How to Take your Dog on Holiday in Your Motorhome

A dog really does become a much-loved part of the family, so why would you leave yours at home just because you’re going off on a break? The answer is, of course, that you wouldn’t. These days more and more people undertake independent holidays (rather than opt for package deals from a travel agent) and fire up the booster rockets of their motorhome to blast off for the UK’s beauty spots, taking the dog along with them.

Broadly speaking, how do you travel with a dog in a motorhome or caravan? Motorhoming with pets is all very well on our own shores – but what if you’re opting for a holiday abroad? What if you intend to aim your motorhome in the direction of continental Europe and press ‘go’? Are you actually allowed to take your dog into Europe with you and, if so, is there a load of complex admin to do in advance?

What are the things you need to do before travelling and along the way, and what are the things you need to know?

Welfare

The first step is certainly the most important when you’re taking your dog on holiday in a motorhome. Think carefully of the dog’s needs during the journey. They may generally be a great traveller, but they may not be used to long distances – either way it’s always worth taking something familiar from home that they like the smell of, whether it’s a blanket or a chew toy, to help them feel secure.

Comfort during the journey is important – but it’s not a great idea to allow your dog to roam completely free. It’s dangerous (for you, for them, for other road users) if they sit on your lap while you’re trying to concentrate on driving. It’s possible to buy a crash-tested seatbelt harness for your dog. If you’re towing a caravan, the dog should be in the vehicle that’s pulling. Bear in mind that the motorhome is not necessarily a spacious environment so making several stops along the way to give the dog a leg stretch (and the chance to go to the loo) is very important.

Packing for the trip and making sure you have everything you need for the dog is crucial. Make a list in advance so that when the time comes to load up you can quickly get these items together and pack. The list is likely to include things like medication, feeding bowls, toys, poo bags, harness and lead, and so on. Bear in mind that it is not legal to take meat-based dog food out of the country, so you will need to have a vegan food or a fish product. This goes for any dog treats, too.

Also extremely important to consider is how he or she will feel in a totally alien environment, and how they’ll cope with climate conditions which could be vastly different to those in our country. Spending any length of time in the 40° heat of Spain, for example, is going to be quite a shock to a UK dog’s system – particularly if they’re a long-haired or thick-coated breed. In fact, it could result in heatstroke, even for smaller or short-haired mutts. So, checking the weather and thinking seriously about the likelihood of your dog coping with it is an absolute must. The RSPCA website provides a helpful guide on the welfare aspects of taking a dog on holiday, and there is even an additional section which talks specifically about the signs and effects of heatstroke.

Health rules & responsibilities

There are different rules on how to take your dog abroad in a motorhome, especially for travelling with your dog to an EU country (or Northern Ireland) than for taking your dog to a country outside of the EU. When travelling to an EU country or NI, your dog needs the following:

• A microchip
• A valid rabies vaccination
• An animal health certificate, or
• A valid pet passport
• Tapeworm treatment

These requirements can be a little bit costly (if you haven’t kept on top of treatments or are obtaining certificates etc for the first time), and they also apply to assistance dogs. It’s also very important to check the rules of the individual country you’re going to for any further restrictions or specific requirements before you travel.

A passport for your dog might seem like something of a novelty or even a joke when you first think about it – but it actually makes complete sense. Firstly, it’s a formal identity document (so the dog can prove he or she is who they say they are, perhaps!) but it’s also a way to show that it has been certified healthy enough to travel, as it will contain a record of the vaccinations and tests they’ve had. It will also contain information on things like whether the dog has any tattoos (this seems unlikely, but it’s true – some people tattoo their dogs for identification purposes). It’s important to keep this passport up to date – so getting your vet to run over it and re-stamp it is important. At the same time as they’re doing this it’s a good idea to get the microchip checked to make sure it’s still working.

Your dog’s vaccinations must be up to date. Rabies vaccinations must be at least 21 days before you travel – so be mindful of this and keep track of the dates and make sure you see the vet in time.

Tapeworm treatment is also an important and interesting one as taking your dog abroad will definitely involve this. If you’re leaving the UK, the dog must be treated by a vet before you go. You must wait for 24 hours before re-entering the country and you must also return within 120 hours – or you’ll need to get another tapeworm treatment from a vet abroad before you come home. They will record the necessary information in the dog’s passport or health certificate. You should treat your dog again within 28 days of returning to Great Britain. Under current regulations this tapeworm treatment isn’t necessary if you’re coming directly from Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Malta or Norway.

Bear in mind, also, that the country you’re going to may have different laws and restrictions than you’re used to. In Finland, for example, you must keep a dog on a lead at all times during shooting season. Other countries will have their own legal ‘quirks’ in relation to the behaviour and responsibilities of dog owners. Do some research in advance so that you’re well prepared.

If you are taking a dog that is not yours abroad, you must have a signed letter of consent from the actual legal owner to say that you are the dog’s custodian and you have their permission to take the animal abroad.

The importance of following all of these identification and health steps when taking your dog on holiday can’t be overstated. It would be terrible to find yourself in a situation where you have (though accidentally or forgetfully) taken your dog into another country on illegal terms.

The motorhome or caravan itself

We touched on this a little earlier (when we talked about the dog needing to feel confident and comfortable), but we’ll expand here. The other side of the same coin is that the motorhome will soon provide your dog with a safe and familiar environment, and it will be easier to get them into a new (temporary) routine because of this.

Storing your dog’s food and other necessities is far easier in a motorhome than it would be if you had to lug bags of stuff to a hotel, where they’d probably sit in the corner of the room, making your relaxing environment untidy.

It’s also worth thinking about the fact that if you park up and take your dog off for a long walk through some beautiful continental countryside there’s a chance they’ll get very messy. A motorhome may have an outdoor shower facility so that cleaning them up is no real issue. Even if it doesn’t, at least you will be able to keep them outside for cleaning. Taking a dog back to a hotel and trying to clean them up in your bathroom’s shower is quite a hassle – and the hotel is not necessarily going to be pleased if you traipse a wet or dirty pooch through their lobby, corridors, stairs or lift and room.

Ultimately, a holiday is about relaxing and making the most of your time away from the stresses and strains of everyday life. Taking your dog along with you gives you a great opportunity to bond at a deeper level – you can take them to new environments where they can sniff and run to their heart’s content. Travelling abroad in a motorhome does have challenges or, rather, logistics, to consider – but, with planning and a bit of method, taking your dog along with you shouldn’t be a problem. Safe travels!