Lord knows I would.

Yep, even with all the racket my Beagle makes, he's still a pretty good traveling companion.

When he's not yakking in the floorboard, that is.

That few?

Animals are generally nicer than humans. Less subterfuge.

One third of the British are schizoid.

This just in, pet owners are antisocial assholes.

Dogs travel better than cats, who generally howl all the way to destination -- which for them is generally the vet practice.

No complaints as long as the window is open.

gopher321: Lord knows I would.

Obvious tag absent?

That kinda makes sense. Vacations are supposed to be time to relax, not just time away from work. Sometimes it's hard to relax with family. Traveling is stressful; traveling with people you know even more so.
Then they get all biatchy because you don't want to do what they want, etc etc.
My dog don't care, as long as he has somewhere to poop.

Two thirds of British pet owners must have fish.

laulaja: Dogs travel better than cats, who generally howl all the way to destination -- which for them is generally the vet practice.

To make sure my cats remain indoor-only cats, when they're kittens, I would take them outside in miserable weather--driving snow, freezing temperatures, pouring rain, whatever. Just take them out on the back deck for 1/2 a minute, long enough for them to start freaking out and bolt for the door. Now, they have zero interest in venturing outside. Great for allaying my fears of them accidentally getting outside, HORRIBLE when they need to go to the vet.

Well yeah, my dog wouldn't insist on trying to outsmart Google Maps and would get distracted by shiny things less.

British pet owners must know my immediate family!

Well, it would be cheaper. The trick would be finding a hotel/motel that takes pets.

I drive 1000 miles one way twice a year with my dog as a travel companion. She is always interested when I point out something I see on the way. She never biatches about the radio station I pick. She is ALWAYS happy when I stop at a rest area to have a smoke (there is some good sniffin' in those dog walk areas).

I'm with jekxrb. Gotta be more than 1/3.

My wife is the top draft pick concerning who I would rather go on vacation with. My cat is #2. In his defense, he's a pretty great cat.

laulaja: Dogs travel better than cats, who generally howl all the way to destination -- which for them is generally the vet practice.

Which is why they howl. They know they're going to the vet when the carrier bag comes out of the closet. Dogs would do the same if their only time in the car was the vet.

Two best road trips (in a car anyway) I ever took were with my dog. She was completely unimpressed with the Golden Gate Bridge... but she loooooooved driving by dairy farms.

People suck... that's just they way it is.

She's dead. Sad now...

I REALLY want to travel more with our dog, but so few places are dog-friendly these days. We're trying to plan a road trip out to the Badlands so we can go hiking, which seems like the perfect trip to take a dog along - the good ol' American road trip, right, with man's best friend? It is turning into SUCH a pain in the ass to find places we can stay with the dog and work out how we're going to do it. He's great in the car and great in hotels (we compete a bit with him, so he's been on road trips and stayed in hotels since he was a pup), but hotels don't really care. Can't leave him unattended in the room (though he'd be crated and quiet), so we'd have to take him with us if we went anywhere to eat, but it'll be summer and too hot to stay in the car... gotta find non-National Park places to go hiking and sight-seeing because he's not allowed on the National Park trails... argh!

Pets are the easiest part of my day.

c) And some people would rather travel with neither.

lockers: This just in, pet owners are antisocial assholes.

This just in, your family members know how to push your buttons.

bextraordinary: I REALLY want to travel more with our dog, but so few places are dog-friendly these days. We're trying to plan a road trip out to the Badlands so we can go hiking, which seems like the perfect trip to take a dog along - the good ol' American road trip, right, with man's best friend? It is turning into SUCH a pain in the ass to find places we can stay with the dog and work out how we're going to do it. He's great in the car and great in hotels (we compete a bit with him, so he's been on road trips and stayed in hotels since he was a pup), but hotels don't really care. Can't leave him unattended in the room (though he'd be crated and quiet), so we'd have to take him with us if we went anywhere to eat, but it'll be summer and too hot to stay in the car... gotta find non-National Park places to go hiking and sight-seeing because he's not allowed on the National Park trails... argh!

I know it ain't the Ritz... but Motel 6 is always pet friendly. Wouldn't want to plan a vacation around them... but it's nice to know when you come up on one off the highway your dog will be welcome there. Also... get one of these:



Really helps get yer dog into places.

Pray 4 Mojo: but she loooooooved driving by dairy farms.

Once, I was going though the mountains of West Virginia early in the morning after a massive snow storm. Pup was sleeping most of the time, but started waking up and sniffing the air as we approached a toll booth, I couldn't figure out why until we got in line, in front of us was a beat up pickup with three dead deer in the back (the hooves were standing straight up, I counted 12). We were following a couple of hunters going home. I'm sure she still dreams about that trip and the awesome smells it contained.

No thanks.

