ARAG experts on the right autumn holiday with your dog
Dusseldorf. At least a third of all Germans take their dog with them on vacation. The most important thing when looking for a suitable destination: What kind of vacation can I actually go on with my furry friend? ARAG experts provide some suggestions and tips on how to make vacations together a safe pleasure for all two- and four-legged friends involved.
Well prepared for the holidays
There are numerous precautions to take that can take a lot of time. It can take weeks until you have the necessary papers, health certificates, permits or insurance together. Vaccinations may also be necessary and require a certain amount of time in advance. For travel within the European Union (EU) When traveling within the European Union, this is clearly summarized by the EU itself; For all other destinations you should get information in good time, for example via the Federal Foreign Office website. If traveling to southern Europe, you should speak to your veterinarian about the risk of leishmaniasis.
The animal also needs a travel pharmacy, which should contain tick tweezers and remedies for motion sickness, such as wound sprays or bandages. ARAG animal expert Dr. explains how you can help your dog with minor injuries. Gundula Glossner on YouTube.
Busy, but not overloaded
Most owners can tell you a thing or two: a bored dog quickly thinks of nonsense. How much and what type of activity the animal needs varies completely and largely depends on the breed. Basically, a dog prefers to be with his family and that's half the battle for him. The only option is to leave him in the hotel room most of the time and plan activities where he can't be there. Choosing the right climate is also important because the ARAG experts warn that many of our pets do not cope well with extreme heat. They suffer from this as well as the companies themselves. You should only expect your animal friend to travel by plane if it is a longer vacation and flying is unavoidable. The stress for the animals is extremely high – especially when they have to travel in the cargo hold.
Hiking is the dog's passion
Hiking holidays with your four-legged friend are very popular in autumn. Later in the year or if you want to go higher, warm clothing for the animal or possibly paw protection may be useful. By the way, it is now increasingly possible to book hiking holidays as a complete package. The advantage: The providers have already checked that the routes are also suitable for our best friend and provide information about the requirements in advance. This allows dog owners to think beforehand about which hike is easy for everyone involved. In addition, accommodation has already been provided where animals are truly welcome.
The key on a hiking holiday is not to overwhelm the dog. How demanding a hike can be depends on the fitness of the animal. According to ARAG experts, fifteen kilometers shouldn't be a problem for an adult dog; Sports cannons also do more. In principle, the age of the dog is not a problem, but of course, like humans, hiking puts strain on tendons, muscles and joints. Since most animals don't show signs of pain for a long time, it is the responsibility of their humans to assess what's going on and to provide breaks and rest days.
By the way, hiking with puppies is taboo. At four to eight months, they should not walk for more than an hour. In addition, if possible, 20 hours of rest and sleep per day are recommended, which means that an extended hike is not feasible anyway. Depending on the breed of dog, you can consider hiking at one or even two years old. But if you don't want to miss out on hiking, the ARAG experts recommend getting your puppy used to a special backpack at a young age so that you can carry it again and again later. The older the animal, the more difficult it is to get used to this type of transport.
Sea always works
If you have dogs that need a lot of exercise and may enjoy bathing, a holiday by the sea is also a good option in autumn. The North and Baltic Seas are equally suitable for this. The ARAG experts point out that on our coasts from October to April the leash requirement or the general ban on dogs will be lifted on most beach sections. There are also designated dog beaches on almost all coasts where you can safely leave your leash in your bag all year round. Anyone who does not comply with this is committing an administrative offense that will result in a fine. The municipalities determine the amount of the fine.
A special kind of active holiday
If beach and hiking vacations are too common for you, just try something new with your dog. This brings variety to holiday life and at the same time increases the bond between animals and people. For example, a dog sports course can be booked. Or why not start with Treibball or try out dog dancing? And there are holiday seminars for herding dogs where they can even work during the holidays.
ARAG SE