Ferry to France : experiences of travelling with dog ?

Mountainsandh

Hi all, we just got a new puppy, and he will be 7 months by the time we plan to head to France on the ferry with our camper. I was looking at pet passports, and it seems much easier to handle this year than other years, so that's a good thing, but now I'm wondering if the ferry over might not be too traumatic for a 7 months pup. He's a shih tzu cross, so very small, and I would prefer to let him stay in the camper, but the noises and darkness would of course be scary enough. We're travelling with Celtic Link (usually, not booked yet this year), and they say you can choose to leave dog in kennels or in vehicle, and you can visit them every so often.

I have been reading older threads on ferry travel with dogs, but they're all a bit old, would love people's opinions and experience of more recent travel ? Should I just leave him behind in Ireland, or take him along, we're going for 2/3 weeks ?
My cat goes to his usual cattery/summer camp and is fine every time, I would be too worried about him escaping in campsites etc... but we would love to take the dog. I won't put him through this if I'm advised it would be too much of an ordeal.
I do know a German friend who came to Ireland on the ferry and brought her pug puppy, she reckoned it was not a brilliant experience, but not too traumatic either.

650Ginge

We have taken our dog abroad on many occasions in our camper. We have often looked at the overnight to cherbourgh/discoid and have travelled this route by motorbike.

I think it takes in the region of 14/16 hours to get across plus an hour half extra for loading unloading. I can't see how that is going to be a good experience for a dog. Not being able to go to toilet for that long will be traumatic. They will go in their gage/van eventually but our girl would hold on a long as she could getting very distressed.

For me it is a hard idea she is part of the family and I won't do that to her.

Also depends we're u are going but overnighter to France is now more convienent or quickier or cheaper than across the uk. Depends we're u are going.


Where are u going?

Mountainsandh

Thanks for the reply, we're now booked Rosslare to Cherbourg, we booked the dog in too, since they don't pay it won't be a loss if we end up leaving him here.
We can leave him in the camper for the trip, or in kennels on board, and visit him. I don't know... maybe the tablets the vets give would keep him sleeping nicely for most of it. The wait before you get on board is ok, since he would be with us inside the camper. It's during the trip itself that it would be harder.
It would be so nice to have him with us on our holidays.

ISDW

The beach at Rosslare is a fantastic place to walk the dog before you get on the ferry. As you go into the ferry port, there is a roundabout, go around it, and you will see a car park, it used to have a height restriction, but doesn't anymore. Its a bit sandy in there, so be careful with a heavy vehicle, but a lot of people stop in there and get the dog out. Or you could park in the car park at the ferry terminal, but you have to pay for that one. You can book in and drive through, and you are allowed to walk through then to the ferry terminal, with your boarding pass, and out onto the beach, I've never taken a dog with me doing that, but I can't see that there would be any issues?

I would recommend leaving him in the camper, if he's used to it, I don't know what the kennels are like on that particular ferry, but if the dog is comfortable and safe in the camper, I think its better for them to stay in there.

Mountainsandh

thanks for that, I know the spot you are talking about ! it would be a great way to tire him out before we get on allright. Yes, I'm thinking the camper will have our smells all over, and we're going to use it a bit between now and then so he'll be well familiar with it. So hopefully it will be like a little home from home for him for the trip. He's good at staying alone, even now at 10 weeks, have left him up to 2 and a half hours and no whinging whatsoever, and no evidence of distress whatsoever, and he sleeps alone in the kitchen every night without a bother at all, so I'm hoping he's not a nervous little fella by disposition. The noises and motion will be the worst for him in the camper on his own.

Kash

Definitely keep him in the camper - the kennels on Celtic Link are not great in my opinion, and would be much more distressing for the dog.

It is a long trip, but I think he'll be fine with it - and be much happier with you for 3 weeks than without you.

Just know he'll have to go to the loo sometime. Perhaps you could get some of those puppy training pads, and put them in the campervans shower, and teach him to go there in advance?

And goes without saying - visit him as often as you can!

