is expensive but a possible option but I would rather take them on holiday with us if possible. We have left them with family before but then they ended up not being able to see to them as often as we would have liked, especially with Megan being nearly 11 I don't want her leaving for ages without being able to go out etc. We have 2 boys aswell who are 9 and 7 so I suppose we'll have to take them with us aswell :rolleyes:

Does anyone else take their dogs on holiday with them? If so where do you stay/what do you stay in? Does it cost a lot more? How does it restrict/improve the holiday?

Just looking for ideas, costs, experiences etc.

Thanks in advance for any help/advice.

Penny_Watcher

A couple of years ago when we had only two dogs we went for a long weekend to (I think it was) a Haven static caravan park near Filey in Yorkshire. There was an extra charge for the dogs and we were only allowed to book their lowest grade of [strike]rusty bread bin[/strike] 'luxury park home'.;) We were upgraded for free when we got there and the caravan was really rather nice.

The weather was blimmin' awful, but the facilities were ok. We weren't too far from the beach so OH took the kids to the swimming pool and other facilities whilst I took the dogs for long, LONG walks on the beach. It was brilliant!

It must have been early Spring as some beaches are closed to dogs during the Summer months.

Some Center Parcs will take dogs in some of their older properties. We're looking into getting a cottage that will take dogs for our summer hols, but having 3 dogs it's really difficult (quite rightly I suppose considering the mess they make) to hire a property that will take more than 2.

Here's the link we use from the Dogs Trust website.

Dog Friendly Holiday Cottages

Usually my Mum doggy sits when we go away, but she won't be well enough this year. I don't think I'd ever put them in kennels - partly the expense, but mostly welfare issues. Taking the Pack with us will be the only option this year.

lil_me

Just had a look at haven and they charge £40 extra each for the dogs per week or £20 short break at the sites which accept them, I was thinking it seems expensive but the local kennels charges £9 per day each for them so that's not too bad actually. I'll look into that option, thanks. I'll look into the Centre Parks one aswell.

I think somewhere with on site facilities like the swimming etc would help for the boys, we went to Pontins last year and they really enjoyed that.

We were thinking of camping, but the more I think about it and trying to fit everything and the dogs in the car comfortably, I think it might not be such a good idea.

V_Chic_Chick

We used to take the dog(s) with us when I was younger, and we all went off to Haven holiday parks, in static caravans. I don't know if they were bottom end ones, but even if they were they were still quite nice

This was about 10 years ago btw.

Charlie1986

We take our dog once a year to a Haven park. They do say you will be in the lowest grade but we have always been upgraded to 'Gold'. The last park we went to was Wild Duck in Norfolk, it was perfect for the dog as it is surrounded by woodland and is close to the Norfolk broads.

pboae

We usually take our dog away with us, I leave him with my sister if we go away for a couple of days sometimes, but I couldn't ask her to look after him for a week.

If we stay in the UK I use www.cottages4you.co.uk mostly. But we also go to France at least once a year. Outside of the summer holidays it's cheaper to go to France than it is to stay in the UK. I've taken my sis and her kids with us too, and it works out cheaper still because the novelty of being in a foreign country means spending less money on 'proper' days out.

Getting his passport was a pain to begin with, and I think it cost about £150, but the ongoing costs are minimal. He has to be wormed and flear treated before we come back from France, but it's cheaper to get it done there than it is here, so I just make sure I time it so that he is due to be treated anyway.

I'd like to go to Centre Parcs but they are so overpriced, and then you have to pay for all the extras when you get there as well :-(

PasturesNew

Check out Dog People: http://www.dogpeople.co.uk/

Dog friendly pubs, hotels, accommodation, etc, etc

And Dog Friendly Britain: http://www.dogfriendlybritain.co.uk/directory.asp?ID=35 - for beaches

greyhoundcrazy

http://www.littledumpledale.co.uk/

These people are very dog friendly. They have 3 or 4 holiday cottages in Pembrokeshire. Some of them even have a pool. My Mum and Dad have stayed there, plus lots of my dog owning friends.

They are very popular so you will need to book far in advance, particularly for a school holiday week.

nooksky

Hi, we have got 2 Samoyeds and we have took them on holiday a few times, once to a cottage in Looe which was lovely and also once in a holiday caravan like previously mentioned, it wasnt a very nice one at all. We are also taking them on our honeymoon in a few months to Loch Lomond up in Scotland

However as another option, part of the business me and my partner run is to board dogs in our home. We only take one familys dog/s at a time and they live as part of the family with us and our 2 dogs. We are members of NARP www.dogsit.com which have a list of members and they check each member out before they come a member and we are all insured through them too. This should not be as expensive (depending on what other people charge). Just another option for you to consider.

easilyamused

Hoseasons have parks and lodges that are dog friendly AND have facilities on site to entertain the kids

http://www.hoseasons.co.uk/AvailabilitySearch4.aspx?HolidayType=1

lil_me

Thanks for all the info so far, just what I was looking for!

nooksky, unfortunately they seem to charge to view the local list of pet sitters, which seems a bit greedy when they are charging members aswell, anyway I think I will look locally & ask at the vets as I don't want to pull out that amount just to look. We do have one local pet sitter who charges £15 per dog or £25 for 2 for every 24 hours, so would be cheaper to take them with me going by the prices Haven charge.
I'll be looking into all of the options, I'd never even thought of France, we'd all need passports for that however, which would cost me a fortune, thanks for taking the time to reply everyone.