Going to Ireland with your dog
Why go to Ireland with a dog? How to organize your holiday in Ireland with a dog? Is Ireland a dog-friendly country? Find out with the testimony of Alex and his dog Kinaï!
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Ireland… just saying this word brings dozens of magical images to my eyes. I haven't had the chance to visit it yet.ireland with my dog not even alone. That said, it's one of the 10 destinations that I would like to discover one day. To tell you about it, I interviewed Kinaï and Alex who spent a few days of vacation together there last summer. I let you discover their Irish adventures.
Kinai: Alex's dog
Kinaï is a 2 and a half year old white Swiss shepherd who came into our lives in March 2016. I had been dreaming of a White Shepherd for years. We did not choose Kinaï, it was the breeder who chose him in relation to our way of life, our activities, and what we expected of our future loulou. The beginnings were timid but today we have a unique relationship that I really like. I won't change anything. Kinaï is like me on many points and that's what makes us unique, like every duo for that matter :D. My dog is sociable, curious even if he is a bit stressed by the unknown. I was also worried about the ferry to Ireland.
Why go to Ireland with a dog?
We had already been to Ireland few years ago. We really loved its wild side and the magnificent landscapes. We like to go on vacation abroad but we didn't dare take Kinaï. We had it in mind that it was going to be very complicated.
In itself, it requires a lot more organization than going “hard-hitting” to a small corner of France. It's just another way to travel. Ireland is not unknown to us, so we naturally chose this country for the first time with Kinaï.
We have done all the paperwork and procedures to travel with his dog abroad. We prepared an itinerary with a list of things to see and spotted a few dog-friendly accommodations.
We left Cork to spend a few days in Kerry, which we really loved the first time. We headed north taking the “Wild Atlantic Way” road. We roughly rode the west coast of Ireland to Donegal. It's hard to tell you what we liked best… We really did everything with Kinaï and this trip made us want to travel with our dog even more.
Holidays in Ireland with a dog
We have taken the ferry with our dog and our car. The travel conditions are not the same depending on the companies and even the boats. Either you will have to leave him at the kennel where you can go visit him or he will have to stay in your car. With an animal, you have to show up a little earlier for boarding. They then check the papers and the dog. On Brittany ferries, there is a deck specially designed for animals where you can spend time with them. When leaving the boat, everyone is re-checked but there is no quarantine. It is therefore quite “easy” to go to Ireland with your dog.
We loved our trip with Kinaï. It's another way to travel. The Irish spoke to us much more through Kinaï than the first time we went there. We had some great hikes and walks. We shared some very good times together. Travel brings you out of your routine and brings you closer. When we traveling with a dog, you always need a plan B if ever dogs are not accepted. So, if we see the good side of things: we visit things that we would surely not have visited if we had no dog. It is a logistics to have but which we like.
The big sticking point for us was: THE SHEEP! Depending on the place there are more or less. Impossible to let go of Kinaï as we wanted. In some places, there are signs indicating that the farmer has permission to shoot if the dog disturbs the herd. I assure you, we only saw one farmer during our entire trip. He came to say hello and ask me if I was married…. lol
Ireland: a dog friendly country?
There are rules like in France, like wearing a leash is compulsory in many places. They are very repressive on canine droppings. The dog seems to have an important place in Ireland.
To go to Ireland, your dog must:
- Have a passport, issued by your veterinarian
- To be chipped
- Be vaccinated against rabies. The vaccine must be listed in the passport.
- Be dewormed more than 24 hours and before your arrival in Ireland. The dewormer label must be stuck in the passport with a vet stamp.
- Have a health certificate provided by your veterinarian
- The dog must travel with its master, whose name is noted in the passport. Remember to change the name if it is different.
- As in France, some dogs are categorized and must obey even stricter legislation.
We organized our trip around Kinai. We didn't visit much… It's like in France, there are regularly signs prohibiting dogs even on a leash. In this case, we changed our plans to do something together.
However, on the restaurant side, dogs are strictly prohibited inside, except for guide dogs. They are tolerated on the terrace according to the restaurants, but never indoors, several Irish people have confirmed this to us. On the other hand, if you are thirsty, dogs are accepted in pubs most of the time unlike children who are prohibited… Ask the owner before entering.
Alex's story
The White Swiss Shepherd is not known in Ireland, so we were constantly stopped or almost, as soon as we met someone. We learned in English all the ways to say that our dog was beautiful, cute, amazing, magnificent…. In a pub, a horde of girls threw themselves on Kinaï to give lots of kisses "to the wolf", we were surprised each time. In France the race is well known now, Kinaï does not have that effect.
At Slieve League Cliffs we had a good laugh. The place was full of sheep and Kinai had perched on a stone overhanging the herd. People said the wolf watched his food...
Alex's advice for discovering Ireland with a dog
Try the experience of course! We are often afraid of the unknown, we think of the worst while many dogs travel all over the world with their master. It's all about habit and conditioning from the beginning of the dog. Everything we shared in this country, in addition to being amazed, has brought us closer and strengthened our ties. I can only recommend!!
Each country deserves to be seen, they all have a different culture and landscapes that are worth seeing. Traveling with your dog is simply a question of organization. Each time we return from a trip, the urge to leave is stronger and stronger. What is certain is that the next trips will be made with Kinaï. Surely a European country less restrictive and especially less far than other continent. EmmèneTonChien.com is a good source of inspiration to find your destination 😀