Vacations with a dog: From pet-friendly menus to puppy surf lessons and even luxury drivers, there’s every reason to bring your furry friend, says Tibbs Jenkins. Here’s our guide to the paw-fect break
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What could be better than closing your front door and going on vacation, ready for days of splashing in the pool and lashing rosé? Yes, there is – do it with your dog.
Just ask Simon Cowell, who has been spotted in Barbados with his yorkshire terriers. Or chef Gino D’Acampo, who flew to Sardinia with his dachshund Snoop in April. Cats are flying away too: Kate Beckinsale has shared photos of her and her moggie Clive on a private jet.
Data suggests that more than 3.2 million people in the UK have become pet owners since the start of the pandemic, bringing the total number to 34 million. So is it any wonder that we take them with us on our summer vacations? (And in style!)
Enter dog-a-porter.com, “the ultimate dog driver” and brainchild of siblings Camilla Brillembourg and Hugo Mabbott. They have been guiding dogs throughout Europe since 2017 and are now expanding into the US.
Dogs – who must have a veterinary health certificate (see opposite) or an EU pet passport to travel abroad – are driven by a Mercedes SUV or a Land Rover adapted for comfort. It’s safe (Hugo is certified in first aid for dogs), cozy, and the trip is tailored to your dog’s needs – there’s no sharing a car with someone else’s pet. They stop at dog-friendly hotels along the way – France is full of them – and if your dog likes to sleep in the bed, no problem. Clients include celebrities and royals.
What could be better than closing your front door and going on vacation, ready for days of splashing in the pool and lashing rosé? Yes there is – do it with your dog
Of course, none of this is cheap; think £2,400 for Fido to be driven to the South of France in luxury. As Camilla says, “You’ll see owners spend a few thousand dollars getting their dog to Saint-Tropez while flying with EasyJet.”
Makes sense, especially when they indulge in one of the dog-friendly accommodations featured on the luxury hotel website Mr & Mrs Smith, which now has an entire section dedicated to hotels and villas that will wag the tail of man’s best friends on arrival ‘.
You don’t have to travel abroad to treat your dog to an outing. The UK has a lot to offer them as the travel industry has penetrated to the fact that family doesn’t just mean kids. Last year, searches for dog-friendly holiday destinations in the UK increased by 665 per cent.
Just a few weeks ago, Storm, a merry spring bullsta (that’s a mix of springer spaniel, bulldog and staffie) enjoyed a weekend at The Swan in Streatley, Berkshire (coppaclub.co.uk). After some treats, she took a boat trip and behaved impeccably – until she saw some ducks and tried to commit a murder. She left this part of her stay out of her hotel guestbook entry – or maybe her pawrents did.
She’s not the only dog to take advantage of the great British summer. Cas – a rescue dog, originally from Tobago – is currently frolicking on the beaches of Orkney, while her owners have taken a two-day drive plus ferry to get there: great fun, especially with two children under four.
Think your furry friend would enjoy the beach life too? Then sign up for a dog-friendly surf lesson at pawsonboard.co.uk in Dorset. Or if chilling out is more your pet’s thing, try The George Inn, in the Cotswolds (thegeorgebarford.co.uk), where room service offers a doggie menu of ice cream, beer (yes, really) and toys, while the bathroom offers luxury shampoo from Sniffe & Likkit (for your dog, of course).
Not sure what to book yet? Check out petspyjamas.com, which has over 18,000 UK dog destinations on its books and an expert pet concierge to help you find your perfect trip.
Meanwhile, if you need to go abroad — for a wedding, for example — and can’t take Fido, there’s trusthousesitters.com, whose membership has doubled since travel restrictions ended. For £99 a year for unlimited stay, TPS will find a sitter to live in your home in exchange for looking after your pet – saving you the heartache of booking Fido into the kennels.
But for some people, even that isn’t enough. Friends of mine received their chosen sitter all week prior to their holiday – took him to the pub to meet the locals and made sure he and their dog got along. They did. And now my friends are in Greece and almost managed to eat some calamari guilt free.
No one has dared to celebrate Christmas with them for fear that the nanny already has plans.