On a trip… without Wookie!

Some three weeks ago we went on a trip to Disneyland Paris for three days. And even though I have to admit it really is “the happiest place on earth”, it isn’t for doggies… Actually I can understand: everything is so very very clean over there, you can eat off the floor everywhere.

In fact, you can take your dog to Disneyland Paris, he just can’t enter the parks. Right outside the entrance, they have a residence for pets. Every pet has its own separate spot, partly inside, partly outside. It will get food and water. You have to take it out yourself, but that’s not too much to ask if your friend can be near you.

I considered this option before leaving, but since we were staying in one of the Disneyland Hotels, we couldn’t really do that to Wookie. In the Hotels you can’t take your pet either, so that would mean that during the day she’d have to stay in the cage, and at night she’d have to sleep in the car. So we decided to let her visit my parents for a while…

Wookie got a great treat!

Sunday night before we left we took her over to my parents. She knows them all too well and is really fond of them. She wasn’t really alarmed, until we went out and left her there. She was a bit sad and angry, and sat and cried at the door for a while. But luckily my parents immediately started to play with her. We also bought her a great treat before we left, so the bitterness passed pretty quick.

My parents loved having her over. On the first night she was a bit nervous, but we brought all her toys and the bench she sleeps in at home too. That way she felt pretty comfortable soon, and she went to sleep like a baby. I think my parents got up before she did! She didn’t give my parents a hard time at all. In fact, I think they weren’t very keen on returning her to me… I should consider buying them a Schipperke…

What to do when you go on a trip but can’t take your dog?
Hopefully you know someone that will take care of your friend for a couple of days, friends or family. You better make sure that dog and temporary new owner are a bit used to each other, in order to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Nevertheless if you can’t count on someone you know, there are alternatives. PetsHotels are hotels for dogs where they will take care of your dog while you’re gone. They usually have cages partly inside and partly outside, so your dog can get some fresh air. They get food an water (usually the stuff you bring, so he has the chewies he likes). And they clean out the cage every day. Make sure you visit the petshotel where you’ll leave your friend, just to be sure. And trust me, it’s perfectly normal to feel your heart break when you leave your pet there… just remember that they’ll take good care of him and you’ll be getting him back, and you’ll both be super happy!!

Whether your dog stays with someone you know or in a hotel, it’s important to make him feel at ease. Take all its toys and its bench to sleep in (if it has one), and maybe a blanket that smells like ‘home’. Scents are really important to dogs. Maybe you can buy them a new toy for when you leave, so you won’t feel that guilty…

When it comes to going to Disneyland Paris with the dog: I guess there are hotels in the neighborhood that allow dogs. You’ll have to take it to the Disneyland Park Dogs Residence during the day, but at night at least it won’t be alone.

Every year lots of people leave their faithful friend behind when leaving for a vacation… Whatever you do: DON’T do that!! There are alternatives to leaving your dog behind! People who leave their dog are not worthy of any friendship at all! A dog can’t survive on its own: not only because it just can’t take care of itself, it just won’t live without your love… So don’t leave your friend to die! You need to plan a trip for at least two: even if your dog cannot join you.