Traveling with dogs

If you own a dog, like me, you’re always looking for places to visit, to stay and to enjoy along with your pet.  Because  I too try to find suitable accommodation for our family and our pet, we find ourselves in the same predicament as many loving pet owners.  Where can we go, where can we stay, where can we eat outside and where can we take our dog for walks.??

That’s why we have great pleasure in being able to offer pet friendly vacation homes! The biggest advantage of staying in a home rather than an hotel is the sheer ease of settling in with your pet.  Dogs are far happier in a home than a hotel room – there is less unfamiliar noise, for one thing.  My dog has a habit of barking at unfamiliar noises, like other guests passing along the corridor outside our room.  She hates the sound of vacuum cleaners, so that’s another problem;  they’re always cleaning the hallways of hotels.  And in a vacation home, we can bring her own bed, blankets, and food bowls.  The outside is easier to access, so taking our pet for a walk is less stressful; most homes are in quiet developments with sidewalks, and open areas that we can walk to and from.

Florida has just been confirmed as having one of the top five dog friendly areas in the United States.  We are fortunate enough to have Fort De Soto beach on our doorstep.  It takes about 2 hours easy drive from Central Florida to reach the famous Fort de Soto doggy beach, where dogs and humans mingle happily on the sands and in the calm Gulf waters.

Jilly on Fort de Soto beach

There are two fenced dog runs for off leash play;  one for smaller dogs and one for the larger breeds, complete with water bowls and showers to wash the sand and salt off.  Shaded seating areas for owners are also provided.

With miles of sandy beach to run along, and soft and gentle waves, dogs of all ages and sizes have great fun .  Obviously all dogs must be kept under control, and sometimes if the larger dogs appear to be too boisterous we tend to walk further along the beach to provide ourselves and our little one some peace and quiet.

The end result of a trip to Fort De Soto is a happy and tired pet, with a grand vacation home to return to, with all the comforts of home.  Their own blanket, doggie bed and food bowls.  What more could a pet on vacation want?