You’ve booked the accommodation, you’ve packed your case, but what should you pack for a dog-friendly getaway?
Whenever we go abroad, just the two of us, Mr T always jokes that I need a separate luggage allowance just for my make-up and beauty products! [In fairness he’s not far off the mark – it takes a lot of effort these days to look even marginally presentable!]
I’m the sort of person that has to pack for every eventuality. So, packing to go away with Poppy dog, who has almost as much luggage as Mr T and I put together, and fitting everything into the confines of my Mini Countryman is some what of a challenge.
A Dog Friendly Getaway in Norfolk
At the beginning of March, Pops and I feel incredibly honoured to have been asked to write a review of the fabulous dog-friendly North Norfolk Holiday Cottages.
We’ll be staying at Lark Cottage, which sleeps up to 10 people [so ample room for the the two of us!] and is just a stones throw from Brancaster beach.
Having never visited Norfolk before, we are super excited, not least that I’ve read what a dog-friendly county Norfolk is. [Pops is excited, mainly because she’ll be getting a week of R and R away from her new little sister Gertie!]
What Should You Pack for a Dog Friendly Getaway?
With running the website, I’ve come across some truly amazing brands and there are some accessories and products that Pops and I simply couldn’t live without and consider to be everyday essentials. Therefore, we thought it would be great to share our top six must haves with you.
Dog Walking Bag – perfect for a Dog Friendly Getaway
If you’ve read some of my other blogs, you will know that Pops and I are huge fans of The Cosy Canine Company. Lottie’s range of handmade dog products are just stunning – beautifully crafted and practical to boot!
Made from oil cloth fabric, these canine essentials really do stand even the worst of weather. [I can testify this having been caught out in a torrential rain storm on more than one occasion!]
Our bag literally joins us on every adventure, so we’ll definitely be taking it on holiday. It means you can carry all those essentials with you and have them to hand should you need them – water bottle, collapsible bowl, phone, treats etc! If you’re a stylish pup like Pops, you can even coordinate your accessories with a matching poop-bag holder.
We’re lucky enough to own four of these handy dispensers, and have them attached to various leads so we’re never caught short! Save 15% off your order using code DOTTY4PAWS.
Comfy bedding
As you can imagine, and I suspect not unlike most pampered pooches up and down the country, Pops has a whole array of beds to choose from, and……you’ve guessed it, one of her favourites is still the human bed of course!! I could literally spend thousands of pounds on a bed for her and yet she would still choose to sleep, like a bolster, in between Mr and T and I! [Whoever said children are the biggest passion killer has clearly never met Pops, she would give any little human a run for their money I can tell you!]
That said, and particularly in her older age, there are times in night when she decides she needs her own space and retreats to her bed next to me on the floor. [After all, humans are incredibly inconsiderate, they do have this nasty habit of tossing and turning during the night and disturbing ones beauty sleep!]
Pops has a whole host of bedding ‘options’ from Slumbering Hound, an online boutique selling doggy bedding to die for. From dog beds, to snuggle sacks (perfect for chilly Winter nights) and blankets, Dee’s products are just unbeatable in my opinion.
Beautifully finished and easy to wash they are the perfect accessory to take away on holiday. For some dogs being away from home and all their creature comforts can seem daunting, so to take bedding which has their scent on, and smells familiar, can help combat those initial anxieties and enable them to settle much quicker.
Food to Pack for a Dog Friendly Getaway
Obviously food is one thing that Poppy would never allow me to forget! But feeding your dog the same diet when your away from home is important – you don’t want any dodgy tummies or visits to the lawn during the early hours of the morning when you’re supposedly relaxing!
For many months now I have been feeding Pops on Cobbydog which is a cold pressed dog food and the closest you can get to raw feeding without all the inconvenience! I’ve tried a few brands, but this is by far the most suited to Pops – one of the key ingredients is Tumeraid which helps keep Poppy’s joints in fine shape, keeps her coat shiny and healthy and maintains a perfect weight too. (You can save 10% at Cobbydog using code DOTTY10)
Of course, Poppy’s all time favourite treats – Pointy Faces Sausages will also be accompanying us on our travels! Nothing gets my girl to pose for a photo quite like these tasty morsels, they are known in our house as bribing bait!!
Practical leads and collars for a Dog Friendly Holiday
What girl can holiday without her accessories right? You never know when you may be called on for a spot of posing, so something practical yet fashionable is required!
Our Reg&Bob collar and lead sets will definitely be joining us on our travels. These brightly coloured, eye catching accessories are just perfect for splashing around in the sea and what’s more, they come up like new after a wash – a definite must for all you adventure dogs out there!
Drying Towels
We simply wouldn’t be able to live without our Soggy Doggy Mitts and Mats! We absolutely love these products and cannot rate them highly enough. They are perfect for beach days, rainy days or spa days [though I’m not sure Pops would consider a bath a spa treatment by any means, however living with me, she has learned to tolerate copious amounts of pampering and fussing over the years!]
Not only do Soggy Doggy products dry Poppy dog so much more effectively than similar brands we’ve tried, but they don’t smell! This to me in such an important factor – after all being a crazy dog woman is one thing, but a crazy dog woman with a smelly house and car is not a good rep to have!
Dog Soap
Much as we couldn’t live without our Soggy Doggy drying products, we also couldn’t live without our soap from Dubby Dog.
I use this trusty dog soap everyday to keep Pops squeaky clean and smelling gorgeous! [After all when you spend more time in the human bed than the humans, one must consider hygiene a priority!!]
If there’s something you consider a travel essential for your pup, or can recommend a ‘must visit’ place for our holiday, why not leave a comment below and let me know.
In the meantime, you may like to read some of our other blogs about some of the fabulous products we’ve mentioned above.
A review of Cobbydog’s Optimum Chicken Cold Pressed Complete Dog Food with TurmerAid
No More Soggy Doggy! Drying Mitts and Matts for Mutts
A New Range of Tasty Dog Treats from Pointy Faces
Slumbering Hound A Range of Luxury Dog Beds and Dog Blankets
The Perfect Dog Walking Bag from The Cosy Canine Company
Let your Dog be a Dog with Reg&Bob Practical Dog Leads and Collars
Woofs and Wags
Kate and Pops
xox