Take the ferry with your dog

What if this summer you went to Corsica with your dog? Or to Ireland or Sardinia with your dog? How will it go? travel with your dog on the ferry Here are some tips for a safe and peaceful trip with your dog. Depending on the ferry company you choose for your trip, your dog will travel with you in the cabin or in the hold of your car: find out before booking your trip and review the travel conditions for your dog on board. You may need to invest in a dog carrier, for example.

Depending on the ferry companies, your pet will be more or less welcome on board…

On some ships, he will be able to travel with you and follow you anywhere on the ship. This is the case at Corsica Ferries for example where cabins have been specially fitted out for the comfort of both of you. Consider booking this type of cabin online. Not all cabins on the boat are dog-friendly. On the deck of the ships there are “dog toilets”. They have created spaces with a few pebbles to allow the dog to relieve himself. Your dog must travel on a leash, always by your side and muzzled. He should never be alone in the cabin. On their site, there is also a page specially dedicated to your dog's journey aboard Corsica Ferries.

Noémie talks about her journey with this shipping company : "  We boarded the ferry in our vehicle. We parked then we took our things, Faun and Gdanja (Landseer and Newfoundland) to go and settle in our special cabin. They traveled with us and we were even able to enter the cafeteria to have a coffee with them. During the crossing; we had the right to a veterinary check with a check of the health books. You have to plan their belongings: bowl, croquettes, poop bag…. The staff was very nice and my dogs were treated to lots of hugs.»

Geoffroy traveled to Sardinia with his dog, Equinoxe. His travel experience was more mixed. The crossing was complicated. To discover his story, you can read or reread his interview: Traveling with your dog in Italy, heading to Sardinia.

Anywhere in the world you can find other ferry companies that accept dogs here.

If in some companies they have understood that dogs are members of the family and that as such they should not travel as simple "baggage", most of the time, your dog will travel in an air-conditioned kennel or worse, he will be asked to stay in your car in the ship's hold. In many companies, it is now totally forbidden after some tragic stories... If the company you are traveling on offers it to you, it means that the holds are a priori ventilated and your dog is not at risk of heatstroke.

For companies that allow you to take your dog with you on the ship, very often your dog will only have access to the exteriors of the ship, for hygienic reasons.

Depending on the companies, you will be asked to have a carrier for your dog. He will travel in it, firmly secured in the kennel provided for this purpose.

So find out about the your dog's travel conditions during the trip to avoid unpleasant surprises on boarding.

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If the company allows you to travel with your dog, make sure your dog is comfortable in crowds. The boats are often full and there is a lot of traffic.

He will have to climb stairs, sometimes metal, to change levels in the boat or take elevators. Is he used to it?

Boarding your dog on a ferry is not free, you will have to pay a supplement to make it travel to its destination.

Think about book your crossing well in advance, reporting the presence of your dog. In fact, the presence of dogs is often limited to a certain quota per ship.

Upon arrival on the boat, you'll likely be asked for your dog's vaccination record. It must be up-to-date, of course! Your dog must be identified by a microchip or tattoo.

What about seasickness? Yes, your dog can also suffer from seasickness! To avoid digestive problems, such as vomiting, feed him at least half a day before departure, and definitely not just before boarding. If your pet is rather stressed or has trouble with travel, make an appointment with your veterinarian before your vacation. They may decide to give him medication for anxiety or motion sickness. As with us, to avoid seasickness, it's best to keep busy and move around. If you decide to get some fresh air on the upper deck of the boat, don't go near the railings. The vacuum effect could frighten your dog.

One last piece of advice: before boarding, there's nothing better than a good walk to help your dog relax on board and relieve himself. If he's tired, he'll be happy to rest.

READ ALSO : Hiking with your dog can't be improvised!, What should your dog's first aid kit contain?, Taking your dog to the beach: some precautions to take

You can also check out the guide I designed on dog training !