Mountainsandh

Hi Kash and thanks for advice, yes I think I'll visit him as much as they'll allow ! I'm using the pads you are talking about right now, and he's taken to them really well... well, there are still lots of accidents elsewhere, but there are lots happening on the pad, and he's so proud of himself when that happens. So the pad won't be something new for him, and they're so handy even when he'll be clean/old enough to go out for his pee, I could just leave a clean pad somewhere in the house to keep him in the habit until then.

It's great to have opinions, I was thinking the camper would be better than the kennels, but I'm a first time dog owner and it's hard to know what's best...

JustAThought

Thanks for all this ; I'm finding it really helpful too

JustAThought

Does anyone know how Irish Ferries compares on the route to France in relation to dogs & their kennels that they provide?
TIA

Bullseye1

What is the situation with going to a country outside Ireland and the UK where rabies exist and then coming back into the country? Does France have it?

JustAThought

Pet passport & 6 weeks delay for France from when you get the rabies shOt done: with passport & all it's terms required. Also vet check prior to departure from France.
Checked this with D of Ag & my vet this week.

Mountainsandh

Yeah I think the vet's check is really just for worming. I've read somewhere that there was a vets close to/in Cherbourg whose speciality was the departure/boats checks . In my case I hope it'll be ok, I'll have to do the worming/check 2 days prior to departure since we're leaving on the 15th July, and 14th July is national/bank holiday day in France.

JustAThought

Hmm; have just been looking online & there is a great chart for ferries, pets & travel around europe on www.jack-Russell-terrier.co.UK
I had a look at the Chunnel ( eurotunnel) which you can get for €59 each way ; the dog stays in the car but it's only half an hour : as opposed to eighteen hours ( depending) by ferry.
Has anyone done the over land and sea to the UK & how did you find it? (please!) thNks!

650Ginge

I have the eurotunnel a few times now. Everyone stays in the car humans and dog you can get out and stretch ur legs if you want but there is nothing to see. It is the best way to go, super fast check in and loading and you are there before u know it and dumped straight on to a French motorway. (Calais port is also great in that you get out quickly on to the motorway.)

You need to book early to get a low fare. The Ireland uk ferry is expensive, we use tesco vouchers. The drive down the uk is very boring and you will always hit at least one set of roadworks, the Brits love traffic cones. The uk land route is just as quick as the direct to France route, in fact quicker. By that I mean u will get to sat the south of France quicker. Much quicker for Germany of northern Europe. It is much better for dogs, how anyone can thinking of locking up there dog for up to 16 hours and think it is ok baffles me.

Eurotunnel is the way to go.

JustAThought

That's very reassuring to hear 650Ginge. I would be willing to put aside a lifelong horror of tunnels to avoid locking my pet in a cage/ car for 18 or so hours; easy way to counteract a reasonable fear!
Thanks!!!!
From your experience did you ferry into Holyhead & drive down & how straightforward was it? Motorway or winding country roads?
I recall doing it in the dark from France having driven the length of France to Calais to meet a work deadline but it was all such a panic that I can't recall how long it took. I seem to recall about 6 hours but could be totally wrong; & it may be motorways in the UK end now ; can you advise, please?
Thanks a million.
New eurotunnel fan!!

ISDW

Don't know where you are in the country JustAThought, but I always prefer to go from Rosslare when I go over to England, just my personal preference but I hate the A55 in North Wales, theres a very long hill that my van always crawls up:rolleyes: The N11 is an excellent road now, and I like the beach at Rosslare to walk the dogs before the get on the ferry.

Rosslare to Pembroke, or Fishguard, and then on, the roads when you first come off the ferries are single lane, but are decent enough, then once you hit the M4, it is a straight motorway run all the way, round the M25, and then you would head round that, and down to Dover, a very easy drive.

If you did the Holyhead route, it is mainly dual carriageway, then the M6, but you have to go through Birmingham, and there are usually hold ups there, M1 and then onto the M25.

There is a lovely forest park in Swindon, about 10 minutes off the M4 for a break to walk the dogs, Lydiard Park, its really easy to find off the motorway junction.

