Leaving your dog alone in your vacation rental, possible or not?

That's a good question, right? Can you leave your dog alone in your vacation rental, bungalow or even in your hotel room? Holidays rhyme with restaurants, lazing on the beach, hiking, visiting castles, canoeing… Even if we would like to be able to take our dog everywhere with us, that is not always possible. 

So what to do when doggie is not allowed somewhere: should you give up the program or can you leave your dog alone in his accommodation for a few hours? 

Are you allowed to leave your dog alone for a few hours in your room or vacation rental? What the law says ? What are the rules to follow when you leave your dog alone, for his safety and that of others? If your dog cannot or is not allowed to be left alone, what are the alternatives for a few hours away? I tell you everything in this article! And we will first start by taking stock of the question that is bothering you: do I have the right to leave my dog ​​alone in my vacation rental, my gîte, my bungalow or even in my hotel room?

If your dog is allowed to stay alone in your accommodation, is that a good idea? I would like to draw your attention to a number of important points to check before leaving your dog alone in your bungalow, gite or hotel room. 

First of all: does your dog know how to stay alone in your home without making a mess? If already at home, he shreds the sofa as soon as you close the door of your apartment or if he starts playing the wolf for hours, it's a safe bet that he will adopt the same behavior on vacation, even even worse because he is not at home. So if he can't be alone, don't leave him alone!

If your dog is allowed to stay alone in your accommodation, is that a good idea? I would like to draw your attention to a number of important points to check before leaving your dog alone in your bungalow, gite or hotel room.

First of all: does your dog know how to stay alone in your home without making a mess? If already at home, he shreds the sofa as soon as you close the door of your apartment or if he starts playing the wolf for hours, it's a safe bet that he will adopt the same behavior on vacation, see even worse because he is not at home. So if he can't be alone, don't leave him alone!

• Walk your dog before you leave 

Then, if he knows how to be alone for a few hours, make sure he has spent a lot of time before you leave so that these hours of absence are as sweet as his siesta!

• 100% effective tip to occupy your dog: Chewing

And then, offer him something to occupy him! Chewing is a great way for him to occupy his time while you're away. And rather than chewing up the sofa or the leg of a chair, opt for a deer antler or a suede antler. They are simple, natural and unprocessed treats. Your dog will love them and they will keep him occupied for hours. Dogs like to chew and need to chew.

What does chewing do for your dog?
– Chewing releases endorphins and dopamine in your dog: enough to make him happy and calm thanks to the release of these “happiness hormones”.
– Chewing provides a feeling of satiety in dogs. It can help with eating disorders in dogs.
– Chewing also helps to fight against tartar on the dog's teeth
– Finally, chewing helps relieve the dog's stress and boredom.

Musher follows us everywhere on vacation but she is also happy to take a break from time to time and stay to take a nap after a good chewing session!
To order your chew treats for your dog, I recommend the Cernunos shop. It is a shop 100% dedicated to the pleasure of chewing for our doggies and kitties. They offer 100% natural dog toys and treats. And in particular chewing treats which are ideal for your absences: deer antlers, yak cheese, buffalo horn, heather root….

For your information, Wouafer's, you have access to a 10% discount on your Cernunos order with the code WOUAFER2022 ; to find out the conditions, head to our Deals Page!

As André, the founder of Cernunos, clearly explains, the wood supply, cutting, sanding or packaging… Everything is done in-house to guarantee a quality product for your doggies.

Small technical reminder: at the end of winter and the rutting period, the antler falls naturally. When your dog chews a deer antler, he chews a dead antler that has fallen on his own. No question of cutting the antlers of deer or the horns of an animal!

• Tell your host that your dog is alone

For his safety and that of others, tell your host that your dog will be left alone for a few hours while you are away. Give him a phone number where he can reach you in case of an emergency. And especially if you have rented a hotel room. Every morning, the cleaning team comes into the room. If they don't know there's a dog in your room, that could be a problem: your dog can be aggressive towards strangers who land on "his ” territory, he may panic and want to escape through the door, he may bark… Quite simply, the cleaning lady may also be afraid of dogs, so respect her.

At the hotel, at the campsite, in your gîte: the noises and the comings and goings are not the same as at home. Your dog may be a little unsettled by these changes and adopt a very different behavior than he does at home so be very attentive.

• Check the surroundings before you leave

And one last important point to check before leaving your dog alone for a few hours: the environment. Does he have easy access to a trash can that he could shred? Check that your bungalow is sufficiently well ventilated or air-conditioned to prevent the heat from rising too high inside, especially in the middle of summer, and that it does not turn into a convection oven.

Your dog is not allowed to be left alone while you are away? Are you afraid that he will do damage while you are away?
Do you have to give up a few hours of idleness on this pretty beach where your dog is strictly prohibited? Should you cancel your visit to this cheese dairy that makes too good cheese because your dog is not allowed to point the tip of his nose there? Should you drop the tree-climbing course that your children have dreamed of doing since the beginning of the holidays because it is not a dog-friendly activity?

Not always ! There are a few alternative solutions for your dog.  

• The pet sitting

The first is pet-sitting! It is quite possible that at your vacation destination, there is one or more pet-sitters who would be happy to take care of your pooch for a few hours. While you're having a good time, your dog will also be pampered. His pet-sitter will take him for a walk, introduce him to new places and maybe he will even meet new four-legged friends! Your host may even already have a list of the best pet-sitters in the area to recommend to you. Ask him !

• Short-term pension

The second solution is the short-term pension. You know the kennel formula where you leave your dog during all your holidays... but there is also day dog ​​boarding or dog daycare. This is a really great solution for sociable dogs. It's a bit like an outdoor center for dogs. Your pooch will spend a few hours fooling around with other four-legged friends and he will have a few educators and animators just for him. It's a bit like the Mickey Clubs on the beach. Toutou will not do trampoline and bouncy castles but he can do agility for example. A great alternative for your dog once again!

• The boxes at the places of visit

The third solution is the solution of the boxes on the places of visit directly. This is a device available in places that do not accept dogs. It takes the form of boxes set up in the shade and in a quiet corner where your dog can take a nap during your visit.

But above all, above all, above all: never choose the option of leaving your dog in your car for the duration of your visit or your activity. Even if it's gray and a priori not very hot, the sun can quickly point the tip of its nose and your car will turn into an oven! Disasters happen quickly, much too quickly and do not only happen to others!

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I hope this article has helped you prepare for your future vacation with your dog! As you know, Musher, Labrador mascot of EmmèneTonChien.com follows me to the office so she was very attentive to the writing of this article! And I can tell you that since I said the magic words: Cernunos and deer antlers, she hasn't taken her eyes off me. I think I'm going to rummage through the office closet to see if I have anything left to chew on. A chewing session: this is how to end your working day in style! With that, I say see you soon the Wouafer's!