Travelling in Europe with a small dog?

Question

Me and a friend want to travel around Europe (we are from the UK) for a few weeks, possibly hiring a car. I know that I need a 'pet passport' with rabies vaccinations etc. But I want to know what reception you will get in hotels/hostels when you have a small dog. Anybody gone on holiday with a pet before? He travels well and is very cute, but I dont want to stress him out. I want it to be a fun experience for him too. We're thinking of Italy, France, Poland, Germany, Czech Republic and Spain. Any advice? Thanks

Answer 1

You should have no trouble in Italy, France and Spain, I don't know about Poland and the CR. And I totally agree with what another poster said: No sedation. Some pets have paradox reactions, other develop breathing problems in the plane when sedated. All the best.

Answer 2

We've driven from Greece to France a couple of times with a dog and there are many hotels that accept dogs-and good guide book has that info in it. However, it is worth remembering you can take a dog out of England anytime after a rabies vaccination, but the vaccination must have been done six months before you want to bring the dog back into the UK. That means do the vaccination now if you plan to go this summer.

Answer 3

The best places to stay with dogs are Ibis hotels. They will take dogs anywhere, are usually found in all French and Spanish larger towns and not too far from motorways. I am not too sure about hotels in Germany, but you could try the web and look under dog-friendly hotels in ....

Ensure that you have a large enough pet carrier for the dog in the car, so that he is secure. Also, if your pet is a bit sensitive when it comes to his food, take enough with you for a week and gradually mix local food with it. Ensure enough breaks for walks, watering and general resting.

I would recommend one to two neighbouring countries and two days or so in each location, with walking tours of the city / area for you and your dog.

Also, please note that time of year is also a factor. Spain in the summer is very hot and probably not the best place to go on a driving holiday with a dog then. Also, you have to prevent heartworm and leishmaniasis there. (easy to do, but again an extra expense). Check with your vet at home what else you might want to watch out for in various countries. Also, in Germany, in most restaurants, you can take a well behaved dog inside. In other countries, the dog is only allowed on terraces or not at all.

In the end, I hope you, your friend and your four legged companion will have a lovely holiday!

Answer 4

Hi..

we just returned to the US after 10 months in Spain with our poodle. As far as Spain goes, I'd leave the dog at home for a few weeks with a friend. The Spanish are not hospitable to dogs, and few are the hotels/hostels that are pet friendly. They also are not welcome in restaurants/bars, etc. France of course is just the opposite. The other countries we didn't visit.

Answer 5

In your address bar type the word Pet Passports
you will come across 'Defra.gov' or something like that. They are the peoples site you should read because Defra are a government thing. It will tell you all about it. There are other sites but I don't remember the names. They will tell you about pet friendly hotels too. Read as much as you can on taking your baby (dog), because some vets use the wrong paperwork and your little one won't be accepted back into the UK unless all paperwork is right. Just a bit of advice - DON'T give your small dog the tablets that calm him down. I gave my Cairn a quarter of one and almost lost her. She was tooooo calm that her heart slowed up too much and I almost lost her.

Have a great trip and good luck.