Please help - thinking of cancelling our holiday due to dog problem

[Kalkan regular]

If you are scared of dogs why not buy a portable sonic dog repeller, cheap on the internet and £9.99 at maplins, and carry it with you wherever you go both in England and abroad. It makes a sound we cant hear but dogs don't like so they move away. It works as we have one in Kalkan we used recently and it worked on the dogs (we got it to stop cats from visiting our apartment as some guests don't like them) If you watch the live webcam pictures you can see how many dogs are around. It might reasure you.

[tuppy]

Hi everyone,

Thanks again for the replies, we really do appreciate it when kind people take the time to reassure us.

We have been looking forward to this holiday so much and have decided not to let the dogs put us off at such a late stage. We have had some really positive messages from KASPA members and think that maybe we over-reacted after reading some one sided reports on the issue.

I did just want to take a minute to clarify that i am completely against the cull (although the post by Thor was funny!) of any animal, I'm not sure if this makes me two faced but i really wouldnt want healthy animals to be put down if they cause no harm to anyone - its my fear so i have to live with it.

I hope that this thread has not put anyone else of visiting Kalkan, hopefully it may have gone some way to put a few other peoples minds at rest.

Time to start reading about the fantastic food, climate, people and adventures we are going to be having in Kalkan and maybe....just maybe i will have a look on the Maplin site just incase!!

Thanks again

[saskia]

Deat Tuppy - I am really glad to hear it. I'm sure you won't regret it and we all look forward to having you here!

[Vally]

Hey Tuppy,

Good decision. It would be good to hear your view on return from Kalkan -you'll love it (pretty much everyone does)

Vally

[Johnjen]

Again,well said Thor.Lets hope you have 'hammered 'some sense into the troublemakers.We have been coming to Kalkan for over 12 years & have never had a problem with the dogs.as others have said if you ignore them they won't bother you,but most love a bit of attention & if you feed one you have a friend for life.I for one am sick of all the scaremongering on this forum,just what they hope to achieve I do not know.When it first went live about 5 years ago it was full of good information from people who knew Kalkan & could pass that on to newcomers.It is now mostly a place for some people to make crass comment about things that are really not their business & is not doing a wonderful place any good at all. 

[kalkanbelle]

Hi Tuppy -  You will have a wonderful time and will be wondering what all the fuss was about once you are there.  If  it makes you feel more secure then take a sonic repeller as someone suggested and ear plugs might help if you are a light sleeper (that's if there is any barking at night near where you are staying) but you will probably sleep well anyway after all the lovely food and wine and Efes!)  Relax, chill out and enjoy your holiday and let us know how you got on when you get back.  If you need any more convincing whether you've made the right choice just read some of Antler's posts!

[Mags]

But, do be careful with the sonic dog repellers. We bought one two years ago to bring out here, but found it made one nasty dog in particular even nastier - it seemed to bring about a Pavolvian reaction of snarling and barking!
Best to bring with you someome who's not frightened of dogs to shield you - I can hire out my hubby at a reasonable rate!!

[misty]

Mace spray might work better.......you can run like hell whilst the dog is sneezing and spluttering 

[Blue Lizard]

If you don't like your mother in law...buy her a Lady Ga Ga meat dress to wear in Kalkan
 
never had a problem in 24 years with anything other than mozzies ...go to kalkan ..and enjoy all it has to offer you will love it

[AllanChris]

Tuppy, if you are scared (as you put it) of all dogs, have you thought of some form of aversion therapy to overcome your fears? Perhaps you have had a very bad experience re. dogs. They can be wonderful friends and companions, they can be so affectionate and a family dog is usually always pleased when a family member comes home. One of our dogs, a Sheltie called Oscar always used to sit on the doormat to greet me coming in from work. No matter what time it was, 2 minutes before I got home he would always go and sit on the front door mat to greet me.  So many lovely memories of dogs, and children growing up together. Very best wishes, Allan.

[kalkan4eva]

Hey Nick..gritted teeth...congratulations for your win at Anfield on Sunday Please pass on my personal thanks to the Spurs fan who chose to celebrate by streaking onto the Anfield pitch, cartwheeling (3 out of 10, the legs were all over the place), slipping over in his pumps (I kid you not) and generally being allowed to entertain the crowd for quite some time. Not a single steward ran on to tackle him and his one man show was brought to an abrupt end when Lucas lamped him. To be fair, it was the only decent tackle he made all game as Modric bossed the midfiled with some style.
You're welcome to Channel 5 footie, we can do with concentrating on domestic success.
BTW, I was referring to Tango on the beach, where he is boisterous and steals bottles of water to play with - but we love him.

