Taking Animals To Campsites
With holidays at home becoming more popular, camping is becoming more appealing – but if you own a dog, what do you do? Leave them at home with a neighbour, put them in kennels? How about taking them with you, since there are some great dog friendly sites and you and your dog don’t have to be parted. Check out a UK campsite guide and choose from a growing number of sites that are happy to accommodate a well behaved pooch.
Dogs on holiday are great – they love a change of scene as much as their owners and so long as there is a familiar face they’ll feel right at home – checking out new territory, meeting new people and exploring new areas. There are a couple of good reasons to take your pet on holiday – you will have a ready made exploring companion and you can wander around at night in astrange place with a bit of added confidence.
When you take a dog camping there are several things to get prepared before you set off. Your animal must be up to date with vaccinations, be able to cope with new faces, whether human or canine and be responsive to your commands. And you, as the owner will need to take responsibility for clearing up after your dog/s. Sites that accept dogs usually request that the dog is kept on a leash in the site – particularly essential for campsites situated near, or on farmland. Check up on dog restrictions in the area – i.e many beaches are not open to dogs from May to the end of September – so if you are after a beach holiday, check that there is a dog sitting services available on your chosen site.
You could find yourself sharing your sleeping space with your animal so check that you have access to plenty of water, and have old towels on hand to restore their coat to its rightful colour – they will often roll in anything including cow pats! If you have it, a portable cage is useful if your dog is small, or a basket or blanket together with a suitable anchor to keep them safe during cooking time or when you are setting up fires. Ideally, you’ll have a tent with a porch or separate compartment but if you have a small tent, it might be worth investing in a dog tent.
Some campsites are so dog friendly that they even offer dog-walking areas or dog runs so you can exercise your pet away from the other campers.
There are dog friendly sites in several key parts of the UK, including Norfolk, where there is access to flat marshes and coastal paths – very Dickensian, or Dorset for a base with meadows and woodlands and plenty of small lakes – leave your car in the reception area and enjoy a car free view for a change. How about a trip to the Brecon Beacons with its fantastic scenery or Pembrokeshire where sites have direct access to the magnificent coastal paths – all 186 miles of them! So take a look at pitchup for ideas on where to go with dogs, children and anything in between – there’s always somewhere new to visit!