[darkbrowneggs]

Hi all - as some of you may know I hope to be off soon for some travelling.  Phoebe (my Great Dane) doesnt get travel sick, but she has never liked going out in the car preferring to be at home.


I am hoping that once my clothes and bits and bobs, and her bed is in the new van that she will accept that this is now home and be happier about the travelling bit


She loves to be with me most of all, so that should be good most of the time, but of course there will be times she will have to be left.  Most worryingly is the 12 hour journey she will face alone on the ferry if we make the trip to the Sheltands.


Anyone got and good recommendations Hints tips or advice?

[shygirl]

I know there are kennels on board but are they big enough for a great dane? ring the ferry people and ask if you can be on deck with her - I wouldn't know.
it may be easier to get her familiar with the campervan and maybe sedate her if you are worried she would be stressed.
we took our dogs over to Ireland and back many times and just left them in the car - it was a while ago but im sure we were allowed to check the cars during the journey - though there were security guards watching you.

[doganjo]

I don't know how much time you have between getting the van and going up North, Sue, but if you can, take her for short journeys in it, and feed her in it when you are at home, so she gets used to being in there with you.  I know I'm daft but when I had mine parked in the back yard i used to take my morning cuppa out there and sit in the van, and sometimes lunch too, and the dogs loved being in it.   
She'll have to be restrained somehow when you are travelling, either on a harness on a seat or in a crate.  Not safe otherwise and may be illegal - can't remember.

And definitely ask the ferry company.  There's P & O as well but I don't know if they do that run, they may only be cargo nowadays. We were friends with one of the Captains on the P & O but rarely see him and his wife since Sandy died, except at the occasional dog show.

[shygirl]

my terrier gets really excited in our car so he has to be crated or he would sit on the dash board. we have a towing caravan and he adores that aswell.

[darkbrowneggs]

I still havent finalised the deal on the bus yet.  We are arguing over who is going to pay to fill it with fuel, but all being well I am thinking I may try and get it over here before the Christmas hols and start moving my things in and probably almost live in it. 


Then it will have to go back to have the platform fitted for the scooter, and, would you belive, I am getting them to fit a washer dryer -so we should be slumming it too, too much 


They are also going to remove the passenger seat and fit Phoebe's bed in there.

[shygirl]

Then it will have to go back to have the platform fitted for the scooter, and, would you belive, I am getting them to fit a washer dryer -so we should be slumming it too, too much 


They are also going to remove the passenger seat and fit Phoebe's bed in there.

how cool is that - no wonder you are getting excited! im so envious!

[darkbrowneggs]

I feel a bit guilty about the washer dryer bit, but apparently the laundrettes on camping sites are often a bit expensive and sometimes not all that nice to use, plus I would have to lug everything there and back


I must admit I was absolutely gobsmacked when I opened a cupboard in one of the first vans I saw and inside was a washer dryer,  but all of the layouts include a dressing table type thing in the bedroom, and I think thats a complete waste of space.  Anyway thats my excuse feeble as it may be !


I am not saying I chose the bus just for this fact, but if they take out the passenger seat Phoebes big bed should just about fit in there. 

[doganjo]

I am not saying I chose the bus just for this fact, but if they take out the passenger seat Phoebes big bed should just about fit in there. 

Don't want to dampen your enthusiasm, but will she be restrained in it?  A sudden stop and she could go through the windscreen!  Or if low down thrown against the engine.!   I never travel with dogs in the car unless they are in my secured dog cages in the hatch or on a harness attached to a seat-belt.

[JulieWall]

Is there any way a big dog cage could be fitted into the space from the passenger seat and then have her bed inside it? Our dogs have a cage as one of their beds (they play musical beds most of the time) and they love it. the door is open all the time so they can go in and out and if we do shut the door for any reason it doesn't feel like a punishment to them. It could solve the travel and ferry problems too.

[darkbrowneggs]

I have a huge Tuffies Nest on order [url=http://www.tuffies.co.uk/gallery-dog-beds.htm]http://www.tuffies.co.uk/gallery-dog-beds.htm[/url] the picture at the top - the first one they sent had to go back it was just too big it would have taken two great danes and me as well probably The lady said they had got 6 of the sewing machine girls in one!!!  At the moment she is making do with 4 double and 2 single sheepskins.  And she has a padded travelling harness which plugs into the seat belt.

[shygirl]

that looks really cosy, lucky girl.
our tuffy was bigger than we imagined and fits 3 dogs on it.