Lowcountry Dogs Abroad: Dog-Friendly Europe

Greetings once again from Germany, y’all! I can’t believe we’re into our third month here- nor just how much we’ve learned! One of the biggest things that has stood out for us is just how welcoming most places are when it comes to our pups, Max and Dulcie. They’ve been (happily) welcomed everywhere from deluxe hotels to royal gardens, confirming with each trip we take that we definitely made the right decision in bringing our ‘kids’ with us on our European adventure!

And don’t think that we’re the only ones with the bright idea to travel with dogs. So, just where have we run into other pups?

• Dogs on trains- I moved the tail of a German Shepherd from the aisle of a Paris express train to save it from being stepped on. (The best part was the ‘Ah, merci’ I got, with a smile, from the owner.)

• Dogs on cable cars- We ascended to the top of the Grindelwald Glacier in Austria with a massive Old English Sheep Dog in the company of a German couple in matching checked shirts and Lederhosen. (If only I could’ve snapped a picture!)

• Dogs in restaurants- Let me start by saying that Max and Dulcie LOVE going to dinner and we take them just about every time! Two of our favorite stories? We actually witnessed a Pug being served dinner in a restaurant overlooking the river in Prague, Czech Republic, and a French Bulldog enjoying her own gelato (ice cream) at a neighborhood cafe in Heidelberg, Germany. She also happily accepted tidbits from the other customers!

• Dogs in stores- I’ve yet to go to the mall, any mall!, where I haven’t seen at least five pups enjoying a shopping day with Mom or Dad- I just love it! Just this morning, I saw a trio of Greyhounds in the department store, an Airedale Terrier lounging on a bench as his Dad sipped his afternoon coffee, and a Giant Poodle that took up an aisle in the stationery shop.

• Dogs in hotels- Not only did our 4-star hotel welcome our pups, but they even offered us am in-house, complimentary pet sitter to feed and walk them anytime we opted to leave them in the room! We took them up on their offer one evening (and yes, we graciously tipped, of course!) and returned to two happy pups and the nicest note…thanking us for letting them spend time with Max and Dulcie!

• Dog-loving police and customs officials- I’ll never forget the policeman who blew kisses at our Boston Terriers as we stopped for a hillside stroll just inside the Black Forest.

• And finally, the one ‘story’ that has stuck out to us more than any others…Dogs (and cats!) in Venice sleeping en masse on park benches, being fed by neighborhood residents, and being protected by an Italian law that gives them the right to spend their lives where they were born. This just warms our hearts.

Granted, not all European cities/countries, business establishments and public places welcome our four-legged babies, but in general, pets definitely get more respect in Europe than they do at home in the States, and you'll certainly find more places where you can take your pup than you would at home.

Should you go through the hassle of bringing your pet abroad? If you're going for only a few weeks, probably not as it’s a lot of work for you and a lot of stress for Fido. However, if you're visiting Europe for an extended period, it’s definitely an option to seriously consider. Having Max and Dulcie here during our adventure has been absolutely wonderful, for both us and for them. It makes all the difference knowing that we made the right decision coming to Germany as Thomas, Party of 4 rather than Party of 2…

 For more of our adventures- complete with lots of pictures!- check out our blog at http://thomaspartyof4.wordpress.com. We always love meeting new people!

 Erin Thomas is the owner of Summerville’s Lowcountry Pet Sitters, the area’s premier in-your-home pet care service. For more information, please visit www.LCPetSitters.com or call 843-327-7487.