Dog Dilemma

[Jared J]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

I know what you mean, but these acts of denial are evident in many aspects of life. How many drivers that think they are perfect drivers are in fact much less so?

I know it is easier for those in charge to make rules based on the behaviour of the worst dogs. It is unfortunate that the rules can't be tuned to deal with the ones guilty of the bad behaviour.

I think it boils down to the majority not following rules, and not having the park manpower to deal with it.

They were making their rounds every 1-2 hours, it was non-stop for them between the camps and trails.

As a non-dog example, signs everywhere, and the trail maps clearly said NO BIKING on all the trails, except one paved one. However, bikes were all over the trails. I waved the ranger over on one of his rounds and asked him about it. He let out a sigh, said no, you weren't supposed to, no, they didn't want you to, but they didn't have enough people to deal with it, so I could if I wanted.

I thought that was crappy at first, but he explained it was due to kids with poor coordination, and guys trying to be the next lance armstrong running into people, with the trail being 6' from a big river. Fair enough, that made sense.

I declined and stuck to the roads, I wasn't going to be "that guy". I bet I saw 10-20 bikes an hour go right by the sign, though. Pretty soon, bikes will be banned, period. I don't blame the park, they're doing the best with what they have. I blame the jerks that can't play the game, and ruin it for everybody else.

One person overhead our conversation and went and told his wife/gf, and kid, "hey, we can ride on the trails". Way to teach your kid how to be a good citizen, sir.

[Glenn Baglo]

I'm pretty sure this beagle can ride a bike.
Do you want her?

[Brandegor]

Boy do I hear everyone on this thread! I too will be traveling with my two well-behaved dogs and share these concerns. First, though, I'd like to apologize for and chastise the less conscientious dog owners out there - they pretty much ruin it for the rest of us. I carry extra bags to pick up THEIR dogs' waste, and my dogs are always leashed and well-trained.

Before I travel I do as much research as possible and try to locate doggie day care centers and dog-friendly visiting spots. It isn't easy and a major commitment. If it's hot and I need to go shopping, I wait until it's night and cooler, or I do without. Essentially if you wouldn't leave a kid in the car, you can't leave your dog there. In an emergency, I wet them down or put wet bandanas around their necks, park in the shade, windows down and fan going, and I HURRY.

It would be great if we could start compiling a kind of "master list" of dog-friendly places, day cares, emergency vets and so on. How do we do it?

By the way - Chicago is one of the most dog-friendly places I've been. Most outdoor cafes welcome them, and if a pub doesn't serve food, pups are welcome.

Look forward to more on this.

Mary and The Royal Guard (two Welsh Cardigan Corgis)

[cpaharley2008]

Dogs are like people, some you like, some you do not like, sometimes they get angry, sometimes they get lonely but they all love the same.

[cpaharley2008]

For those that travel with dogs, the Rand McNally GPS for rv's has a list of veterinary services in case of emergency for your trip.

[Cathy P.]

We stayed long term in 3 different parks, one in AZ, one in AL and one in NC. We have seen and heard it all. We have traveled with one dog and now have two. Big dogs, always and right now, a yellow lab and a chow/shepherd mix. We have had very little trouble with our dogs anywhere. They behave like our children did when they both traveled with us. We get compliments and we have worked and continue to work very hard to make them good citizens.

If you ever have the displeasure to shop used stickies, you'll learn that they don't housebreak their pets quite often. I think, "Where do these dirty people come from?" So, if they can live in the RV full of carpet stains and smells, it is no wonder they don't think a pile in the street will be a problem. Also, you can see where the dogs dug into the furniture when barking endlessly while the owners were gone. One of our dogs has taken up howling when left alone and I just purchased a citronella collar for her. The 2 years she stayed in the RV with us, she never made a peep though and we had a full-time neighbor that verified that for us. When we take them out in the van, they don't bark. I think they don't want anyone to know they are there.

Things we saw were people tying their dogs outside behind the trailer, putting them outside in their crates, putting up a wimpy fence enclosure and then driving away for the day. This doesn't work and another issue was water being dumped so they had no drink or the shady place in the morning wasn't shady very long. Know I always turned them in.

A pet is a responsibility and the majority of people traveling with dogs/cats do follow rules and take others into consideration. We work our travel and our life around our pets because they are a part of our life. They are not our "children" or any sort of little person. Our dogs are really obedient and we get so many compliments. They are both seniors. Next, I want to get a senior greyhound! I keep saying no more but..............

When getting a dog to travel with, do your research. Two books I can recommend are "The Right Dog for You" by Daniel F Tortoro and "Your Purebred Puppy" by Michele Welton.

I met a lady a couple of weeks ago on the street who is looking for someone to train her dog. She was impressed by my yellow lab. I could tell she was getting to the point where she was going to ask me if I would do it. I scurried away. Her dog is one of the most stubborn and, well, less intelligent breeds. Across the board, these dogs are just not anything I would ever want to deal with. So, making wise choices in choosing a dog can go along way.

I have loved big dogs since I was child. I avoid people who "hate" dogs, well, "hate" in general.

[deryk]

Anyone camp with a ferret or other then dog/cat?

[Bobbie Mayer]

In addition, pets may not be left unattended, tied or physically confined

Perfect example of the need for the Oxford comma! Does this mean

" In addition, pets may not be left unattended, tied, or physically confined."

or does it mean

" In addition, pets may not be left unattended when (or even if) tied or physically confined."

[Cathy P.]

Originally Posted by deryk

Anyone camp with a ferret or other then dog/cat?

There were a couple of people that camped with large parrots. Now, if you want you want to drown out the sound of barking dogs, get a parrot.

