Taking Dogs around Aus

Gday,
I used to take my dog everywhere I went.....these days they usually stay at home because there are so many places you cant take dogs. I think you would spend a lot of time hiding them or leaving them locked in the car.
It does depend on where you go and what your dog is like too?

Cheers
Hairy

I took my 4 year old Collie around Australia with me. In my case she was all I had for company so I wouldn't have it any other way. Caravan parks were not a problem but of course she could not go to any national parkks.

The biggest problem though was the signs everywhere in WA warning of baiting. This became even more of a concern when I met a fellow traveller who told of his dog dying as a result of a bait.

I ended up leaving WA more quickly than I normally would have.

Baiting is dropped by air apparently so they can even be picked up in designated rest areas, which is wher the fellow above's dog found one.

Best regards, Cruiser

Hi Karen

As much as we enjoy meeting other people's dogs, ours stays home. Many of the places we choose to see and stay are National Parks. People with dogs have left them in or outside the caravan in roadside free camps to do quick day trips into the parks where we stay and enjoy. In some areas is it just too hot to leave a dog inside. Also in hotter climates, it is better to be on site, to do walks early in the morning at later in the day to avoid heat exhaustion.

Some parks allow dogs in the car if you are driving through the main road and not stopping, but some do not even allow this.Check the regulations on each state website for national parks.

In the Kimberley we met a couple on a fishing trip with well behaved dogs in a large crate on the back of their ute. Two were smaller dogs and one was a beautiful big Dingo with a dash of German Shepherd. They were very limited as to where they could travel, and even took a flight over the Mitchell Plateau to glimpse the falls. But they were young; it was a fishing holiday, and they would return some time in the future leaving the dogs in kennels to enjoy all they missed.

Your children will need to run around as often as your dog, so you won't be travelling long days, but you will be very limited as to where you can go. In some areas, caravan parks that take dogs can be few and far between, hence many of the people we have met with dogs have been finding bush camps and rest areas most of the way.

Motherhen

Hi Karen,

A few years ago we stopped off at a river on the way out to Kakadu. As we pulled up a frantic person asked us if we had seen a dog on our way in - they had been in a boat and seen crocs and it seemed as though a croc had taken the dog.

On top of the ever present baits, hot weather, cramped travelling space and the very real limitations as to where you can go with a dog, my strong recommendation would be to leave him at home with someone who can look after him. Yes you will miss him, but you are setting out for what promises to be a great trip - providing you can move about freely and see at least some of the wonderful things that are in the National Parks.

Also, you have indicated that you will possibly looking for work as you travel around. Would you be limiting yourselves if you found suitable work in a town with no dog friendly van parks?

Another thing to consider is availability of vet services should your friend require medical attention.

One key to successful travelling is to keep it simple, so try not to take anything that you don't absolutely have to.

Cheers,

Val

We're travelling with 2 kids and 2 dogs. One's small, other larger than a lab.
Both sleep outside happily in a crate (i.e. cage) as our camper is small.

I think the issue with larger dogs is in case a dog is loose and attacks.

Kids and I would not have wanted to leave the dogs for 5 months+.

Yes, you're limited in where you go, but some places they're allowed as long as they stay in the car in the carpark.
Good way to kill a dog if it's hot, but great if you can park in shade in cooler weather and only want to do a very short walk to a lookout.

Kennelling for a few days every now and then is a good compromise.
Few times have also had them in for 'daycare' which is cheaper- some vets, kennels and others do this.

Try searching for similar previous threads about the saem subject. There was one only a day or tow ago.

Perhaps the forum should have a Frequently Asked Questions section where the same questions that are asked over and over could all be in the same place. Right along with

Which 12 V fridge?
Which 4WD?
What tyres should I get?
Where should I stay?

Hi Karen,

We are travelling around with our 8 year old Kelpie/Dingo cross. No dramas whatsoever. Kennels when we want to go to Nat Parks or friends we make. Lots of people will dog sit for you if you return the favour!. We have been through WA, SA, VIC and are in NSW at the moment

matt