RVing With Dogs

I love this picture from a reader, Jeni Roosen. It shows her family and friends, partying with their dogs in their camper. Dogs are extremely social creatures and they love a good party. In fact, Jack says that the ideal life for a dog would be on a commune out in the country - I have to agree. But, since the 60s are over, I guess a commune is out of the question! Just remember you only need one person and one dog to start a really good party.

Meet Larry and his dog, Calvin. They are full-time Rvers who winter in southern Arizona in winter and northern Arizona in summer. Calvin is a rescued Samoyed who is lovable and friendly. Two of their favorite dog-friendly parks are:

J and H RV Park in Flagstaff,AZ
and
Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood, AZ.

Larry takes Calvin for many long walks each day, which they both enjoy immensely.

As I looked around this morning, I realized that the dogs have taken over our RV. I snapped this picture just to give you a feel for one tiny part of the RV, it has their toy box and their leash on it. Kind of hard to sit on a chair, when it is filled with dog toys. The food bowl area is strewn with dog toys as well. And under my desk is the dog water and the rubber mat that we put the water on so that it won't spill everywhere.

Does your RV look like mine? Or am I just a sloppy dog owner?

I was jealous, extremely jealous, they had the perfect dog pen. I was walking around the Kentucky Horse Park, a day before a Saluki dog show. As I was rounding the corner, it hit me, oh the wonder of it, ah the joy, and then - the envy. These folks had created a completely portable dog pen complete with a roof. They were kind enough to show me how it worked.

They got the fence poles and sunk them in sections of PVC pipe. So they were study, yet portable. They then bought sections of fence at the hardware store and a pre-fab gate. So it all went together without any tools required. I think they also bought the roof section. The only problem was they had a separate trailer just to haul it. I don't think I can envision myself hauling a trailer, behind a car, behind a motorhome. But, one can fantasize....

I really wasn't sure what to expect at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. As you drive up the driveway of the estate-like setting, you get the feeling that they are going to be very uptight about dogs in their pristine horse park. Wrong! They are extremely welcoming to dogs. The sites are relatively large, but not very private because most of the campground is one huge gorgeous lawn. On our second day there, we went for a walk around the large grounds to see what was what. Well, we ran smack into a dog show. In fact, some of the attendees had brought four or five dogs with them and they were able to set up entire dog pens and kennels on their sites.

In addition to dog shows, there are tons of other activities such as RV shows, horse shows and demonstrations, tours through the Kentucky Horse Museum with ongoing live shows, square dancing, two pools, etc. If you get the chance, go to this great dog-friendly park.
http://www.kyhorsepark.com/khp/campground/default.asp

Let's face it, on rainy days, dogs are like kids, they get rambunctious and bored. So, I thought I would look for some new indoor activities for the dogs, other than chasing the cats all day. I found these Canine Genius toys. They are perfect for bored dogs. They come in bright colors and they snap together. You put dog kibble inside of them and your dog spends time trying to get the kibble out. I was skeptical, but they actually work! My dogs love them, and they enjoy spending time hunting for their food.

http://www.caninegenius.com

It is getting hot quickly here in AZ. That means its time for air-conditioning. I personally don't like A/C, but it is absolutely mandatory for dogs in an RV. A good rule of thumb is that if it is 80F or more outside, always use A/C in your rig. Unless you have a Chinese crested hairless type of dog, your dog will be hotter than you. And, as I am sure you know, dogs can't sweat enough to really cool themselves off - like humans can.

Also, never leave your dog in the RV in warmer weather without leaving the AC on. We always leave a window slightly open as well, in case something should happen to the A/C while we are gone. Lastly, consider purchasing a Maxxair vent (http://www.maxxair.com/) with thermostatic control, so you can be guaranteed that the fan will go on if it gets too hot in the vehicle.

A few weeks ago, Jack and I were visiting the office of a State park in Arizona. While we were waiting for the supervisor, we looked around the waiting area. On one of the walls was one of those industrial metal shelving units, like some people use in their garages. On a sort of display, but not a formal display, was a lot of desert paraphernelia. There were snake skins, tusks of desert pigs (javelinas), rocks, and various skulls, most of which we assumed were coyote skulls.

So, after our meeting, Jack glanced over to the display and asked the park supervisor, if the skulls were all found in the park. She replied that "yes, all of them were found in the park, even the cow skull." So, I pointed to the coyote skulls and mentioned that she must see a lot of coyote skulls. To my horror, she told me, "No, those are domestic dog skulls, from dog owners who let their dogs loose while camping."

I think that's all I need to tell you.

