Planning Your First Dog Holiday: Milestone Moments Guide

Taking your first holiday with your dog is exciting - and perhaps a little daunting. This comprehensive guide walks you through everything you need to know, from initial planning to returning home. Whether you're a new dog owner or simply new to dog-friendly travel, this guide ensures your first adventure together is successful.

Is Your Dog Ready for a Holiday?

Basic Requirements

Before Considering Travel:

Health:

• Up-to-date vaccinations
• Generally healthy
• No conditions making travel inadvisable
• Recent vet check if concerned

Behaviour:

• Basic training (recall, sit, stay helpful)
• Can settle in new environments
• Manageable around other dogs
• Comfortable in vehicles

Age:

• Puppies: Wait until fully vaccinated and basic training established (usually 6+ months)
• Seniors: Consider limitations, shorter trips may suit better

Signs Your Dog Will Cope

Good Indicators:

• Settles in new places (friends' houses, etc.)
• Travels in car without major distress
• Recovers from new experiences without prolonged anxiety
• Generally adaptable

May Need More Preparation:

• Very anxious in new environments
• Severe car sickness
• Extreme reactivity to other dogs
• Significant separation anxiety

See our Anxious Dogs guide if your dog has anxiety.

Choosing Your First Destination

Start Simple

For First Trips:

• Closer to home (shorter journey)
• Familiar type of environment
• Known dog-friendly area
• Good facilities nearby

Avoid Initially:

• Very long journeys
• Remote locations
• Extremely popular/crowded places
• Challenging terrain beyond your dog's fitness

Recommended First Destinations

Gentle Introductions:

Norfolk offers flat terrain, year-round dog beaches, and welcoming atmosphere - excellent for beginners.

Cotswolds provides gentle countryside, pretty villages, and good facilities.

Yorkshire delivers varied terrain with good dog-friendly infrastructure.

Coastal Options:

Beaches are often excellent for first trips - dogs usually love them, and the environment is forgiving.

See our Beach Holidays guide for options.

Countryside:

Rural cottages with gardens provide secure bases for first adventures.

Choosing Accommodation

Best Accommodation Types for First Trips

Self-Catering Cottages: Most flexibility. Own space. Garden for toilet breaks. Control over routine. See our Cottages guide.

Why Cottages Work:

• No shared spaces to navigate
• Garden for early morning/late night toilet
• Cook your own food (no restaurant timing pressure)
• Dog can be included in everything

Key Features to Look For

Essential:

• Enclosed garden (secure)
• Ground floor or accessible
• Good walking nearby
• Genuinely dog-welcoming

Helpful:

• Rural/quiet location
• Space for dog bed
• Easy-clean floors
• Nearby facilities

Booking Your First Trip

Important Steps:

1. Search specifically for dog-friendly - use filters
2. Read reviews from dog owners - look for specifics
3. Contact owner/manager with questions - clarify policies
4. Confirm in writing - dog welcome, any charges, rules

See our comprehensive Booking Accommodation guide.

Questions to Ask:

• Is the garden fully enclosed?
• Are there any restrictions (furniture, rooms, leaving alone)?
• What's the extra charge for dogs?
• What walking is available nearby?

Planning the Journey

Car Travel Basics

Most First Dog Holidays Are by Car:

• Most control
• Flexible stops
• Bring everything you need
• No public transport stress

Essential Preparation:

Restraint: Dogs must be secured. Options:

• Dog crate (often best)
• Dog guard (boot area)
• Seat belt harness

Practice: If your dog isn't used to car travel, build up gradually before the trip.

Journey Day:

• Walk before leaving (tired dog = better travel)
• Don't feed immediately before
• Water available
• Regular stops (every 2 hours)
• Toilet breaks
• Never leave in hot car

See our detailed Travelling with Dogs guide.

Train Travel Option

If you don't drive, trains are possible. More complex for first trips but doable.

What to Pack

Essential Items

Documents:

• Pet insurance details
• Vaccination records
• Microchip number
• Emergency vet contacts

Feeding:

• Enough food for trip + extra
• Usual bowls
• Treats
• Fresh water for journey

Sleeping:

• Dog's own bed or blanket (familiar smells important)
• Extra blanket

Walking:

• Lead (and spare)
• Collar with ID tag (update contact number!)
• Poo bags (lots)
• Harness if used

Health:

• Any medications
• Basic first aid
• Tick remover

Comfort:

• Favourite toys
• Chew for settling
• Towels for wet/muddy dog

See our complete Packing Checklist.

Common Packing Mistakes

Don't Forget:

• More poo bags than you think
• Towels (wet dogs happen)
• Familiar bedding (helps settling)
• ID tag with holiday contact number

Arriving at Your Accommodation

First Hour

Settling In:

1. Toilet break first - show them the garden
2. Explore on lead - let them sniff around
3. Set up their bed - familiar spot
4. Fresh water - always available
5. Short walk - orient to the area
6. Normal meal time - keep routine

What to Expect:

• Excitement and sniffing
• May be unsettled initially
• Might not sleep perfectly first night
• Usually settles within 24-48 hours

See our Dog Behaviour on Holiday guide.

