Taking the Dog on Holiday Without Telling the Caravan Site… Am I Mad?!

[oceanmountain]

So I’m going away in a couple of weeks and had a dog sitter all sorted… and now they’ve just cancelled because of a family emergency.

I’ve tried everywhere and can’t find anyone else to take the dog on such short notice, and I really don’t want to cancel the trip and upset the kids. So I was thinking of just taking the dog with me and not telling the caravan site.

Has anyone ever done this? My dog’s tiny and doesn’t shed, so I honestly don’t know how they’d even notice.

My friend said I shouldn't do it but I cant see any other option?

If the owner of the caravan (not the site...for example Haven dont own most of the caravans) does not want dogs in their caravan its nasty and selfish to take one just like it would be to smoke.
JackITIS is really nasty.

So the owner who had said no dogs came and saw your your dog in person and said wow ive always hated dogs but yours is amazing....or the reception office who couldnt care less didnt have a problem?
If I'd paid my life savings for a caravan and decided i didnt want dogs....or kids for that matter id be fuming .....and to be clear i have had a dog. Im not anti dogs, ive had a caravan too. But hes a dog he doesn't go on my beds or my chairs and i spend an hour on my hands and knees cleaning the carpet. I also know many dogs react to the scent of other dogs and start marking the carpets. Even super clean ones. My grandson is allergic to dogs reacting to the non shedder my son brought so hes been rehomed.

I'm intrigued to understand what sort of life history or personal characteristics /demographics allows a person to be so blasé about taking a dog to stay at length in a dog free caravan, even in the face of so much negative feedback about why it's a bad idea.

Was hoping you could share a little about your demographics or what you think makes you think this is ok and no big deal?

This thread must be a wind up.
Alternatively, will posters please stop arguing with idiots. Idiots just love the drama and attention.

This particular idiot appears to have forgotten what it was doing and wandered away. Last post from it was 03/02/2026 16:20

Your son should have done more research if he knew the child had allergies instead of buying a poor dog and then rehome it. Sorry but that's just ignorant and I can't stand people that are so flippant

As explained in another post, that was a typo, haven't you ever made typing mistakes!? Before you jump to judgements try to read between the lines... I've written other posts stating the caravan site we selected welcomed our 2 pets with open arms
If you're going to make vicious judgements is it any wonder some commenters are going to make mistakes with their typing!

No one said no dogs or pets within the caravan site we selected, what are you talking about?

Yes immensely well stated 💚
It's awful when some act so flippantly🫂

Then how is your anecdote even vaguely relevant to OP’s situation? She’s proposing to take her dog to a caravan that explicitly doesn’t allow dogs.

If she had booked a dog-friendly caravan then of course that would be fine. But it is selfish of her to take a dog to a no-dog caravan,

But the point is the caravan site we selected was for pets, it was pet friendly & they did welcome our pets & we saw them welcome another Family's dog too, so in these circumstances, it was most surely not,,, selfish to any degree
We checked 1st to ensure we were permitted to bring our precious pets, so the word selfish is inapplicable in this circumstance
You don't need to preach to those who already know not to bring their precious pets where they'd be unwelcome

Oh my apologies I didn't remember original commenter mentioning the site they'd chosen, had expressed no pets & I don't wish to jump to judgements, it's just different circumstances & honestly in those types of scenarios, I'd most surely then choose remaining home with my pets, until we found suitable alternatives 💚

I thought you said the site welcomed dogs the actual caravan didnt?

And if he had known she had the allergy he wouldnt have brought the bloody dog who now lives with his mil. My dil was sensitive to some dogs so they got the same breed as she had grown up with. Dil fine with the dog grandaughter not. How the fuck is that flippent was he supossed to be psychic? But now he wont go near dogs with her and they dont visit that grans house.

It was your typing and as you typed it selfish was the right word....
Now youve corrected it seems just a pointless post.

Could the dog sleep in the car!

How do you know your child has an allergy before they have been around a dog miss psychic?

The owner of the van has a right to say no dogs. You don’t get to over rule them. Cancel the reservation and book elsewhere or book kennels. You say it’s not an option as they’ve never been in kennels but no dog has until the first time.

Post on House and Pet Sitters Uk on Facebook - you would have someone stay in your house. Every post gets a tonne of responses. Most are registered and DBS etc but sit in return for free accommodation.

You don't get a dog before you take your child to spend time around dogs and see the impact ? Friends dogs, dogs in the park etc. Who just decides to get a dog unless they know?? Dear lord . If dog was there first- then the baby that can't be helped of course

That's a shame for all involved - the dog too. It's unfortunate but it's not about being psychic - he should have checked and had her around dogs before deciding to get one . You don't just get a dog if there's a possibility - just my view

The child had been around a dog for the first year with no issues, when they lived with inlaws they were told the dog they brought 6 years later was the same breed but it caused a reaction initially diagnosed as a different allergy .....shit happens the dog is loving his new life playing with his new friend. The kids have accepted things so its worked out. Not sure why you assume there had been no contact with dogs before.....it can be the more exposure you get the more you react. I was stung by wasps several times (mooring stake through nest) before my first reaction then each time it got worse. (Worked in greengroucers).

Well that's unfortunate then and couldn't be helped - sems like everyone is happy. It wasn't clear from the start ..

It shouldnt have to be clear ehen the point is about a selfish b..... Taking their dog where its not supposed to go and the possible cost to others....why did that need an indepth justification of how they found out the child had allergies not everyone is irresponsible.

Yes of course you can't possibly know one way or another if your Children will be allergic or not - Only time will tell - I was agreeing with not liking flippancy, not judging whether the person actually was flippant! I'm not Miss Psychic but you're most surely Miss Judgement!