Vacations with and without a dog or cat
And who takes the dog?
As tempratures start rising, we impatiently want to go on our vacation, but without our beloved pet? It is unimaginable for some owners. We have tips on how and where you can please your dog or cat during the holiday season
And if you allow your dog to come along, you will find here all the requirements for a perfect planning to keep your dog comfortable and happy 🙂
Who takes care of the dog or cat while you are on a vacation? Usually a close neighbor or a family member. A vacation with the furry four legged companion is not only relaxing and joyful, but it also eliminates the question “Who will take care of my pet?”. Whether you are taking your pet with you, or leaving it with someone – We have the best tips for you:
1. Vacations without a dog or cat – Well taken care of
Which pet owner doesn’t know how extremely difficult it is to say goodbye to their pet on the day of departure? When you know that your four legged darling is in safe and good hands, you can go to your vacation peacefully. Here are our tips, on how your pet will certainly feel comfortable in your abscence.
Familiar people
Many petowners entrust their pets to relatives, friends, family members, or petsitters. Those who don’t have the option to look for dog housing places.
With cats the situation is more difficult during the vacation, because they prefer to stay outdoors in their familiar surroundings, thats why the installation of a cat door pays off really well. The petWALK petdoor, provides not only sufficient space but a familiar surrounding and good atmosphere.
What alternatives are there, relatives or dog housing places?
If there is a cat door your cat will surely be happy, that its being taken care of by the neighbor. It’s always best at home!
There are also petsitters, that depending on your arrangement with them come home and look after your pet, some of their assigned responsiblities might include: feeding, cleaning and playing. Dogs can often go outdoor for a walk, or be looked after by the petsitter. Animal care is a free trade and can be offered by anyone, but be careful who you entrust your fourlegged darling to. Above all the chemistry between humans and animals has to be right.
You should find out the answers to the following questions: How long has he/she been offering their services? How does he/she handle the pet? Are the special needs of the pet being taken care of? What additional tasks should be fulfilled (vet visit, medication,..etc)? How much time should the pet sitter invest? Does he/she have professional insurance?
Familiar surroundings
No place like home! it’s as true for humans as for cats, but dogs also find familiar surroundings comfortable. With petWALK’s petdoor staying home has never been easier and safer for both dogs and cats.
Let your home be filled with plenty of opportunities for the petsitter to entertain your pet like toys, chewing snacks or even intelligent games to pass the time. If you want your pet to have different timings of entering and exiting the house, please change the settings of the petdoor before you leave so that your pet adopts to the new timings.
Its of great significance for the pets to have access to the garden specially the ones that are left with petsitters. In the garden they can spend wonderful time, do their business, and trace scents if they find them. Write brief instructions on how to operate the petWALK petdoor and assign a password for the app.
Familiar processess
Have you found your optimal vacation replacement? then use every opportunity and extra time you have so that your four legged darling will become more familiar with the petsitter.
Please note that dogs shouldn’t stay alone for more than 6 hours, unless they are trained. With petWALK petdoor your four legged darling can go outside anytime, or at the specific times you programmed your door in advance. Inform your petsitter about the preset timings and rules. Trust us, once your pet is used to the freedom, it neither can nor want without it 😉
In addition please provide the below info about your four legged darling to the petsitter
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- What peculiarities does your pet have? (for instance fear of other people, or certain places that it doesn’t like to be touched)
- Are there strict rules that the pet should follow (for example must not be on the sofa).
- Is there a fixed daily program? (such as playtime in the morning, food in the afternoon, or a break at 2.00 p.m.)
- What commands and signs does the dog know?
- When is food given and how much? what kind of snacks are allowed?
- In the event of allergic or food related accidents? How shall the pitsitter react?
- What time the pet is allowed to go outdoors, and when does it have to stay indoors?
- Give the petsitter the remote control or the access app for the petWALK petdoor
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2. Vacation with a dog – an unforgettable experience!
Save yourself stress and annoyance, by obtaining all the necessary information. The vacation begins when you start planning in advance. It all depends on where you are going, find out about the rules and regulations of your destination regarding dogs. always remember different country, different rules!
Health check
Before you go on your vacation, you should check if your dog is physically and mentally fit for the trip. It is highly recommended to plan the medical check ups 3-4 months before the trip. The reason is that in some coutries dogs must be re-vaccinated for certain diseases like the rabies titre.
The right accommodation
Have you found the preferred travel destination for yourself, your dog, and fellow travelers? the next step is to find a suitable accommodation, regardless whether its a home, hotel, or a campsite, dogs must explicitly be allowed inside!
In order to avoid unpleasant surprises, always ask beforehand whether you can really bring your dog with you. Take into consideration there might be additional costs for dogs in hotels. Many operators might also sometimes decide on specific breeds.
The next box to tick, after ensuring the dog is allowed is whether there is enough area around the building or not. A home with its own garden, or an apartment with a ground floor and a bit of space in front of it would be ideal for the dog. Other places that have open space where the dog can get some fresh air is another option, places like a caravan, tent or a mobile home. It is recommended as well to look for a nearby veterinerian just in case something happens.
and who will look after your dog, if you want to go to a place without it. finally, its worth checking as well if there is on site dog care.
Tour packages with dogs
Tour packages and guided day trips are relatively new trends for dogs and their owners. Just book and worry about nothing, your vacation will be much more fun. Offers are checked in advance by specialized tour operators for dog friendliness. You wont get any surprises where dogs will be forbidden from certain activities.