Every time my doggy gets in the car, he thinks he's going to the dog park.

whine

whine

WHINE

WHINE

The more people I meet, the more i miss my dog.

bextraordinary: I REALLY want to travel more with our dog, but so few places are dog-friendly these days. We're trying to plan a road trip out to the Badlands so we can go hiking, which seems like the perfect trip to take a dog along - the good ol' American road trip, right, with man's best friend? It is turning into SUCH a pain in the ass to find places we can stay with the dog and work out how we're going to do it. He's great in the car and great in hotels (we compete a bit with him, so he's been on road trips and stayed in hotels since he was a pup), but hotels don't really care. Can't leave him unattended in the room (though he'd be crated and quiet), so we'd have to take him with us if we went anywhere to eat, but it'll be summer and too hot to stay in the car... gotta find non-National Park places to go hiking and sight-seeing because he's not allowed on the National Park trails... argh!

Actually, I think there are websites that help you plan trips with listings of hotels and resturaunts that allow pets.

Took my dog up the Blue Ridge Parkway. Took him hiking a few times along the way. No one gave us a hard time (though I did have bags to clean up after him). Had an awesome time. Then we shot down to Newport and the hotel I stayed at let me leave him in the room while I went to Six Flags and the Maritime Museum. Can't remember which chain, but I just left a "Do not disturb" sign on the door. He was quiet, so no complaints.

I'm not sure how that would work with my chickens.

Pray 4 Mojo: bextraordinary: I REALLY want to travel more with our dog, but so few places are dog-friendly these days. We're trying to plan a road trip out to the Badlands so we can go hiking, which seems like the perfect trip to take a dog along - the good ol' American road trip, right, with man's best friend? It is turning into SUCH a pain in the ass to find places we can stay with the dog and work out how we're going to do it. He's great in the car and great in hotels (we compete a bit with him, so he's been on road trips and stayed in hotels since he was a pup), but hotels don't really care. Can't leave him unattended in the room (though he'd be crated and quiet), so we'd have to take him with us if we went anywhere to eat, but it'll be summer and too hot to stay in the car... gotta find non-National Park places to go hiking and sight-seeing because he's not allowed on the National Park trails... argh!

I know it ain't the Ritz... but Motel 6 is always pet friendly. Wouldn't want to plan a vacation around them... but it's nice to know when you come up on one off the highway your dog will be welcome there. Also... get one of these:

[www.things4yourdog.com image 460x314]

Really helps get yer dog into places.


I freakin' love Motel 6 and am totally not above staying there! I've also had really good luck with Red Roofs - I especially like them because their rooms all have outside-facing doors, which just makes it sooooo easy to bring him in and out whenever we want. We're not fancy people, we just need a place to crash for the night, wash off the stink of the day, and leave our junk while we're out adventuring :) We'd be happy to camp with him, but he's kinda a bull in a china shop and I have serious concerns he would walk right through the side of a tent. -.-

As someone who sent the wife off for 5 days to visit her family while I stayed at home with the cats, I'm getting a kick out of these replies.


/I learned years ago that visiting my in-laws on vacation would require a second immediate vacation to recover from their crazy, nonstop bullshiat.

Well at least the family dog doesn't want keep a firm, etched-in-stone schedule for the vacation. What if the botanical garden is really nice and I want to stay longer than one hour huh? Oh we can't? We have to pile in the car and go to the art museum or else we'll miss the basket weaving presentation? Oh God forbid. This is my farking vacation not work. Let's chill out for one farking day and just let shiat happen naturally without stressing out over everything. No I don't know where I want to get dinner. Let's wander around and stop at a random place that looks nice and order some dishes we've never heard of before. Let's drive up a lonely dirt road and see where it takes us. Maybe we'll find a beautiful look-out point. Maybe we'll get stuck in the mud and have to sleep in the car. I don't care. It's better than knowing exactly what we'll be doing every farking minute of the day before we even get there.

Rather sheepish

I like the concept.

I have a cat that is usually funny. He likes to be funny with his paws. I would be more then happy to take him on vacation if the location accepted pets. I love dogs too... but the last two pound pups died and I don't know when I will be ready to deal with another. I love critters, but I do have to consider the facts.

/Pets are an extension of us
//Usually, they are nicer then us

Foxxinnia: Well at least the family dog doesn't want keep a firm, etched-in-stone schedule for the vacation. What if the botanical garden is really nice and I want to stay longer than one hour huh? Oh we can't? We have to pile in the car and go to the art museum or else we'll miss the basket weaving presentation? Oh God forbid. This is my farking vacation not work. Let's chill out for one farking day and just let shiat happen naturally without stressing out over everything. No I don't know where I want to get dinner. Let's wander around and stop at a random place that looks nice and order some dishes we've never heard of before. Let's drive up a lonely dirt road and see where it takes us. Maybe we'll find a beautiful look-out point. Maybe we'll get stuck in the mud and have to sleep in the car. I don't care. It's better than knowing exactly what we'll be doing every farking minute of the day before we even get there.

This is exactly the reason why I prefer traveling with my dogs.

Road trip? My dog, hands down. Airplane? My four year old is much more pleasant. The dog freaks out, and it's miserable for every minute of the flight.

