Tikka and the Vespa | Dog Travel Italy

November 30, 2016June 19, 20172 Comments

There were so many wonderful things to see on our trip around Italy and so many dog friendly ways to get to all the sites we wanted to see, or at least what we could fit in to three weeks. Although most of our travel was by car, local transit or on foot, we did break from our regular programming and rented a couple of Vespas to visit Chiusdino in the Siena region of Tuscany. Would this stop us from from bringing our dog along to enjoy the afternoon? A big ‘heck no’! Check out our fun little video of Tikka riding a Vespa in Tuscany:

Our Littlest Hobo | Dog Photography

November 24, 2016June 19, 2017Leave a comment

‘There’s a voice that keeps on calling me
Down the road is where I’ll always be

Every stop I make, I’ll make a new friend
Can’t stay for long, just turn around and I’m gone again.

Maybe tomorrow, I’ll find what I call home
Until tomorrow, you know I’m free to roam.’

~ Theme Song: The Littlest Hobo

Photo of Tikka inspired by ‘The Littlest Hobo’

Who remembers the classic Canadian show ‘The Littlest Hobo’ that aired on CTV in the 70’s and 80’s? Damn, was that a smart dog, coming to everyone’s help physically and emotionally. Finding the lost, thwarting kidnappers, solving crime and patching up broken relationships was all in a day’s work for Hobo. Just check out some of these episode descriptions…Was there anything this wonder dog couldn’t do?

*-Hobo rescues a politician’s son from kidnappers.*

*-Hobo helps an ex-convict pursue an honest lifestyle.*

*-Because of their parents’ objections, a young couple’s marriage plans appear doomed, until Hobo comes to the rescue.*

*-Hobo turns health inspector when botulism is discovered at a campground*

We all have a Hobo resting at our feet, helping us get through the ups and downs of navigating this crazy world. And I’m thankful that our little one did ‘find what I call home‘ and made her final stop with us after her feral start in life (read more here). A nod to all the rescuers and fosters that open their homes to the Hobos that are roaming, literally and figuratively, and need their own family to settle down with.

If you want a trip down memory lane or want to see a true piece of Canadian media history (not to mention watching an amazing dog actor) here is the first episode.

New Addition to VanDoggo – Dog Travel List

November 18, 2016November 18, 20162 Comments

For all our loyal followers and new visitors, a big hello from VanDoggo! Thanks for stopping by to checkout our ramblings and photos from our recent trip to Europe with Tikka. The support and growth for our little blog has given us the ‘warm and fuzzies’, so thank you!

As our amount of posts grow with recent trips and upcoming travel with Tikka, we knew we had to get all of our adventures into a handy list. If you are new, you may not know that Las Vegas has a hotel with a dog park, or Tofino on Canada’s West Coast is a paradise for dogs. Have a look at at our list of dog friendly places to visit:

Dog Friendly Travel

https://vandoggo.com/dog-friendly-travel/

We love to hear about everyone’s adventures so don’t be shy and leave a comment! And check back as we have lots of exploring to do!

A Doggy Day at the Beach, San Vincenzo | Dog Travel Italy

November 15, 2016June 19, 20176 Comments

Reading up on all the dog friendly things we could do on our trip to Italy, one particular place stood out to us as a ‘must – visit’, the Dog Beach at San Vincenzo, in the Livorno area of Tuscany only one hour south of Pisa.

This little piece of doggy heaven completely caters to its four legged visitors and it’s impressive to see how much thought goes into creating something solely for the dog’s well being and happiness…other countries need to take note. There are dog friendly beaches around the world, but this is on a whole other level with a huge off leash beach, dog events, parasols and loungers to rent for a shady nap and dog treats sold right on the sand.

Unfortunately we missed the beach season by just a few days, so although the beach was open to visit, the services had closed for the season so we couldn’t take advantage of everything Dog Beach had on offer during the summer. Coming from Canada, the temperature still had the heat of a July day, but alas was turning too cool for the sun loving Italians. It was still a fantastic afternoon and the beach was busy with dogs and owners enjoying the Tyrrhenian sea and warm sand.

