What’s better than a vacation?  A vacation with your DOG!  In this episode of the pawdcast, Karen is joined by her friend Christine (a fellow Aussie owner) with a special interest in dog-friendly vacations. 

According to tripswithpets.com, 78 percent of Americans who have pets, travel with them. Sara Sokol, founder of Dogs Welcome, is working to make it easier for dogs and owners to find welcoming accommodations.

Sara, a dog lover from Bath, Maine, created Dogs Welcome as a Facebook Group to connect travelers with owners of pet friendly vacation rentals, small inns and bed and breakfasts.  Within three months, the response was so positive, Sara is now launching the Dogs Welcome website.  Similar to other vacation rental sites, the filters are more dog/pet focused, for instance does the property have a fenced in yard.  The Dogs Welcome website will allow travelers to book directly with the properties – without additional fees for hosts or travelers.  Sara is also developing a Dogs Welcome Certified Property seal of approval, making it even easier to create your perfect dog-friendly vacation.

The Dogs Welcome Facebook Group and website currently feature properties in the US and Canada.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1043741576357003/  www.dogs-welcome.net

Christine and her husband JUST finished building a vacation rental outside of Luray, Virginia specifically for dogs.  Mountain View Retreat boasts dog friendly furnishings, a dog washing station and soon a fenced in yard.  You can learn more about the property by contacting her at [email protected].

And of course, Sara has a great vacation rental https://www.littlewhitedogproperties.com/ that inspired Dogs Welcome.  When Sara isn’t revolutionizing travel with dogs, she’s a trainer, practicing positive reinforcement techniques.  Mr. Dog Training was recently voted BEST trainer in Maine.  http://mrdogtraining.com/index.html  PawsUP!

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