For the rest of your free time you will recieve a lot of tips and recommendations about holiday destinations that will surely be amazing experiences with your dog. Austria is the ideal destination for a vacation with your darling, do you fancy a few relaxing days with your dog in the beautiful country? then take a look at www.velaontour.com. All offers have been tested by Ulrike Miestinger and her Goldie Pepa, as well as experiencing some of the destinations. you can find out about current travel dates in the newsletter.
Dog Hotels
More and more accommodations are specializing in offering wellness services for both dogs and humans. The best dog hotels include many dog friendly services, and overall good animal experiences. In some places apart from dog walkers, there is a range of other services and facilities, like day cares, dog trails, fenced exercise zones, dog bathing areas, as well as grooming centers and veterinarian services.
Vacation abroad with a dog
When traveling abroad, you should find out about the entry requirements. Which vaccinations are necessary? Is there a chip requirement? or any further treatments like wormer?
When traveling to non-EU countries, think about the re-entry regulations. What kind of diseases are there in the country that could be dangerous for your dog? What kind of pre- and post operative care should be taken?.
On all the trips abroad (including to non EU countries), pets require the EU pet passport which can be obtained from any veterinian. This ID shows that the animal is microchipped and vaccinated against rabies.
Checklist - What does your dog need during a vacation?
Dogs also have their own luggage when traveling. To be fully prepared few things are essential, a sun protection during a summer vacation, thick coats and jackets on a winter vacation, just like humans prepare, the luggage must be adopted based on the season and the climate of the destination.
When you book with VelaonTour, you will recieve a travel checklist prepared in coordination with a veterinarian.
Dog first aid kit
Its important to check beforehand your dog’s insurance and coverage. Unfortunate events happen during a vacation, such as illness or accidents, that’s why basic medical equipment is essential, and it should include the following:
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- Disinfectants for intial wound treatment
- Fever thermometer
- Treatments for diarrhea
- Bandages for normal and bleeding wounds
- Flat tweezers to remove splinters
- Tick tweezers
- Flea spray or -Powder
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What else needs to be in the dog’s luggage besides the EU passport?
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- Chest belt – Provided with a telephone number!
- Rope
- Muzzle
- Dog food
- Dog snacks
- Dog bowl and drinking bottle Tip: if possible portable bowl and bottle to be used on the go
- Dog blanket and bed
- Dog waste bag
- Brush
- Dog towel
- …and of course lots of goodies and treats! 🙂
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If your four legged darling knows and likes transport boxes, he can travel comfortabely in it, and it could serve as a good place to retreat in the hotel room.
Traveling with a dog - the right means of transportation
Arriving and departing is exciting for the owners, as well as for the furry four legged friends. Before you book a trip for the whole family, it is important to determine which travel options are suitable for your dog.
Road trips
The car is an ideal method of transport with your dog for a vacation trip, because it is already familiar with it. The most important thing is that your dog is safely seated in the backseat. Seatbelts, Partition grids, and transport boxes not only protect dogs and people, they are even mandatory in most countries. TÜV certified transport boxes are the safest choice when making this decision. in the best case scenarios if the dogs are not used to trips in the car, it should be trained at least one week before the trip.
Tip: in order to practice driving effectively, the trips should be combined with positive experiences, and the duration of the trip should increase gradually
It is recommended not to feed large quantity of meals before departure, and plan regular drinking and exercise breaks during the journey. In the warmer seasons make sure that the tempreture in the car is suitable. Put window protectors to protect against the unpleasant rays of the sun.
If you want to stop to eat, never leave your dog in the car! The risk of heat stroke is far too great in the summer.
Air travel
Flying means stress for most dogs, as they dont fly daily! It must be clarified beforehand, under what conditions the airline will allow the pets to be transported. Some airlines allow smaller dogs (8 kg), that can even be taken in a transport box.
You should ask first if your dog is capable of flying in a plane? Is your four legged darling healthy and can it relax in a transport box even if there are unpleasant noises? keep in mind that the dog is physically and mentally busy; it should do its business before the checkin. Prior to the travel by one day you should provide only a small meal, and keep the stomach as empty as possible during the flight.
Tip: Generally speaking, licking and chewing in the transport box, will help stabilize the air pressure and it will calm the dog down
Public transportation
Dogs can generally be taken in all public transportations, including bus, train, airline cable car, and gondola; however, the muzzle and the leash must always be on the dog everywhere. Respect is very important! Always ensure that other passengers are not disturbed or annoyed by your four legged darling.
Very small dogs in transport boxes, human assistant dogs, and the ones that are disabled are allowed in most trains in Austria, free of charge. if the dog is not in the box you pay 10% of the standrad ticket price with a minimum price of 2 euros. to note again, the muzzle and leash must always be on, and the dog must sit on the floor. Please keep yourself informed beforehand if there are any connections!
The arrival at the destination
Once you arrive at your destination, taking your dog for a walk is a must. After that you can make the dog comfortable in the hotel room, vacation home, or the campsite, and put fragile things away. Give your four legged friend water, and something to eat. Most importantly do not overwhelm your dog once you arrive from a long journey.
Once everyone is settled and the initial stress has subsided, its time to explore the area and enjoy your vacation with your dog!
Michaela Strohmayer
The recommendations come from the animal welfare qualified dog trainer, and state commissioned dog examiner Michaela Strohmayer.
If you are looking for someone with the right set of skills and experience, who will make you and your dog a real team, then please visit the website: https://www.wuffit.at/.