Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

To not understand how to do a holiday with an old sleepy dog

62 replies

Chewchewaboogiw · 07/05/2022 21:15

Up until now our holidays have consisted of walking in amazing british locations.. walking cliff paths etc
.. basically 8 miles a day, a pub at end . We go in camper van . We are not hotel / bb people.
During covid our much loved dog (13 yo) developed a knee problem that cant be fixed and is managed with pain killers from.vet. she is very sleepy and has 3 tiny wee walks a day and the rest of the time is happy to be with me in the house or garden. She isnt in pain and is happy.

We have just booked leave but we have realised that we cant do our normal holiday .. and are wondering is there any point going to a place with beaufitul coyntrtside if we cant really access it. She has a pram as cant walk far.
So my questions are
Has anyone else been on holiday with an old dog that cant walk far and is sleepy?
What do you actually do on holiday with an old dog? We wd normally pack food and walk all day. What sort of places are good? Presume little villages ... anyone know pretty places that may work in
Devon / cornwall/ dorset.. herefordshire/ shropshire.. and south wales .. cotswolds( we have plans to go to all , but can adjust to fewer places but wd appriciate info about all/ any so we can choose..

...please.. as i said we are normally in ruggered places but need to be in ,i assume pretty and quiet pottering places where she can rest in her dog pram( she is happy in pubs !) We cant leave her behind she would pine / cause stress at rhis age .thank you.

OP posts:

Ellmau · 07/05/2022 22:58

As she's so small, could you carry her?

readingallthebooks · 07/05/2022 23:07

A bichon would fit in a doggy backpack. We used one for our elderly JRT for the last year of her life, she seemed to like and went everywhere with us. We found the backpack makes lots of walks more accessible so never bothered with a dog pushchair.

Daffodilsdance · 07/05/2022 23:14

Our ddog is 14 and we were in a similar position so we went to the lakes and did lots of boating activities , rowing and motet boats . Ddog loves it and it wasn’t too physical for her . What about similar or a canal boat ?

To not understand how to do a holiday with an old sleepy dog

Nat6999 · 08/05/2022 00:00

Get a doggy pram, you can get all terrain ones & you can put things like coats etc in the basket underneath, you can put a comfy blanket in the pram & just let her have short walks & rest in it.

Westpoint · 08/05/2022 00:01

Was just about to say what about a canal boat? Still scenery to see and you can stop and take her on short walks to cafes/pubs for meals etc

WeasilyPleased · 08/05/2022 00:08

We took our elderly grumpy JR with our then Lurcher pup to Norfolk. Fab dog friendly accommodation and old dog loved the sea. Pup not so much! It was glorious and our last holiday with the old girl.

dontblameme · 08/05/2022 00:13

Second Cornwall or the Lakes. Did both with my sweet old girl in her last year. She loved her front facing carrier but she only weighed 4kg.

ThinWomansBrain · 08/05/2022 00:20

I bought a dog pram for my last cat when she was older - the suspension was a bit rubbish, so if you have one alrady, consider how bumpy it might be on a forest walk.
regarding the drive - I don't like my (current) cat to be in the car too long, but find some excellent places close by (I live in central London) that are quite rural; even if it means I'm going on holiday shorter distances than some people commute, which gets a few odd looks and double takes.

Therunecaster · 08/05/2022 13:05

I inherited my grandmas old dachshund. He was 14, overweight and couldn't walk far. I got a dog pram and had 3 happy years taking him on holiday. Malbrough in Wiltshire was excellent.

olympicsrock · 08/05/2022 13:12

New Forest would work well . Beautiful scenery and lots of decent footpaths where your pram would work. Nice little towns to explore

Original poster

Chewchewaboogiw · 09/05/2022 14:31

Thank you all so much! We took her out y day to our local beach.. she did not want to walk but stayed in the buggy. Shattered todat tho as was awakw in buggy rather than snooze all day at home
.Some fab ideas. We are also looking at wye valley now .. it really helped to think of things like accesibility.

OP posts:

2bazookas · 09/05/2022 14:35

Put the old dog in a quality kennels. She will be far happier and more comfortable.

museumum · 09/05/2022 14:37

What about a canal boat holiday?
or bikes with a trailer?

RatherBeRiding · 09/05/2022 14:39

I found an off-road child's pushchair via ebay for my old dog - it was rugged enough for tracks that normal pushchair wheels wouldn't have managed. My DP and I had a good week in the Lakes with it although we were fairly limited - no mountains for example, but we still managed some good walks and DDog could come with us.

WhatATimeToBeAlive · 09/05/2022 14:46

The New Forest is pretty flat with lots of trails (for the doggy-pram) and forest walks. The pubs and cafes are also very dog friendly. And there's the beach.

sixtiesbaby88 · 09/05/2022 15:06

Burrator reservoir in Devon is lovely and I think pretty accessible

SpongeBobJudgeyPants · 09/05/2022 15:53

Only a very slight variation on suggestions already given. Somewhere like Llandudno you can walk the promenade end to end, and return, probably using the wheels you have already got. Snacks available en route!

LaMereDuChat · 09/05/2022 16:00

You could go to the Cotswolds - the Westonbirt Arboretum is big and has proper paths, so good for a day out. You can explore local villages etc also

mrsrobin · 09/05/2022 16:30

I also would look at canoeing etc if you think your dog would like it - that is what we did a lot of with our old boy. We also used to rent a cottage, go for a short walk and then back home for a cup of tea and we would go back out, leaving him to sleep the rest of the afternoon. BUT he was very well travelled and completely happy being left alone, even in a strange place, as long as his bed was there. I have always found my old doggos have loved a change of scenery of you can work around them.

Blueeyedgirl21 · 09/05/2022 16:34

How about a canal boat holiday? My mum and dad take their young dog on one for four/five night stretches and he loves it, it would also be perfect for an older dog - leashed when out of the cabin so they don’t fall in but able to just lie and watch the world go by. In good weather it’s just fab. Park up at various pubs etc and have meals and short walks. You could start by doing two nights in a local-ish one, Google canal boat rental near you.

Champagneforeveryone · 09/05/2022 17:03

Far more expensive than pottering off in your camper van, but I would hire a canal boat. We did this last year and both DDogs adored it.

On quieter sections one of you can walk on the towpath with or without DDog while the other steers. Though the actual act of being out in the fresh air, hopping on and off boats and operating locks is tiring in itself! Make sure you pick somewhere with plenty of pubs, we naively chose a stretch which was a bit bereft ☹️😆

Bryonny84 · 09/05/2022 17:13

We let a holiday cottage in the Borders. Guests have come with old dogs (and old parents) and they have just spent time sitting in the garden (when it's nice). We have French doors at the back so you can almost sit out when it's a bit blahhhh and people have just liked coming to the cottage and chilling. There is a pub/shop in the village and other villages within 5 miles.

Lots of small walks right here in our village and lots of lovely dog friendly people. I'm sure we're not unique.

HotDogKetchup · 09/05/2022 17:17

what about a doggy backpack? Assuming she’s not a medium/large breed?

ItMustBeBedtimeSurely · 09/05/2022 17:30

Biking holiday where she can sit in a front basket? Should be comfortable for a small dog like a bichon.

Original poster

Chewchewaboogiw · 09/05/2022 20:07

2bazookas i wd not put her in a kennel. She is 13 years old and has never been in one.
The noise of other dogs etc wd bother her. She has little intrest in other dogs anyway. I cdnt do it .

OP posts:

Flip

1 2 3