# Caravan holiday with a dog?



## Urchin (Aug 30, 2009)

We have ashort break booked in Cornwall in May. Only a Sun £9.50 thing for 4 nights.

We can pay an extra £20 to take the dog or he can stay with my brother (who has just had him for 2 weeks and did a brilliant job)

Much as we would LOVE to take Milo to the sea-side, I have a few concerns. I was wondering if anyone has taken a dog away like this can answer my questions.

- Did you ever leave the dog alone in the caravan? My kids like to go to the entertainment for an hour or so in the evening, will we have to stay inthe caravan all the time if we had the dog?

- Did you feel restricted when it came to days out and what beaches you could go to?

- Say the dog did chew something in the caravan, if that what the £20 is for? Like insurance? Or do you have to pay for what's damaged?


----------



## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Most places wont let you leave the dog unattended, we took my last dog once and he loved it but he was an old man and not leaping all over the caravan.


----------



## Urchin (Aug 30, 2009)

Thanks, maybe I should wait till Milo's a bit older and calmer before we take him. 
Also I think the car journey might not be great for him either.


----------



## Jackie99 (Mar 5, 2010)

I love taking my dog on caravan holidays. The beach is such a wonderful place to walk a dog, they are in amazement at first at all the new and alien stuff -sand, this water coming running to get them that tastes a bit funny, all the rocks to jump over and often seaweed to bark at!! 

Yes there is at some times of the year a restrictment over what beaches in the area dogs can go on but that is fine at least you know where you stand and it is best to find out before you go. Out of season dogs can usually go on most beaches but it depends on the area you are visiting.

The extra money I think is for them to 'deep clean' the van after you left. Although the times I have had a pet van I do wonder if this is the case!

I personally wouldn't be to concerned about leaving them alone for a short amount of time in the van, but you know your dog best and how he would cope with it all. I took my dog on his first van holiday when he was pretty young and it was fine although we didn't have that far to travel, under 2 hours with a break.

I usually take a long line and with the van door open so we can still see he can run around on the grass outside, I stick one of those things in the ground to connect the lead to and he loves watching everyone go by.


----------



## westie~ma (Mar 16, 2009)

We visit my mums static often and personally, I wouldn't leave my dog in the van at that time of year, they get incredibly hot very quickly


----------



## Mese (Jun 5, 2008)

westie~ma said:


> We visit my mums static often and personally, I wouldn't leave my dog in the van at that time of year, they get incredibly hot very quickly


I have to agree with this ... we had one of those static vans on a holiday park (upgraded to a chalet now) and they did used to get very hot in the summer , we would never leave our dog in there in the day


----------



## Debs2460 (May 12, 2009)

We always take our dog with us - his first caravan hol was when he was 8 weeks old. He loved it and was no trouble. I think the sooner you get them to fit in with your way of life the better. We do a lot of travelling so it was in ours and Webster's interest to get him used to it while he was very young.
Mind you, the caravan is our own so there was no worry about him destroying anything really.
Whereabouts in Cornwall are you going? A lot of beaches have a dog ban in place from 1st May, but there are some dog friendly ones, Perranporth being one of them. 
It depends what you like to do in the day whether a dog will restrict you. Weather permitting if you like to spend days on the beach the dog will have a fantastic time and keep you entertained!! If shopping's more your thing, or visiting theme parks, then yes you will be restricted.


----------



## Elmo the Bear (Oct 3, 2008)

We bought the caravan specifically so we could take the dogs on holiday. You can leave them a alone (we take 3 / 4 with us) with the same provisos as at home. You can by dog proof fences to go round your awning, long leads and all sorts of devices to make sure your dog is safe.

Ours love it ...


----------



## Fleur (Jul 19, 2008)

we take our dogs camping and we've stayed in cottages.
However if we take the dogs we only do activities they can be included in.

How is pup when left alone? Does he have a crate?
If you're leaving him for just an hour in the evening when the caravan is cooler, then it should be OK.
But having the dog with you could restrict your activities - like all spending hours in the swimming pool.


----------



## mollymo (Oct 31, 2009)

Ours love to caravan, but thats our own....dont think you are allowed to leave your dog unattended in a static if its not yours or even if it is yours on the park.


----------



## Urchin (Aug 30, 2009)

Thanks everyone, I think we'll leave it for this year to be honest, mainly cos looking at what someone said above I am thinking a caravan allocated for pet owners isn't going to be very nice and we have 3 kids who will be staying in it too. I hadn't considered that TBH!
Its not like Milo will miss out cos he LOVES being at my brothers and is taken on walks through woods twice a day etc so I'm sure he'll be just fine.


----------



## Balto-x (Nov 7, 2010)

Hey we are taking balto on a £9.50 holiday to ilfracombe in April an he is only going to be 7/8 months old we aren't worried we can not wait  xx


----------



## Guest (Jan 29, 2011)

Urchin said:


> Thanks everyone, I think we'll leave it for this year to be honest, mainly cos looking at what someone said above I am thinking a caravan allocated for pet owners isn't going to be very nice and we have 3 kids who will be staying in it too. I hadn't considered that TBH!
> Its not like Milo will miss out cos he LOVES being at my brothers and is taken on walks through woods twice a day etc so I'm sure he'll be just fine.


Our dog also does completely fine in the car for 6-7hrs and she was only 11 months when we first took her on that length of journey, we don't feed her first as she tends to be sick but alsong as we don't she's fine 

The caravan's that are allocated for pet owners are absolulty fine, we took our's last year and it was great fun! They aren't disgusting or anything 

I'm also sure your dog would love it


----------



## welshdoglover (Aug 31, 2009)

Hi

I love the Sun holidays and so do my dogs 

We usually go for a Fri - Mon deal and pay the extra £ to take them, we usually get a really grotty caravan though but I don't really care cos it's a little holiday for the dogs really.

We all go but I don't bother with the passes cos I won't leave the dogs on their own in case they get pinched 
I usually take some cans/wine/vodka and then we'll get a fishnchip supper for us to eat in the van while watching a dvd.

I find its a nice little relaxing weekend and my dogs love it as they get to walk in new places and experience new smells. I'm always amazed how many dogs go on these Sun holidays :thumbup:


----------



## Blitz (Feb 12, 2009)

We lived in a touring caravan with 2 dogs for 18 months. My husband was working away so we sold the house and went from job to job like travellers! When we got another house all out holidays were walking ones and we often stayed in caravans. If we went out in the evening the dogs would stay in the car.


----------