AA routeplanner shows 6 hours 21 mins from Holyhead to Dover and 6 hours 2 mins from Fishguard, which susprises me, I would have thought it was much less of a journey from Fishguard.

JustAThought

That's really helpful isdw thanks a million; I'll have to mull it over a bit. Spoke to a human ( finally after endless template emails & recorded messages) in the ferry company & she put the horrors in me : said that the visits on the crossings were weather dependent & that if the boat was delayed due to bad weather or if there were heavy sea swells that you would not be allowed into the car deck to visit or to walk. I think that's put paid to the Rosslare route for me ; thou I like the idea of the beach .

I can't believe it's 600km drive but there you go!!! Do people tend to stop off & stay a night somewhere pet friendly en route; even at 100kph & a pit stop that's a lot of driving.
The maths on this are getting less & less sensible every time I look at it!!!

From your experience on the Fisgaurd or Holyhead route is there a good spot to overnight that will let you have the dog with you in a room/ crated ; with ample space to run free after all the confinement :0

I'm beginning to feel a buy selfish for want g to take her even if it's for 4 weeks.

I emailed Aer France today having done some maths to see what it would actually cost to fly a fido which they allow in a number of interesting cimbinations, but havn't got hold of a human yet. ( & they re on strike for the right to strike!! I love the French!)
Interestingly & somewhat worryingly they mentioned TWO vets certs that would have to be signed off by a vet prior to being allowed enter the country; one an E U numbered firm ( something like form 998 EU) and a different form which your vet would have to stamp & fill out of you travelled after June 1st : called an Annex II form.
The plot thickens.

650Ginge

I have done this trip so many times now it is like a local road.

It is motorway all the way, or dual carriageway for a bit in Wales.

The Eurotunnel on the English and French sides have there own motorway exits. It is really straightforward. A55, M56, M6 South, M1 South, M25 clockwise, M20 to the tunnel. Couple off roundabouts in north wales, then freeflow junctions and one toll over the Thames which is now £1.50. Don't use the M6 toll, it is expensive and not worth it unless during the week.

Yes it is about 6 hours. But what can you do thats how far it is?

I have gone the Rosslare - Fishgard route a couple of times too. I live in Meath so it doesn't really suit and the drive up from Rosslare on the way home bugs me.

Where are you going to roughly? Because unless it is Brittany the direct ferry will probably quicker to.....Roscoff is an awful pain in the ass to get to from anywhere.

ISDW

Travelodges and Days Inns will let dogs into rooms, you have to pay extra. There are plenty of them along both routes. We usually stay at one in Swansea when we go into Pembroke. Its about an hour from the ferry and has a nice area for walking the dogs. At Christmas we went via Holyhead, and again, theres one in Bangor, about 30 minutes from the ferry, again, with a nice area of grass around it, so you can walk the dogs. Travelodges are very cheap and cheerful, you get what you pay for, but the beds have always been comfortable and the showers good, so if the wallpapers peeling a bit, I don't really care

ISDW

650Ginge wrote: »

I have done this trip so many times now it is like a local road.

It is motorway all the way, or dual carriageway for a bit in Wales.

The Eurotunnel on the English and French sides have there own motorway exits. It is really straightforward. A55, M56, M6 South, M1 South, M25 clockwise, M20 to the tunnel. Couple off roundabouts in north wales, then freeflow junctions and one toll over the Thames which is now £1.50. Don't use the M6 toll, it is expensive and not worth it unless during the week.

Yes it is about 6 hours. But what can you do thats how far it is?

You see, I couldn't do the M25 clockwise, no way on this earth could I drive over the Dartford bridge, its just too high:D

650Ginge

ISDW wrote: »

You see, I couldn't do the M25 clockwise, no way on this earth could I drive over the Dartford bridge, its just too high:D

It is pretty high but on a clear day you get a great view of London or Docklands anyway. If you want to go south then from the M6 go to the m5 m40 and anticlockwise...No bridge...