Lots of questions about taking a dog to Bavaria.

Skyblue

Skyblue

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Hoping I’ve posted in the right bit I’ve been looking on the forum but non specific enough.

We used to travel to Europe about twice a year before lock down but haven’t been since. Feeling a bit apprehensive but excited to revisit places and have a swim.

We are wanting to go to Bavaria, getting the tunnel as now have a dog.
1) How often do people stop when they have a dog on board?
2) Is it easy to find places - aires and stellplatz where she and I could have walk - around nature?
3) Am I right in thinking if she’s had a chip, has now had all her vaccinations and rabies she can get a AHC ( probably in Folkstone) and a worning when returning.
4) How is she allowed to travel?
Is on a bench seat between the driver and the passenger fasted in with a harness to the seatbelt okay?

And that’s just a few of them 😂 if you’ve got this far I appreciate it!!!
My mind is full.
Thank you
 
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We are very similar to you in getting our first dog in lockdown.
We travelled over first Oct 22 getting an AHC from our own vet (discounted as daughter works there) - make sure rabies is done well in advance, and obtained an EU pet passport in Mons at Christine Jaucot.
We travelled then back to France and holidayed in Dordogne. On return we went to the vet in Buchy For worming and got them to fill in both the AHC and the PP.
For travelling, we have taken her away since very young and initially she travelled in a soft cage behind the driver’s seat. Unfortunately when she putgrew that, we could not physically get in a larger cage. We have a PVC with 2 travelling seats in cab and rear lounge with U seating. So we secured Rosie on the seating at the reat with her harness secured to the underseat frame.
However she became more and more distressed at the combination of distance from us and noise at the back.
So we have changed to a less safe but works for us and the dog, a raised section between the cab seats made from 2 IKEA storage cubes and a ply top covered with a soft cover. Harness attached to the seat frame. She will sit there for a while but usually then gets on my lap and goes to sleep. Not the best arrangement but a compromise as on the last trip she would refuse to take a step into the van, stopped eating etc. Now she will come in and happily jump up front with us.
I had seen so many people take their dogs with them travelling that I thought it would be easy!
 
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We’ve been to Bavaria with our collie cross - she’d have been about 5 at the time.
We usually take a late afternoon tunnel crossing and stop fairly soon after, it’s about 4/5 hour trip to the tunnel. Two stops we use are Aire de Baie de Somme ( wrong direction fir Bavaria) and Gravelines- but not the aire in town the motorhome parking by the Parc de l’Aa - both specifically being good for the dog.
2. We had no trouble at all finding good dog stops - we had the stell plate book but weren’t reliant on it
3. Correct- we used Folkestone vets twice but acquired a pet passport last year -I suggest you do the same in Belgium when you do the worming!
4. Not sure what the regs are re travel . Ours chooses either passenger floor curl up or side seat behind passenger- shed LOVE a bench seat -
We went in April and found at least two I remember small campsites not open but happy fir us to stay without their facilities - very welcoming.
Easy happy trip- you’ll have a lovely time
 
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To add, yes, get an AHC in Folkestone, fill in all the details online and arrange a pickup date and time taking dog with you of course. In France we found you could go into most vets anywhere near the coast and get worming done for return.
The is a vet in Germany who does PP cheap. Look on the European vets thread.
 
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Riverbankannie said:
We are very similar to you in getting our first dog in lockdown.
We travelled over first Oct 22 getting an AHC from our own vet (discounted as daughter works there) - make sure rabies is done well in advance, and obtained an EU pet passport in Mons at Christine Jaucot.
We travelled then back to France and holidayed in Dordogne. On return we went to the vet in Buchy For worming and got them to fill in both the AHC and the PP.
For travelling, we have taken her away since very young and initially she travelled in a soft cage behind the driver’s seat. Unfortunately when she putgrew that, we could not physically get in a larger cage. We have a PVC with 2 travelling seats in cab and rear lounge with U seating. So we secured Rosie on the seating at the reat with her harness secured to the underseat frame.
However she became more and more distressed at the combination of distance from us and noise at the back.
So we have changed to a less safe but works for us and the dog, a raised section between the cab seats made from 2 IKEA storage cubes and a ply top covered with a soft cover. Harness attached to the seat frame. She will sit there for a while but usually then gets on my lap and goes to sleep. Not the best arrangement but a compromise as on the last trip she would refuse to take a step into the van, stopped eating etc. Now she will come in and happily jump up front with us.
I had seen so many people take their dogs with them travelling that I thought it would be easy!
Click to expand...
Thanks for your reply 🙏🏼
Never thought we’d have a dog. We acquired her just after lockdown… a rescue used for pups.. she had 4/5 lots before she came to us… she’s not good in a crate as that’s where she spent most of her life and like yours would create in the back and screams like a banshee… she’s great to travel with unless you go less that 30 miles an hour… she’s not great in. Wales 😂
 
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We didn’t realise ours didn’t like the back as she was quietly shaking, it was only as she started backing away from the van in fear.
This trip to Spain and Portugal has been a much better experience for her.
Edit, mind you, the roads here are brilliant compared to the banging and shaking in UK.
 
