Taking your dog on a holiday requires preparations. Dogs aren’t always allowed… though usually they are more quiet than a bunch of children. On our 12 hour car trip to the south he never complained, never asked for candy, a toy or a DVD. When he though the view was boring, he just went to sleep.

This summer it’s Kensho’s first holiday on a camping in France.

The first night he has barked a lot. He is very protective when it’s dark and especially sleeping out in the open made him even more alert. Every that moved and everybody that dared going to the toilet in the middle of the night was barked at. I didn’t sleep much either. Kensho was lying right in front of my tent, guarding the entrance like a bodyguard.

The second night I counted one bark only and from then on the midnight barks were history. It was a very relaxed camping, not too many people and luckily nobody had complained. A relaxed crowd; rock climbers only. The English and Scottish people were referring to Kensho as ‘Beauty’ or ‘Handsome Lad’.

Kensho and I each have our own tent. Though I sleep inside and he sleeps outside of his, with the exception of one night during severe rain with lightning and thunder. I checked whether he was fine during this weather and noticed he had crawled inside his own tent, being very relaxed about the whole thing. Perhaps he remembered the fireworks workshop and rationalized this weather was nothing compared to that.

The brown tent in the middle is Kensho’s. To the left we have a beach shelter set up that provides shade during the hot noon. The orange one is my tent and suddenly I found my dog in my tent. It didn’t even rain. Perhaps I should sleep for a couple of nights in HIS tent, so then he can value his own tent also (which by the way is more expensive than mine ).

Kensho enjoyed climbing rocks. I had him tied to a climbing rope using all the right equipment. Though Kensho is an expert escape artist and he got loose twice. I found an empty harness on a rope. As I noticed Kensho was hiding behind a tree he started running. It’s just all a game to him.

I had to adjust the method of restraining Kensho more than once before I had found out how to prevent him escaping. This is important since I cannot do anything when I’m up high climbing rocks.

We climbed in Vitteaux and Saffres in France.

Before Kensho takes a nap on the ground he first scrapes off the surface. The exposed cooler sand is more comfortable I guess.

Kensho warns every time someone is approaching. This time he gets all excited as he recognizes a familiar face. It’s the Scotsman that’s on the same camping as we are. Kensho immediately stops barking and gets very affectionate, wagging his tail.

Kensho is a very patient dog. When nothing is happening he just falls asleep and waits.. and waits….

It’s one hot summer and so we regularly visit a nearby lake to cool off.