# What to do with dog whilst visiting warwick castle?



## Snunkie

We've planned a trip to warwick castle and will be staying in the st Mary's area car park where MH's are allowed to stay overnight for 50p per bay used and normal day time charges apply.
We're driving up 1st day, spending 2nd day at castle and will head home on 3rd day at some point. 

My problem is, what's the best thing to do with our dog whilst we're at warwick castle. I've left him in the motorhome a few times before when we've visited attractions with an on-site carpark so I've been able to pop back and check on him and let him out etc and have even taken a walkie talkie with me leaving one in the motorhome on voice activated so that I can hear if he is barking or in any sort of distress and talk to him if need be so that my voice reassures him. He's a toy poodle just under six months old and as I work from home he is rarely apart from me. 

The problem is, the car park is a good 10 mins walk from the entrance to warwick castle and the walkie talkie will be out of range and I feel a bit uneasy about leaving him in a car park for several hours at a time in case he did draw attention to himself. 

Has anyone else been to the castle that have had to leave dogs? Can you offer any advice please?

I've got an ip camera and providing I can find a wifi hotspot near the car park that I can log into then I can watch him from my iphone. I think what I'm most worried about, being in a car park rather than a campsite is someone trying to take him.

Lucy


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## Grizzly

Lucy.....I can't help with advice about the dog but do know- from an angry friend- that, if you go back to the car park from the castle you are not allowed to re-enter on your original ticket * unless you have had your hand stamped by the attendant on the gate before you leave the castle*

She had gone back to get a picnic from the car, never saw an attendant and got caught this way.

G


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## Nethernut

Long time to leave such a young dog, what happens when he gets bored!!!! Have you got someone who could look after him for the weekend? Other option is to look for a day boarding at a nearby kennels. I do know there are a couple of kennels in the area, Ardenhill Kennels and Oaklands Farm (sorry don't have contact details) are in the Warwick area and I am sure they are both still running. This may be a kinder option.


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## camper69

Surely the problem aswell is if someone thinks the dog is distressed and calls the authorities they could break into the van. Not everyone knows that leaving a dog in a motorhome is different to a car.

I would have thought getting someone to look after the dog was the best thing.

Derek


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## Snunkie

The most I would leave him at one time would be 2-3hrs and was planning on coming back and checking on him and letting him out etc. I always leave a puppy training pad so it wouldn't be a case of him having to hold it for that time. Have looked at local kennels in the area online but feel he would be happier in familiar surroundings than being left in a kennels. 
As for someone to look after him, yes I could find someone for a day at home but not for the 3 days that we will be away as I would not leave him with a stranger and we would rather he were with us for the 2 days that he can be.

He's always been ok in the MH for 2-3 hours at a time as I've had the walkie talkie with me listening to him and he has rarely barked. I leave the tv on and he has plenty of toys to keep him occupied. Maybe hubby and I will do shifts at the castle with the rest of the family and take it in turns to look after the dog as that seems the only solution. 

Unless I put him in my rucksack......

:wink:


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## Snunkie

Grizzly said:


> Lucy.....I can't help with advice about the dog but do know- from an angry friend- that, if you go back to the car park from the castle you are not allowed to re-enter on your original ticket * unless you have had your hand stamped by the attendant on the gate before you leave the castle*
> 
> She had gone back to get a picnic from the car, never saw an attendant and got caught this way.
> 
> G


Thanks G, I think most attractions do this now so we're used to having to get our hand stamped. I think the reason they don't allow you back in on the same ticket is if you have somehow managed to pass it onto someone else to get in.


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## Snunkie

Incidentally, at home he is used to going for a walk in the morning, then he just lazes about whilst I work until it's time to pick the children up from school and that's when he's more active. 

I did think about the prospect too of someone calling the authorities because he was left in a MH, albeit a 29ft long one with loads of room for him to move about and this will be at the end of October too so not in extreme heat conditions


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## aldra

I woud think that providing you have given him a good romp beforehand 2/3 hrs is fine and he will rest

motorhoming with a dog is a question of balance, we share our time between Shadow and his needs and ours. Sometimes they all match up 
Sometimes he stays in the van whilst we visit things of interest where dogs are not allowed 

I assume the castle has grounds where dogs are allowed so you can combine time with him and time alone

if we could not leave Shadow alone there would be many times where we didn't manage to see anything outside of woods and fields D 

It's a good time to start training the pup to spend time alone in the van providing of course the temp is good, even vans can get very hot in the summer months

sandra


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## foxtwo

Hi,
i learned that it is a small young dog.
There are large foldable boxes not very expensive.
At home take the time to get the dog use such a box as hut or shelter. Train it to stay inside with open box and little food. Play with the dog inside the box. When it gets used to it close the box for a little while so that it gets the knowledge that it will be opened again. Let it sleep at night inside the box and next to you. Never react on barking and crying it will stop soon when useless. When you react on the barking the dog will learn that barking is efficient and will use it to "call" you always. When it stops barking for a period of 5 minutes take it out and praise it for doing that. This method is not a pain for the dog only for the owner.
Leave your home when it gets used to stay inside the box and come back when it is quiet. It needs to know that barking in order to force you back or to initiate a reaction by you will be useless and that the box is its home and shelter.
And when it works at home do the same inside the car.
With all our dogs this worked perfect. Within two nights they learned to sleep quiet inside the box .....and the MH.
And the younger the dog is the better it learns.