Security Check

Before letting dog off-lead in garden:

• Walk entire boundary
• Check for gaps
• Test gates
• Block any escape routes

Your First Full Day

Sample Day Structure

Morning:

• Wake, toilet break in garden
• Breakfast (normal time)
• Morning walk/adventure
• Return to accommodation

Midday:

• Rest time
• Lunch for you
• Quiet time for dog

Afternoon:

• Second walk/activity
• Explore local area
• Pub/cafe stop if appropriate

Evening:

• Dinner (normal time for dog)
• Evening walk
• Settle for night

Managing Activities

First Trip Tips:

Don't Over-Schedule: Leave time for rest. New environments are tiring.

Keep Some Routine: Similar meal times. Similar walk schedule. Predictability helps.

Watch Your Dog: Signs of tiredness, stress, or overwhelm. Adjust accordingly.

Be Flexible: Plans may need changing. That's okay.

Eating Out with Your Dog

Dog-Friendly Dining

Options:

Pubs: Often best for first experiences. Many welcome dogs. Relaxed atmosphere. See our Pub Walks guide.

Cafes: Outdoor seating usually dog-friendly. Some allow inside.

Restaurants: Fewer options but they exist.

See our Cafes and Restaurants guide.

Tips for Success

First Time Dining Out:

• Choose quieter venue
• Go at off-peak time
• Bring a mat for dog to lie on
• Have treats/chew for settling
• Keep dog under table
• Don't stay too long if struggling

If Dog Can't Settle: Leave. Don't push it. Try again another time.

Common First-Trip Challenges

Dog Won't Settle

Normal Initially: New environment. New smells. Exciting.

What Helps:

• Familiar bedding
• Exercise before settling
• Calm environment
• Time and patience
• Kong or chew

House Training Accidents

May Happen: New space confuses some dogs.

Response:

• Don't punish
• Clean up calmly
• Increase toilet breaks
• Praise outdoor toileting
• Usually resolves quickly

See our Dog Behaviour guide.

Barking

Possible Causes:

• New sounds
• Excitement
• Anxiety
• Alerting to "intruders"

Management:

• Exercise helps
• Don't reinforce by reacting
• Distraction
• Time to adjust

See our guide on Leaving Dogs Alone if barking happens when you're out.

Won't Eat

Common Initially: Excitement or stress can reduce appetite.

What to Do:

• Offer food at normal times
• Don't make a fuss
• Remove after 20 minutes
• Usually resolves in 1-2 days
• Contact vet if persists or combined with other symptoms

Your Dog Is Exhausted

Also Normal: New experiences are mentally tiring.

Response:

• Allow rest
• Don't push activities
• Quiet time is fine
• Will recover

Safety Considerations

Emergency Preparation

Before You Go:

• Know nearest emergency vet
• Have insurance details accessible
• Save emergency numbers in phone

See our Emergency Vet guide.

On Beaches

Beach Safety:

• Check for restrictions
• Watch tides
• Fresh water available (seawater drinking = bad)
• Shade in hot weather
• Rinse salt water from coat

In Countryside

Countryside Safety:

• Dogs on leads near livestock (legal requirement)
• Watch for hazards
• Tick check after walks
• Close gates

Weather

Hot Weather: Never leave in car. Exercise early/late. See Summer guide.

Cold/Wet Weather: Dry dog after walks. Keep warm. See Winter guide.

Being a Good Dog Owner Away From Home

Etiquette Essentials

Always:

• Pick up poo (every time)
• Follow accommodation rules
• Control your dog
• Respect others' space
• Clean up after your dog

Never:

• Let dog bother others
• Leave dog to bark
• Ignore rules
• Leave mess for others

See our Dog Etiquette guide.

After Your First Trip

Learning From Experience

Reflect On:

• What worked well?
• What would you change?
• What did your dog enjoy most?
• What equipment was missing/unnecessary?

Building Confidence

First Trip Success Leads To:

• Confidence for longer trips
• Understanding your dog's travel style
• Better planning for future
• More ambitious destinations

Update your packing checklist with lessons learned.

See our Returning Home guide for post-trip considerations.

Quick Reference Checklist

Before Booking

• Dog vaccinated and healthy
• Basic training in place
• Chosen dog-friendly destination
• Found suitable accommodation
• Confirmed dog policies

Before Travelling

• Pet insurance valid
• ID tag updated with holiday contact
• Packed all essentials
• Car properly prepared
• Journey stops planned
• Emergency vet identified

On Arrival

• Garden security checked
• Dog's bed set up
• Water available
• Short orientation walk done
• Routine established

Daily

• Regular meals and walks
• Adequate rest time
• Poo picked up
• Dog enjoying themselves
• Adjusting plans as needed

Frequently Asked Questions

Your Adventure Begins

Your first dog holiday is the start of many adventures together. It may not be perfect - few first attempts are - but you'll learn what works for you and your dog. Each trip builds confidence and experience.

The best dog holiday is simply time together somewhere new. Everything else is details.

Luke remembers first holidays with each of Charlie, Buster, Ember, Simba, Max, and Molly. Every dog taught different lessons about travelling together. Now the pack adventures confidently, but it all started with that first trip.