Alot of people take both dogs and cats in their RV with them. In fact, in Albany, NY, I saw a woman in a small Class C with 2 big dogs, 2 cats, and she had the overhead cab section filled with pet birds, flying freely. It was quite a sight. Being an extreme pet lover, I have no problem with 2 dogs and 3 cats in our RV, in fact, I wouldn't mind a few more dogs. HOWEVER, being in a small space makes the necessity for cleaning very acute. So, you should follow a strict cleaning regimin.

Here is mine...after walking the dogs, I feed them. Then, while they are eating, I go into the bedroom and clean the cat's litter box. With three cats, we keep a small wastepaper basket right by the litter box and clean it about 6 times a day. I put the litter trash bag into the kitchen trash bag and take it outside to the BIG trash can outside. Then I take a wet cloth and clean-up the area around the litter. After shaking out the dog beds and the couch cover, out comes the vacuum cleaner and I vacuum the entire RV, including the couch and the dog beds. Then, I wash the dog's food bowls and water bowl and refill them. Thats about it on a normal day of cleaning. This routine keeps the RV realtively clean and absolutely free of any potential fleas or bugs. Now, fleas, we will talk about those later....

This is Phyllis Austin, one of the hosts at Usery Park. She is an exemplary RVing dog owner. She walks her two dogs, Taz and Grabber, several times a day around the mile loop of the campground, even though she has many physical problems. She and her husband, Cowboy Poet, Longtree Austin, also take their two dogs to the local Bark Park, three nights a week. All of this in addition to being volunteer hosts at this county park outside of Phoenix. We should all strive to be such good dog owners!

Most of us are really busy and its all we can do to take the dogs for walks and provide fresh food and water. I will talk more about water at another time.

But, think about taking a day and giving your dog a spa in your RV. You can get products online or at your local pet store. You can even get bone shaped soap on a rope! You can give them a bath in your sink, if they are small or you can use the shower. I personally use the outdoor shower in my RV, if I am not at a campground where they don't want grey water on the ground. So, go online
http://www.pawprintzpetboutique.com/dog-clothes-bath.htm
and pick out some luxury products for your baby. You will be glad you did!

I was walking Lilac about 11pm last night in a very dark campground with a flashlight, when, my flashlight picked up something metallic on the ground. I went to investigate, and found a brand new, sparkling pair of tweezers. Seems like an unlikely thing to find outside at night in the desert, doesn't it?

Well, not really, because I carry a pair of tweezers and a small pair of blunt nosed pliers with me at ALL times when walking the dogs. They are for pulling cactus out of your dogs paws.

I tried those dog booties. I even have two beautiful sets of four, for each dog, to protect their paws. Lilac really likes them and if we are walking off-road, she always wears them. But, BruBru, the 125 pound baby, won't even let me get in the same room with him, if I have them in my hand. I will share a piece of wisdom---the booties don't do much good for your dogs's paws when they are back in a cupboard in your RV.

Happy Trails
Julee

At first, when I heard about the idea of dog litter, I thought it was utterly ridiculous. Was Purina playing a joke on us? But, I have huge dogs, and litter would not work for them. However, it might be a great solution for small dogs in RVs, especially during travel. I mean it is much safer than taking a little dog out at night in a strange place with lots of traffic. If you travel with a small dog, this just might work for you....

http://www.doglitter.com/GetPage.aspx?D=4310946&T=3269446

Happy Trails
Julee

I know we all have been overwhelmed with Katrina dog stories. But, I just had to mention this one. From Reuters...

"A Labrador retriever who saved a man from drowning in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina received a standing ovation on Saturday night at an awards dinner attended by leading animal rights supporters."

This dog did not know the man that she saved. She just saw the man drowning, grabbed him and swam to safety with him. The ambulance took the man to the hospital. So, the next day, the cameraman on the scene went back to the house and found the dog, and adopted her. She now lives very happily with the cameraman and his family in California.

Just another example of how dogs are heroes everyday.

From everything I see and hear, one of the biggest problems most campground managers and owners face is pet waste. Those *#&# inconsiderate pet owners who don't pick up their own dog's waste.

I was camping in early winter in a campground called the Alps Family Campground
http://www.gocampingamerica.com/alpsfamily/
and they had one of these dog spot stations. (Now, it was November and while the campground may have been great in the summer, it was a mud pit in the winter. I really think they should consider closing after October.) But, at any rate, the owners understood that they needed to provide doggie bags, if they expected all of their campers to pick up after their dogs. Other campground managers and owners should take a hint.

Where does your dog sit while you are traveling? It is the topic of hot debate on some of the RV pet forums. For the first year that we were traveling full-time, we let our dogs come right up front with us. One of them spent her time of the couch and one of them spent his time under my legs. Frankly, I got sick of it, because he always had me trapped in my seat. So, Jack built a little barrier that keeps them back behind the seat area. They weren't too happy about it, but they have gotten used to it. I guess that's the key--- get your dogs used to traveling in your RV, wherever you want them to be. If you don't, they will take over, trust me on this one.

