Message Forums

Quote: Originally posted by D S B on 25/11/2011

---

When we had our eldest daughter, we decided to call her Ruth so that her name can't be shortened 

---

Quote: Originally posted by Chalkie56 on 26/11/2011

---

Hi DSB - Please dont think I am peeing on your fire and trying to bring down the joyous ownership of you new found friend. Dont forget to get adequate pet insurance, we shopped around and found asda one of the better deals. The we had a choice 1 or 2 (choice 2 up to £7500 cover), we chose the higher choice 2 which is around £32 a month. Now bear in mind we have never had a dog before. He is a very loving male greyhound (SID). A couple of days before good friday this year, My wife came downstairs in morning to find blood every where, he had honked up on the sofa which we do not allow him to get on, the blood had gone through the sofa and through to the floor the same in his bed and several other places. We took him tto the vets they had him to day before good friday anbd said we are not open on bank holiday weekend you must have him back. We did and he collapsed in the lounge. Called vets and got us into temporary vets about 15 miles away. This vet said she will only watch our dog die we need to get him to a veterinary hospital. Booked us in the willows and there he stayed for quite a while. He had many tests including scans and endoscopy and after quite a while they singned him off the hospital. Oh he had a burst stomach ulcer - we now believe he is ok.
But the morale of this story is to get your self a good insurance policy - why because our bill come to over £7000. If we had had the lower insurance option 1 we may have had to make some very heart wrenching decisions.
Sorry to be a little morbid - but they are just like us and can get sick - but dont have NHS

---

We use something like this for Sammy, really good for when they are wet, keeps your furniture from getting wet, and dries the dog. http://www.muddypaws.co.uk/muddy-paws-coats-harnesses-dog-coats/fleece-dog-coat/prod_218.html

We also have him during the camping season, this reduceds the amount of rubbish carried by the fur.

Our dog loves swimmng in the sea, rivers etc, so even when all of this is in place we still have to sweep the floor most days, but if we dont do all of this the floor is gritty on a perminent basis.

During the summer months it can be too hot to leave the dog in the van for a couple of hours whilst you pop out, so you need to consider things to do and places to go where you can take the hound.  Quite easy for us as we're out doors poeple.  Cycling is generally out though.

Tony B

Thanks for the advice Tony.  I was looking yesterday at the beaches in Cornwall that accept dogs during the summer months - most of our favourite beaches will be no-go areas.  Pembrokeshire fairs much better though, so I suspect we might think of this as a summer holiday option.

Our summer 2012 quandry is not helped by our new dog.  firstly I put my foot down & said we were not taking the easy option & putting him in kennels.

Switzerland is completely out because of the time we would be away from the van during the day & a couple of hours on a mountain railway may be beyond his boredom threshold.

Next thought was France (either Brittany or Atlantic Coast), but the Pet Passport constraints of having to get him vaccinated between 24 & 48 hours of returning to the UK meant we would have to either blast back from site with no break or cut 2 days off our holiday to camp up near Calais for 2 nights to get the jabs in.

We are now deciding between Cornwall, Wales & New Forest.  Decisions, decisions.  Re Cornwall most of the well known big open beaches have dog restrictions on them, but there are plenty of coves & smaller beaches near Looe for example that allow dogs.

Quote: Originally posted by Zafiral on 30/11/2011

---

Our summer 2012 quandry is not helped by our new dog.  firstly I put my foot down & said we were not taking the easy option & putting him in kennels.

Switzerland is completely out because of the time we would be away from the van during the day & a couple of hours on a mountain railway may be beyond his boredom threshold.

Next thought was France (either Brittany or Atlantic Coast), but the Pet Passport constraints of having to get him vaccinated between 24 & 48 hours of returning to the UK meant we would have to either blast back from site with no break or cut 2 days off our holiday to camp up near Calais for 2 nights to get the jabs in.

We are now deciding between Cornwall, Wales & New Forest.  Decisions, decisions.  Re Cornwall most of the well known big open beaches have dog restrictions on them, but there are plenty of coves & smaller beaches near Looe for example that allow dogs.

---

Hi all

Couple more things that have either been mentioned or we have a way around them (we caravan with an elderly german shepherd and a young german shepherd/lab x)

Beach - If you ask the local tourist board office you often find that part of a beach is no dogs but beyond a certain point your dog would be welcome - in our experience (yorkshire) this has always been the case.

We don't use a crate we have one of these http://www.roofbox.co.uk/dog-bag/ which is great as they fold down into a rucksack if you need them too - both our dogs love ours and both go in one albeit the xl one - the zip has broken after some 8 years so we are buying another one next year but will take the old one to use in the awning as they both treat it as home from home.

I find it very strange when we go away without the dogs - doesn't seem right somehow.  We went to the big caravan show in October at the NEC and dog friendly caravans were on our agenda - we have ordered a twin axle elddis rambler - very suitable for our family (human and canine) based on an elddis avante 646.  Our current van is a Bailey Discovery Neptune and we have never had the carpets down due to younger children & the dogs, we have never used it without throws either but it has paid off as we have been offered £7.5K trade in and it cost us under £10k.

Enjoy the fun

Angela

Quote: Originally posted by murano on 26/11/2011

---

David yes you have to make a few changes but they are worth it, she will give you years of unconditional love and enjoyment, you are going to have a wonderful time with her :)
Tescos is good for insurance , they were really good when our lab got poorly, shop around, and read all the fine print too.
Really happy for you, she's beautiful xxx

---

Quote: Originally posted by Zafiral on 05/12/2011

---

I think we will go back to Looe as we are also going away with the in laws as it will be the MIL's 65th & there are some great restaurants there for a meal.

---

Quote: Originally posted by auntyange on 08/12/2011

Hi all

Couple more things that have either been mentioned or we have a way around them (we caravan with an elderly german shepherd and a young german shepherd/lab x)

Beach - If you ask the local tourist board office you often find that part of a beach is no dogs but beyond a certain point your dog would be welcome - in our experience (yorkshire) this has always been the case.

We don't use a crate we have one of these http://www.roofbox.co.uk/dog-bag/ which is great as they fold down into a rucksack if you need them too - both our dogs love ours and both go in one albeit the xl one - the zip has broken after some 8 years so we are buying another one next year but will take the old one to use in the awning as they both treat it as home from home.

I find it very strange when we go away without the dogs - doesn't seem right somehow.  We went to the big caravan show in October at the NEC and dog friendly caravans were on our agenda - we have ordered a twin axle elddis rambler - very suitable for our family (human and canine) based on an elddis avante 646.  Our current van is a Bailey Discovery Neptune and we have never had the carpets down due to younger children & the dogs, we have never used it without throws either but it has paid off as we have been offered £7.5K trade in and it cost us under £10k.

Enjoy the fun

Angela

---

---

Keep Pembrey in mind as well David - dog beach is perfect and the CC site is fab, my girls (14 and 9) loved it.

Do I remember you saying you were off to Conkers? That's just down the road for us, but we've not been for a while unfortunately. I especially recommend the Friday night fish 'n chip van - I used to teach the guy who runs it and the food is fab.