As summer approaches, many of us are gearing up to enjoy the holidays with our dogs. An idyllic break away with our canine companion alongside, enjoying the great outdoors and making memories, is certainly something many dog owners aspire to. But taking our dogs on holiday can be a challenging time – we are taking our dogs into an entirely new environment and probably mixing up their routine somewhat! It can be a bit confusing for them and the excitement will probably interrupt their usual daytime naps, creating an overtired dog!
We thought it would be a good time to put together a list of some things you can do to prepare your dog for going away on holiday, to ensure they are happy and relaxed, well behaved and you can all enjoy your holiday to its fullest!
Crate Training
Crate training is incredibly popular these days and we highly recommend it. Getting dogs used to settling in a crate is useful for many different situations, such as travelling in a car, time at the vets or groomers, and particularly for on holiday! Many owners choose to crate their dogs overnight when staying in rental accommodation, even if they are usually left loose at home, to ensure they don’t get on furniture they shouldn’t or get up to any other expensive shenanigans. Not only that, but bringing your dog’s crate into a new environment is a good way to help your dog to settle in a strange place, as the crate is familiar and your dog associates that space with calmness. You can find information on crate training on our
Dogversity online training school.
Pub Dog Training
For many of us, a big part of holidaying with our dogs involves stopping at cafes and pubs for a drink or meal in the sunshine! No one wants their dog to be the one causing a fuss at these venues, so it’s a great idea to have a look at our
Pub Dog Training course to ensure you and your pup are well prepared for your summer pitstops!
Lead Walking
Many of us can get a bit lazy about our lead walking training, particularly if we are lucky enough to have ample opportunity to let our dogs off the lead on their daily walks. But on holidays, we often want to take our dogs places where they may not be able to go off the lead – whether we are exploring local towns/villages, walking near livestock, in nature reserves or on beaches where there are restrictions on allowing dogs off the lead, everyone will be happier and more comfortable if our dogs can walk nicely on their lead. Get booked onto our
Ultimate Lead Walking masterclass to brush up on your loose lead walking before your hols!
Recall
We all want to make the most of those opportunities we do get to let our dogs off the lead, so they can explore and have as much fun as us! It’s likely there will be new distractions and things your dog isn’t used to seeing when you’re on holiday, and you’re probably in a place you don’t know too well, either! The last thing any of us want is for our dog to do a runner in a strange place during our holidays. Ensuring your dog has a solid, reliable recall will allow you to make the most of your holiday, safely. Check out our
Ultimate Recall masterclass to get this valuable life skill established before you go away.
Socialisation
We all dream of having that well-mannered and calm dog when we’re out and about in the summer. We’ve all seen them, walking calmly, ignoring other dogs and checking in with their humans around things that some of our dogs lose their minds over! The best way to help your dog learn how to be the model citizen and be cool around the many things you may encounter on your break is to work on your training around other people and dogs.
Group classes are a great way to work on a number of useful skills and behaviours with your dog, around real-life outdoor distractions. Not only is the safe, controlled environment of a class a great place for your dog to practice this skill, it’s also a brilliant environment for you to learn how to get your dog’s attention and keep them focused around these challenges.
