Walking the Camino with a dog

It can be done, and more people do it every year. But it is the trip that demands most planning, because accommodation stops being a convenience and becomes the central problem.

The real problem: where to sleep

This decides whether the trip works, and it is worth understanding before getting excited.

Municipal albergues do not accept dogs, except assistance dogs. It is not a matter of goodwill: it is those establishments' rules. That removes the cheapest and most widespread accommodation network on the Camino in one stroke.

Three options remain:

• Private albergues that accept dogs. They exist, but are few and usually have an outdoor area or one specific room set aside.
• Pet-friendly guesthouses and rural houses. More expensive, sometimes with a supplement for the animal.
• Campsites or a tent on some sections.

Everything must be booked in advance, without exception. Improvising with a dog is the surest way to end up sleeping ten kilometres off the route or paying whatever is asked. And confirm by phone that they accept your dog's size and breed: «pets welcome» sometimes means «up to 10 kg».

Paperwork and health

• Pet passport or vaccination record, up to date, especially rabies. Essential if you cross from Portugal or France.
• Microchip, compulsory and with current contact details. If the registered phone number is old, change it before you travel.
• Recent worming and parasite treatment. You will cross rural areas with livestock.
• Third-party liability insurance, compulsory for breeds classed as potentially dangerous in Spain and strongly advisable in any case.
• A vet check beforehand. An older dog, or one with hip dysplasia or a heart condition, should not make this trip.

How far a dog can walk in a day

It depends far more on prior conditioning than on breed. A sedentary dog does not walk 25 km five days running just because it is large.

Condition them as you would condition yourself: building distance gradually in the weeks before. And watch the paw pads, which are what suffer first on tarmac and stone.

The dangers on the route

Heat is the most serious. Dogs regulate temperature far worse than people. In July and August, the meseta or the Senda Litoral at midday can be lethal. With a dog you walk at dawn and stop at midday, no argument.

Hot tarmac burns paw pads. If you cannot hold your hand on the ground for five seconds, your dog should not be walking on it.

Grass seeds, in spring and summer. They lodge in paws, ears and noses and can require surgery. Check the dog over every day.

Livestock and farm dogs. In rural areas there are loose mastiffs guarding flocks. Short lead and go around without approaching.

Water. Carry more than you think you need and a folding bowl. Not every fountain on the Camino is reachable for a dog.

What to carry for them

• Short lead and a comfortable harness, better than a collar.
• Folding bowl and their own water.
• Food for every day: you will not always find their brand.
• First aid: tweezers for seeds and ticks, saline, antiseptic.
• Protective boots if there will be a lot of tarmac.
• Towel and blanket for the accommodation.
• Waste bags, always used. Other people's future welcome with dogs depends on it.

This page is general guidance. Before travelling, check with your vet whether your particular dog is fit for the route you have in mind.