Flying dogs

This must be a doggie wind up !

A  Clockwork  Doggie  ??

The  mind  boggles  !

I was considering this last year because in france you can have the dog in the cabin.In the end we opted to put the car on the motor rail and we took the dogs on the passenger train down to the south. It worked out well for us but we didnt have a caravan then, were hoping to take a leisurely drive down next summer.

What do you do with the doggie dump bags ? Just hang them on the jacket peg.

Has anyone ever taken their dog to France by plane? I know this is perhaps inappropriate for a caravan or motorhome forum but we are exploring alternatives to a very very long drive for us with the motorhome to even get to the channel ports and that is before a very long drive through France. Our friends are moving to France and we would like to visit them next year but the road route feels as if we would never get there.

As you can see we live just south of you. We go to France and Spain twice a year usually in our motorhome, not with a dog but there are many that do. You don't just have to go via Dover if you are going to the South of France, there are other ferries that you can use. We take 2 night stops to get to Portsmouth or Dover from Perth but can do it with 1 night stop if getting an evening ferry. Of course the night ferry is longer than the day ferries. Depending on where you are going in France a couple  more night stops should get you anywhere you need to be. Why not take your time and enjoy the drive if you have a motorhome. How long are you going for is problably the first question I should have asked, when are you going and where in France, once we know this I'm sure some of the others who travel with dogs can give you lots of tips and help. Its not undoable.

I would say it depends a bit on how much time you have - if you want a short journey and more time in France then fly.  If you are game for an adventure go the slow route.  My son's dog went to the US and back flying but didn't cope too well so it has been adopted since they had to return again.  Mine are perfectly happy to travel with me and the caravan wherever we go.  From the Shetland isles to mid France and all-over Ireland. 

It can be much more complicated to arrange to fly with a pet than you think and budget airlines such as Ryanair, and Easyjet don't allow pets at all.  Those airlines which do often insist that you fly from a major airport rather than your local one and that the pet must be of a certain size and weight.

Here is some information:  Flying with a pet 
There is a clickable list which will take you to almost every airline, so firstly see just who flies from a convenient airport and check out their policies on pet travel.

If you have a motorhome then you really have no problem. It really isn't about 'how long it takes to get there' but 'what wonderful places can we see along the way'.  Or that's the way I would look at it.  Stop off at some of the other places you'd like to visit, take an overnight stop in England, and then a couple more in France and you can be right down to the very south of France.. Or make more stops and even if you only have a couple of days with your friends, at least you will have seen many different places en-route.

You can take the tunnel, or book a pet-friendly crossing on a longer crossing, and that way your pet can stay with you all the time.

There are many others from the north of Scotland who contribute to this forum, and who travel regularly to France without considering it a difficult or impossible journey.  There are also many others (including us) who take a pet with them each time and we can help with tips on travelling. 

Personally I wouldnt bother taking my dog on an aircraft. Its a hazard to you and others. Imagine a reject on the take-off roll, followed by an evacuation. Doggy gets confused and upset, tries to bite everyone trying to leave the burning wreck. Putting pooch into the hold is a no go as well, unless the airline has experience of handling livestock. Its car, train, or ferry for me. Much better for you and pooch. ;-)

I don't like kennels, my dog has never been into kennels, but I think even she would thank me if I did compared to putting her through the trauma of everything 'flying'.

You chose to have a pet, take its needs into consideration and travel with that in mind.

I have North Sea Ferries 8 miles from my doorstep yet we travel to Folkestone and use the tunnel, she is part of a chosen lifestyle by us and decisions are made with that in mind. My opinion and my choice, and not a criticism of you personally.

never done it but I cant see it being any fun for the dog , personally unless it was absolutely necessary such as emigrating I would not do it but I also wont put her in kennels. We chose to have a dog and have accepted foreign travel (for us) is no longer an option. Has to be said that I am a big softy and I don't even like leaving her for an hour.