Just very quickly, I thought it appropriate to give a more rounded view of holidaying with Dog.
Whilst she has been very well behaved, even if a little skittish and sometimes a little more odd than usual, I can now reveal that there are some things that are definitely more for the dogs than for people.
There is a restaurant up here in Stanthorpe, called Anna's and I had read a lot about it before we came away. We stumbled upon it on our first drive through the town. But can we go there? NO! Steve and I brought a change of decent clothes with us to wear, but the closest we are gonna get is to wave to it on our way somewhere else.
I had this idea that we could leave dog in the cabin and go, but I don't think I can do that. And there is a dog enclosure outside we could use. It's some chicken wire spanned between star pickets. I reckon Dog is far too spoiled for that, even if she wore her little coat, I reckon the indignity of it all might about kill her.
I am still toying with the idea that we could leave her in the car while we eat, but that would mean no drinks and I am still not sure about all that time in the car.
It is just as well that I cooked up some lovely dinners and popped 'em in the freezer before we came away, so that at least at the end of day we can settle back with a glass of something and eat well. Not as well as if we went to Anna's, but well enough.
It would be easier to take a child on holidays, cos people have no choice about whether or not to allow a sprog entry. But kids answer back and whinge and get tired and spew up in the car want to be entertain every minute of every day. Dog has not once said, 'I'm Bored, are we there yet?' So whilst it might be easier in terms of planning and eating and sometimes looking at stuff, to take a kid, I reckon Dog has been easier on my nerves. She mostly does what she is told and has only barked ONCE and that was at the traffic lights in Warwick!
She has demanded that I am up at dawn to let her out, and now she can go by herself for a little wander and a shit (which we do collect if we see it but otherwise given the huge piles of the stuff all around the complex, we imagine that it is just seen as useful fertiliser). I let her out, put the kettle on read the newspaper online, stoke the fire up for the day, and enjoy the time to myself.
I am pleased that we bought some DVDs which are keeping us entertained in the evenings. We could go out into the yard with some banjo playing locals who throw all manner of stuff onto the outside burners and play ball games in the dark, but I am happy inside.
So it has been probably the strangest holiday because it has been so much about Dog and not so much about lovely food and drinks and shopping and galleries, but I haven't had to wonder if some crazy arse is tying Dog to a fence, or if Dog has had enough exercise or cuddles so there are some big advantages to taking her along.
Of course the rather rural nature of the week is conducive to Dog. I rather doubt I could / would want to take her to Sydney or Melbourne. I can't imagine tram commuters being too thrilled with her on the trams. Ho hum.
For our next adventure to Yeppoon we are staying at a holiday house with a fully fenced yard so I reckon I will be happy to leave her outside when we head off for some 'people time' Dog won't be too thrilled with that, but no doubt will be happier than if we left her tied up to a fence somewhere.
So far so good for Dog holidays, and it must be said that I would far rather take her than stop at home wondering what we are missing.
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