Now, there are many people who feel very strongly, to the point of being evangelistic, that all dogs should travel in crates in ANY type of vehicle. And, while I can understand all of the advantages of crates, including safety. I have never put one of my dogs in a crate and I don't intend to start now. BUT, if you have a trailer or a fifth wheel and you must keep your dog back there, you should absolutely use a crate---no exceptions. This is for your dog's own safety. I don't feel comfortable with dogs traveling in the trailers where you can't see them, but if you have no other choice, just make sure they are in a crate and safely secure the crate. One last suggestion, maybe use a baby monitor or a webcam so you can see and hear them up front in your truck.

Sometimes when we are traveling, the dogs spend a lot of time begging for human food. Well, occasionally, I give in and hand them a little bite of whatever I am eating. But, my mother often makes special dog bones for her dog, so I figured I would give it a stab. I found a recipe on the Internet and changed it a little to suit my dogs' taste buds.

Now, the unintended consequence was that these doggie bones also make nice, healthful human food as well. I know, you are saying, "Ew, Gross, etc." But the main ingredients are whole wheat flour, mashed banana, and Grape Nuts cereal, so how bad can that be for you?

Banana Dog Biscuits

4 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups Grape Nuts cereal
2 cups mashed banana
3/4 cup of water
2 TBLS oil
2 TBLS sugar or honey
----------------------------
You mix all the ingedients in a large bowl. Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut with a cookie cutter (I used a round mason jar lid). Bake in the oven or in the convection oven for 35 minutes.

(I added sprinkled sugar to the top of some of these for us humans.)

I often hike alone with one of the dogs. And while I am walking along, sometimes the thought crosses my mind, "What will I do if they get hurt out here?" Now, being the typical lazy human being, I always think about it, but I never do much about it. Until now. I found the perfect accessory for hiking, camping, and traveling with your dog. The K-9 First Aid Kit is a complete first kit with everything you need for dogs. You know how some first aid kits have a few band-aids and a couple of wipes. I always feel so ripped off by those companies. But, that is not the case with this first kit by www.ruffwear.com. It comes in a gorgeous bright red canvas bag and contains everything you could need for quick first aid for your dog. One of my favorite parts is that is comes with a "quick flip" first aid chart. So, if you are panicking, you can quickly find what to do. Oh yea, the only other thing I added to the kit was a small pair of pliers for desert hiking

So, now I can have a little peace of mind when I am hiking with one of the dogs. Isn't that why we go RVing in the first place? .

I was looking outside the screen door of the RV today at the two dogs, tied securely with 16 foot long, heavy-duty, chain leashes. They were both enjoying themselves watching all of the birds at the bird feeder. Occasionally, one of them thinks it would be fun to chase the birds - I should stop them, but I just can't spoil their fun. Besides, they can't reach the bird feeder or the birds. But, when I look outside, I really don't like the heavy-duty chain. It makes me think of prisoner chains. I wish there were a better way to contain big dogs at campsites. Have you seen those x-pens (http://www.epetpals.com/exercisepens.htm)? They are small, somewhat flimsy, wire pen sections that hook together quickly to form a little doggie yard. Those are great for dogs under 40 lbs. But, for the big breeds, they are a joke. I also have read on an RVing forum, about someone who brought a portable 6 ft. high chain link pen, but, I don't know, I wonder what the campground owners would think of those? Anyone have any suggestions for dog containment at campsites for bigger dogs?

Do you travel with a pooch?

Then this is a book for the both of you — the only travel guide to camping with a dog.

There’s a whole lot of advice and useful information, plus a comprehensive directory of campgrounds and RV parks that would love to welcome you and your best friend. The advice is terrific — how to organize your RV to make life easier and safer for your dog, tricks and tips about how to prepare for long vacations, and how to deal with highway emergencies.

Learn about how to cope with strange places, harsh environments, shrewd predators and challenging situations. Get expert advice about how to find your pet if it gets lost, how to deal with poisonous snakes, and how to treat incessant barking. And very important, get step by step instructions about how to handle most pet-related medical emergencies.
More than 30 million families take their dogs camping each year — and that’s a lot of canines out there in the campgrounds mingling with humans, other dogs, strange plants and even creatures of the wild and unfriendly kind. Yet even with all the valuable advice in the book, perhaps the best part is the extensive directory of campgrounds that not only accept dogs and other pets, but welcome them!

Authors Jack and Julee Meltzer travel fulltime in a Class A motorhome with two large dogs and three cats. Through the years, they have holed up in campgrounds, on public lands, in state and federal parks and even in a Wal-Mart parking lot on occasion. 300 pages. Published 2005.
Learn more or buy this great book now.