Travelling in Spain with a small dog

Here's a link to a blogger who has traveled with her dog to Spain (and other countries). The first thing she says is that Spain is much less dog-friendly than other EU countries, so you might want to read through it carefully. But she has a lot of good information in there that I am sure will be helpful. In fact, I was surprised at how extensive it was. FWIW, she mentions that dogs are not allowed in museums, which I can certainly understand. In fact, I would be surprised if any museum in any country allowed dogs (except service animals of course). https://www.travelnuity.com/dog-friendly-spain/

Ensure the dog meets all the entry requirements, including a rabies vaccination, microchip, and an Animal Health Certificate (AHC). You need to look them up.

I don’t recall seeing any dogs of any size in any tourist site. I have seen some in hotels, but you’d need to check with the hotel. If the dog barks if left alone in a hotel room, please reconsider since it’s inconsiderate to the other guests.

Just my opinion, but a dog will restrict what you can see, where you can eat, and where you can stay. You need to decide if taking a pet is worth the restrictions and the extra planning that taking it will require.

Thank you to both of these replies. Yes, I can understand that taking a dog might not be worth the effort! And, interesting to read about Spain being less dog-friendly. I was in Germany last Spring and there were dogs everywhere including in restaurants, etc. (but I'm sure not in museums).

hey hey cheryl.striepe
when is this trip, how many days, how many people and where are you traveling from?
have you looked at dog friendly hotels/short term rentals and what cities? read all the rules and regulations that hosts/hostesses allow
which you may not like or agree with
my own opinion it is a bad idea.
my friends travel and cruise within europe and i am their dog/house sitter on patrol for however long they are gone. pack up a bag and move into their home and i got happy woof woofs in their own homes and envionrment
aloha

I lived in Spain for a number of years.
Generally speaking, people who have pet dogs treat them very well.
However, that is not always the case with working dogs, who may not be stranger friendly.
You can sit at an outside bar or restaurant table with your dog, but they are rarely allowed inside.
You will have to find a hotel which is prepared to take your dog, and may charge extra.
Look at the Renfe (Spanish rail) website for their rules on dogs - you may have to buy the dog a ticket.
Frankly, I would not take my dog to a major city.

Hi Cheryl,

I´m a dog owner and live in Spain and I think you´ve gotten some pretty good info. A trip with a dog can be done, but I it would seem much more of a hassle than it is worth. Especially if it is not a long stay.

In my town, Logroño, if you have a dog, when you walk it you must pick up the poo, and have a water bottle to hose down the pee. Here they call it the dog´s "kit". It is easy enough to get at a pet store or large supermarket. Last year they were warning people, but with the new year, the police are giving out tickets if they see you not cleaning up. Up to 600€ fine.

When I moved to Spain, in 1998, while going from Madrid to Logroño we stopped at the Alcazar with our dog, Sancho a miniture Schnauzer. They actually let us visit with him, as long as we held him in our arms and didn´t let him walk around.

Thank you to all who responded. I very much appreciate your insight and suggestions. Yes, I don't think I'll take my dog to Spain for now!!
Best to you all.
Cheryl

My turf, Barcelona:

• 180,000 registered domestic dogs in a city with 1.7 million people, that's how much we love dogs.
• Dogs can go into malls, many shops, a large number of restaurants and bars, most public parks, and the whole metro system (but not the bus, unless inside a carrier)

Having said that, I wouldn't take mine (55 pounds) on a trip to Barcelona since, as a tourist, there'd probably be many places I might want to visit that wouldn't allow dogs in.

Why take the dog? It will be a constant problem to find places to stay and places to eat not to mention the plane trip. Just leave it in a kennel and enjoy the trip hassle free.

As to why take a dog to Europe?: I have taken my dog to France and Switzerland, the experience is completely different than not having a dog. What I mean by this is that tons of local people will come up and speak with you, pet the dog, ask where your from. People that would normally never engage with a tourist are all of sudden a buddy. If you have any desire to be a temporary local then bring a well behaved dog with you. It changes a trip completely for the better. In Paris lots of elderly ladies around Effie tower wanted to engage with me and tell me how pretty her blue eyes were. There was no problem in hotels, public transportation or restaurants. When speaking with a family that lives in Paris the question is: Why would you not bring your dog with you, they are apart of your family? Not why would you bring your dog with you? There was a 5 euro fee for a train ride for the dog, but I can tell you now no self respecting French person will ever charge for a dog, and they didn't . The dog got water and food first in every restaurant, and we always ate inside. As for Switzerland, also not a problem to find accommodation that allowed dogs. The only places that would not allow the dog were churches and cheese shops. There were corkscrew type hooks outside to park the dog using the handle of the lead. We were charged half fair of a human for train rides but the ticket checker came with treats and was happy to pet her. On top of the Jungfrau Yoke her photo was taken at least 100 times. Many people from India took selfies with her, and a group of kids on their gap year invited us to hang out in the Valley with them. The whole trip was improved by having a dog. If I was going to Italy and planned on museums and churches then no I would not bring a dog. But hiking in the alps for sure I would take the dog. I know your asking about Spain and I don't have any experience with taking a dog there, but I did want to share how my trip went. AND of course tons of people from here didn't get it at all, they though it was "nuts". After all here no one is allowed to take a regular pet dog anywhere, only a few parks or beaches even allow dogs, the sentiment is not the same in Europe. J

Thank you for your thoughful reply. Yes, I can see that taking a dog to certain areas can be very rewarding and open up new connection with people. I even see this where i live when I take my dog out - having a dog opens up possibility to connect. I think France and Switzerland could be great places. My husband and i will look into this futher to perhaps plan a trip in the future.