Your dog: the king of camping?
- " Hello ? Beach campsite, Cécile speaking. What can I do for you ? – I would like to book a week's holiday at your campsite with my family AND my dog. I saw on your site that my animal was accepted in your campsite: Can you tell me more about its reception conditions. How will the holidays with my dog go in your establishment?“ This is how every Wouafer's holiday begins. We are all looking for the best place for a 100% dog-friendly holiday. A place where we will not be looked down upon because our dog is spending his holidays with us. Let's take a tour together of the existing facilities and services in the campsite for your dog: from the simple tolerated dog to the campsite with a dedicated agility park.
The BABA for your dog
Before you book your vacation in one campsites in Europe which accepts dogs, I suggest you check carefully how your doggie is received on site. Is it simply tolerated in the off season and only if it weighs less than 10 kilos all wet? Or is he really welcome?
As a rule, you will find the dog information in the general conditions of sale of holiday contracts.
Before confirming your camping reservation, check:
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The maximum authorized dog size: only very small dogs are accepted? Or are big German Shepherd or even Newfoundland type dogs also welcome?
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The number of dogs accepted: if you have several dogs, check that the campsite does not limit one dog per reservation.
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If categorized dogs are accepted
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If they are accepted all year round or only in the off season
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If they are accepted only in tent pitches or if you can rent a mobile home, a chalet or a rental with your animal.
Book camping with your dog
To avoid unpleasant surprises when you arrive, always remember to declare your pet when booking. It would still be a shame to drive 800km to be told on arrival that the dog is not welcome on site.
Sometimes, when booking your holiday, you will be asked to pay the dog supplement directly and sometimes you will have to pay it when you arrive on site. Think about it 😉
When preparing your suitcase, remember to slip in your dog's identity papers. When you arrive, the campsite reception staff will ask you for your dog's vaccination record to check that his vaccinations are up to date. Be careful, if you do not have his papers with you justifying that his vaccines are up to date, the campsite manager may decide to refuse you in his establishment. To spend a great holiday at camping: the rules to know are important. This rule concerning the vaccination card is very often included in the general conditions of sale of holiday rental contracts... Above all, don't forget the "precious". And then, if ever your dog is injured, the veterinarian at your vacation spot will be very happy to have his health record in hand to get to know your dog better. And if it gets lost, you will have its identification chip number to hand to start the search... It is therefore an important element that should not be forgotten!
Dog-friendly campsites
When I go on a camping holiday with my dog, I always take the time to call the campsite that I have spotted on the Internet. I take the temperature on the phone. I introduce Musher and make sure she will be really well received on site by asking a few questions about the services and facilities available to check if the campsite is really dog-friendly.
Indeed, if taking my dog comes down to almost having to hide it in my mobile home because I feel like it's too much: there's no question of going there on vacation.
Here are the four questions I ask to validate my choice of campsite:
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Do they have poop bags? If the campsite thinks about these little things, it is because it has slipped into the skin of its customers with dogs and therefore provides them with the minimum service to be able to pick up the little “gifts” from their four-legged friend. . In flip-flops and swimsuits, you don't always have a roll of bags on you...
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Is there an authorized bathing place for dogs near the campsite: beach which accepts dogs, river where my dog can bathe, lake where he is authorized to bathe. If the campsite has identified this type of places is that he took into account my vacation needs. It's a good sign for the good reception of my dog.
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Is there a walking area very close to the campsite: forest, park, hiking trail... Same thing here, if the campsite has taken the trouble to list a list of places for walking in the immediate vicinity of the establishment where I'm going to be able to walk my dog freely, it's a pretty good sign for his welcome.
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Is there a canidouche or at least an outside hose where I can rinse my dog when I come back from the beach or cool him down if it's really hot? I once came back from a canoe trip with my dog at sea. I had to rinse off Musher because salt is not good for his skin or his hair. Zero canidouche: I had to rinse it in the bungalow's mini shower. She snorted in the bathroom before I had time to put a towel on her back. Result of water and hair everywhere. A real hassle even if now it's an anecdote that I use every time when I accompany a campsite to show them the needs of their customers with dogs.
The best camping for your dog
If I had to dream of the perfect campsite for my dog, this is how our vacation would be…
Just arrived, my dog is greeted with a doggie bar with fresh water. The reception staff at the campsite give him a welcome kit with treats, a foldable bowl, the Wouafement Bien holiday notebook and waste bags.
I am given a list of dog-friendly places and activities to do together during the holidays near the campsite. So I know where I can canoe with my dog, which castle or cave I can visit with my dog, which page is allowed to my dog….
They also tell me where the campsite's agility park is. It's a closed park where I can let my dog go freely and where he can have fun with lots of four-legged friends. And I am given the entertainment program for the week: introduction to oberhythmia, organized walks with other dogs, schedules for the groomer... For me, smart camping works with the dog trainer near his home. and brings him in the summer to offer entertainment to his customers with dogs.
Thanks to all these activities, I meet lots of Wouafer's and Musher and I spend the holidays with lots of friends! This is how I imagine my perfect vacation with my dog. You know what ? This kind of camping really does exist!! At some campsites, your dog is treated like royalty. Happy Holidays to all !