Starkehre Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 (edited) Hi all. I am just wanting to get others' opinions on this topic as it is something I wonder about. This is a question for those of you that have, will do or would like to go away somewhere with your dog/s, either holidaying, working, competing or otherwise. When deciding on your destination/accommodation, how important is it to you whether or not the property has it's own attached dog proof yard outside? For the sake of my interest, let's say you were looking at staying somewhere where the dogs are allowed and encourage to be inside the accommodation and there is also a verandah that they could be enclosed onto, but around the grounds/property is fully open and in a bush/forest type setting. Everyone's in put is greatly appreciated. Added, I am not looking to open up a pet friendly accommodation, sorry :D Edited July 7, 2011 by dyzney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silentchild Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 (edited) I think I know which accomodation you are referring to, Dyz. I personally would love a dog-proof large enclosed yard at a holiday place, mainly because the backyard I have at home is not that big and it would be lovely to be on holiday where there is a private, secure area where my dog can sniff to her heart's content and run around without me worrying she is going to suddenly disappear into the forest if she happens to see another dog/possum/kangaroo/interesting-looking human. Unfortunately I have yet to find a dog-friendly accommodation that has a private enclosed yard, maybe I'm not looking hard enough! Although I think the most important for me is that the accommodation would need to have a secure area where I can leave my dog for a short amount of time if I need to go out without her. So in that case you spoke of above, a secure enclosed verandah would work just fine. Added' date=' I am not looking to open up a pet friendly accommodation, sorry[/quote'] :cry: Edited July 6, 2011 by silentchild Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlet Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 If the dogs are allowed inside a yard is not that important to me for a short stay - maybe up to a week or so. A yard is handy but I can walk the dogs for exercise and toileting. My dogs prefer human company to space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooling Coats Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 I think a fenced yard is essential. We have just returned from 4 days in Hervey Bay, we stayed at Best Western Quarterdecks @ Uranguan, which was pet friendly. We have a small maltese cross, who appreciated being able to go outside on her own in the small fenced yard. There was a bit of grass for her to roll around on, and a paved area that was warm. Guess it depends on the dog, size etc, but even with a little dog, I still prefer a fenced yard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chezy Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 generally no , but if i was staying for a week or more then I def would well fenced yard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Fox Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 When decising on your destination/accommodation, how important is it to you whether or not the property has it's own attached dog proof yard outside? Reasonably. I'd choose a property with a secure yard over one without. For the sake of my interest, let's say you were looking at staying somewhere where the dogs are allowed and encourage to be inside the accommodation and there is also a verandah that they could be enclosed onto, but around the grounds/property is fully open and in a bush/forest type setting. Yep, I would stay somewhere like this. Added, I am not looking to open up a pet friendly accommodation, sorry :D Dammit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 My dogs are a little shy about doing their business on lead so a yard for toileting would be good. Apart from the that a veranda would be fine as mine spend the whole day on the veranda as it is (their choice). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheena Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 We always stay in dog friendly caravan parks either in dog friendly cabins or the caravan. We take our crates along & the dogs are happy to be on a long lead attached to their crates...they get lots of walks & excercise during the day. Having a yard would be no better for us....I don't think I could leave my dogs in a strange yard while I go out for a bit...anything could happen to them. Much safer in a crate, or if it's night time, in the car if we want to go out to dinner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starkehre Posted July 6, 2011 Author Share Posted July 6, 2011 (edited) Thanks guys, great responses, keep them coming please. I will add what I think comes into play for me personally and I wonder about how other feel about this... When on holiday, IMO it would be nice to not have to get up, get dressed, grab a torch, grab a lead, put the dogs on lead and go outside in the cold/wet/dark to empty the dogs early in the morning and pick up poo in case you miss it later on when it gets light. If the dogs required early emptying, it would nicer to open the door in your nightie or nudie, throw them outside for a few minutes and let them back in when they are done. As much as I simply adore my dogs, holidays that are more work than at home, don't really seem like holidays. As it is holidaying with dogs is somewhat labour intensive, carting them everywhere, making sure they are cool enough in the car/float, always emptied. Also, as far as I can gather, probably the majority of DOLer dogs spend a lot of time with their owners and would possibly choose close companionship over space. But what about if you want to be outside with the dogs in the area surrounding your accomm, but you have to be constantly working them and checking in with your dogs to ensure they are not wandering too far, encroaching into other accommodation grounds, chasing wild life and pooing where you might not find it to pick it up. Even for the best trained dogs, it is still a vigilance that IMO makes a holiday less of a holiday. Sure the dogs can do a down stay, but that's not much fun for them or for the owner. Edited July 6, 2011 by dyzney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 (edited) Not a holiday house as such but we spent the night at my parents place in the country on the river. No fenced yard and on 8 acres and plenty of critters. Both of mine were allowed outside unattended but they normally just ran around the verandah and then back to me. If they needed to toilet in the night I would go and stand on the verandah and then call them back to me when they are finished. Guess it depends on the dog but like others said they would rather me at my feet then off exploring unless I am outside. The same goes for home though really. They have access to the yard but at the moment I am on the computer and one dog is sleeping next to my desk and the other dog is sleeping in the room next door. Edited July 6, 2011 by ness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 ness - as you know, mine are pretty much the same - would rather be in with me than outside. Dyzney, I'm usually staying in dog friendly accommodation for a short time - for trials, or travelling to trials or workshops. I love it when there is a well fenced yard, but