Find an NZ family-friendly holiday where the dog is welcome too. Photo / 123rf
Find an NZ family-friendly holiday where the dog is welcome too. Photo / 123rf
It's the eyes that do it. Great big and soppy looking; staring deep into your soul, begging you not to leave. Dropping pooch off at the kennels is almost too much to bear.
Cats on the other hand - equally hard for the owner but in all likelihood, not somuch for Captain Tibbles. He'll simply shimmy off to plot your demise. You will pay for this abandonment in two weeks. Don't hurry back.
So back to our much needier dogs. With so many of us reluctant to leave our canines alone and lockdown causing hastily booked last-minute holidays, it might prove easier (on both hearts and purse strings) to take them with us. Here are 7 dog-friendly holiday options to get tails wagging.
Ditch the kennels and take your dog on an NZ holiday this year. Photo / Jason Oxenham.
The best dog-friendly holiday spots in New Zealand
Travelling with your pet isn't just for camping holidays anymore; increasingly, tour operators and accommodation providers are recognising that dogs are part of the family unit and shouldn't be left out of the fun.
Hitting the road in a motorhome is a firm favourite for Kiwi families, canine campers. It offers flexibility with no need to pre-book flights or accommodation, as well as the chance to have a relaxing nature-based escape away from the crowds.
Best of all, this type of holiday will be a real crowd-pleaser. But before you hit the road, these top tips will ensure the trip is a memorable one for the whole family. Pooch as well.
A family stretching their legs with a dog walk. Photo / Andrew Warner
Ōpua, Bay of Islands: A luxury, dog-friendly escape
An added bonus with travelling local is we could bring our miniature schnauzer Ralph; we'd checked ahead that the accommodation was dog-friendly. The lovely couple that run the place, Wendy and Mike Fisher, who have a 4-year-old shih tzu Harry, welcomed our little fluff ball with open arms. They even offered to dog sit when we went out for dinner later.
A dog-friendly stay at Marina Cove in Opua, Bay of Islands. Photo /Alanah Eriksen
The luxury hotel brand with dog-friendly suites
A New Zealand hotel group is opening its doors to 'well behaved' canine guests with dog-friendly suites across its properties.
QT hotels and resorts welcome pets of the "pooch variety" to stay in their Queenstown and Wellington properties. Suites have been set aside for dog lovers with designer doggy bedding, food and water bowls. Even the minibar is pet approved.
Happy dogs and their owners at a dog-friendly cafe. Photo / Supplied
Taupo. The most dog-friendly town in New Zealand?
I had never visited Taupō before and neither had Rocket. Sure, it was the first time for the kids too, but this trip was all about Rocket, a 5-year-old Maltese-Shi Tzu cross, who only weighs about 4kg, is fiercely loyal and usually spends her days sleeping. Rocket was, however, going to get off the couch in Taupō as this trip was jammed-packed with activities, and she was coming on every single one of them.
If you are hoping to avoid the trauma this year (dropping the dog off at the kennels), why not try one of these pet-friendly campgrounds, motorhome sites and hotels in and around Auckland?
Trapper the dog with his pack on, looking on as a tramper walks away. Photo / Ashlyn Oswalt
Exceptionally dog-friendly walks across New Zealand
New Zealanders are pretty good at heading for the hills. With a culture steeped in the outdoors and the surrounding areas of just about every town cloaked in vistas, it's not hard to see why. From the craggy peaks of the Southern Alps to the lush, coastal hills of the North Island, there's something for every fitness level. Lockdowns have made many Kiwis itch to get back outside, some with our best furry buddies in tow.
Lucky for New Zealanders, the country has a wealth of dog-friendly mountains to summit and hills to romp around.
