# A dog in the RV??



## Linck (Mar 25, 2013)

We are thinking of purchasing a travel trailer. We have been wanting one for a while. Now that we have a dog we thought this way we could bring him to places with us.. I guess we haven't really put much thought in it. Any of you travel with a dog in a travel trailer? If you have to go somewhere can he be left alone in the trailer for a short period of time? What are all potential good pros and cons? We plan to use it for camping, hunting, or even just a vacation....


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Linck said:


> We are thinking of purchasing a travel trailer. We have been wanting one for a while. Now that we have a dog we thought this way we could bring him to places with us.. I guess we haven't really put much thought in it. Any of you travel with a dog in a travel trailer? If you have to go somewhere can he be left alone in the trailer for a short period of time? What are all potential good pros and cons? We plan to use it for camping, hunting, or even just a vacation....


No draw backs to an RV if you have kids and dogs. We bought one when the kids were little. It was awesome. Dogs traveled in the Suburban with us, tho and only got in the trailer when we were stopped for the night. If your not plugged into electric AC doesn't work so if its hot you still can't leave dogs in the trailer unless your at a camp site where you can plug in. Also not much room inside so be prepared to trip over a dog in the middle of the night on the way to the bathroom.


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## kayliyth (Mar 13, 2013)

Its great fun with a travel trailer. Obviously while the trailer is in motion I'd never leave him in there. As for leaving the dog in the trailer for any amount of time, leave him in a crate/kennel. With windows open and ac on if its hot, or fans. Something to keep him cool obviously. 

Pros - You have your pet, great fun and he gets to be everywhere!
Protection

Cons - If left alone and not in a kennel/crate he can/will destroy something
- Most trailers are smallish on the inside, and you may feel cramped


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

We had a motorhome and traveled often with one or two dogs. We usually hauled a boat and the dogs went in the boat with us(we did long river day trips). 
The only problem, was having the dogs on leash constantly if you were in a campground with tight sites. My dogs weren't use to being tethered all the time. 
We had to make a point to get them out to run and play because being contained in an RV or a boat isn't that much fun, and it gets hot... so swimming/wet dog was the norm.
I loved those days! 
We sold the RV and bought a 28' Wellcraft for Lake Michigan and the dogs stayed home with a housesitter on the weekends. 
Though many in the marina had dogs, and they stayed on the boats, but I know my dogs would not have been happy with that situation. Especially when the docks get so hot, just not fair.
I remember one couple that had 3! Old English sheepdogs, the dogs would go past coolers and pop them open to grab some ice...smarties!


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

I agree with taking a crate, and not leaving them alone for long. It depends on what you're going for, if you're going out lots and not able to take the dogs I'd rather leave them at home with a sitter. If you're going to be sticking around the campsite alot or in places you can take them, then it can be a great time for both.

We camped lots as kids and we took our dogs with us and that was mostly just tenting before we got a tent trailer. We've only gone a few times in the last couple of years but the dogs always come with us


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## ksotto333 (Aug 3, 2011)

Tessa will be 2 in June, and has camped with us on all of our trips. We have a trailer not a motor home, she rides in her kennel in the back or up front with us. Can't imagine not having her along...as close as 2 hours away up to 6 hours in the truck..


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Watching this right now. Wow! crazy how expensive RV's are(appliances, etc)
Epic RVs - Episode Guide, TV Times, Watch Online, News - Zap2it


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## Cheyanna (Aug 18, 2012)

onyx'girl said:


> Watching this right now. Wow! crazy how expensive RV's are(appliances, etc)
> Epic RVs - Episode Guide, TV Times, Watch Online, News - Zap2it


I am TiVoing it. I wonder if anyone has ever designed one with a dog in mind. Like a built in crate or doggy door.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## Apoolutz (Jan 19, 2013)

We camp 1 sometimes twice a month,I wouldn't go without my dog and he loves it he's not crated at home or in the camper and we go kayaking on short trips and he stays in the camper with the ac on. I don't go on vacation without him


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## marbury (Apr 3, 2012)

There are a handful of competitors (non-pro handlers) who spend 6 months of the year in an RV with 5+ dogs and I have only heard good stories about it! But they all have elaborate systems to set up outside the trailer when they make an overnight stop; one couple who shows UKC White Shepherds brought along an entire 40x40 chainlink enclosure. I know a pro handler who sets up an entire trailer full of ex-pens every night beside her Class C... I've helped! Takes an hour but is a really great system.
Just be mindful of the fact that at the end of the day you'll be exhausted from driving, but your dog will be rearing to go from a long nap. Be prepared to find local leash-free areas to work off the steam!


