The Guide to Great Gadgets for a Dog Friendly Holiday
Published: Tuesday 28th Oct 2014
Written by: Powells Holiday Team
With 25 per cent of Britons being dog owners, it’s easy to see why the opportunity to bring them on holiday is becoming increasingly popular. The dog friendly holiday is something that we at Powells are great at providing, aiming to offer the perfect experience for all the family – plus the member on four legs. If you are looking to bring your pet on your cottage holidays in Pembrokeshire, here’s our guide to some of the best items you may wish to take along for the journey.
RoofBox Walky Guard – the perfect travelling companion
While some dogs can travel in the car happy and relaxed, others take to transport with great difficulty and often spend the journey being eternally restless. To help keep distress down to a minimum and stop them in their attempts to wander around the cabin of the car, the Walky Guard from Roofbox is a superb purchase.
Creating a secure partition between the back seats and the boot of the car, it means that your dog can’t move around and is more likely to lie down and relax. It’s also a great method of keeping your car clean as dirty dogs will be kept in the boot to avoid your back seats getting covered in mud, sand and whatever else they tend to pick up.
Dog Bag – keeping them relaxed in their new surroundings
Another superb product from Roofbox is the Dog Bag, an award-winning pop-up kennel that can be used at home, in the car – anywhere in fact. Providing a familiar place is key to helping your dog relax, so what better way of offering this than through a home from home?
When we spoke to Roofbox, here are a few reasons why they think it’s a great product to take on your Powells Cottage Holiday.
“We all know that dogs settle much quicker in a familiar place so this makes the Dog Bag a perfect travelling companion for dogs.
“In the car it does the job of both a dog guard and a boot liner, and also reduces UV radiation. The dog stays safely in the back of the car and the car stays clean as all the hairs and wet muddy feet stay inside the bag. Perfect after a long walk along the beach!
“Back in the cottage it becomes a comfy bed and can be put up in a quiet corner of the room. Dogs appreciate the comfort, warmth and privacy offered by the thick fabric sides, strong enough to lean or lie against. The band of mesh fabric at eye level allows the dog to see what's happening without having to sit up, and the top mesh band provides excellent visibility when sitting or standing. It can also be used outdoors, offering a shady place to sleep.”
Ruffwear Track Jacket – keeping your dog dry, warm and visible
With the days becoming ever shorter, it’s more important than ever to make sure that your dog can be seen at all times. It’s for these aspects that the Track Jacket from Ruffwear could prove to be a vital purchase. Made using a blaze orange material to offer maximum visibility, plus the benefit of two lights, you will never have to worry about losing your dog on a busy beach or on a late-night walk during your holiday.
We got in contact with K9Active, a leading supplier of dog safety products, and they explained why the Track Jacket is one of their most popular items:
“Here at K9Active, we love the Track Jacket by Ruffwear. This jacket is so easy to wear that your dog will barely know he has it on, yet it will keep even the heaviest shower from reaching his body. Highly visible with multiple loops for the attachment of extra lights it’s a perfect canine accessory for night hikes and finding your dog in unfamiliar areas.”
GoPro Fetch – create videos like never before
Whether watching your dog dive into a pond to retrieve their favourite ball or spring through a field in search of interesting new smells, have you ever thought what it would be like to see life from their perspective? If so, this is exactly what can be offered by the GoPro Fetch, a unique mount to help you record your holiday experience through the smallest member of the family.
Adjustable for dogs from 15 to 120lbs, it can be attached either on the back or on the chest to offer a variety of different perspectives. It’s also soft and padded to ensure your dog is as comfortable as possible while wearing the mount. From bone-chewing to jumping in the air, with the GoPro Fetch you won’t miss any of the action!
Innocent Hound – the finest Dog Treats
Whether you’re enjoying a cottage holiday in Saundersfoot, Tenby or other hotspot in the region, it’s understandable that you will want to treat the family to some true culinary delights – especially in the case of your dog. For the treat section of our guide we searched through the most luxurious products on the market, with those from Innocent Hound standing tall above the rest.
Their venison sausages are 80 per cent British venison and are free of wheat, gluten, soya and dairy – they really are the best a dog can get. They are also air-dried in order to help maintain flavour and nutrition.
This content was written by Ben Edwards. Please feel free to visit my Google+ profile to read more stories.