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15edward said:
We’ve been to Bavaria with our collie cross - she’d have been about 5 at the time.
We usually take a late afternoon tunnel crossing and stop fairly soon after, it’s about 4/5 hour trip to the tunnel. Two stops we use are Aire de Baie de Somme ( wrong direction fir Bavaria) and Gravelines- but not the aire in town the motorhome parking by the Parc de l’Aa - both specifically being good for the dog.
2. We had no trouble at all finding good dog stops - we had the stell plate book but weren’t reliant on it
3. Correct- we used Folkestone vets twice but acquired a pet passport last year -I suggest you do the same in Belgium when you do the worming!
4. Not sure what the regs are re travel . Ours chooses either passenger floor curl up or side seat behind passenger- shed LOVE a bench seat -
We went in April and found at least two I remember small campsites not open but happy fir us to stay without their facilities - very welcoming.
Easy happy trip- you’ll have a lovely time
Click to expand...
I have thought about a passport - what did you need to get it sorted? If we find this a breeze then I’d like to go at least twice a year. We used to go to Spain and all over but just got out the habit.
 
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Skyblue said:
I have thought about a passport - what did you need to get it sorted? If we find this a breeze then I’d like to go at least twice a year. We used to go to Spain and all over but just got out the habit.
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It was a breeze. Just took the dog but would have had the AHC with us. She did have to have another rabies jab as the vast majority of vets in EU, quite rightly, will not sign in anything not given themselves and rabies does need to be recorded in the PP. However, our vet daughter assures us that multiple rabies jabs are not harmful.
So we got the PP in Mons because that was the easiest detour from the tunnel and we like staying at Strepy Thieu boat locks nearby. (Good dog walking).
However she charged a total of 110€ 50 for PP and the rest for health check and rabies. The is a guy in Germany cheaper.
The rabies is 3 years so we will have to get it renewed somewhere in EU before it runs out. Otherwise thats all you need, just the worming everytime you return and that is easy to get done anywhere. We are returning on Monday ferry from Santander and have arranged vet appointment in Burgos on Saturday morning. There is a 24 - 120 hour window before return to UK.
 
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Riverbankannie said:
It was a breeze. Just took the dog but would have had the AHC with us. She did have to have another rabies jab as the vast majority of vets in EU, quite rightly, will not sign in anything not given themselves and rabies does need to be recorded in the PP. However, our vet daughter assures us that multiple rabies jabs are not harmful.
So we got the PP in Mons because that was the easiest detour from the tunnel and we like staying at Strepy Thieu boat locks nearby. (Good dog walking).
However she charged a total of 110€ 50 for PP and the rest for health check and rabies. The is a guy in Germany cheaper.
The rabies is 3 years so we will have to get it renewed somewhere in EU before it runs out. Otherwise thats all you need, just the worming everytime you return and that is easy to get done anywhere. We are returning on Monday ferry from Santander and have arranged vet appointment in Burgos on Saturday morning. There is a 24 - 120 hour window before return to UK.
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That’s great info - thanks 🙏🏼
Worth doing if we’re gonna make regular trips.
Do you have the pooch in the cabin when you do the Santander trip?
Next summer we’re planning on heading to San Sebastian to visit friends x
 
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Just something to add that I dont think was mentioned in other replies... do not let a UK vet mark your EU issued passport in any way. It will invalidate it immediately.
( I do however seem to remember reading that they can administer and enter the worming tablet details before you leave these shores if for example you were to go across the Channel for just a couple of days or so ... UK to UK less than 120 hours (5 days) but thats it.
I may be corrected on this point so check this out thoroughly
 
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Skyblue said:
That’s great info - thanks 🙏🏼
Worth doing if we’re gonna make regular trips.
Do you have the pooch in the cabin when you do the Santander trip?
Next summer we’re planning on heading to San Sebastian to visit friends x
Click to expand...
We used Santander ferry for the first and definitely the last time winter just gone. 2 small dogs in 4 berth cabin... bloody awful experience. We cant leave our dogs alone in the cabin as the entire boat will hear about it and the kennels looked like those in vivisection labs to us. There is nowhere to sit with your pet except your cabin unlike P & O who now have dog friendly lounge but they are only on shorter Channel crossings. Only our opinion though
 
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I actually got a PP in Deauville. But he was something of an exception in French vets!
Dog was due a rabies booster so that was easy. Reading re rabies jabs and asking our own vet it doesn’t seem to do any harm to have jabs early.
Vet didn’t write due date for next rabies very clearly - could have been a 2 or a 3 year jab ( hence my research!) but another very nice vet doing the worming made it clear on the PP after he’d looked it up it was 3 years!
We used Abbeywell vets for AHC three times before we got the passport. They are very efficient and it’s not a huge detour to collect.
I used the last AHC to return to Uk signed re worming and asked them to check the new PP- just fir reassurance all was well!!! It was!
 