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## Linck (Mar 25, 2013)

So what kind of trailer do you have? This is the one we are planning to buy

2014 Forest River Rv Surveyor Sport Sp 240, Russel IL - 110136994 - RVTrader.com

It is going to be tricky finding a spot to put his crate in.... but all the Travel Trailer we can afford is not going to be big wide enough to accommodate that huge crate. I'm gonna have to figure something out.


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## ksotto333 (Aug 3, 2011)

Crate won't fit in ours either, we just adjust our plans to including Tessa.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Linck said:


> So what kind of trailer do you have? This is the one we are planning to buy
> 
> 2014 Forest River Rv Surveyor Sport Sp 240, Russel IL - 110136994 - RVTrader.com
> 
> It is going to be tricky finding a spot to put his crate in.... but all the Travel Trailer we can afford is not going to be big wide enough to accommodate that huge crate. I'm gonna have to figure something out.


We had a 22 ft Thor Chateau. I'm not sure what year it was anymore. Somewhere in the 90's. Finally got rid of it last year Kids are grown up so we were not using it anymore. We had 5 dogs at the time and I don't remember any problem getting the crates in there. Of course when the dogs were in there there was no room for us. LOL They usually spent the night outside under the awning, unless it was cold then they slept on the kids or on the floor inside. With the crates stacked outside so there was room for us to move.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

My husband and I want to get a small RV 20-25ft. I'm that person who spends two weeks or more back home and the dog(s) have to go with me. I'm not comfortable leaving the cats at the house that long even with someone coming over to check on them and make sure food and water are good. With an RV the whole family would get to go and luckily, my cats have moved so much, they don't mind riding anymore. But an RV is definitely handy when you have dogs! When I was little and went camping with my cousin or best friend, the dogs always came along. They slept on the floor or on the mats with the kids. Bestie had a Rottweiler the size of a house, dalmation, aussie and a white shepherd. It was pretty crowded but winter camping, we stayed warm!


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## Raccoonlassie (Jul 14, 2012)

We had a small motorhome and frequently took our three dogs with us. We had a generator so could always run the air conditioner if it was hot. 
With a 60 pound, 50 pound and 20 pound dog all in a small area it could get rather crowded but we had fun though and that was the important part


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

If you can go to a rv show you can get a really great deal. We went to one and we must have gone into a hundred of them that day. We could have gotten our dream rv for $62k I think it was 42' Unfortunatey we have to wait.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Go to any dog show and you will find dozens of people with RVs and multiple dogs in them! Very common, looks super handy too.


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## Diesel and Lace (Apr 15, 2013)

We take our dogs camping all the time just about every weekend from May through October. They look forward to it, we start putting stuff together for the camper and they are all ears and watch closely so we dont leave them. The only down side to the camper we personally have is that we have to crate our Samoyed in order to leave her as she will undo the velcro on the sides of the pop up and come look for us. Crate fits right down in between the benches for the where the table goes. Dogs in one bed we get the other.... (we have A/C in our pop up to keep them cool, when we have the horse trailer dogs go in back or tied on the tie line where they have a big bucket of water and plenty of shade) 










Its just a little camper 900lbs but we all fit just fine


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## Shaolin (Jun 16, 2012)

I don't use a travel trailer, but very good friends of mine do with their 4 Labs. They have a huge portable dog run they take with them, plus heavy duty tie out stakes with heavy duty tie out cables. My husband and I spent a weekend with them and it was a lot of fun. The dogs were able to stay in the travel trailer with no issue when we all went to the store in town, but they stayed in the outdoor pen, tie out stakes, or even off lead per the conditions.

