On holiday with the dogs.

We have now returned from a wonderful holiday in Sweden and we have to get used to normal life again (in other words: back to work). We were able to enjoy the beautiful country for three weeks and of course our dogs were also with us. If you want to know how that went and how we prepared it, read on.

Where do you start?

If you go abroad with your dog, first check what the rules are there. In some countries there are stricter rules that you must adhere to. This includes vaccinations and deworming, but also whether your dog is allowed off leash, where it can go and sometimes, for example, slip lines are prohibited. In Sweden there are not many strict rules. During the period we were there, the dogs were not allowed off leash. In addition, a rabies vaccination is mandatory if you go abroad. You must obtain this at least three weeks in advance.

We had the dogs vaccinated against rabies well in advance. After vaccination you will receive a token. Together with a tag with their name and our (internationally listed) telephone numbers on it, we attached this to the collars. Normally the dogs do not wear collars here in the house, but they do on holiday. If something happens, you can always contact us. It is also useful to treat the dogs against fleas and ticks before you leave.

There are plenty of holiday packing lists for dogs on the internet. Because we were not only going to stay in a house, but were also going to be wild camping for a week, we had to be critical of what we took with us. It is not practical to take too much with you, but when wild camping you should not be short of anything. We have been able to find an excellent balance in this.

The journey to Sweden.

It is quite a long drive to Sweden. We had booked a house for the first two weeks at the website of DogsIncluded. To get there, we split the trip into two parts so that the journey wasn't too long. We left in the evening with the car, so that we could drive at night. This was not only great because there is little traffic on the road, but also because the dogs only slept for the first part of the ride. In the morning we made a short stop along the road, where we and the dogs had breakfast in a parking lot. Then we drove to a beautiful lake where we set up the tent for the first night.

The dogs slept in our tent. That took some getting used to, because even though they were close to us, they responded to all outside sounds. Fortunately, we were able to go to the holiday home the next day.

Two weeks in a vacation house.

Well, just say a very big home! Our booked house was canceled due to frosting damage, so we received a replacement address free of charge. And it was much more luxurious than the original holiday home. We were just lucky! The dogs thought it was fine. They were not allowed in the bedroom, but otherwise they were allowed to be everywhere, and we had them on a long leash in the garden. Behind the house was a piece of forest with all kinds of wild animals, which made walking very easy. And with two hunting dogs, that nose was on the ground for almost the entire walk.

The dogs could relax in the house and they also felt at home. We explored the area by car and walked a lot with the dogs. This way we reached 3 mountain peaks (or maybe they were hills, but for us Dutch they were mountains). We also brought our inflatable canoe with us and we were able to canoe in two beautiful places together with the dogs.

canoeing with the dogs.

Wild camping with the dogs.

After 2 weeks we had already explored the area around the holiday home enough. It was time to go out: wild camping. Without electricity, without water, without all the luxury, but wonderfully in the middle of nature.

We have a small tent that is easy to set up and take down. In Sweden you have the 'allemansrätten', which means you can pitch your tent almost anywhere in Sweden. Of course, there are small rules attached to this and it is always with respect for nature, but this ensures that we can optimally enjoy the beauty of nature in Sweden.

"All senses are constantly on alert."

The dogs took a lot of getting used to. Because we were only outside, all senses are constantly on alert. Alert to sounds, smells and movements. Every now and then we had to force them to rest. And they best took that rest in the tent or in the car. Furthermore, I have the feeling that they just enjoyed being together and the extra attention they received. Their adaptability is exceptionally great.

3 weeks already passed.

The holidays are already over. We drove back home and the dogs exchanged the tent for their familiar, comfortable couch (okay, it's officially our couch, but we have to share it with the dogs). They have taken the time to rest from a wonderful period. We really enjoyed the beautiful nature and the wild animals that we saw. We have seen a lot of the country, but not nearly enough, so we would like to come back again.

Below is a small impression of the beautiful country!

We enjoyed Sweden very much, but while typing this the working life has unfortunately already started.