extended travel with a dog

[Murray]

Hi everyone,
Friends who are planning their retirement and wanting to do the BIG TRIP around Oz want to take their dog: an Irish Wolfhound cross. So it is a rather large, but friendly creature and they want some info on how others deal with travelling with pets. They know where the dog friendly van parks are. That is not the question. The question is sight seeing and compromising destinations. Example, Uluru does not accept dogs. Pets can be bordered in Alice and then collected after. How many times do you have to do this before the pet interferes too much with the trip? How many times do you have to compromise what you do or see because of the dog?

Thanks in advance, remembering I am asking for someone else. We don't take our dog and that was my advice, but they are looking at their options.
Cheers
Murray

[kranky al]

we spent a year round oz with two dogs - there were downsides and there are places we missed but on the other side of things there isnt enough time in a year to see everything anyway - so we saw other stuff that was awesome as well.  we also stepped off the beaten path a lot more.

we also didnt have anything stolen from our camp and had our best mates with us all the way.

would do the same again.

[MR MAC GU]

Just remember that dogs tire easily when tied to the bumper and trying to keep up on the highway...lol

On a serious note. I sometimes take my dog (Jack Russell) camping with me but there is no way i would take him on a large trek like that. I don't think it is fair on the dog to be stuck in the car for long trips. And I would also prefer to enjoy a trip like that without the restrictions that taking a dog would bring.

Just my 2c worth.

Don't shoot me down...just my honest feelings on the subject.

[Murray]

Thanks Kranky and Mr Mac,
Both sides of the  coin given. All responses will be passed on my friends will have to decide between the big tourist destinations and the out of the way places.

Murray

[res.q.guy]

Hi Murray
We had two years travelling Aust. with two dogs, although a lot smaller !.
Wouldn't think of going without them.
There is heaps of places to go and see, taking dogs.
Too many rules and regs in National Parks even without dogs.
On the couple of National Parks we did want to go into, we teamed up with others with dogs.
We look after theirs, for the day, or two, then they looked after ours.
It worked for us.
Cheers
Neil

[Murray]

Hi res.q.guy,
That's a good point about teaming up. In hind sight, it is obvious that you will meet folk doing the same thing with same issues. I'll pass that on. I was talking to someone today who have an Irish Wolfhound and they said these dogs only live for 7 - 8 years, so my friends had better leave in the next two years or the problem may solve itself.

Thanks again
Murray

[Kit_e_kat9]

I loved travelling with my old mate Digger (since crossed the Rainbow Bridge) ... he was hardly any trouble really.  Being a single female at the time, he was a handy deterent at times and provided me with companionship and security.  He was also a handy dishwasher.  The few NP's I did wish to enter, had Rangers that provided shelter for him for a few hours or directed me to places that would.

No way I could have left him behind.

Kit_e

[Geoffwin]

We are just heading out to Lake Eyre with 2 dogs, so far they are travelling very well.

I wasn't prepared to leave them in a kennel for 2 or 3 weeks - if it was kids that would be another matter.

[trekkn]

me and the better half have this disscusion eveytime we talk about our big trip starting early 2012 our dog is a 10 yr old male lab and he is so loyale and has always been a great dog and im keen to take him as i feel i owe it to him  he loves camping and 4 wheel drivn its in his blood
its a hard choice but after reading some of the previous post i keener to take him and deal with any limitations that we may encounter then to leave him with the inlaws

[HerGU]

We are considering the dilema ourselves right now. We plan to travel for 18 months + on a working holiday in the next 12 months, and we have 2 medium sized dogs. We know it will be hard travelling with them, but on the other hand, i couldn't stand to give them away or send them home (to the other side of the country) to live with my parents (not that i have talked to them at all about it yet either).

Undecided......

[tjwrexy]

Your friends can always take their dog with them THIS trip, as noted by others, it is possible.  They will then have an excuse (not that they need one) to plan another trip once their companion passes away and go to the places they couldn't this time.

Problem solved 

Tammy

[Duchess]

Sometimes, I think you can actually see better places with dogs and often they are the spots where the rest of the crowd don't go and visit.

[Yoda42]

We ALWAYS travel with our boys, understanding we will be restricted in going to some places. We are prepared to put them in a kennel for short periods of time.

For us, they are BRILLIANT travellers, and go to sleep immediately. Their bladder control is better than ours and can last longer!

Being beagles, everyone at least smiles at them/us, they are a great way to meet new people, and we have NEVER been refused to go to a cafe - we always ask first and sit outside. In many cases, we have had a bowl of water brought out to us.

They are always good as bed warmers - a two dog night was named for them ;To be honest, I think it's easier travelling with the dogs than it is travelling with kids

I would, however, NEVER recommend leaving dogs alone anywhere. They could get stolen, people could tease them and stress them out, or worse, they may bite someone, or even be accused of biting someone, they can get themselves all tied up and then can't access water and shade and die from heat exhaustion.

Personal preference, but our dogs are our family members, every day with them is special, and they're around a lot less than we are on this earth. Camping is not the same without them.

[Murray]

Cheers all who replied. I will pass on your comments and your comments are appreciated.

Murray

[kranky al]

one thing we did that made our dogs lives easier when we travelled was a run.  ie we got 2 40 foot lengths of rope and 2 swivels and 4 heavy duty pegs.  we would set one run at the front of the ct and one at the back.  we then had security at the front and the rear or the ct when we were gone - the dogs could sit in the shade or the sun as they pleased as well as access their water bowl and couldnt get tangled. 

we had a sign at the front and the rear of the ct saying to leave them be.  ours are mongrel bitzers of course - no-one would steal them - not that they would let said stealing occur.  if you have a purebred expensive dog - that may not work as well.  wheres the iphone trackmydog app?