Travelling Oz with Your Dog

Our little dog Buddy has always delighted in a good road trip with us. He is a veteran of Queensland travel – from the east coast to the far west channel country, from south to north and everywhere in between – we reckon he has visited more locations in Queensland than lots of people have!  He has also made appearances in New South Wales and South Australia. 

Since adopting this little guy when he was five years old, we never hesitated to take him along on our adventures, he is a much-loved family member after all and has always embraced exploring at a new destination.   

So, we thoroughly recommend you give it a go, and here are some tips that we have adopted along the way, which may help you and your fur baby have the very best of experiences together.

Food and Water:

• Does your dog have a special diet? If so, take enough food with you from home, plus extra for a few emergency days…just in case.  Depending on where you are, you most likely won’t be able to get the food you require.  (No one wants a dog with an upset belly and diarrhea from a change of diet in their car, camper or caravan.)
• If camping by a stagnant water body, or one that has cattle and horses drinking from it, the water could well be contaminated. Keep your dog close to your campsite so it doesn’t drink from this water source.

A Healthy Canine:

• Ensure flea and tick treatments are up to date. (Don’t forget to take the next dosage with you if it falls due whilst travelling – don’t depend on having access to a Vet in small towns.)
• Ensure your dog is wormed.
• Be incredibly vigilant regarding wild dog baits.
• If you are travelling in winter, a warm dog coat is a must…those outback mornings and evenings can be awfully cold.
• Quick access to veterinary care in the outback is a challenge in many locations, and we’ve stayed in places where the nearest Vet is maybe 4-8 hours’ drive away – something to keep in mind. (Joe does a bit of check for Vets before we leave home.)

Other tips:

• Regular rest breaks on a big travel day are as important for your as they are for us humans.
• We take spares of everything (especially for extended length trips) – food and water bowls, harness, walking lead, long lead for campsite, etc.
• Dogs are not allowed in National Parks for walks and/or camping.
• A number of State Forests do allow dogs but check before you book.
• Lots of tourist attractions allow dogs which is great, but others you may have to visit separately – Joe and I have done this, and it hasn’t presented a lot of problems.
• Most pubs allow dogs (on a lead) to sit with you whilst you enjoy a meal in their outdoor area. Otherwise, pubs are happy to provide your meal as a takeaway.