Hi, I'd love a bit of advice about taking dogs to europe(prob just France/Spain...maybe Italy).  My dogs are up to date with Vaccinations but I wondered what else they need to get the pet passport so they could come on holiday with us in August.  And is it do-able in that time?
Any and all advice is welcome as I have never taken a pet abroad before :)

You have just about got enough time.

First they must be microchipped to re-enter UK, and this must be done before they are vaccinated for Rabies,.  They can then travel 21 days after the Rabies vaccination.

They will need to be treated for Tapeworm (the products to be used can be advised by your vet) not less than 1 day and not more than 5 days before your return to the UK.  This will need to be signed and noted in the pet Passport which has pages for this.

Oh, thanks Barbara.  The tapeworm treatment?  How do they know if I've done it properly or not?  Do I need a vet in France to do this before I return? Sorry for the silly questions but I didn't understand that bit.  :)
Also, Where do you get the actual passport?  Duh!lol  Just wouldn't like to make any mistakes cos although I would love a few months in France, I think the commute might be a bit far if they tried to make me leave my doggies.

The tapeworm treatment has to be done by a vet, and you get the passport from your vet -charges vary, if you look at old threads costs can vary an awful lot between vets, but count on at least £50 just for the actual passport, before anything has been done.

Just one thing following on from two threads that are recent. Please 'shop' around the Vets for a good price. I have friends coming over to us (in France) this year and the difference is eye watering. One was quoted £50 for the rabies vaccination and £88 for the passport  (£138 in total) and ended up getting it for £28 for the rabies vaccinations and £18 for the passport (£46 in total). Another friend was quoted £230 from her Vet and got it for £100. It makes such a big difference. Now don't get me wrong, I am very happy to pay my Vet for his service on my dog, but to have such a huge difference in price especially on the cost of the passport when they are all bought from the same place is in my opinion disgraceful.
The procedure of travelling is really easy and all you have to do  (once you have been to the Vet before leaving for home) is have the dogs microchip and passport checked at the terminal (ferry or train). Easy peasy.

I'm in Italy...it is a great place to enjoy your dog.Lovely places to walk and the malls allow you to take your dog inside.Most shops are dog friendly,including Mc Donald's,but not food selling supermarkets etc.

I take my dogs into shoe shops,clothes shops etc...no problems at all.
it does depend which area you go to as to what risk your pet is from some diseases...eg leishmania. your dog should have flea and tick treatments too as there are a lot of ticks around.A scalibor collar is a good idea
As the norm,you  are expected to carry a soft muzzle with you in your pocket,and poo bags( 3 per dog minimum), and a lead of no more  than 1.5 m in a public place.You also should carry your dogs passport with you as it proves the dogs vacc status,if you are asked to show it.
here are some useful links to read..
http://www.londondogforum.co.uk/protect-your-dog-against-vector-borne-disease-c694.html

This also is a good little site..

http://goitaly.about.com/od/italytraveltips/qt/pets.htm

http://www.parasitesandvectors.com/content/3/1/2

And there is a vaccine now against leishmania,if you are going to a high risk area,otherwise use a scalibor collar( which also protects against fleas and ticks).

http://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2012/01/16/dogs-vaccine-against-canine-leishmaniasis-kalazar-available-in-greece/

if you go to southern Italy there are problems with stray dog packs,so be forewarned.In the north,it is much more dog friendly.if you plan to go to the seaside areas in the height of the season there are many restrictions as to which beaches allow your pet to go on the beach,especially after 8am and before 8pm.
...what area do you hope to visit?

TBH, we haven't really thought about it.  We are thinking of just heading south and see where we end up.  I would steer towards Italy purely for the food!!lol but I do think it's maybe a bit far.  Probably end up in Mid-France.  We adore France and have holiday'ed there a few times but just never with the dogs as they have never had their up-to-date vaccines before but as they had to be done for a kennel stay, I thought I might look into getting the passport to take them with us.  As we will be touring around for a few weeks, I couldn't leave them that long.
That said, if I don't get the passports then we won't be going as I won't leave them again.  Just head down to southern England.  Love the New forest area and the show with Caroline Quentin last night got me right in the mood for just that trip!lol

Well as long as you get the passports and Rabies Vaccs more than three weeks berfore going then you will have enough time.

As Brainless has said.

Microchip, rabies jag & passport filled out.

Also though..

Plan ahead and google vets in the area you are going to be in, this is always good advice anyway in case of emergency.
Make an appointment at the vets for the passport checkup and tapeworm 1 to 5 days before you are coming home.
Tell the vets you'll bring your own tapeworm treatment with you- drontal, cestem or the like. Saves a bit of money and means you know what the dog is like with that particular wormer.

I was only charged 10 euros per dog in Germany for the checkup, watching me shove a wormer down their throats and stamping the passport.