Before I got a dog, I often traveled to exotic destinations and big cities. After I got a dog - and now two - my priorities have changed. If you had asked me 15 years ago if I wanted to go on a road trip in Europe, the answer would probably have been "no thanks". But now that I want to take the dogs with me, I've realized how many beautiful places there are to see right here in our own "backyard". For me, the vacation is much better when I can experience it all with my dogs. But it also requires a lot of planning and thought if the dog is going to have a good vacation too. For me, it's worth all the trouble when we can hike in the mountains together, experience a foreign beach or visit a cozy pub where dogs are welcome.
Since I got Frida 7 years ago, we have traveled around most of Denmark - and visited a large number of countries in Europe: Sweden, Norway (skiing holidays), England, Germany, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands and France. Most of our holidays are active holidays with hiking in the mountains or in other beautiful natural areas. If we encounter a big city, we stop for a day or two at most. If it is to make sense to take the dog on holiday, I think it is important to choose a type of holiday that also gives the dog a good experience. And I think that most dogs do not like too much stress and hustle, noise and heat during an entire holiday. That is why we choose not to travel too far south in the summer - and go to places with lots of air and nature.
The whole set-up around a holiday trip can be a stress factor for the dog: Many hours of driving in the car, living in new places, a lot of new impressions - and people/animals to relate to. That's why I've trained a lot of environmental training from the dogs when they were little: Going to cafes, coming "into town" with them - and getting used to many new impressions. After that, we've always started small with short weekend trips to see how they took it. Last summer, when Vilde was little, the trip went to southern Sweden and Bornholm, so we didn't have to travel too far with her. This year, her first "real" trip abroad was 10 days to southern Germany and Austria. She coped superbly and enjoyed participating. But I could also feel that extra breaks and more sleep were needed to digest all the new impressions.
If my dogs weren't trained for all this in advance and instead got stressed about coming along - well, I would definitely choose home daycare instead. A good holiday together should be enjoyable for both the two-legged and four-legged friends.
My best advice for those who want to take their dog on holiday for the first time would be to prepare thoroughly from home: Train the things that can make it easier for the dog to come along - such as driving a car, new environments, etc. And make sure you have the practicalities under control: Does the dog have a passport, the right vaccines, etc. - and what things should you bring with you, food, first aid kit, etc.? In addition, some countries may have special rules regarding dogs that you need to familiarize yourself with: If you want to travel on public transport or a lift in the mountains in Austria, Italy and Germany, for example, a muzzle may be required. And it's nice to both have one with you and to train the dog from home. On our holidays, we also usually make sure to have a "plan B" in the back of your mind: Because what do you do if a 5-hour hike is planned - and the temperature is 30 degrees? We tried that once on a hiking holiday in Southern Jutland, and it was nice to know that we could take a bus instead of walking.
All these "difficulties" mentioned, I think that vacationing with a dog is the most amazing thing: We always meet a lot of goodwill and interest, and in that way it is easier to talk to locals and other travelers. The dogs make us stop and "take a breath" and enjoy the little things on the trip and in nature a little extra. And yes: it is just a pleasure to have these experiences together.
The next stop on our shared adventure will be the Dolomites in Italy....
About the blogger:
Karoline lives in Birkerød with her boyfriend and their two golden retrievers, Frida and Vilde. Karoline is a trained veterinarian and dog trainer and is co-founder of the dog running club Dirty Paws, where she is also a trainer/rope keeper at the local club in North Zealand. Frida and Line love running canicross together and have participated in many competitions at home and abroad, including the European Championships and World Championships. Their most important motto, however, is "Better together" - that the trips are about teamwork and understanding for each other. And that everyone can join in. In addition to canicross, they also participate in K9 biathlons (obstacle races with dogs) and do dog fitness. And hiking both in Denmark and around Europe is also a hit.
Frida is a super fast runner when it comes to it. And can hike for hours in the Alps. But she also just loves to be petted on the stomach and sleep for a long time. She can be stubborn as a donkey if there is something she doesn't like. On evening walks, for example, she is the one who decides the route. And she "talks" a lot by purring, including when she thinks she has earned an extra treat.
Vilde is from the spring of 2023 - and in many ways Frida's opposite. She is full of mischief and always happy and cheeky. She can howl like a wolf or jump like a kangaroo when she gets impatient - and otherwise she is a smart and brave girl who loves wild play and training. She will do pretty much anything for a treat.
Frida, Vilde and Karoline can be found on Instagram with the profile @teamgoldenpower
Summer vacation. Should the dog come with you?
