Holiday in U.K. with our 4 Rescue Dogs - Help

[Agatha]

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Dear all,

Let me firstly introduce myself and my fur babies.

I'm a very young 44 year old (just) married, normally do everything in 3's - 3 children, now 3 grandchildren, was 3 fur babies until just before Christmas when we were asked by our local rescue centre to add another fur baby to our brood.  I am known by the family as crazy nanny and yes if it can be done I will make sure we do it.

Now to introduce our brood

Maya joined the family 7 years ago from the Highlands in Scotland we were her third home, she is around 13/14 years old lab/lurcher cross and in every way the pack leader and a real lady, it took 6 month of hard work to get Maya to where she is today as she was very badly abused from a puppy.

Martha joined the family a little over 5 years ago as a 10 week old puppy heading for the pound if no home found, as it was a very unexpected litter, Mom a 6 year old rotti and dad a 8 month old bull mastif - Martha is the Lion out of the Wizard of Oz loves cuddles looks like a teddy bear, but is scared of her own shadow, loves to bark at noises but then runs to you to support her and will sell her sole for a biscuit.

Goose joined the family two years ago he is a males sprocker and at the tender age of 3 years has all of those male tendencies, needy,  very vocal, massive separation anixienty, but so loving and loves everyone amazing hairstyle - he is with us at work every day.

Beatrice joined the family in December as a 10 week old puppy from our local rescue, she is a sprollie seemed nobody wanted her as she was very poorly as a pup and they thought she may need lots of vet treatment, however she has settled lovely with the brood and really grown into a lovely little lady.

As you can hopefully read from my intro our fur babies are a big part of our lives, last year when we went on holiday we had a friend house sit and I paid her to stay off work for the week, by day two we missed them that much we went home.

This year we want to take them on holiday with us, they all travel well we have a truck with a fully lined back in for them (brand new not been in that part yet as prefer the back seat).

Need help on finding somewhere to go as most places will take 1 or 2 dogs not 4.

Please help and advise welcomed.

Agatha

 

[Biker John]

Hi, your family sounds great, I have stayed at Whalesborough Farm Holiday Cottages, Whalesborough Farm, Bude, Cornwall, EX23 0JD before, not sure what, (if any), limit they have on number of dogs. I only had two. The dogs and I had a lovely week there.

 

[arealhuman]

Great first post and introduction!  Welcome to the forum, I hope you can find a suitable place for your holiday - as a recent first time dog owner I'm afraid I can't offer any suggestions, sorry.

Biker John - good suggestion about Bude - passed through at the weekend on my bike.  The weather was hot!

 

[Wotho]

Hello Agatha,

Are you still looking for good holiday accommodation?  If so, what area(s) are you considering?

 

[gypsysmum2]

Take a look here   www.developingdogs.co.uk No limit on the number of dogs you can take.

I have not been but it comes highly recommended.

 

[Peegee]

That looks amazing Gypsysmum.  I wish there was something similar local to me so that we could go to the weekly classes.  I'd love to try the parkour or the fun agility but can't find anything suitable in the West Sussex area.  Some agility groups but all seem quite serious and interested in competition.  We've done puppy classes beginners and improvers and now do scent work and Raleigh work but it's not terribly stimulating or fun.  Any pointers as to what else I might be able to pursue would be gratefully received.  

 

[Agatha]

Hi, your family sounds great, I have stayed at Whalesborough Farm Holiday Cottages, Whalesborough Farm, Bude, Cornwall, EX23 0JD before, not sure what, (if any), limit they have on number of dogs. I only had two. The dogs and I had a lovely week there.

Many thanks for the recommendation.

We have progressed, we have purchased our first family caravan - so accommodation sorted now to find some local sites, I will share our experiences as I am sure they will be a full on learning experience

Thanks again 

Agatha

 

[Agatha]

Hello Agatha,

Are you still looking for good holiday accommodation?  If so, what area(s) are you considering?

Hi there,

we are now looking for family campsites, as we are the new owners of a family caravan, ideally within 1.5 hours of Worcestershire, as with the brood anymore than this maybe a challenge especially our golden oldie

Many thanks

Lucy

 

[Wotho]

Hello Agatha,

Congratulations on your new family caravan.  Now you can pick and choose where to go with your dogs.  Have you joined any Caravan Clubs?  They would have helpful information.

Have fun .... 

 

[Wotho]

Sorry Lucy, Just realised I had thought it was Agatha.

I think you would get details of Caravan Campsites in the areas of your choice from joining a Caravan Club.  Also look at well-known Static Caravan Holiday Parks, such as Park Holidays - they often have a section for mobile camping.

Enjoy ... 

 

[JoanneF]

Many thanks for the recommendation.

We have progressed, we have purchased our first family caravan - so accommodation sorted now to find some local sites, I will share our experiences as I am sure they will be a full on learning experience

Thanks again 

Agatha

One of the best tips we got was to buy some bathmats that match the decor - the kind that don't have rubber backing so they wash easily. Have them just inside the door, so when it's pouring and you have muddy boots you can step inside to take them off without making a mess on your carpets. Personally I'd like to know what design team thinks ivory is a good colour for motorhome carpets anyway ...

 

[gypsysmum2]

Ha Ha Joanne! Ivory and dogs Hmmmm?

