Top Tips for Holidaying in the UK with Pets

By Sophie Orr, SEO Executive, Sykes Cottages

At Sykes Cottages, we understand what an integral part of the family your four legged friends can be. We also know that pets enjoy holidays as much as people do and more holidaymakers than ever are choosing to take pet friendly breaks in the UK rather than jetting off to sunnier climes.

It can be really difficult to arrange care for your pets whilst you go on holiday. Looking after someone else’s pet can be a huge responsibility and the alternatives, such as placing your dog in kennels, aren’t always the right choice for everyone. With this in mind, we thought it would be extremely useful to offer our top tips for holidaying with pets, from choosing the perfect location to packing and commuting.

Choosing the location

There are several factors to take into consideration when choosing the location of your pet friendly holiday. Most importantly, you want to rest assured that there will be plenty of pet inclusive activities and facilities to visit and take advantage of. Dog friendly beaches, parks, walking tracks and pubs are some of the most popular searches potential holidaymakers research when deliberating destinations.

Some of our favourite pet paradises include North Wales, with its award winning beaches, stunning coastal path, the Snowdonia mountain range which will leave you spoilt for choice when it comes to taking long, brisk walks amidst a spectacular backdrop, plus it’s interspersed with luscious green countryside. Yorkshire is another great choice for its true rural beauty, its charming hamlets, a stunning Heritage coast and the delightful Yorkshire Dales National Park. Lastly, Cornwall has some truly exceptional and idyllic sandy beaches, rolling green hills and quaint villages.

Packing for pets

It may seem like an obvious one, but packing the necessities that you use as part of your day to day routine would be the first place to begin. Don’t forget to pack essentials like pet food, bedding, a collar and tags, any medication (where applicable) and plenty of water as your pet will surely get very thirsty during a long car journey. Pack a favourite toy or two as this will keep your pet engaged, entertained and calm due to the reminder of familiar surroundings.

Comfortable travel

Some pets relish jumping in the car alongside you, but others may feel unnerved taking long journeys that break their normal routine. It’s therefore very important to make sure that your pets are comfortable during a prolonged journey, to make the trip as smooth and enjoyable as possible. First and foremost, a secure carrier which offers enough space for them to move around a little is integral. Perhaps you can test out the carrier with your pet ahead of your trip? Placing their food inside it or just leaving it available to them so that if they are curious they can explore it. This could help take some of the fear of the unknown away. Plan in regular stops along the way to allow them to get some exercise and have toilet breaks. It is also a good idea to feed your pets a good few hours before travelling, as they will travel better when they do not have full stomachs.

If you would like to find your perfect pet friendly holiday cottage, Sykes Cottages has an extensive range of over 4000 properties to choose from. Find out more here.

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