• The Good: Save on kennel or home based pet minding fees. No expectations on family or friends to step in while you're away. Not worrying about them. It's FUN! especially if travelling alone.
• The Bad: Having your pet with you can restrict the activities you can do while away.

Dog Friendly Accommodation

Here are five sites I recently checked out. In particular I can recommend Stayz. Past experience with Stayz, saw a fast and easy booking process and in our case a confirmation in less than 24 hours. It's also a very easy website to use. Here are the links:

• Stayz
• Pets Playground
• Doggy Holiday
• Dogz Online
• Holidaying With Dogs

Before You Leave

• Make sure your dog has his collar, ID and lead.
• Is registered and micro-chipped.
• Has all their vaccinations etc. up to date.
• Check with the owners of the holiday rental on whether the dog can sleep inside or out; if they are allowed on furniture or not; and the rules regarding dog toileting areas and disposal of doggy-dos!

Travel Notes (Regardless of trip duration):

• Remember to take a bowl and a bottle of water for rest breaks.
• Make sure you have your dog comfortably restrained in the car for the journey with a harness or car divider so that both driver and passengers aren't distracted.
• Do take breaks, at least every 2 hours.

Destination Notes

• Bring some of your pets favourite things with you for settling them into the holiday accommodation. Our dog has a favourite old fabric bath mat for sleeping on, as well as a few chew toys.
• Don't forget balls; tug toys and Frisbees for playtime!

Other Practical Tips

• On occasion it may be necessary to tether your dog when you need to use both hands and in cases where the dog may stray, for e.g. if you may need to pack a car, take a toilet break, erect a tent or beach sun shelter. So it may be helpful to have a portable ground stake for this purpose to tie the lead to.
• If it's a beach trip, remember to bring lots of towels for drying your pooch, and something waterproof for in the car that will protect seats etc. from your wet dog with sandy paws. We turned our rubber backed picnic rug upside down in the back of our small station wagon for return trips from inlet swims. A small tarp would also work.
• There isn't always a suitable outdoor tap or hose to rinse dogs with, so take along either a big enough plastic tub &/or plastic jug or watering can, and don't forget the doggy shampoo for the day when a rinse isn't enough anymore. Remember it could be a long trip home with a big smelly pup in a confined space. Oh, and a sandy dog is an itchy dog! So be fair, they need a rinse as much as you do after playing in the sand and/or sea.

Important Note: Last but by no means least, to ensure a happy vacation for all, never leave your animal tethered without shade or water or for long periods of time, and never leave your pet in a car. Besides being cruel it is against the law. I can't stress this enough after once having to rescue a dog in this situation who was left in a car in the street outside my home when it's owners unbelievably left him there and went Christmas shopping.