What to do with your dog during the holidays?

You are on vacation, the sun is there, the cicadas are there, the rosé in the fridge, the crisps not far away, the kindling at the foot of the barbecue, coated with sunscreen and you are looking in the tourist guide take with you what you are going to be able to do today… Hike, visit a cave, sunbathe on the beach, canyoning, go to the market and take the opportunity to stroll through the alleys of the pretty little village next door… The choice abounds! All that remains is to find an activity where your dog will be welcome!! This is where the puzzle starts.

If of course, you would like to be able to take your dog everywhere with you and share all your holiday activities with your animal, he is not always welcome and some activities are not really suited to him. In this article, for once on EmmèneTonChien.com, we will take stock of what to do with your dog during the holidays and all the solutions that exist in this type of case.

In some tourist sites, it has been understood that visitors could be dog owners! Yippee! And that it was therefore necessary to set up a kennel service for their pets in the absence of being able to give them access to the tourist site and to visit the place. Of course, visiting with your dog would be the Holy Grail, but if not, it's good to have a plan B to offer, huh!

This is the case, for example, of the Puy du Fou park or even Mont Saint Michel. They offer you a temporary kennel care system so you can enjoy the site without your dog. They realized that some of their customers (totally crazy!) wanted to visit these places no matter what and were able to leave their dog locked in their car for hours. To avoid human bullshit (sorry but this kind of behavior revolts me so much), they have set up supervised boxes and of course in the shade where doggies can stay for a few quiet hours. 

A quick break from your reading: if you're like me and always afraid your dog will escape when you're out walking, a GPS for dogs will change your life.  You will be able to locate it anywhere in real time!  I tested several models with Musher: discover our GPS comparison here. Aside ended: return to the article

You have planned activities where your dog is not accepted? If on EmmèneTonChien.com, the Wouafer's and I try to find you a maximum ofactivities to do with your dog, certain places will always be prohibited for them for reasons of hygiene or safety for example. No question of taking your dog to visit a cheese factory or to take him rafting.

If you have planned an activity where dogs are not welcome, you have two choices: cancel the outing or find a plan B for doggies. Many of us have the same reflex: “Ah, we don’t want my dog? well, you won't see a penny of my wallet. I'd rather go elsewhere…” but it is also possible to opt for short-term dog boarding or dog daycare.

The short-term boarding for dogs is a boarding where it is possible to leave your animal for the day or a few hours. It is convenient. It's like the famous mickey beach club for kids. If you want to spend a few quiet hours without having the children in your paws, you sign them up for the club, they meet friends, do lots of activities and come home exhausted after having had a good day. Dog daycare: it's exactly the same principle. Your dog will be with little friends for the day, supervised by one or more canine educators who, like the children's entertainer, will be there in case of conflict or to suggest a game. This is an ideal solution for your dog to also fun while you do something without it. The Dog Vacation Club is not suitable for unsociable dogs. If your dog is aggressive, super shy, anxious, dominating… daycare is not for him and he will not be accepted anyway.

No kennel system offered or short-term boarding near your vacation spot? Maybe your dog is not very sociable and you fear summer camp mode? Opt for the dog babysitter: the dog-sitter! Call on a dog-loving granny or a young enthusiast who needs pocket money. They will be happy to take care of your pooch for a few hours as if it were their own. They will walk your dog while you are away. Your dog won't even notice you're gone.

On the petsitting side, there are two formulas: either the dog-sitter comes to keep your dog at your home, in this case in your holiday accommodation, or you entrust it to him and he keeps it at home for a few hours. 

To be sure to entrust your dog to someone you trust, choose an online dogsitting platform such as Animaute, Holidog, Dogbuddy… There are a multitude of them. What is reassuring when going through these platforms is that the dog-sitters are rated by the community, which means that you know roughly who you are entrusting your dog to. 

I can't recommend one more than the other, you know me: it's WITH Musher or nothing for me. I'm an extremist...lol! So I have never tested this mode of dog care.

A quick break from your reading: if you're like me and always afraid your dog will escape when you're out walking, a GPS for dogs will change your life.  You will be able to locate it anywhere in real time!  I tested several models with Musher: discover our GPS comparison here. Aside ended: return to the article

The last possible solution is to leave your dog alone for a few hours. It is only possible under certain conditions:

• the accommodation you have rented for the holidays allows you to leave your dog alone for a few hours. It does not go by itself!

• your dog manages your absence very well: it does not put him in a state of anxiety or terrible anguish. 

• your dog knows how to be discreet in this kind of case. If he barks or howls to death until you return, you cannot leave him alone for a few hours for him, because he suffers from your absence, and for your neighbors who may be waiting for you with a committee of welcome anything but benevolent… 

• your dog knows how to be respectful of where he is. A dog who is bored, who suffers from hyper attachment to his master, who is afraid… can quickly find a thousand and one ways to occupy himself. Nibble on the sofa, scratch the door, gnaw on the floor, pull the curtains, empty the trash…. our doggies can be imaginative. Two possible outcomes to such carnage: the emergency vet because he swallowed a pile of very dangerous junk and/or an emergency call to your insurer to quantify the damage. But already, you can clearly say goodbye to your deposit!

Musher is a very well-balanced female dog in her paws. If I had to leave her alone for a few hours, I would do it without worries. After a good walk, she would be happy to be a bit alone to take a good quiet nap! And in this case, I watch her out of the corner of my eye with my little dog camera. I connect it to wifi and I can spy on it. If ever something silly is in the works, I can talk to him via the app on my phone. The mobile application is connected to the camera placed in my vacation rental. I use the Petkit Tour Mate dog camera. And if I see a problem, I can decide to shorten my visit to get in quickly. I find it very practical.

There is a very last solution to visit a dog forbidden to dog with your dog: It takes two. One visits while the other waits with the dog and then we reverse. In some sites, small dogs are tolerated if they are carried in a dog backpack. So much the better for them but for me who has a Labrador, this kind of derogation makes me laugh… One of these four, I'm going to land in one of these museums or castles with Musher in a backpack in his helicopter winch harness. They won't be able to tell me anything: she'll be in a backpack, too!

In short, I hope I have enlightened you on all the solutions that exist to take your dog on vacation and still be able to enjoy some activities prohibited to dogs. Please, never choose the option to leave your dog in your car!!!!

See you soon and happy holidays to all your family whether they have two or four legs.