[steve dunham]

Many people seem to be under the delusion that "Their" children or pets are perfectly behaved and that"Other" people's children or pets are the source of the problem . What may seem like perfectly proper behavior in your mind may not coincide with my definition of proper behavior . People attribute human qualities to their pets but pets do not have the ability to think and react logically , they behave based on training and natural instincts . I seldom agree with Byron but he is correct . Your love of your pet does not automatically transfer to me . Your right to enjoy camping with your pet does not diminish my right to a safe, peaceful ,and enjoyable camping experience. My father often told me just because you want to do something and think it's okay does no make it the right thing to do. I should be able to walk down a park trail or road and not have to worry about stepping in poop or being knocked down or bitten

[Bobbie Mayer]

Maybe I'm more forgiving because I also have dogs, but I can't recall ever hearing one non-stop barking or whining in or out of a camper. At home, yes, some people put the dog in the backyard (one of our neighbors leaves his outside in a crate) and it barks or whines. But when I've camped, not a problem. Rarely have we encountered a loose dog (though once or twice that has happened, short term, owner right behind it.) I've seen bigger problems with owners not picking up at home, too (both homes.)

I imagine, though, that there are differences in different areas, and different campgrounds. And it only takes one annoying dog to disturb the peace of the campground- even if 19 other dogs are being perfectly well-behaved.

As for the dogs barking and the owners being cited- that happened to my friend. A nasty neighbor (who didn't like anything and complained about everything) called the police to say her dogs were outside all night barking (they were never out at night.) However, it turned out the weekend that animal control came out and cited her for her dogs barking, she had the dogs with her in a city four hours away. The animal control guy couldn't tell WHOSE dogs were barking so just took the word of the nasty neighbor who said it was my friend's dogs. Citation removed. Actual owner of barking dogs- not located or cited.

[gmw photos]

Maybe I don't like pink flamingoes in front of your RV....you're trashing up the campground.......ban 'em.


Yes I travel with my little Schipperke. It's part of why I bought a camper: so I can take her with me. When I leave to go to the showerhouse in the evening, I close the shades, and turn on something as a noisemaker in the camper ( TV turned low, vent fan, radio....something, anything ) and she stays quiet because she can't see or hear what is going on outside.
And yes, I know she is quiet, because I have come back and sat outside for a half hour relaxing in the chair, and she didn't know I was out there....not a sound out of her.

Here is a little suggested exercise for those who get uptight about their little world not being perfect at a given moment.....sit there and close your eyes for a second and think about the fighting men and women in our military over in harms way right now. Would you, would they, like to trade places for a hour or so ?

[kootenaigirl]

We travel everywhere with our dog and that does mean going in to museums etc separately. We used to enjoy going to movies and nice restaurants and don't do that when travelling now. We wouldn't dream of leaving our dog alone in the trailer - I would worry about his safety, too many oddballs around!
I can't believe how many people don't follow the rules at campgrounds and how many think picking up dog poop doesn't apply to them - disgusting.
My goal is to have our campground neighbours not even know we have a dog unless they happen to see him. I also think retractable leashes should be banned!

[cpaharley2008]

[QUOTE=steve dunham;409113]Many people seem to be under the delusion that "Their" children or pets are perfectly behaved and that"Other" people's children or pets are the source of the problem . What may seem like perfectly proper behavior in your mind may not coincide with my definition of proper behavior . People attribute human qualities to their pets but pets do not have the ability to think and react logically , they behave based on training and natural instincts . I seldom agree with Byron but he is correct . Your love of your pet does not automatically transfer to me . Your right to enjoy camping with your pet does not diminish my right to a safe, peaceful ,and enjoyable camping experience. My father often told me just because you want to do something and think it's okay does no make it the right thing to do.I should be able to walk down a park trail or road and not have to worry about stepping in poop or being knocked down or bitten

That is why we tell the bears to stay in the woods, for that very reason

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by kootenaigirl

I also think retractable leashes should be banned!

I completely agree. It is against the rules in many cases to walk with my dog at heel and completely under control but not on a lead , yet other people are allowed to have their dogs at the end of a 30 foot leash running around and getting into all kinds of trouble. Something seems amiss with this.

Just as we as individuals don't like to be judged on the actions of others, I feel the same should be applied to our dogs.

[honda03842]

Off the track. The original poster was wondering how to deal with his dogs when traveling and sightseeing.

It's difficult to see a museum if you travel with a pet. The alternatives are few, mostly pet day care, costly in dollars and sometimes costly for the dog.

Generally I do not find leaving your pet, with or without air conditioning, in your rig an acceptable solution unless you have one of those silent dogs. No one wants a barking dog next door, not fair to your fellow camper, nor fair to the dog.

Virtually every camper can relate a negative dog story. The message about dogs is not to the responsible dog owner. Obviously the original poster is simply looking for a reasonable solution.

[Vickie B.]

Dog lover here---not so much lovin the noisy drunks and golf carts! I'll say again----Four Paws Kingdom in Rutherfordton, NC. A beautiful campground dedicated to pets and their owners (no kids between 2-16). If I won the lottery, I would be establishing this type of camp all over the country!

[Cathy P.]

There really isn't an answer for the OP other than making an effort to set aside money to pay for boarding/sitting while on the road. I know in Tucson, you could not leave a dog in the car and Pima County had very strict rules concerning the length of the leash, etc. I am guessing it is not only that county or state. There is so much neglect/abuse now that the laws are necessary.

The way I look at it is, the dogs were my choice and my choice has some benefits but it also has some liabilities. You know the old balance, do the benefits outweigh the cost thing. Some days it seems like it and other days, not so much.

[Mary F]

Thank you, Norm and Cathy, for trying to bring this thread back to the OP's question.

If anyone else has constructive suggestions, please can send them to Gleam B via PM. The public portion of this discussion really has run its course (about 5 screens ago). Thanks for playing!