A packing list for a dog holiday quickly gets too long. The internet is full of lists with forty items, two thirds of which you can leave at home. In the end you lug half a household with you that stays in the boot all week - and still forget the one little thing you really would have needed.
This article tries the opposite: keep short what can be short, and say honestly what's already here with us anyway. Plus a few words on getting to Feld am See, because that often decides more about the first day of the holiday than the packing list. And at the very end you'll find our checklist to tick off, so you don't have to think twice.
The honest packing list (what you really need, what stays at home)
Let's start with what actually has to come. Most things on this list you have at home anyway; it's just about not forgetting anything.
This goes in the bag:
- Lead and, if your dog is used to it, a long line for the longer rounds.
- The usual collar or harness - a holiday is not a good time to break in new equipment.
- Your own food in the usual type and quantity. A change of food in the middle of a holiday is the most common cause of an upset stomach. Allow one or two portions more than you need for the days.
- Vaccination record and, when crossing a border, the EU pet passport. Even if you're travelling from within Austria: the passport belongs in the glove compartment, not in the far corner of the suitcase.
- A small first-aid kit for the dog: tick remover, wound ointment, something your vet has given you for the stomach. You probably won't need most of it, but it weighs nothing.
- Poo bags. More than you think.
- A familiar toy or a chew. Familiar things help the dog settle into unfamiliar surroundings.
You can safely leave this at home:
- The big supply of drying cloths and towels - more on that in a moment.
- A second and third toy "just in case". On holiday a dog doesn't need an entertainment programme, but peace and its people.
- Elaborate travel beds, if your dog will also accept a blanket. A familiar blanket is lighter, folds small and smells of home.
The rule of thumb: what your dog uses daily at home comes along. What only has "just in case" character usually stays unused in the car.
What's already here (don't pack it twice)
Before you pack the second bag, a look at what you don't have to bring yourself. That saves space in the boot and nerves when packing.
In the restaurant and on the lakeside terrace, a water bowl and a place with a blanket are ready for the dog when it lies next to you at dinner. So you don't need to pack a bowl for the evening. As for the lake: anyone who's been swimming with their dog needs a towel afterwards - we'll help out here so your own bath towels don't get wet and sandy every day.
As far as water is concerned, you have it particularly easy in Feld am See. Lake Brennsee is of drinking-water quality. For the dog that means: it can drink at the lake access without you having to carry a bottle, and after swimming there's no chlorine-like film left in the coat as at some pools.
The rest is best discussed directly. If you ask in advance what your dog needs for its usual routine and what we can provide, we'll tell you honestly. Some things can be sorted out on site, others you'd better bring yourself - but you'll know beforehand and not only on the evening of your arrival.
Getting to Feld am See: car, breaks, last dog stop before arrival
Most guests with a dog come by car, and that's also the most relaxed option. Feld am See lies in the Gegendtal valley between Villach and the Nock Mountains, easily reached via the Tauern or Süd motorway and then a short stretch of country road. The last few kilometres lead through quiet, green countryside - a pleasant transition from motorway stress into holiday mode.
For the dog, one thing counts above all: regular breaks. Plan a stop every two to three hours where your dog can relieve itself, drink and sniff around for a few minutes. Motorway service areas often have a small dog area; where there isn't one, any quiet car park away from the carriageway will do. The important thing is never to let the dog out of the car without a lead, even if it's otherwise reliable - the unfamiliar surroundings and passing cars are a bad risk.
A point that's easily forgotten: don't give your dog the full ration before setting off, but feed it a little earlier and a little lighter instead. A full stomach and bends don't go well together for many dogs.
And then the most important tip for a calm arrival evening: deliberately make the last break close to your destination. A generous toilet-and-sniff round about half an hour before Feld am See ensures your dog arrives relaxed and with an empty bladder - instead of pushing to get outside the moment it enters the new room while you're still carrying the suitcases.
The first hour at the hotel: arriving with your dog without stress
The first hour decides how a dog perceives an unfamiliar place. If you rush, you pass the stress on to the dog. If you take your time, you have a more relaxed companion for the rest of the week.
This simple order has proved itself: first a calm round with the dog around the house before you even unpack. That way it gets to know the surroundings, marks a little and understands where it is. Only then do you go to the room. There, first of all, put the familiar blanket in a quiet spot - that becomes its anchor for the next few days.
Because our house, with its roughly two dozen rooms, is manageable and free of big bustle, most dogs find this arrival easy. No long echoing corridors, no constant activity in the lobby, no crowding at the lift. For a dog that's sensitive to stimuli, that's a noticeable difference. Let it settle in during the first hour before you go to the restaurant for the first time - then in the evening it'll usually already be lying more relaxed next to your table.
If you like, tell us briefly on arrival what your dog is like - whether it's open towards strangers or rather reserved, whether it shies away from noise. We'll take that into account, for example when choosing your table in the restaurant.
Vets and pet supplies in the region
A question that comes up before every dog holiday: what if something happens while we're away? The good news first - in Feld am See you're not on your own. There's veterinary care in the region, so in an emergency you won't have to search for hours. Pet supplies for restocking are also within reach, in case you run out of food or have forgotten some small item.
Specific addresses and opening hours are best given to you directly on arrival or on request - they change from time to time, and it's more reliable to get the current information from us than to read it here out of date. What matters is that you can arrive with the good feeling that the essentials are close by. An emergency number for your own vet still belongs in your phone - nothing replaces a quick phone call for advice.
So nothing gets left behind: our dog-holiday checklist
If you don't want to gather all this from memory, we've prepared it for you. Our dog-holiday checklist sums up the packing list to tick off, the key travel points and the transparent house rules on a few pages - the document you print out once before you set off or load onto your phone, and that's that. You'll find the download link on our page about holidays with your dog.
A small list takes a surprising amount of weight off packing. Instead of wondering five times whether you've packed the vaccination record, you tick it off once and think of something nicer - for example, that this time your dog is allowed into the restaurant and can go into the lake.
If you want to dig deeper into the walks, swimming spots and conditions, you'll find it all gathered on our overview page Holidays with your dog on Lake Brennsee. And if you'd like to know exactly how it works with the dog at the water and on the paths right from the front door, read our article With your dog at Lake Brennsee: where your dog can swim and which walks start at the hotel - there the packing list turns into actual holiday life.
Only one question remains: are your preferred dates free? The best thing is to check availability directly or drop us a quick line about which dog you're coming with - we'll tell you honestly whether it's a good fit.