I guess the insanity isn't only limited to Brits.....

First thing that came to mind.

KiplingKat872: This is exactly the reason why I prefer traveling with my dogs.

Yup. No matter where you are, no matter how you got there, no matter what's on the farking radio, a dog is happy to be there.

Dog thoughts: "Oh cool, the car is slowing down!!! We are going to stop!!! Whoo hoo!!! New sniffing!!! I'm going to go outside with my human!!!! This is awesome!!!!

People thoughts: "Are we there yet?" "My phone isn't working." "I hate this song." "I miss my friends." "This sucks." "Why did you turn here?" "Are we there yet?"

Sun Worshiping Dog Launcher: /I learned years ago that visiting my in-laws on vacation would require a second immediate vacation to recover from their crazy, nonstop bullshiat.

This x 1000

Well, yeah. Pets are loyal and behaviorally malleable and people have opinions and ideas and stuff. And they talk back when you talk to them. Not good for the "this is all about me" quotient.

bunner: Well, yeah. Pets are loyal and behaviorally malleable and people have opinions and ideas and stuff. And they talk back when you talk to them. Not good for the "this is all about me" quotient.

But excellent for avoiding the whiny biatch quotient.

"I don't want to go hiking, I want to go to Disney world. I don't want to go to a museum in Paris, I only want to shop. I don't want to wander off the beaten path in a foriegn country, I want to stay at an American owned resort so I never actually have to deal with another culture. I don't want to do what you want to do, so I will pout and sulk and be a pain in the arse until I get my way. I don't want a quiet drink at a local spot to mingle with real people. I want to go to a nightclub to get hammered and make you take me back to the hotel where I'll puke and pass out. But we can't do things separately! This vacation is about us!"

And the rigid time table thing mentioned above.

Maybe that is me being selfish, but my vacations are actually relaxing.

bunner: And they talk back when you talk to them.

No, pets don't talk (duh!). But they do communicate.

I guess that stick up your ass is all the way up to the point of blocking the part of your brain that allows you to see what goes on around you.

Troll factor 3/10. You get 2 points 'cause I actually answered.

ozarkmatt: I guess that stick up your ass is all the way up to the point of blocking the part of your brain that allows you to see what goes on around you.

Troll factor 3/10. You get 2 points 'cause I actually answered.


So, dime store insults? And I'M trolling? Please feel free to not "answer me" ever again. Seriously. You need work to even get to ridiculous with that cheap shot crap.

The truth is in the numbers: What percentage actually do travel with their pets instead of their family?

KiplingKat872: bunner: Well, yeah. Pets are loyal and behaviorally malleable and people have opinions and ideas and stuff. And they talk back when you talk to them. Not good for the "this is all about me" quotient.

But excellent for avoiding the whiny biatch quotient.

"I don't want to go hiking, I want to go to Disney world. I don't want to go to a museum in Paris, I only want to shop. I don't want to wander off the beaten path in a foriegn country, I want to stay at an American owned resort so I never actually have to deal with another culture. I don't want to do what you want to do, so I will pout and sulk and be a pain in the arse until I get my way. I don't want a quiet drink at a local spot to mingle with real people. I want to go to a nightclub to get hammered and make you take me back to the hotel where I'll puke and pass out. But we can't do things separately! This vacation is about us!"

And the rigid time table thing mentioned above.

Maybe that is me being selfish, but my vacations are actually relaxing.

I'm not saying leave your pets at home. I like animals. I'm just sort of concerned as to what degree we've embraced misanthropy when it's an either or proposition.

bunner: KiplingKat872: bunner: Well, yeah. Pets are loyal and behaviorally malleable and people have opinions and ideas and stuff. And they talk back when you talk to them. Not good for the "this is all about me" quotient.

But excellent for avoiding the whiny biatch quotient.

"I don't want to go hiking, I want to go to Disney world. I don't want to go to a museum in Paris, I only want to shop. I don't want to wander off the beaten path in a foriegn country, I want to stay at an American owned resort so I never actually have to deal with another culture. I don't want to do what you want to do, so I will pout and sulk and be a pain in the arse until I get my way. I don't want a quiet drink at a local spot to mingle with real people. I want to go to a nightclub to get hammered and make you take me back to the hotel where I'll puke and pass out. But we can't do things separately! This vacation is about us!"

And the rigid time table thing mentioned above.

Maybe that is me being selfish, but my vacations are actually relaxing.

I'm not saying leave your pets at home. I like animals. I'm just sort of concerned as to what degree we've embraced misanthropy when it's an either or proposition.

Oh, I have embraced it. Most people suck dead donkey dicks. There are some good ones, sure, and I hang onto those. But the majority? Controlling, manipulative, dishonest, stupid, hypocritical farkwits.

Yeah, I would say my dog is a better companion than at least 60% of the general population.

Apparently, 2/3rds of Britons have good family lives. Good on them...the lucky limeys.

I'd love to take my cats with me, but Hawaii has some hellacious quarantine laws and bringing them back would be a biatch.