In the regular season, one side of the beach is set up with bright yellow sun umbrellas with reserved loungers for rent and you can have your dog right next to you or on your sun bed. The other side is an open area that you can bring your own chairs or towels and lay right out on the beach. There is a bar and food right at the entrance and they have items for your dog as well. Doggy ice cream anyone?

Other amenities include: Fresh drinking water, showers (dog and people), agility course, weekly vet visit, monthly dog events, washrooms, easy parking, and direct access to the sea. All that is required from your dog is that they are behaved and show absolutely no aggression towards other dogs or people. Fair enough for such an open area with so many off leash dogs.

Now look at all these happy pups on the San Vincenzo Facebook Page! That’s what going to the beach is all about 🙂

And if you are not in the Livorno area, the dog beach page on the Explore Italian Culture website lists more dog friendly beaches all around Italy, ready for you to take your sand loving dog to! Each one has different regulations, so do a bit of reading before showing up (size of dog, muzzles needed, vaccinations etc…)

Can’t wait for our next trip to visit them all!

*This post is part of our traveling around Italy with our dog. Here are some other dog friendly activities we discovered in Tuscany:

Visiting a Tuscan Winery with your Dog

Biking to San Galgano Abbey

Biking in the Siena countryside and Abbey of San Galgano, Italy | Dog Travel Italy

November 9, 2016June 19, 20176 Comments

As we settled into spending a few days in the Tuscan countryside after leaving Florence we found we weren’t short of fun dog friendly activities. Knowing that one of our days would be spent exploring the Siena countryside on Vespas with our dog Tikka with us we sought out an easy adventure to get her used to being carried in her new backpack.

We took a couple bikes out from our hotel (check back for an upcoming review) and traveled up the road a few miles to explore the surroundings and only 15 minutes into our trip we stopped at the incredible Abbey of San Galgano.

Once you turn off the main road, you are welcomed by an incredible row of cypress tress, leading you to the Abbey. It’s a fantastic spot for a leisurely picnic with your dog as it has everything: Open fields for having a good run around, gorgeous views, lots of quiet places to set up lunch, and a bit of history that you can absorb at your own pace with your dog right beside you.

Exploring the countryside in Siena, Italy

The Abbey of Saint Galgano is nestled between the towns of Chiusdino and Monticiano, in the Siena province of Tuscany. It’s a beautiful Gothic structure built in the 13th century by the Cistercian Monks. The roof has long disappeared due to a history of looting and corruption (removing the lead supports to sell off) but this gives it a unique, open air quality to the structure as the sky opens above you when you stand in the middle of the Abbey looking upwards.

Located at the same spot, just up a little hill is the unusual round chapel Rotanda di Montesiepi and the tomb of Saint Galgano that form the Hermitage of Monte Siepi. It’s only a 10 minute walk up a wooded path and worth the visit to see the ‘real’ sword of the stone that some debate started the famous King Arthur legend. The sword is said to have been thrust into the stone on the day that Galgano retired from serving as a Knight and embraced a peaceful hermit’s life until his death in 1181.

Rotanda di Montesiepi

Tikka did well with her first backpack ride as she quickly settled into watching the world go by as the humans had to use their legs. We were confident that she was ready for her Vespa adventure (photos and info on our day out with scooters coming in another week).

The easy way to travel

If you are in the Siena area of Italy (35km South West from Siena to The Abbey of San Galgano) and looking for an afternoon or a few hours to spend in the countryside with your dog we can give a big paws up to coming to this historic site. For more info and directions visit the San Galgano page at Discover Tuscany.

Looking for more info on Traveling around Italy with your dog? Here are some of our recent posts in our series:

–Dog friendly Florence.

–Visiting a winery in Chianti with your dog.

–A Doggy Day at the Beach, San Vincenzo

–Paperwork for taking your dog to the EU.