And in the MH....play with it till it is tired, then feed it and then put it into the box to leave it alone for 2 or three hours.

And sorry....don´t be the slave of your dog. This is not good for you AND not good for the dog. I know puppies are so nice.........

Regards
Bernd


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## wug

Good advice there. We trained our dog in a cage. A dog behaviourist pointed out that your dog doesn't know you are going to come back when you leave, so you need to train it.

Maybe you haven't time to do the training before visiting Warwick so, if you are worried about it, and haven't any other solutions, maybe you could consider postponing the trip until the dog is trained to stay by itself for several hours and go somewhere else.


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## Snunkie

He's fully crate trained. I started from the day we brought him home so he has no problem with that, but in the MH we don't use the crate, we just let him sleep in his bed which is under the table so he's used to that area being his little den, and I like to know that he has plenty of room to move around if he wants to. I'm not worried about him damaging anything in the MH, he's never chewed or damaged anything in the whole time we've had him other than chewing his toys which we always make sure are available to him.

He doesn't whine or bark of a night time when we leave him to go to bed as this is the routine that he is used to. Late night walk, little treat, cuddle and bed in his crate downstairs, although I don't lock his crate now, I just pull the cover down and he stays in there til I come down in the morning unless he's desperate for a wee in which case he uses a puppy pad but that's quite rare now because he has a long walk before bed. 

He loves being in the MH and is always very settled there which is why I feel this would be much kinder to him than to put him somewhere or with someone he's not used to. I think I will be more worried than he will! 

This is coming from someone who has never had a dog before, couldn't understand how people got so attached to them and why they got so soppy over them, and now he's part of our family and I wouldn't be without him. He follows me everywhere and keeps me company
:wink:


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## tonyt

If you're that concerned about the dog's welfare, why not give Warwick Castle a miss until such time as you pass that way without the dog.


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## Mikemoss

Roxy, our Border Collie, is 10 so much older than your little chap. We've left her in our motorhome on two separate visits to Warwick Castle (it's brilliant, by the way) and she's been absolutely fine.

We used the car park which has a few motorhome-sized bays and I walked back to check on her a couple of times during each of our stays. Yes, it takes about 10 minutes but it's well worth doing for peace of mind. On each occasion I took Roxy for a quick leg-stretch along the paths outside the castle grounds.

Just remember to get your hand stamped the first time you leave and all will be well!


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## Snunkie

tonyt said:


> If you're that concerned about the dog's welfare, why not give Warwick Castle a miss until such time as you pass that way without the dog.


Firstly, I would not go away and leave him behind and would not be 'passing' without the dog
Secondly, We have 4 young children and we've planned this trip for them together with other family members. They wouldn't want to go without their dog.

I asked for advice on what was best to do with him whilst we were visiting the castle. Giving the castle a miss is not really an answer is it?


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## Snunkie

Mikemoss said:


> Roxy, our Border Collie, is 10 so much older than your little chap. We've left her in our motorhome on two separate visits to Warwick Castle (it's brilliant, by the way) and she's been absolutely fine.
> 
> We used the car park which has a few motorhome-sized bays and I walked back to check on her a couple of times during each of our stays. Yes, it takes about 10 minutes but it's well worth doing for peace of mind. On each occasion I took Roxy for a quick leg-stretch along the paths outside the castle grounds.
> 
> Just remember to get your hand stamped the first time you leave and all will be well!


Thanks MikeMoss, that's exactly what I was wanting to hear, someone who's been in the same situation and could offer advice on what they did.

Lucy


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## aldra

I think many of us have said how important it is to be able to leave your dog for a few hours

Wether that be at home or in the van

Owning a dog has drawbacks and advantages

we have travelled thousands of miles with Shadow and his predessors, all need to spend time alone safe and secure

And the more times you practise the better it becomes

Its a two way benefit

aldra


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## LadyJ

Hi Lucy

Could you have a bike with you and bike back to the van wouldnt take so long that way as long as you remember to get your hand stamped.

As Mike said the castle is brilliant lots to see I would take a picnic though as food quite dear there.

Am sure doggie would be ok for a few hours we sometimes leave our 4, 3 yorkies and a jack russell for about 4 hours with no problem although the jack has a habit of yapping if the blinds are not shut :roll: 


Jacquie


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## tonyt

Snunkie said:


> Firstly, I would not go away and leave him behind and would not be 'passing' without the dog
> Secondly, We have 4 young children and we've planned this trip for them together with other family members. They wouldn't want to go without their dog.
> 
> I asked for advice on what was best to do with him whilst we were visiting the castle. Giving the castle a miss is not really an answer is it?


Then surely, with so many people in your party, the best solution, for the dog, would be for one of your party to volunteer to stay with the dog while the rest of the party toured the castle.

I've seen too many stressed dogs in closed vehicles to offer any encouragement to you to leave the dog alone.


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