Holidays with pets

Can't stand the idea of leaving Fido in a kennel or at home alone while you're off on holiday? You're not alone. Taking a holiday with pets is a popular option for pet owners who want share their holiday with their dog. With more pet-friendly lodgings than ever before, taking your four-legged companion to the coast, the mountains or even on a city break is an easy and inexpensive option for animal lovers.

We've compiled a list of all our properties that accept pets. See our recommended property above or view all properties that accept pets.

Properties that accept pets by country

• UK Pet friendly properties
• French Pet friendly properties
• Spanish Pet friendly properties
• Portuguese Pet friendly properties

Countless self-catering apartments and houses throughout Europe allow you to holiday with pets, but not all will be ideal for your dog. As you plan your pet holiday, look out for pet-friendly features like big yards (or spacious terraces in the case of a pet-friendly apartment), nearby walking trails, and a welcoming environment.

Antonine Wall cottages in Scotland is an example of an ideal place to holiday with pets. All types of pets are allowed, and each cottage has an enclosed yard where dogs and other animals can run freely. There are also five acres of private woodlands that are ideal for playing with your pet.

"Adjacent to the cottages is Rough Castle, which is a dog-walking paradise full of streams for dogs to splash in," said the cottages' owner, Fiona Briggs. "There are a number of good dog walks direct from the front door of the cottages and as the cottages are at the end of a non-through road there is very little traffic to worry about."

As a pet-friendly plus, Briggs offers a marrow bone for all dog guests, and she is available to dog- or cat-sit for those who wish to make a day trip without their pet.

Those looking for a self-catering house where large dogs are allowed should check out lodgings like Drumbain Croft, another rural property in Scotland. Drumbain Croft boasts two fenced-in areas and an additional five or six acres of undeveloped land; the space is perfect for holidaying with pets.

"Having six golden retrievers of our own, we do know how difficult it is to find a lodging willing to accommodate more than one lap dog," said Linda Younie, owner of the pet-friendly cottage.

"Here we have two safe fenced areas which are ideal for dogs, and there's a great walking trail alongside a river and a former railway line. One guest wrote in the guest book that his dog had to go home for a holiday, he'd never had so many walks and so much freedom!"

Locals' attitudes toward animals is another factor you'll need to take into account when considering a holiday with pets. While cats and dogs are welcome in public areas in France and in some places in Spain, Italy and the UK, that may not be true for all countries, such as Croatia, where pets are not permitted to ride on buses or trains.

"France of course is the country where dogs are allowed almost anywhere. They love them," said Vicky Manley, owner of several pet-friendly lodgings in the Aude area of France, near Carcassonne.

"The French will take their lovely little dogs anywhere they can. A lot of restaurants allow dogs, especially in the summer months where you can all sit outside. You'll also find that it's a great conversation maker; people are just desperate to stroke a dog or cat and have a cuddle. Now with the pet passport scheme (which avoids having to quarantine your pet) it's very easy to take your animals into and out of France," she added.

Taking your dog or cat on holiday out of the UK isn't complicated, but holidaying with pets does require some extra planning and coordination. Having a pet passport detailing your pet's vaccinations and health record is a must, and many countries also require your pet to be implanted with a simple identification microchip. A check-up at the vet's office after returning home may be required as well.

Even if you're taking a domestic holiday with pets, practical details like climate conditions and the availability of food and water are important.

"High temperatures in summer can be hard on any pet, big dogs in particular," advised Jan Skov, owner of the pet-friendly apartment "Tedo" in Croatia. "They must always have access to plenty of drinking water. If you travel in a car during the daytime you must have frequent stops where your pet can drink and cool down."

A holiday with your pet can be rewarding in more ways than one. Not only will it avoid a long lonely wait for your dog or cat, but it gives you and your pet quality time together as well.

"Why shouldn't your pet enjoy some of the things that you are enjoying? It's much better for them than being left in a kennel. They love being with you, and you with them," said dog-lover Vicky Manley of the Aude-area cottages. "Just imagine all those holiday photos that can now include your wonderful four-legged friend!"