Taking a dog around Oz

Yes for lots of reasons. Cant take it on all day trips May have to pay kennel fees. Too hot to leave in van or the car.. Some van parks dont allow them. Cant take to Nat parks as you say. Ticks and fleas up north.

I have had 5 dogs over the years but wouldnt take one travelling.

No doubt I will be swamped by the other views but to me the cons outweigh the pros both from my perspective and the dogs.

What Tom said, Deejay.

If you haven't got the dog now, don't get it till you return. Dog/human relationships often take weeks to form and you don't want to find out, over near Exmouth, that you both hate your doggy choice.............and it just shat on the carpet in the new 'van as well.

We've got a couple of pan lickers and recently we've been away twice.........costs heaps to board them out.

Bob

Delay till you get home. We travelled extensively for years, including much time in Nat Parks but now only do shorter trips - due to age and health issues. We now have a dog and she travels well on our limited travels. But I still worry about ticks and 1080 - and the latter is a big concern in the inland and northern pastoral areas. It would be a shame to get a new dog, only to lose it.

Hi Deejay, agree with Tom, Bob Y and Wendy's replies. The idea of it is lovely and others will disagree but If you don't have one now just enjoy your trip and wait until you get back.
Amanda

Hi Deejay
I have been travelling around Australia for the last 2 yrs, just my dog and i.I live in a small motorhome and he is great company.We mainly stay in rest areas,cattle stations,roadhouses,farm stay etc and never had any problems.Most towns with caravan parks will normally have 1-2 that take pets.As far as Nat parks go you can travel through them but your dog is not allowed out of the vehicle so camp just outside of them and do day trips in to see things.
Most rangers are great people do the right thing and they will leave you be.
I will no doubt be criticized for my next comment but the truth is the truth.I travel through a lot of remote towns and sometimes stay near them and my car has never been broken into.Some towns it would be a worry to leave your car while you went shopping.I have struck a few towns where i have looked at the locals hanging round and think,this is not good.In that case i bring him out of the motorhome and walk him around it and then put him back in it.I would rather them know whats in the back of it before they brake a window rather than find out afterwards.
I hope this helps and you and your wife make a decision that suits your life style.
Cheers
Stuart and Gunny

I agree with others who suggest holding off on getting a dog. In the western areas 1080 baits are used a lot and this would have to be a worry unless you muzzled the dog - not always an easy process I believe. In drier areas there are lots of burrs and spines to get into dogs feet. Plus ticks etc. We held off getting a dog while we travelled, and now that we are travelling less we have had 2 rehomed dogs (border collies). That is the other thing to consider - if you get a pup you have to go through the puppy stage while you are travelling. If you get an older dog it may take quite a while for you to bond, retrain etc. Both of those phases could be more difficult if you are on the road.
We really love having a dog, they are great company but we would never take them on the road. We always get housesitters who look after the house and the animals, and that arrangement has worked well for us, but from what you say you are planning to be on the road for an extended period so maybe not relevant.
Cheers,
Val.

We have had dogs for the last twenty years and have always travelled with them, including doing the big lap. They are great company and we just find places and activities that can include them. They are family and we would never consider leaving them at home.

However, they do severely restrict where you can go and there are many dangers to watch out for such as ticks, snakes, grass seeds, baits, etc as others have described.

We too have recently retired and plan to do a lot more travelling including being on the road for a number of years. Our dogs are getting older (we currently have three) and we have decided that when they pass on, we will not replace them until we have satisfied our travel interests, such as visiting many, many, many national parks, and all the places where we just haven't been able to go with them, but would love to.

We know we will miss having them around, and will definitely get more dogs down the track. So if I was you, I would delay getting a dog until you have visited all the places that are on your bucket list.

Cheers, Cheryl

Delay! When you find you can't take a dog to many of places you want to go you will soon start to resent it.

It would not be a good idea to set off with a young (or any other) dog until you are 100% confident that it is well trained and happy to be with you and travel. A dog that will reliably come when called, wait quietly outside a shop when tied and not bark frantically at every one who walks past your van is the least you need. It is also good if they toilet on command(!) so you are not standing around in the dark and cold before bed with a dog that just wants to play! It takes a while to train a dog and learn its personality. Some dogs hate travelling and get horribly carsick - not much fun. Others are very insecure when "home" keeps moving. We travelled happily for years with our dog but she was very well trained as she had been trained for shows. And, as others have said, there are many hazards out there for you to learn about. Baits are the worst but we had a dash to the vet with a badly burnt paw when our dog walked over a campfire that had just had dirt shovelled over it by some clot who had left live coals still burning! So I would recommend waiting til after your trip then you can give the dog the full attention he will need to become a great companion and perhaps a future traveller. Lynne

Hi I live in Broken Hill and I do see a lot of tourists with dogs and they seem to be ok but the other day .

we saw a guy in a camper van with a lovely pup and they had done exactly as you want to do and ended up in a huge disaster the dog went on its first trip ever and it got very very car sick

The guy got only half way on his planned trip and has to return home and try to work out how to get the dog used to the car ,

I suggested short trips first and get used to you and his wife

we do have 3 dogs and they every where two are kelpie collie cross of stations and a hinz 57 and 1/4 are used to travel but it took time to know what to do

pit stops and feeding can be a problem dogs like a routeen

Forget about a dog. To restrictive and think about your neighbours! I do not like having barkings dogs camped next to me when on holidays. I bought my home years ago and there were no dogs in the neighbourhood, now there are 12 on my fence lines that just bark all damn day because the owners don't walk them and they are bored. Last thing I want is someone to camp near me with a flaming dog! An ounce of lead will sort that!
My wife and mother-in-law were attacked by dogs because the owners were too lazy to train the animals. Unfortunately I was not here at the time otherwise I would have broken its blasted neck! Forget the damn dog!
If you want a dog - go live on a property with no neighbours and DON'T take it travelling with you.

I don't think I have ever read a post where everyone up to this point, agreed.

I spent two days beside a van at Mekering who had a well trained dog.
I was told several times how well it behaved and didn't bark.
He was well behaved, but
Just behind us was a couple of stables with trotters.
Morning (06:00) and evening the trotters would pass 100 mtrs away and the dog would go off.

The owner explained to me that this was the first time it had seen horses.
You never heard him with the exception of the passing trotters.

Even the best trained dog will find something new to get it going.

I agree with the above comments and wait.

As soon as my travelling days are over I will have another dog.

Cheers

You would want to know a dog for a few years at least before you took off with it on an extended trip. Taking a pup could possibly be a nightmare. You wouldn't ask a stranger along with you, dogs are not much different. I've had some nice dogs, but I've had a few mongrels too (excuse the pun). Unless you are seasoned travellers, you will have your hands full looking after yourselves.

Hi Deejay,
We've had dogs for years and I can understand wanting to travel with them. They're great company that's for sure. However, if you haven't yet got your dog then I would definitely wait till you got back. You don't want to be worried about your dog while travelling eg baiting, snakes, heat, restrictions on places to visit.
If you were already owned by a dog and he/she was used to you & travelling then that's different.
Just go and enjoy your travels and when you get back enjoy your new buddy.

We've travelled with the mutt for ages, wouldn't consider leaving him at home. We've never failed to find a kennel anywhere in oz for day care for between 10-20 dollars a day.

A travelling dog IMO is a "different" nomadic lifestyle.
We own a 4yo foxy, a yapper yes and we keep her as quiet as possible. A great companion and loves,watching fir roos and other animals.
However, you are in a prime situation to delay your ownership of a dog. Travel first then buy one.
Teach it to growl at grumpy old men...lol