I have read the rules on taking dogs on train but it's not too helpful in my case as it states dog can be refused if causes a nuisance to other travellers.   Has anyone had any actual experience of travelling with a giant breed dog? I don't know if they mean even if he is well behaved and just lying down minding his own business is he still a nuisance just by his size? 

I've travelled with three medium size dogs with no issue (two allowed per person and there were two of us).

I don't see how the mere presence of a dog can be construed as nuisance.

All public transport rules of carriage say something that. It's just to make it clear that you don't have an absolute right to take your dog on a bus or train, that his/her carriage is conditional on his/her behaviour. I've never had any problem taking well-behaved medium and small dogs on public transport, but it will probably depend on not just the dog, but the context. If you take a giant breed dog on a packed rush hour commuter train where people barely have floor space to stand up, you may find yourself short of advocates. Even then, though, I suspect you're more likely to get lots of grumbles than actually to be refused access.

Bottom line is that you'll almost certainly be fine, but it's not possible to be certain in advance.

I recently took my large munsterlander on a 3.5 hr train journey, he was 20 months and is a bit of a (lovable) hooligan and had never been on a train before.

I asked when I went through the gate where the best place to sit would be, and they told me by the disabled bit. Obviously you must give this up if disabled users need it but it was a large space and in fact a lady in a wheelchair did come in and sat by me, gave my boy cuddles, took his photo to send to her friend, he got a LOT of attention and people stopping for cuddles, and I had no issues at all. In fact it was a lovely experience, it made me feel great catching people just looking at him, smiling.

I think as others say it's just there to cover them, should they cause a serious nuisance. My boy laid across the aisle several times, rolled on his back legs flailing, flirted outrageously with a little terrier, so he was probably a bit annoying to non doggy types but on the whole people are generally accepting and as long as you are considerate to other travellers you should have no problem.

I used to travel a lot by train with my very large GSD, we used to sit in the disabled bit too, which at the time was the carriage directly behind the engine, loads of space, even if a wheelchair user did come in, and best of all, no through traffic so he was never in any bodies way.

I have done a fair amount of train travel over the years, with one of mine. The only awkward incidents were caused by other people - or their dogs!

I remember having to stand in a very crowded carriage on an extremely hot day. The train had been shortened as the toilets had "exploded" (train company's words) in one carriage, meaning everyone had to cram into just two. There was a family with four young children, one of which kept coming up to my dog and barking at him. Bear in mind everyone was short of temper and overheated, including my dog! The mother told the child off a few times but the kid didn't stop, and was also staring HARD at my dog. I stared HARD at the kid as well, and told him off myself (which got me a dirty look from its mother) as I could feel my dog getting more and more stressed.... and the inevitable happened....my dog barked at the child. The whole family screamed and the children ran to hide behind them. Thankfully by that time I'd reached a station, so I was able to get off and even though I had to wait another hour for the next train, it was just as well!

Then there was the time an elderly couple got on the train down the carriage with a pair of Miniature Schnauzers. Both were on unlocked Flexis and were running up & down the aisle. When the old gent went to put his bags in the overhead locker he dropped a big bag of kibble which skittered ALL over the carriage, his dogs went berserk charging about under peoples' legs, seats, tables, snaffling it up and getting tangled in their leads... I could feel my dog getting excited about all the food rolling around on the floor, and also getting nervous that the dogs would charge up to him!

is he still a nuisance just by his size?

My dogs a Dobe, so medium size, I have traveled by train a  few times, once from London to Glasgow, I had no probs but she went under the table thing we sit at, so out of the way.

A giant breed (what breed??) is a different matter but I can see it would be very much be in the way in the passage, have you thought of first class? that way your in carriage & from what I have seen those first class compartments are not crowded.
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I remember having to stand in a very crowded carriage on an extremely hot day. The train had been shortened as the toilets had "exploded" (train company's words) in one carriage, meaning everyone had to cram into just two.

I think people with dogs should not undertake a train journey under those circumstances, its not fair on the dog & not fair on the fare paying public, many of whom may not like dogs, at best its inconsiderate, ill thought out & more like a recipe to encourage the fare paying public to become 'anti' dog & the rail companies to think again on free travel or travel by train at all for dogs.
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Thanks for the replies everyone.  Have no concerns that he will be any trouble.  We take him everywhere we can and he is beautifully behaved it is just his size. (St. Bernard/Newfoundland cross).  I wanted a trip down memory lane to re visit hampstead Heath.  I used to go there most days as a child with my old dad and our family collie. Will give it a try after Xmas then!

