Holiday Hounds - Keeping Your Pooch Safe | UK Canine PR - MirrorMePR
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Planning a holiday but want to bring the pooch along too? With some pretty impressive dog-friendly holidays out there, here are our UK Canine PR departments top tips to ensure that you both enjoy your time away from home.

If you are thinking of holidaying abroad with your dog, then taking them away as well can be an investment of time and money. You can go through the process yourself of finding a flight operator to fly your pet with and we found a few airlines which will do this for you. These include British Airways which fly from the UK via their sister company IAG World Cargo and Virgin Atlantic which run a ‘pet travel scheme’ and have done since 2003, flying over 10,100 dogs!

Having the right documentation, sized crate, vaccinations and even dealing with customs are all aspects you need to consider when thinking about travelling your pet. Many aspects need to be organised well in advance, and so personally, the UK Canine PR team here would probably opt for a ‘Dog Travel Agent’ (yes they exist!) These companies take the worry and time of planning a trip with your pet by sorting out all the travel details, flights and paperwork etc. to ensure that your pet’s travel experience is a good one. There are quite a few companies out there, so do your homework and check out reviews on-line or ask for testimonials from them before making a decision.

Some of our team here have personal experience of travelling their dogs via the tunnel to France and tell us they find the process simple and worth going through to take their fur babies away with them. Speak to your vet here in the UK who should be able to advise you on the process and what you need to have and do, dependent on the country you are travelling.

When it comes to accommodation here and abroad, make sure you check the small print before booking. Most establishments will take a small deposit but if you have a home or (Hotel) wrecker, best to double check or bring a crate for when you have to go down to the restaurant and dine alone! Coming back to chaos after coffee shouldn’t be on the menu!

Taking your pooch on holiday is great but if you fancy a day out to sight-see, what are you going to do with Fido? He can’t be left home alone all day, so if you are planning to bring him along, make sure your holiday plans involve him too!

If you are planning to vacation with your dog further afield or abroad, make sure his passport (if relevant), vaccinations are up to date and ask your vet for advice on travelling your dog and any additional tick and flea treatments you may need, depending on the county, country or region.

If your dog is not used to spending hours in the car travelling, then build up to an epic journey before the big event. A car sick dog won’t be the best start to yours or your dog’s holiday.

Bring his bed, bowls, treats and favourite toys. Being surrounded by home comforts will help him feel more relaxed in unfamiliar surroundings. Remember we all like to go away, but there is nothing quite like your own bed, and your dog will feel the same!

If you are staying in a dog-friendly establishment, make sure that you are respectful of other guests and don’t use the front wall/garden/fence as a doggy loo. Take your dog away from this high traffic areas, if a walk isn’t an option.

Finally, make sure your dog has ID on his collar and that you keep him safe. The thrill of the chase might be containable for your pooch in your local park chasing after a squirrel, but might be very different in a new environment featuring rabbits going down holes in the ground, horse riders, sheep, cattle and deer etc. If you are not sure how your dog will react to situations which he is not familiar with, it’s better to keep them on a long lead, so you both can relax and enjoy your time out safely.

Happy Holidays!

For more information regarding our UK Canine PR, please contact [email protected]

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