Dog, caravan, sheep...what could possibly go wrong?

[GeorgianMumto5]

Advice and reassurance needed, please. Taking ddog on his first holiday, in a caravan, to a sheep farm. Have got him a travel crate, so he can sleep in the caravan with us. Bought him an extending lead, because he'll have to be on lead for all walks, a ground tether thingy and planning to get a length of chain for it (which will look ridiculous, tethering a frou-frou toy breed, but he chews through everything).

What else do I need to know?

[GeorgianMumto5]

Oh, also have a travel bowl for drinks on walks and a car harness so he can travel in comfort. He's a good traveller, thankfully.

[Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme]

Well following on from a rather upsetting thread on here recently, for the poster not for us, please remember that ALL dogs can get very excited by livestock and will chase and kill. Well, if they're big enough. And that the farmer is legally allowed to shoot a dog if it looks like it's worrying the flock.

That's my main concern. Other than that have a nice time.

[GeorgianMumto5]

Yep, I have impressed upon all family members the farmer's right to shoot. Ddog is staying on lead for all times he's not in car or caravan. Whole area is sheep country, so he'll have to be on lead even when off farm. I don't think he's big enough to kill anything directly, bar a hamster (an untested theory!) but I'm not chancing it. He absolutely will get excited and chase, so I'm not going to give him the opportunity. These particular farmers have invited ddog personally, so I'm hoping to make sure he earns and retains his welcome.

[Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme]

Well if you know he's a chaser be bloody careful. He could still get shot if he's worrying a flock. Sheep seem to die quite easily when frightened.

[GeorgianMumto5]

I know, hence the 'lead on, always' mantra. To be honest, I've mainly seen him run away from things that aren't pigeons or squirrels, but then he panics and that's not going to equal a dog under control and behaving safely. Am starting to worry about his tendency to sneak out if a door is opened, so have been training him with the, 'Wait!' command. I'm not stupid enough to let him have a mite of open door but but dh and the DC might be. Visions of me moving around the inside of the van with a lead looped around my ankle.

[Shosha1]

Remember open windows in the caravan ( one of ours jumped through it and off, luckily only to DH who she had seen coming down the track)

If it gets hot, a cover for over the crate, ours are in it more than they are at home.

I also have a harness for me that leads attach to, gives me free hands for carrying things and climbing over gates. Can't drop the lead then.

[kilmuir]

Do you have to take him? I would not be able to relax

[GeorgianMumto5]

Thanks. Yes, he's coming. He's not the he first dog to holiday successfully in that caravan, on that very farm. I'm nervous because it's the first time I've been fully responsible and with my own dog. I think he may spend a fair amount of time tethered.

[musicposy]

If your DC are old enough to read, sellotape A4 posters on the glass of the front doors saying "SHUT THE DOOR" or "WHERE IS DDOG?" or similar, in a bright sharpie. Change the poster for one in a new colour and with a new message every day so people don't get used to seeing it there and ignore it.

We recently took on two rescues one of whom is a huge flight risk. We are used to leaving doors open as our two resident dogs already in the house would not dream of running off or out. I knew I would remember but DH in particular needs reminding of things 1000 times before they go in to his sieve of a brain and we had no room for error with this dog. Bossy A4 posters made with bright pens have been my friend. People coming to the house think I'm a mad control freak but that's a small price to pay for a safe dog.

[GeorgianMumto5]

musicposy, that is a brilliant idea! Thank you.

[GeorgianMumto5]

Ds has now made us some posters. He's normally very reluctant to draw, but really applied himself to the task. We have one that says, 'Where's the dog?' with two pictures of ddog, one labeled, 'alive dog' and the other of him being shot down, with the label, 'dead dog'.

Another has, 'Please knock,' and a picture of a gravestone with the words, 'Ddog, 9 months.'

Ds must have a fairly dark sense of humour as he was chuckling merrily while making these.

[LadyTurmoil]

Hee hee, love that sense of humour! Will probably get all the other caravan owners chuckling too

[musicposy]

Excellent! Loving the sense of humour your DS has!
It's also a nice thing to do in anticipation of the holiday. Your DS doing them is genius as you can bet he'll make sure everyone takes notice. :)

[Floralnomad]

I'd also get a light house lead and leave it attached at all times in the caravan ,it will just give a bit more security and make ddog easier to grab in a hurry .

[GeorgianMumto5]

That's a good idea, Floralnomad.

[PurpleFrog]

The ground tether things - you get plastic covered wire especially for these - PAH have them in different lengths. You don't need a very long one. I would worry about a chain catching fur or worse.

We have a caravan which we got when ddog was 1. The first few times we used it, he would do a runner at any opportunity. I can still picture dd running full pelt across a muddy caravan site in her stocking-soles to grab ddog who had come to halt but was trying to grab a frisbee from a small child.

We couldn't fit a crate in our van, so he was very restless the first few times. And the tawny owl that came round at 4.00am didn't help either! Ever tried to calm down an hysterical labrador in the middle of the night?

By last summer he was fine!

[GeorgianMumto5]

Good to know that they do get better at this holiday lark!

I worry that he will chew the plastic coating. He's either a very chewy dog or is in a very chewy phase. I hope it's the latter!

[goldencity1]

Don't worry, it will be fine. We have caravanned, and before that camped, with our Goldies [mostly 2 and sometimes 3] since we got married in shows age 1979. Including with children and now grandchildren. It sounds like you are well prepared, the signs are a good idea to educate your DC's and you are well aware of any risks.
Our dogs have always seen the van as an extension of home, and as soon as we start to pack are in "holiday" mode. They do have to learn to be tied up...a young dog will sometimes set off running and forget about the rope, until brought up short...They also soon learn to escape from the awning [commando crawling under the flaps] so look out for that.
We don't crate our dogs, so that isn't a problem for us.
One tip - to keep the floor clean from fur and mud, I take a number of cheap fleece blankets [colour coordinated of course!] and put those down. They sort of "stick" to the floor and collect the surplus muck from the dogs. They can be shaken out easily, dry quickly, are light and compact.
If he is a chewer, take plenty of chewy toys, to help stop any van chewing.
Enjoy your hols!

[longjane]

I would also make sure he always has collar and harness on. For grabbing purposes!

[GeorgianMumto5]

That's very reassuring, goldencity1. Good idea, longjane. He tries to chew his collar tag too, the little bugger, but I will leave it on, for grabbing purposes.

[EasyToEatTiger]

We took 2 dogs for a month of camping through Northern Europe. We had to be very careful with the dogs, bearing in mind different dog culture, potential doggy escapades. The dogs did get to run about off lead. We just had to be very watchful and aware. Actually it wasn't a problem at all. Have fun!

[EnlightenedOwl]

When I had a dog he came with us to the Lakes staying in a cottage on a sheep farm...it was fine he just stayed on his extending lead and there was no problem.

[EnlightenedOwl]

sorry meant to add and then when we went out for the day away from sheep or livestock he could have a general run about.