Holiday with dogs (caravan/camping)....

Has anyone done this? How did you find it?

We really want to go away with the dogs more often so are looking at getting one of those tiny teardrop caravans that you can store in your garage.

The things that are in my mind are, our dogs can't go off lead they would just 'go' so I'm worried about it being hard work constantly holding a lead!
And sleeping arrangements, the teardrop caravans are tiny so it would be like sharing a double bed with me, wife and two Greyhounds! Cosy, I know.

Any ideas, advice?

We can't really get a bigger caravan because we need it to fit in the garage.

We did it for years, you can't let them off lead on a caravan or camping site anyway, so you have to keep them on lead. We enjoyed caravanning most as the dogs could be off lead in doors, not so easy in a tent we lost a chihuahua for over an hour as she shimmied under a tent flap !

We used a screw into the ground thingy to tie them to. http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=dog...TvoDIBg&zoom=1


but they used to get rather tied up so you have to watch them like a hawk.

Ours all enjoyed caravanning and tents, now we have a static they love. Journeys were fun too lots of stops for a walk to let them stretch their legs. Think ours wee'd in every layby in England over the years.

Haha, yea we're really looking forward to it.
The company that we are looking at buying the caravan from rent the model out that we are looking at so if they let us take pets we might try before we buy.

That 'screw' wouldn't stay in the ground with 38kg hound on the end! LOL, I was thinking of attaching something to either the car or caravan for leads to tie on to.

I camped for years when my kids were younger. You get sites that allow dogs and sites that don't and some that have special 'fields' for the vans/tents with dogs. I tried it once with my GSD but never again as most people 'tethered' their dogs so they could lie just outside or under the van and it was like walking the line with them all barking and yapping.

I then opted for NO DOGS campsites and had someone to care for my dog while we were gone. Happier for all of us.

When I lived in Newlyn I once took my CKCS with me and my daughter camping in St Ives Bay a place we walked her on the dunes there regularly anyway.

Lordy was that dog NOT impressed with camping lifestyle! She would tunnel under the tent flap and ingratiate herself with the occupants of any nearby CHALET. I'd go out to look for her and find her sat on the sofa in a chalet with a complete bunch of strangers! One time they said 'oh but we were just going to let her share our breakfast' lol!

I boated for years too and most boaters' dogs loved it. Unfortunately my GSD did not have her sea legs and she absolutely hated it. That was a big regret for me - seeing all the other canal boats with their dogs standing proud on the prow. Mine quivering in the cabin, overbreathing and getting all beside herself until she had all four legs back on dry land.

Dogs! huh! why do we have them!

We use to have a camper van when we had Ollie he had issues re: strangers and some dogs so it was difficult leaving hi tied to the van unless one of us was always with him. We had some lovely walks and visited a lot of villages with him.

Sleeping arrangements were Gorden had the bed over the the cab and Ollie Bernese and I shared the double bed it was a tad tight but we had some laughs over it.

Just had a vision of a 38kg hound towing a caravan !

Reminded me when I tied Mollie (she was only a pup) to a table leg while I made a cup of tea, husband decided to walk down to the shop and Mollie decided she was going with him table and all - quite a site and gave everyone a laugh retreiver 6 months old dragging a table behind her heading for the shop !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3erMv_MF4o4

This is the model we are looking at so you can see what little space we would be working with!

LOL! I slipped my GSD's lead under the leg of a heavy wooden table in one of my local pubs when she was about 9 months old. She decided to go after someone who was leaving and effectively blocked the doorway with the table.

I got BARRED from the pub lol!

Barred that's harsh - no sense of humour some people

Gosh ! Where will your hound sleep ? but plus side if the car breaks down a 38kg hound could tow you home !