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We went to a series of 3 lakes in Bavaria where they have their own doggy beach. I think there was a specific beach at each lake

There are 4 blog entries just under Nuremberg that will cover some of the beaches

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Continental Tours - Map

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Our collie was a rescue pup. I tried very hard and persevered to crate train but he was never going to have it unless I sat with him with the door open …..
He has annual an anaesthetic for a procedure and we and the vets go to great lengths to limit the time he spends even doped up in their cages. His distress is awful
 
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this was our beautiful pitch on Lake Tittersee in a “closed” campsite
Loveky bike / walk to the village
We also had a lovely stay on a more commercial site on lake Constance
Surprising lovely access to lake shore
Dog had lovely time



IMG_1133.jpeg
 
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Skyblue said:
That’s great info - thanks 🙏🏼
Worth doing if we’re gonna make regular trips.
Do you have the pooch in the cabin when you do the Santander trip?
Next summer we’re planning on heading to San Sebastian to visit friends x
Click to expand...
This trip our first time on the ferry with a dog. I booked a dog cabin on Pont Aven the day bookings opened last July. We were happy just to relax and read in the cabin, went out for lots of attempts at wees and poos on the small aft deck. Only one wee was achieved and it is not nice on the metal deck as one doesn’t know whether the wet patches are other wees or from the washing down hose. Your dog doing the wee gets it puddled on her feet too so all in all not great, but preferable to driving through France especially as we live in Bristol so Plymouth an easy run and 2 to 3 hours driving is our max in a day.
We did take time to get Rosie used to having a muzzle on and she was very good. Plenty of other dogs not muzzled though.
Thankfully the weather was kind.
We are not the sort to bother about going to the restaurant or bar to sit. I took our small travel kettle plus an adapter, that we use in the van when on EHU, a large bottle of water and the supplies to make drinks and sandwiches all in a cool bag. We took turns to have a walk about the ship and John grabbed some food from the cafe.
Now to do it all again on Monday!
 
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Couple of additional points. There are a lot of ticks in parts of Bavaria and they can transmit some nasties. Our dog has Bravecto. The Germans can also be a bit funny about dogs off leads.
Bavaria is beautiful. We loosely followed the Alpine Road. The beer is fabulous.

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Pappy said:
There are a lot of ticks in parts of Bavaria and they can transmit some nasties.
Click to expand...
Was writing about this before, we stay in Bavaria for probably 1-2 weeks twice a year on our way through and back to where we are going and our 2 Jacks have Nextguard and have never seen a tick so it seems a good tick/flee treatment works well🤔🤔
 
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rb62 said:
You have to mention that Christian Marks comes with a dubious humour warning 😆 but is extremely cheap 👍
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This can't be stressed enough Skyblue , his jokes can be extremely offensive to some (although we find him hilarious) so prepare yourself, but his prices are just about as low as you will find, If i remember correctly it cost us around €25 for a rabies booster and new passport for Heir Bannock. A quick email before your visit will get you sorted.

We've never had problems finding places to walk him, we use P4N, he travels in his box behind the drivers seat and will sleep until I'm fed up of driving.

Cheers
Red.
 
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RedFrame said:
This can't be stressed enough Skyblue , his jokes can be extremely offensive to some (although we find him hilarious) so prepare yourself, but his prices are just about as low as you will find, If i remember correctly it cost us around €25 for a rabies booster and new passport for Heir Bannock. A quick email before your visit will get you sorted.

We've never had problems finding places to walk him, we use P4N, he travels in his box behind the drivers seat and will sleep until I'm fed up of driving.

Cheers
Red.
Click to expand...

We had our 16 year old grandson with us and the look on his face 😂
 
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Dog got tics in Eastern Germany - so did my partner……nice black blob on his back.
Vet there for worm hadnt done passport before ( before brexit) got a jab. Looked it up correct drug fir worms and tics - fir the dog!
But not accepted by Defra and therefore tunnel
very nice vet in Bruges corrected the passport for fee without doing anything!
 
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To answer one of your questions not yet answered. How often to stop with a dog. I find even my 13 year old collie has a stronger bladder than I have.. if you need to stop for a comfort break your dog will appreciate one too but probably not more often than that. After a few times they will get the message and go straight away.

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