Before I got a dog, I often traveled to exotic destinations and big cities. After I got a dog - and now two - my priorities have changed. If you had asked me 15 years ago if I wanted to go on a road trip in Europe, the answer would probably have been "no thanks". But now that I want to take the dogs with me, I've realized how many beautiful places there are to see right here in our own "backyard". For me, the vacation is much better when I can experience it all with my dogs. But it also requires a lot of planning and thought if the dog is going to have a good vacation too. For me, it's worth all the trouble when we can hike in the mountains together, experience a foreign beach or visit a cozy pub where dogs are welcome.
Since I got Frida 7 years ago, we have traveled around most of Denmark - and visited a large number of countries in Europe: Sweden, Norway (skiing holidays), England, Germany, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands and France. Most of our holidays are active holidays with hiking in the mountains or in other beautiful natural areas. If we encounter a big city, we stop for a day or two at most. If it is to make sense to take the dog on holiday, I think it is important to choose a type of holiday that also gives the dog a good experience. And I think that most dogs do not like too much stress and hustle, noise and heat during an entire holiday. That is why we choose not to travel too far south in the summer - and go to places with lots of air and nature.
The whole set-up around a holiday trip can be a stress factor for the dog: Many hours of driving in the car, living in new places, a lot of new impressions - and people/animals to relate to. That's why I've trained a lot of environmental training from the dogs when they were little: Going to cafes, coming "into town" with them - and getting used to many new impressions. After that, we've always started small with short weekend trips to see how they took it. Last summer, when Vilde was little, the trip went to southern Sweden and Bornholm, so we didn't have to travel too far with her. This year, her first "real" trip abroad was 10 days to southern Germany and Austria. She coped superbly and enjoyed participating. But I could also feel that extra breaks and more sleep were needed to digest all the new impressions.
If my dogs weren't trained for all this in advance and instead got stressed about coming along - well, I would definitely choose home daycare instead. A good holiday together should be enjoyable for both the two-legged and four-legged friends.
My best advice for those who want to take their dog on holiday for the first time would be to prepare thoroughly from home: Train the things that can make it easier for the dog to come along - such as driving a car, new environments, etc. And make sure you have the practicalities under control: Does the dog have a passport, the right vaccines, etc. - and what things should you bring with you, food, first aid kit, etc.? In addition, some countries may have special rules regarding dogs that you need to familiarize yourself with: If you want to travel on public transport or a lift in the mountains in Austria, Italy and Germany, for example, a muzzle may be required. And it's nice to both have one with you and to train the dog from home. On our holidays, we also usually make sure to have a "plan B" in the back of your mind: Because what do you do if a 5-hour hike is planned - and the temperature is 30 degrees? We tried that once on a hiking holiday in Southern Jutland, and it was nice to know that we could take a bus instead of walking.
All these "difficulties" mentioned, I think that vacationing with a dog is the most amazing thing: We always meet a lot of goodwill and interest, and in that way it is easier to talk to locals and other travelers. The dogs make us stop and "take a breath" and enjoy the little things on the trip and in nature a little extra. And yes: it is just a pleasure to have these experiences together.
The next stop on our shared adventure will be the Dolomites in Italy....
About the blogger:
Karoline lives in Birkerød with her boyfriend and their two golden retrievers, Frida and Vilde. Karoline is a trained veterinarian and dog trainer and is co-founder of the dog running club Dirty Paws, where she is also a trainer/rope keeper at the local club in North Zealand. Frida and Line love running canicross together and have participated in many competitions at home and abroad, including the European Championships and World Championships. Their most important motto, however, is "Better together" - that the trips are about teamwork and understanding for each other. And that everyone can join in. In addition to canicross, they also participate in K9 biathlons (obstacle races with dogs) and do dog fitness. And hiking both in Denmark and around Europe is also a hit.
Frida is a super fast runner when it comes to it. And can hike for hours in the Alps. But she also just loves to be petted on the stomach and sleep for a long time. She can be stubborn as a donkey if there is something she doesn't like. On evening walks, for example, she is the one who decides the route. And she "talks" a lot by purring, including when she thinks she has earned an extra treat.
Vilde is from the spring of 2023 - and in many ways Frida's opposite. She is full of mischief and always happy and cheeky. She can howl like a wolf or jump like a kangaroo when she gets impatient - and otherwise she is a smart and brave girl who loves wild play and training. She will do pretty much anything for a treat.
Frida, Vilde and Karoline can be found on Instagram with the profile @teamgoldenpower