being able to have the dogs inside with me is my highest priority (although sometimes, like the motels across the Nullarbor, they just have to sleep in the car.) Now I think about it, I've probably stayed in more places without a yard, than with, but it hasn't really been an issue - because even at home, on an acre and a quarter, if the dogs need to go out in the wee small hours of the morning, they go on lead - both to stop them harassing critters like bandicoots and pademelons that are out and about then, and also so they know it's just a 'business trip' . (Pity you're not starting up dog-friendly accommodation ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anniek Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Would not even consider staying anywhere without a fenced yard - even just a tiny one for feeding & toilet breaks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Sibs Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 No, it's not important. Just because I'll be taking my dogs mostly everywhere with me if they do go on holidays with me. Those times that I leave them at the hotel/house.. it would be at night when I got out to dinner, and there they just stay in their crates and be so tired, all they will be doing is sleeping. Saying that, I do have 2 small dogs and they are easy to travel with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wagsalot Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Yard doesn't bother me at all, although generally if we go away with Riley we'll go somewhere a bit remote, on a acre etc. If we take Riley on holidays he's always inside with us, outside with us (Great recall) or if we go out he goes with us, so we never leave him in the yard so no need for it to be fully fenced etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dee lee Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 My dogs are a little shy about doing their business on lead so a yard for toileting would be good. This is my problem too. I have stayed in both types of accommodation and by far prefer an enclosed yard. Too many variables in an area that is not as familiar to you. I have stayed at my BIL's property and it was a freakin nightmare, as my dog is an occasional bolter and a high drive chaser. Not a good combination with stock fences and horses next door, especially when doing a late night wee which "princess" needs to be off lead for. I am good at managing these things but an enclosed yard makes my holiday much more relaxing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 A holiday house with a fenced yard is wonderful but pretty hard to find. Toiletting dogs on lead does make for a lot more work than at home but I would never go off and leave my dogs in a strange yard. Nothing short of concrete base and fully enclosed roof could be considered completely safe from escape if they panicked about being abandoned in a strange place. I suppose for breeds that cannot jump or climb a fenced yard could be deemed safe but I would never leave a BC in just a yard. I stayed in one beautifully fenced holiday house at Wagga and another in Bendigo. The Bendigo one had an acre, but one small section of fence was only hip height, so I still had to go outside with the dogs but at least they didn't have to be on lead to toilet and have a run around. In rural areas a fenced area would be lovely to let the dogs out to toilet, especially at night, without having to worry about roos. I stayed at a wonderful dog friendly cabin at Running Stream and the owners warned me not to let the dogs off lead after dark. They have an abundance of huge roos that come onto the property at night. In the morning when the roos retreat to the heavy bush my dogs got to have a big run with the owners dog all over the property but a small fenced yard off the cabin would have been great. For me the ideal is dogs allowed inside with a fenced yard. Failing that, dogs allowed inside is more important than a yard. If they aren't allowed inside I can manage by leaving them in the car, outside the door and preferably under cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corrie Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 (edited) A holiday house with a fenced yard is wonderful but pretty hard to find. Toiletting dogs on lead does make for a lot more work than at home but I would never go off and leave my dogs in a strange yard. Nothing short of concrete base and fully enclosed roof could be considered completely safe from escape if they panicked about being abandoned in a strange place. Agree with this. I have stayed in fenced and unfenced holiday accomodation and I was still hyper-vigilant in the fenced place because you never know what people may do despite it being a dog rental. I am not to know whether the landlord or neighbours are using rat baits poison or any other such poisons or if snakes go into the yard. For me personally, when I go on a holiday with the dogs it is about spending time together going for drives, big hikes and just hanging out. If I want time away from that responsibility I will go on a human only holiday. Edited to answer your question, Dyzney. I would prefer the enclosed veranda because you can leave the doors open and the dogs can go inside or on the verandah area and I find it more relaxing when I am away with them to have them in closer proximity. Edited July 7, 2011 by corrie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starkehre Posted July 7, 2011 Author Share Posted July 7, 2011 Much appreciate everyone's in put, opinions and routines of what you do when away with your dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FHRP Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 (edited) For short stays a dog proof yard isn't important. My first concern is that the dogs are allowed inside, and if I'm away for a weekend then it's usually for a trial and we spend little time at the accomodation apart from sleeping! In the past couple of months I've stayed in motels twice with two dogs (inside ) that didn't have a yard and it wasn't an issue at all. For a longer period of time then a yard would be nice, but not a deal breaker. eta. Even in houses I've stayed with dog proof yards I've never left them in the yard when I'm not there and rarely even unattended for toilet breaks! My dogs want to be where I am, and I also want to clean up after them ASAP. For exercise purposes we always go to a beach, park etc. Edited July 7, 2011 by FHRP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornell Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 We have stayed in numerous places with our dogs. We take them everywhere with us when we go on holiday even when we go out to dinner. We also love to go on sunrise and sunset walks while we are away. We have discovered that a yard where we have the space to run and play with our dogs is a very high priority even for one night. We have found that these places create the fondest family memories. A fenced yard is also essential especially for those dark late night visits to the little boys spot. Therefore the yard, the fence, the number of steps and the views (ie the dogs needs) come first before the actual house for us. By the way - Can anyone explain to me how some houses can be listed as "pet friendly" and then also state that the dogs must be outside at all times? We never stay at places where the dogs are not welcome indoors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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