Dog Friendly Italy?
 

Thanks to all of the great advice I got on this forum we had a wonderful trip to Germany, Austria and the Czeck Republic in October (trip report written in my mind only but coming soon). We travelled with our Cavalier Spaniel,her trip report is done on her web site
www.travelingcavalier.us
The trip was wonderful thanks in great part to the wonderful and very helpful suggestions I received here.

We are now planning our thirtieth anniversary trip to Rome and Positano in May 2008 and the Cavalier is coming with us again. I have been to Italy before but never to these areas. Is Italy very dog friendly? We have found accomodations already but I am wondering about public transportation, going into restaurants and other public places. Has anybody had experience with how welcome dogs are in these areas?

Thank you in advance for any insight you can provide.

I don't think Italy is nearly as dog-friendly as France. In many trips to both, we have seen very few dogs allowed in restaurants and cafes.

I helped to send my brother and his dog to France, Switzerland and Italy this summer. I believe by asking and looking around, he found plenty of places to eat with outdoor seating. Padla (my fur neice) sits well at his feet at outdoor restaurants.

I don't think you can take a dog on a bus or the Rome Metro, but I hope someone who is more familiar with these things will answer. Padla took the ferry to Elba and back, and had no problems.

They used a rental car and the only public transport they were on was the ferry going to and coming from Elba.

My impression was that it would not be quite as dog friendly as Paris or Germany and Austria, which were fantastic. I was hoping that it would not be quite this bad though.

We have no problem sitting outside as the weather should be quite nice at the end of May. She does great in restaurants and justs sits on the floor under the table and sleeps no matter how long we stay. However, if she is not allowed on any public transportation that will be a huge problem.

Does anybody else have further information on the public transportation in Rome and Positano for a little ten pound doggie who loves to travel?
Thank you - Jackie

I don't know about Rome, but in Venice dogs have to be muzzled and on a lead if you want to take them on public transport.
It's the same for boats on Lake Garda.

Having been on a couple buses in Rome, i dont think there is any way a dog would fit! They are stuffed full with people. Not sure about the Metro...I know you can bring dogs on the Tube in London as long as you carry them.

No, Italy is not as dog friendly as Austria, Germany, France, and Belgium. That doesn't mean you won't find places that will accept your dog, but it will take more work and planning.

Fortunately, your dog is small, which does make things easier.

Glad you had a great time on your trip!

If you do take your dog remember to protect her from heartworm, ticks and sandflies. You do not want to take her home with an unwelcome souvenir in the form of Leshmania or babeosis. All three diseases are prevalent in Italy as they are in all of southern Europe.

Thanks for all of the great advise. I have done a bit of research and it seems that the dog will be allowed on public transport with a muzzle and leash and a full price ticket. I don't think I have to worry about finding room for her as we just hold her on public transport anyway and the leash and muzzle are not a problem.

We have already found accomodations in both Rome and Positano that allow her to be in the room with us so that's not a problem. Of course museums and churches won't allow her in but DH and I just split up and one does dog friendly activities while the other visits such places so not a problem. My concern is whether or not we will be able to go into restaurants and such with her. Does anybody know of any dog friendly places to dine in Positano and Rome?

BTilke - The advice you gave us on traveling with the pup in Germany, Austria and Prague was spot on and you were a great help. She did really great on her first trip to Europe and I can't thank you enough for answering my many questions and being such a great help.

"I know you can bring dogs on the Tube in London as long as you carry them"

Where on earth did you hear that?

There are only two rules about us on the Tube:

- Bosses have to clean up after yob dogs who mess, and
- Bosses have to carry us <b> on escalators </b> - but nowhere else

Obviously, there couldn't be rules forcing Bosses to carry us all the time, because most of us are too big to be carried and dogs like me don't let Bosses carry us anyway. This isn't New York, where all the dogs are so titchy they'd qualify as rats over here.

Fortunately, practically every station on the system has an old-fashioned staircase we can run up or down without being carried. At most of those stations (like Hampstead or Belsize Park) where fat old farts like my Boss would probably have a heart attack if they tried using the stairs to go up, there's a lift. And at stations like The Angel, you can always count on one escalator being broken down.

Humans! You can always rely on them to screw up, can't you?

Flannerpooch: You would make a great traveling companion for the traveling Cavalier. Unfortunately, that would mean traveling with us mere humans, who are bound to screw up at least once during any given trip.

Now I realise what's confusing jamikins.

On Tube escalators there's a sign saying &quot;dogs must be carried&quot;.

That doesn't mean we're allowed on the Tube only if we're carried. It means <b> humans are allowed on Tube escalators only if they're carrying one of us </b>

True, the rule's not often enforced. But unreliability has been Red Ken's hallmark for decades. Back when he was a newt-fancier, he told us he'd pass pro-dog rules if we got our Bosses to vote for him.

We kept our side of the bargain. No-one's surprised he's reneged on his.

Vote for Boris is what we all bark.

Topping. Anyone with restaurant suggestions?