Well...hello there 🐾🐾 My name is Bella. I am a 12 year old (nearly 13!) Border Collie x and I travel with my Mum and Dad all over Australia in their caravan.🚛 Before they had a caravan, we used to travel in a camper trailer. I get to see so many new places and sniff out all kinds of messages and comments on posts 😂 Drives my Dad nuts cause I am always stopping to read post comments in every new town. But I aways remind him - It's my holiday too Dad!! And I need to read my social media.
Anyway - there are hundreds of my doggie friends travelling with their families and apparently there is always lots of questions of how to have a dog-friendly road trip and what you should and shouldn't take with you when travelling with us furry guys. Well, I am getting to be quite the old lady now and being doing this travelling gig for a few years so let me tell you what you need to take. I will list this in my preferential order.
1. Food 🥩
Do not let this run out! I probably won't starve if it does - but you will have to share your tbone steak with me or hurry to the nearest town. So be prepared. If your dog is a bit old like me - you might need special food like my Mum and Dad buy - low fat, extra fish for my arthritis. A small town in the country might not have any good stuff - only the cheap s*** as Dad says. (I'm old - but I'm their baby so I'm not allowed to swear). So when you are in a big town with a proper pet store - make sure you have enough stock of your doggo's fav.
https://www.petbarn.com.au/dogs
2. Treats 🍗
I did say this list is in my preferential order! Now this is very important! There are just some things I refuse to do unless the treats are offered. Like - getting out of bed. I like a couple of yummies to start my day. Again - Mum and Dad buy good Ausie made real meat treats - apparently they don't have plastic and colours and stuff that will give me a tummy ache and send me to the doc. And trust me you don't want to send your little guys to the doc - cause something all of us 4-legged people agree on is - that we are not cooperating with that guy. Unless of course they produce a treat...
3. Food and Water Bowls
I like my own bowl for my food. It's a nice big bowl that holds all my food and any extras Mum might throw in to bribe me to eat 'dog food'. And I drink lots of water so I have a bowl in the caravan and they keep a little fold down one in the car so I can have a drink of water any time. Gotta keep that hydration up.
4. Brush
Oh how I love sitting in the sun having Mum brush my black and white locks - just heaven! As he brushes me, she whispers words of love, like - this might stop Dad whinging about bloody dog hair everywhere my darling baby.
5. Balls and Toys
I am not one for over-exerting myself these days being the old lady that I am. But...I do find it had to pass on a ball chase. All the better when another doggo is picking picking up and I just can beside the barking to show them where the ball landed. I did get banned from a couple of campground French cricket matches cause apparently I didn't give any of the human kids a chance to catch the ball. I mean, I was so good, I caught and dropped it straight back at the batsman's feet. These days I like to chase a tennis ball on a beach.
As for toys - I am putting this one in here for my doggie travelling friends. Being initially raised in a home with no fun and games - I never understood what toys were for. But a lot of my travelling friends love their toys and suggested I add this to the list.
6. Dog Blanket and Jammies
I do not like being cold. And it is no good for my joints, so Mum says. And if I am cold, I pace the caravan all night tapping my nails on the floor, so Dad says. I have a blankey on my bed and one on the end of Mum and Dad's bed - but I really prefer the bit of blankey up near Dad's pillow. It seems to be so much warmer.
Trust me - it may be summer and hot in Queensland, but in Victoria the temperature might still plummet to 3 degrees! And that is not good for my old joints.
7. Flea and Tick Meds
Now I did say this list was in my preferred order. And I don't really care for the last 3 but according to Mum and Dad and the Doc, a couple of these are important and will help keep me alive - that's a good thing. Mum cannot impress how important it is to keep flea and tick medication up to date - especially when it is hot. Also in Western Australia and Northern Territory they make me wear this special collar @Seresto flea collar. This collar protects me from deadly ehrlichiosis, by controlling brown dog ticks for 4 months. So they snap one on me every time we head over to WA.
https://www.petbarn.com.au/brand/seresto
8. Leads and Collars
Everywhere we go, campgrounds, caravan parks, beaches, parks - there are signs saying dogs must be on leash. So do not forget them, or there will be no sightseeing for anybody!
9. Poop Bags
What goes in, must come out! And the humans get cranky when they step in poop. Mum and Dad keep rolls in the caravan, in the car, in Mum's handbag, in Dad's pockets. They reckon if they don't have one on them, that is when I will do a big poop - so they are always prepared.
10. Dog Bag to Carry it All
OK, Mum might have asked to put this one on the list. She said it is very important to keep all my stuff in my own bad - cause sometimes it gets skanky. And she designed these really cool bags for travel. This medium bag is perfect for all my stuff - it's got lots of pockets. So I can see if they forgotten anything really important....like the Treats!!
https://campaq.net/collections/medium-bags
Have fun on the road doggo friends. if there is anything I've forgotten, reply to this blog and let Mum know - she'll read them to me!
Don't forget to leave your social media comments on the walking posts 😉
Speaking of social media - if you Mum and Dad are taking you on their tripping with you - get them to join a couple of great FB groups my Mum and Dad are in. They get really useful info like where they can and can't go with me, best dog beach, best campground - and even hints on what to do if I get sick in the middle of nowhere.
Travel with Dogs: https://www.facebook.com/groups/496641167356061
Camping with Dogs: https://www.facebook.com/groups/107099546645698
Australian Caravanning/Camping with Dogs: https://www.facebook.com/groups/356094021160396
You can get your Mum and Dad to google
dog friendly camping near me and camping with dogs near me
Oh, and I know you don't want to know about this one but - sometimes they want to go somewhere that you can't go 😲 i know right! Thankfully Mum and Dad don't do that too often but when they do, Mum googles dog daycare and boarding near me
Mum says Hi
💌
Leave a comment