# Dog friendly activities/accomodation along the east coast?



## jadey (Apr 28, 2009)

We are travelling up the east coast of Australia with a 35kg friendly, unaggressive dog and are wondering if any one has any tips regarding travelling in this area with pets? Are there any tours or activities that are pet friendly? We want to enjoy our holiday as much as possible without feeling too restricted by the fact that we have our dog with us. 

I have also heard of accomodation that allows dogs and will dog-sit for you if you go out for the day, does anyone know the locations of such places?

Thanks very much in advance.


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## mike (Jun 13, 2007)

There are dog kennels in cities around Australia, which people keep their pets in when they go on holidays. In smaller towns I am not so sure. I think in general most places won't allow pets. You might have to do a lot of googling. 

Perhaps you could contact some breeding clubs(?) or obedience schools in the areas you are going to.

If you go to Melbourne let me know as I know of at least one beach that allows dogs at anytime. I have been there a few times with my family's dogs and the dogs absolutely go crazy. It's all fenced in too and they have shallow water and lots of sand to run in.


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## Wanderer (Jun 16, 2007)

Though Australia has a long way to go to catch up with some European countries re dogs on public transport and at restaurants etc., we're slowly becoming more Peteuropeanised to introduce a new word to the english vocabularly if you can pronounce it.

But we bought a book a few years ago, one of the "Lets Go" series type [still have it, but where?] but if you get hold of one of the auto club accommodation directories, they'll usually have which places and conditions imposed - some, probably most caravan parks still a No No but many allow dogs under control, sometimes with a reference to a smaller dog but if he/she is well behaved enough on a leash, a non barker then probably not a problem.

I was living on the Gold Coast for a few years and though not aware of specific places there, the GC is quite liberal re dogs being exercised in public, there being a number of parks that are off leash areas, a couple that have agility type exercising/playground type stuff with pipes, jumps and all that kind of stuff and usually where there is a bit of a lake, and then they have about three off leash beach areas and you're allowed to take dogs on the beach on leashes at other areas as long as you stay clear of patrolled flagged areas and there's poop bags available to be used.
If you're heading that far, say so and I'll post more detail on where the parks are, which beaches.

I've been travelling a few times with our two mid size terrorist terriers and one place like a farm stay was a bit of a disaster re getting settled down at night for whilst dogs were welcome, it wasn't in room and ours are used to being house dogs and didn't want to sleep outside!
On another occasion when we were actually moving house, we just made up a bed on back seat of the car when staying in a motel and they seemed happy enough with that as they had been for car rides often enough, so I'd say it wouldn't be a bad idea try that on with Rover a few times to see how it goes so you have a Plan B to use when needed - just include a later evening walk and then an early morning one with windows down a bit.

Another place we stayed at a bit north of Kempsey on NSW north coast was called a Pet O Tel and dogs inside was OK , its's just past Clybucca which isn't really a town and not all that far to drive out to Southwest Rocks, beautiful spot and the Petotel was just two units adjoining on a farm - basic but cheaper than a motel.

But I just did a googe - Pet Friendly Accommodation - Google Search and you'll see heaps and even one as petfriendlyaccommodation .

I have heard people from NSW say that councils are stricter on dogs on beaches down there than in Queensland but it is probably more a council by council situation and I reckon once away from major cities and popular tourist towns, away from the main town beaches and you'll find things are usually more relaxed.
Even at our smaller location, Queensland having gone through amalgamation of councils last year we nowhave more of an officious big brother approach whereas in past we didn't even have an animal by-laws officer - but still plenty of beach to get out on to.
I've seen some NSW towns that have restrictions for certain hours of day/times of year etc., just acknowledging when beaches are busier with people and seems a reasonably acceptable approach.

For the dog day sitting, though I can recall a recent tele bit on that, a real hit apparently in NY but not quite a market here yet [and a google will not reveal too much] I reckon you might have to rely more on kennels for that and you'll have to have dog vaccination/health certificates etc. for better ones.
Alternately, some of the dog accommodation places may offer enclosures or just allow the dog to be chained up if you stayed at a farm stay type place.

In summary, though we might consider taking ours again just for a specific trip, couple of nights maximum away type of thing, I'd be thinking twice of taking a dog on extended touring unless it was an older indoor couch potato type and I was towing a van and it was used to just staying in the van by iutself for a day.
Otherwise Rover could become more of a lead weight than you want, like no national park visits with him.

But good luck with the planning.


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