With or Without the Dog?

When you look around the average camping site, it's clear that one of the many reasons people enjoy this type of holiday is that they can bring their dogs with them. If you own your accommodation, then it's up to you, or possibly them, how many dogs you bring and whether or not they are allowed on the sofa and beds. Campsites have tuned into this and most offer special facilities from dog poop bins and dog walks, to bowls of water and tethers outside amenity blocks. We've stayed on sites where children are not allowed, but I've yet to see a site that bans dogs; an interesting distinction!
          We've been dog owners for the past sixteen years or so, and currently have two dogs. For us, the decision whether or not to bring the dogs isn't as clear cut as perhaps it is for some who'd as sooner leave their dogs behind as their spouse, or perhaps even give the dogs preference...However, this is my take on the pros and cons of camping with your pooch.

For

• Dogs are part of the family - why would you want to leave them behind?
• The number of places that allow dogs is gradually increasing so we need to exert our consumer pressure to ensure this continues
• This outdoorsy type of holiday is perfect for dogs as they love being outside, walking and meeting other dogs
• It's cheaper to bring them with you than to pay for holiday care
• It means you can be spontaneous and head off when the mood takes you

Against

• Not all  dogs are ideal holiday companions as some don't like strangers, children or other dogs. One of our terriers is an into everything, eat everything, fidgety, Houdini with a bark first think later attitude. 
• It's not always in the dog's best interests. One of our terriers is very elderly and cannot manage to get in or out of our campervan without help. He also gets disorientated easily and his bad arthritis is aggravated by cold and damp. He similarly doesn't cope well with very hot weather
• Bringing them along means curtailing some of your holiday activities as a lot of places don't accept dogs
• Like with all long relationships, it's sometimes good to have a break and dogs take quite a bit of looking after.

So what do we do? We've always had a mix and match approach: sometimes we bring them, sometimes we don't. These days, our old fella usually stays with his lovely holiday carers, Shirley and Paul, enjoying his creature comforts. Our younger dog sometimes stays behind too if we're going on longer trips and we want plenty of freedom to explore, but equally, he sometimes comes with us and loves it. He likes nothing better than to be with us 24/7, to sniff the sniffs and explore the countryside. And to be honest, this variable arrangement works for us too.

Teddy, trying to make a bid for the 'big bed'!

Lined up nicely with the heating vents!

His own space in between the cab seats

Meeting the locals.....