We took our medium sized dog 1st class to Crufts a few years back. It was a weekday, so commuter people, no-one said anything but we could just tell some of them were not happy at all. There were four of us at a table and dog sat underneath most of the time. The train conductor loved him and couldn't do enough for us.

Excuse me but some of us non drivers, have no other option if we need to travel with our dogs. 

They no longer allow travel with a dog on coaches, which was the only other long distance travel option.

I recently travelled with my medium size dog (funny what people call medium large etc, I have noticed that some people class my breed at 20kg as large and I'd certainly call a Dobe a large breed not medium).

I travelled with my bitch for mating this summer from Bristol to Kilmarnock, had 4 changes, no bother to anyone at all.

> I think people with dogs should not undertake a train journey under those circumstances, its not fair on the dog & not fair on the fare paying public, many of whom may not like dogs, at best its inconsiderate, ill thought out

Thanks a bunch....

I actually had no option as I was halfway through a 100 mile journey home when the toilet exploded, no chance of turning back, and oddly enough I didn't have a great deal of luck specifying cool weather - and non-exploding toilets - at the ticket office. Clearly I will have to book First Class next time, the vast difference in the ticket cost will surely guarantee a request to the weather gods for dog-friendly temperatures.

I actually had no option as I was halfway through a 100 mile journey home when the toilet exploded, no chance of turning back, and oddly enough I didn't have a great deal of luck specifying cool weather

Yes, I was unnecessarily sharp & subjective, you were in an unexpected situation, so, sorry for the sharper than necessary tone I used.
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The only thing to be a bit careful/aware of in city/urban areas is that some people for personal or religious reasons do not want a dog slightly touching or even near them in any way. I experienced this myself when a guy objected that my dog's paw ( a small dog) was slightly touching the edge of his shoe. I had to apologise and move my dog. The train was quite crowded. I politely asked the guy if he was scared of dogs or was his objection on religious grounds- he said he was not scared but objected on religious grounds.

I imagine a very large dog might be harder to move around under similar circumstances- though I hope those do not arise.

> xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">I politely asked the guy if he was scared of dogs or was his objection on religious grounds- he said he was not scared but objected on religious grounds.<br />

I'm sorry but the person could have moved away and avoided the dog.

The only time I would take such thing (fear/dislike), into account is if we are talking reserved seats and then I'd stay in the doorway space (whatever it's called), between the seating areas of the carriages.

I'm a parent but get sick to death of children being allowed to create nuisance in Public areas, yet we have to bend over backwards with a well behaved dog, just in case someone might object to their very presence.

This is so true, I am not a parent but it drives me mad that people are allowed to take badly behaved ill mannered children anywhere they like and allow them to run wild in packs.  Whereas my quiet dogs on leads are stuck having to stand outside like lepers!

Barbara, I know what you mean but it was not easy for the man to move- I had got on the train and the area next to him was free, he was there first. If I could have moved I would but it was not possible. The projection of disgust from him was clear. It felt uncomfortable, that is why I decided to speak to him. I must say, that he did relax a bit once I had acknowledged his objection and moved my dog slightly.

In the end though, in our country we do have a different attitude to animals, and those living here have to accept that we have a right to keep them and are allowed to have them with us.

If we travel to a Hindu country fro example we accept the attitudes prevalent there and that certain animals are given to us unusual treatment.

It is all very well respecting other cultures and allowing people to practice their beliefs and customs, butt it works both ways, and those beliefs and customs should not impinge on others rights and freedoms.

We now have the ludicrous situation where some would have us say Happy Holidays, rather than Happy Christmas!!!

It is all very well respecting other cultures and allowing people to practice their beliefs and customs, butt it works both ways, and those beliefs and customs should not impinge on others rights and freedoms.

OK Barbara, you've lost me completely now! I assumed that the oldest en-mass religion in UK was imported to Italy from the middle east or Asia Minor, as its sometimes called, then re-imported here! so in contemporary times UK practicing Christians are actually wailing & acting out sequences of Arab rituals, mixed with a touch of Italian hullabaloo.
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>so in contemporary times UK practicing Christians are actually wailing & acting out sequences of Arab rituals, mixed with a touch of Italian hullabaloo.

You evidently go to a different church than me!

Barbara, I do share many of your feelings in this. I experience what I assume to be culturally influenced bias against my or other people's dogs on a regular basis. The sharp swerve and even momentary panic on the pavement is especially regular. It is a worry and I feel anti dog sentiments are growing in urban areas and cultural influences are one element.

In the case I mentioned I suppose that by trying to communicate with the man and acknowledging his concerns I hoped he in turn might have an increased respect for me and my dog - if that makes sense.

Reply to Brainless.

It's the same in France. So sad !