Taking your dog on holiday is half the fun, but a bag of kibble is a lot easier to pack than a freezer full of raw food. With a bit of planning, though, there is no need to switch diets while you are away. Here is how raw feeders keep things going on UK trips.
Count the days before you pack. Our raw feeding calculator gives your dog's daily amount. Multiply it by the number of days away, then add a day or two spare.
Before you go
- Ask about the freezer. Check whether your cottage, caravan or lodge has a freezer, and how big it is. A fridge with a small ice box will not hold much.
- Work out what you need. Daily amount multiplied by days away, plus a little spare in case of delays.
- Pick easy packs. Single protein recipes your dog already knows well are the best choice. A holiday is not the time to try something new.
- Pack bowls and tubs. Bring your own bowl, a lidded tub for thawing, kitchen roll and pet safe cleaning spray.
Packing frozen food
Pack food straight from the freezer as late as you can before you set off. Frozen packs keep each other cold, so a full cool box stays colder than a half empty one.
- Use a good quality cool box or cool bag with freezer blocks.
- Pack the food tightly and fill gaps with more freezer blocks or towels.
- Keep the cool box out of direct sun in the car and open it as little as possible.
- Put the food into the freezer as soon as you arrive.
For a short trip, packs that thaw a little on the way can go in the fridge and be used first. Thawed food should be used within 48 hours and never refrozen.
Get food delivered to where you are staying
For longer stays, you can have an order delivered straight to your holiday address. We deliver to the UK mainland on a next day service and dispatch Monday to Thursday, so frozen food never sits in a depot over a weekend. A few things to check first:
- Someone needs to be in. Make sure you or the owner of the property can take the box and get it into a freezer.
- Check the postcode. We cannot currently deliver to AB, DD, IV, KW, PA and PH postcodes, which include much of the north of Scotland and many Scottish islands. Full details are in our shipping policy.
- Order early in the week. Orders placed before 10am Monday to Thursday are normally dispatched the same day.
If there is no freezer
A short break without a freezer can still work. Thaw a couple of days' food at home in the fridge, keep it in a cool box with plenty of freezer blocks, and use it in order. For anything longer, a delivery mid stay or a plug in cool box for the car may help. If your dog needs a different food for a few days, change over gradually rather than all at once, as you would at home.
Days out and long journeys
- Feed at your normal times where you can, and avoid a big meal just before a long drive if your dog gets travel sick.
- Do not leave raw food sitting out in a warm car or in the sun.
- Carry fresh water and a bowl.
- Air dried treats such as the sprats in our Stobart 26 Mixed Flavours and 1kg Sprats box travel well and need no fridge.
Leaving your dog behind?
If your dog is going to a sitter, a friend or kennels, check they are happy to feed raw and show them how you thaw, portion and clean up. Leave each meal labelled in the freezer. Our storage and handling guide is a handy one to share with them.
Ready to start?
Work out how much to pack with our feeding calculator, then stock up on your dog's favourites from Stobart, Supreme Raw, K9 Raw, Reggie's or Raw Pet Treat. Delivery is free on orders over £70 (£3.95 below that), and you can choose Subscribe and Save to get 5 percent off every order and never run out.
This guide is general advice. If your dog has a health condition or gets travel sick, please speak to your vet before you travel.