The pups had a great time, the humans had a great time...I really didn't see in cons in my experience. We're planning on having a dog camping trip this summer and we're going to bring Finn and Abi with us for some fun.


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## lzver (Feb 9, 2012)

We have a trailer and our zoo (3 parrots and 1 GSD) come with us every weekend. We don't travel with ours though ... It is parked in a trailer park year round. We don't leave Jake there alone. One of us stays back with him or he comes with us. I suppose we could crate him inside the trailer, but we choose not to.


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## SueDoNimm (Jul 3, 2012)

My parents have a small RV and they always take their collie with them when they go places, usually just to the beach. They've never had any issues, other than the big hairball taking up a lot of floor space.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Linck said:


> It is going to be tricky finding a spot to put his crate in.... but all the Travel Trailer we can afford is not going to be big wide enough to accommodate that huge crate. I'm gonna have to figure something out.


If you have a wire crate, you can collapse it while your traveling. Once you're set up and up for the night you can place the crate where the pop up area is. Or even on the furniture (unless someone is sleeping there!!)


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## Linck (Mar 25, 2013)

Well, we finally bought it! Lincoln is getting his last puppy shot this Thursday so this weekend would be his first camping trip! I have a little question though. He hasn't really been trained off leash yet. Where we are going this weekend is out in the country in open space. I'm thinking I probably need to keep him on lead at all time. 

I read it somewhere in this forum that when a dog is in different house or environment even though he is potty trained, he may not be able to hold it when he is in the rv. Is that true?


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

Linck said:


> Well, we finally bought it! Lincoln is getting his last puppy shot this Thursday so this weekend would be his first camping trip! I have a little question though. He hasn't really been trained off leash yet. Where we are going this weekend is out in the country in open space. I'm thinking I probably need to keep him on lead at all time.
> 
> I read it somewhere in this forum that when a dog is in different house or environment even though he is potty trained, he may not be able to hold it when he is in the rv. Is that true?


 
I guess it depends on the dog. For my dogs inside has always been inside be it the car, the house, the tent, a boat, or a camper. Just stick with a potty schedule and you should be good. Didn't matter if the place was ours or my inlaws or my parents place or....you get the idea.


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## Glamisfoxgurl182 (Jun 14, 2012)

My boy loves going in the motorhome!! The minute we open the door and start packing he either sits outside and watches or he goes inside and lays on the couch waiting for us to leave! He has no problems staying inside alone while we are off doing something. Since we go dirt bike riding he cant go with us. so he gets to stay inside and hang out while we ride. other then that hes always with us when we go camping other places. I couldnt imagine not bringing him along!!!


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## Bigdogsolo (Nov 6, 2011)

We travel and often work out of our 40' RV bus. We don't always take our GSD....depends on our work schedule and how long out etc.
But she does love it. She is well trained, leashes and stays close. Keep in mind many RV parks including some state parks have a "list" of dogs they do not allow. GSD's sometimes fall on that list.... so this could be an occassional problem. Always good to check their websites.
But you will always be a happier "camper" if your dog has good basic obedience. It makes life on the road easier when you run into other people or pets who aren't!


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## Linck (Mar 25, 2013)

Any tips on what special pet related stuff I should pack?

*@Glamisfoxgurl182 *that sounds so cute! That is what we plan to do with our pup is to let him stay in the trailer while we are out to places that he is not allowed. Since he roams free at home while we at work, I thought of doing the same while he is alone in the trailer. BUT, if he chew my dinette it would probably be more of a pain to replace than my dining chair :crazy:. He hasn't been destructive yet. I say this to be conservative. He is 4 months so I guess he just start teething? Maybe I just haven't seen the worst yet lol

*@Bigdogsolo *yeah I did ran to some of those prohibit breeds list in public park. Most common I saw are rottie, Doberman, and pitbull. I wonder why is that?? Mean looking dogs are not welcome?? I think regardless of what the dog looks if he is not leash and with an irresponsible owner i'll be scared regardless of what breed..


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I would invest in a crate fan or two(battery operated) stainless water buckets that attach to the crates, not just bowls and make sure you have a folder of the health/vaccines/microchip-ID info(photos included) in case your dog gets lost or whatever.


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