If you’re anything like me, then you probably love travelling but absolutely hate leaving your dog behind. Well, you don’t really have to do that anymore! Nowadays it’s become much easier to be able to bring your dog along with you on holiday.

Even though it does need some more effort put into the planning and different dog travel requirements it’s definitely worth it, and I’m going to give you five reasons why that is.

It’s cheaper

First and foremost, taking your dog on holiday with you could work out to be cheaper than leaving him or her behind, and this is because dog-sitters or kennels can be very expensive.  Especially the longer that you’re away for, the more the price ranks up.

With dog-friendly holidays becoming more and more common nowadays, you don’t even have to pay very much. As for the accommodation, many places only charge a small fee to allow your dog to stay with you, and some are even free! The most expensive thing out of everything will be the fee of taking your dog with you on the plane. If you have a small dog that weighs less than 8kg, you’ll be able to keep your dog right beside you on the plane the whole time.

Reduced stress and anxiety

Travelling can be very stressful and anxiety inducing, more so for some than others. Dogs can reduce anxiety, stress, depression, ease loneliness, and even improve cardiovascular health. Plus, you’ll be worrying much less about how your dog is doing back home without you. Even if I leave my dog behind with someone I trust, I can’t fully enjoy my holiday because I’d be thinking about him every day, but taking him with me means there’s nothing left to worry about, and I can really relax.

Break the ice with some locals

Dogs can be great conversation starters, and with your dog you’ll get a chance to mingle with some locals that otherwise you might not have had the chance to if your dog hadn’t been with you.

Even if you or any locals don’t initiate the conversation, your dog will definitely say hello for you! Meeting some locals has endless benefits, because you can find out exactly the best places to go sightseeing, which places have the best food, and learn about the culture first-hand. To top it all off, you’ll get to make some new friends.

Great company

With your dog with you, you’ll definitely have great company by your side the entire time. Some people prefer to go on holiday alone, I know that this is my personal preference because I don’t have to negotiate with anyone about what I’d like to do, but it does get a little bit lonely at times. With your dog, you don’t have to compromise for anyone because your dog won’t argue with you, and you’ll never be alone.

Even if you’re going on holiday with other people or as a family, you still can’t deny that having your dog with you can only make the holiday better. When I go on a family holiday, I want ALL the family to be there – and that includes my dog.

Be active and explore

Dogs help us to stay active in our everyday life, and just because we’re on holiday doesn’t mean we should become couch potatoes! Bringing your dog on holiday with you means that you have no excuse, and you can’t just laze around all day, because you will have to go for walks at least. Also, you get to see more of the outdoors. When abroad, you never know what you might see and nature can be the most fascinating thing of them all. By going out and exploring, you might find something that you never would have seen otherwise, and you’ll have your dog to thank for that.

All in all, although it might be easier to just leave your dog behind when you go on holiday, it is definitely worth the effort put in to bring him/her along, and it enriches the experience that you will have abroad.