[tuppy]

Hi Allan,

I had a pretty bad experience in Goa a couple of years ago. In the UK i am not really scared of all dogs, my mum has two and they are lovely. If i see a stray here i still cross the road (or just turn around and walk in the completely wrong direction to where i want to be!), but in Goa the dogs really put the frightners up me. They looked like somehting out of a horror movie and would approach in packs of 10+. They were aggressive and i imagine carrying numerous diseases. They where starving, unfortuanately like many of the people we saw in India, so you can appreciate why they were not too freindly, but i swore never to go anywhere with stray dogs again.

I am now aware that the situation in Kalkan will be nothing like this and now plan on making it an opportunity to try and relax a little in the prescence of dogs.

We have read lots of posts in the holiday reports section this evening, and have been looking through the gallery. Back on track for an amazing holiday again now.....just hope the sonic dog repeller arrives on time!!!

[popps]

Hi Tuppy,

I have been to both India and Kalkan and there's no comparison regarding the disposition of the dogs. I've always found the dogs in Kalkan to be friendly, although I appreciate that those people who do not "know" dogs may be disconcerted by being followed home (or more accurately, escorted), by a pack of dogs.

I have been travelling to Kalkan for a number of years and have had no problems. In fact, one year staying at the Villa Limone we were regularly followed by a pack - all very friendly. They stopped at an invisible line on the route back - they know their territory - and let us continue the journey alone. All except one. She looks like a cross-bred collie - very short in the leg - but she insisted on leading us all the way home, right to the very door. The point is, my children never felt threatened by the situation, and indeed on subsequent visits to different locations actually asked me to take them back to see the dogs. And, guess what, the collie bitch recognised us and tried to take us back to the villa which we didn't frequent anymore!

With the majority of dog-people liaisons, the problem generally doesn't lay with the dog but the person. It's a matter of not understanding dog behaviour. So don't let some of the negative comments on this thread put you off from visiting Kalkan - you'll have a great time.

 However, I'm very concerned about the recent comments made on this post , principally by owners - not about threats to the tourists, but about threats to the dogs. Such a torrent of bad vibes can only lead to a cull, which would be a travesty.

As a dog lover and Kalkan lover I implore you, Tuppy, visit Kalkan and judge for yourself.

[yarmites]

We haven't been to Kalkan for 3 years so don't know whether the dog situation has changed, but we were never bothered by barking dogs during the night.  Sometimes we were followed home but never by aggressive dogs, only those wanting our company.  I would have loved to take two of these dogs home, only the cost (and my sensible husband) prevented me.  We are dog lovers but can understand people's anxieties if they are worried about dogs.  Just have a great holiday.

[HolmfirthNicky]

So glad you have decided to go ahead with your holiday Tuppy, you will love Kalkan i'm sure.
Have to agree with Popps post about understanding dog behaviour, wherever you are in the world not just Kalkan and i too hope that all the comments on here doesn't lead to a cull.
Look forward to reading your report Tuppy on your return!!

[Potter]

Hello Tuppy, glad you have changed your mind, I'm sure you will love Kalkan as many others have already stated. Me n the wife are also travelling out on June 6th, Easyjet from Manchester, how about you???
BTW, it's our 8th time!!! 

[tuppy]

Hi Potter we fly from Doncaster with flythomascook!

We did have it on our head that the dog situation was going to be similar to India but reassured now that it will be nothing like the same.

Only 17 more sleeps!!!

ps - re the sonic dog repellar i bought one from Amazon, took it to my mums house, pressed the button and pointed it at her two dogs....they both looked at me like i was a bit silly and ran over to start licking me and the apparent repellar!!

[itstime]

Lol Tuppy you poor thing. Try "pet corrector" from Pets at home. It's an aerosol can which has compressed air in it and when you press the button it makes a sound like a very large hissing goose Certainly worked for my puppy when he did anything naughty. I now have a perfectly behaved 5 month old bundle of joy who immediately jumps to attention if I mention "the spray"
It's absolutely harmless to dogs but does seem to stop them in their tracks

[alisonh]

Tuppy - what a shame we are going to miss you, we are also flying with TC from Doncaster but on 20th June.  It would have been nice to have a chat and reassure you what a fabulous time you will have in Kalkan.

[Blackpool]

My six year old daughter was bitten on the hand by a dog this Easter when we were out. Fortunately the skin wasn't broken and it just caused some nasty bruising, which unlike the emotional trauma she now feels near dogs, quickly mended.