We bought a roll of Vet Bed and cut it into mats to completely cover our motorhome floor. It can be washed on a hot wash. I now have some in the house by the back door too. All I need to do is teach my husband to stand on it when he takes off his muddy boots!

As well as the Caravan Club (now called the Caravan and Motorhome Club) there is the Camping and Caravan Club. All very confusing at first.

Haven Holidays is another commercial set up that usually has camp sites adjacent. We used them quite a lot when our daughter was small. Lots of entertainment for children.

 

[gypsysmum2]

That looks amazing Gypsysmum.  I wish there was something similar local to me so that we could go to the weekly classes.  I'd love to try the parkour or the fun agility but can't find anything suitable in the West Sussex area.  Some agility groups but all seem quite serious and interested in competition.  We've done puppy classes beginners and improvers and now do scent work and Raleigh work but it's not terribly stimulating or fun.  Any pointers as to what else I might be able to pursue would be gratefully received.  

I don't know if you saw the tv programme called Me and My Dog (or similar)? The dog trainer on there is the same one who runs Developing Dogs. She is amazing! I, too, would love to live nearer so that I could attend regularly. I do keep a look out for the workshops that they offer.

Scentwork is very tiring (usually) for the dog. Rally is good activity too. Why don't you approach an agility club to see if you can book a private session. A couple of friends and I book an agility trainer and have an hour's lesson with her every week. She knows that we are not interested in competing and so just teaches us the basics and sets up courses for us to have a go at while she corrects all our handling errors  You do need to like the trainer though. Our trainer is brilliant at noticing when a dog is not enjoying something. She will work out a strategy for each dog. Just wish she could make my legs run faster!

 

[Peegee]

I don't know if you saw the tv programme called Me and My Dog (or similar)? The dog trainer on there is the same one who runs Developing Dogs. She is amazing! I, too, would love to live nearer so that I could attend regularly. I do keep a look out for the workshops that they offer.

Scentwork is very tiring (usually) for the dog. Rally is good activity too. Why don't you approach an agility club to see if you can book a private session. A couple of friends and I book an agility trainer and have an hour's lesson with her every week. She knows that we are not interested in competing and so just teaches us the basics and sets up courses for us to have a go at while she corrects all our handling errors  You do need to like the trainer though. Our trainer is brilliant at noticing when a dog is not enjoying something. She will work out a strategy for each dog. Just wish she could make my legs run faster!

I did recognise the photo of her on their website.  I think the paddock they have for hire would have been great last year when we were first training recall. I was terrified to let her off the lead, of course, she was fine and didn't immediately tear off anywhere but a secure 8acre paddock is a great idea and would have been ideal.  Evie does enjoy the scent work but its quite repetitive where we go, she is quite good at it and at £20 an hour seems a lot of money for something I can do at home with her.  Your idea of booking a private agility trainer sounds a good idea.  Unfortunately none of my friends are dog owners but something to consider.   I do think Evie would love agility.  I shall keep searching.  

 

[gypsysmum2]

I have been on the Talking Dogs Scentwork workshops. They are orgainsed by an ex drugs detection dog handler, Pam Mackinnon and her colleagues, and are brilliant. They are organised in levels so that you do level one and go away to  practice it on your own. Then go back for level two, then level three etc. Each time the degree of difficulty increases but still in line with your dog's capability. By level four you are searching outdoor sites like Railworld in Peterborough. Haven't got that far yet but am looking out for the next available date. In he meantime we are going on a tracking course which is different to scent work.

 

[Peegee]

Thanks.  That does sound much more stimulating.  I will definitely investigate these workshops and perhaps that's the way to go.  What we do each week is find my keys which are hidden in one of about a dozen boxes.  She's been able to do this reasonably successfully for a couple of months and I would like to stretch her skills, so the progression workshops sound ideal.  What's involved in tracking and how does this work?

 

[gypsysmum2]

I haven't been yet, but my understanding is that the scent is laid on the ground and the dog must follow the trail rather than the air scenting that is the basis of Scentwork. Not sure how the dogs will transfer from one to the other but I am confident that they will explain it all.

If Pam Mackinnon is involved, which she is, I am sure that it will be very professional.

 

[arealhuman]

Funnily enough I've just finished watching "Me and My Dog" last week.  An entertaining show, but wow was it flawed.  Both presenters need a serious injection of charisma and the challenges were unfair IMHO on some dogs and owners, and in some cases discriminatory!

 

[JoanneF]

It's an interesting point you make @arealhuman.

Some trainers are great at training but lack the tv 'presence' while others may be charismatic but weak on training skills.

 

[arealhuman]

It's an interesting point you make @arealhuman.

Some trainers are great at training but lack the tv 'presence' while others may be charismatic but weak on training skills.

Yep - not doubting the lady's abilities or credentials at all - in fact the link @gypsysmum2 provided above (thank you!) is very interesting and might help me and my dog - but as an entertainment, or even "edu-tainment" programme, I didn't think they were the most engaging presenters.  Just my opinion mind you!  I found the difference in challenges excruciating too, and asking a gentleman with one leg to run and swim in the competition was a little disturbing to me.  I would have also have liked to have seen some more support given to those whose dogs were finding it difficult, and I think this may have happened as there were hints dropped in conversations, but it would've been good to see how progress was made. All that said, I did enjoy it, although I'm not sure I'd watch a second series.