Travelling with pets

[Old Macdonalds]

Yup Adrian, we plan on being there with our fur family in our "North End Chic" SurfSide. It's a work in progress!! We might even bring my mother and her fuzz ball, though she (mother) could end up being more of a handful than the dogs. LOL You actually can't keep your mom on a short leash, retractable or not!

[emers382]

Sorry Bob we have only one dog I fixed my post! See you at the rally.

Adrian


Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV

[Joy A]

I guess I should have stated why I'm not going to have retracable leashes anymore. Lily is pretty well behaved. It's actually for me. I don't like forgetting that Lily has gone out a ways while I'm engrossed in conversation with people, then of course she walks or runs around and manages to get wrapped around them. Most people in those cases say they don't mind, however I do.

Lily gets plenty of exercise and doesn't need to be running while we are out walking. But believe me, there are so many new smells that running is something she's not interested in. I continually have to remind her that this is a "walk" so move those 4 little feet.

[Badger]

Originally Posted by Carol H

I have traveled with pets as well as traveled without pets and have to say that from the human perspective of things traveling without them is MUCH easier.

When traveling with a pet one always needs to be aware of the weather - can not leave a pet in a car in warm weather for even 5 min. while you grab a fast bite to eat or go see a local attraction. Having a pet with you makes it hard to go out and do a round of golf or head out kayaking and leaving them behind the trailer for several hours. Especially so in warm weather. You may have an AC but what happens if it fails while you are out and the poor animal is stuck in the trailer! I went back through an area last year that I had been through many times previously while traveling with a dog and got for the first time a chance to stop see lots of things in that area I had not had the opportunity to previously do due to traveling with a dog.

You also have to be willing to change plans at the last minute - for example I once had camping reservations in a place I had wanted to see/stay for a long time- got there and it was well over 100 degrees - not a place the dog would be happy - so cancelled plans and moved a few hundred miles away to cooler weather. Another time I need to be in an area for a wedding but it was to warm to camp & leave the dog in the trailer so I moved to a dog friendly hotel. My dog btw loved to travel so was pretty easy to travel with. Not a barker so that was never an issue. Love to explore new places. He would lay across the door way of the trailer when it was being loaded up for a trip just to be sure he was not forgotten in the packing. The upside of having the dog with me was I did discover a number of lovely places for our daily hikes that he needed to take that I may have otherwise have missed had I not had a dog with me.

Currently back to traveling with a dog but this time around its a bit easier as he is a service dog so I don't have to worry about leaving him in the car in warm weather - he is able to come into shops, restaurants, theatres etc with me.

Even though he is able as a service dog to go anywhere a human is (other than a restaurant kitchen) it can at times still be restricting as I do need to worry about his safety and well being. So taking a service dog for a 3 day music festival in the hot sun for example is not a good idea, as is asking him to have to walk 18 holes of golf in the hot sun while wearing his cape not a good/fair thing to do. Haven't found a kayak that is large enough for the two of us, so kayaking is out this summer again as well. Also have to watch the activities, although he has been exposed to some pretty crazy situations & willing to go/do anything asked of him, I still need to watch for his safety. So a ride on a roller coaster or riding around in the sand dunes in an atv is out as well. Although I am sure he would like to give both a try ;-)

Traveling with pets is a bit like travelling with young children. Your either willing to adjust your needs to see and do certain things to keep them happy and safe or you just don't go.

Carol, as always you make good points and I think your last paragraph sums up the situation better than any of the other comments on here. You are correct, my pets ARE like my children. As such my adventures are enhanced and made more enjoyable by being able to share them with those I love. Are they at times a PITA? You bet they are. But for me it's worth the trade off. Life would be easier without them but I feel it would also be less fulfilling. No right or wrong answer. It's for each to decide what works for them.

[tractors1]

Ditto on pets as my children here, although an advantage is you can sell their offspring should you be so inclined. We bought a 17 ft freight canoe (Old Town brand) and successfully managed to train all 3 (Irish Setter, Golden Retriever, and a Springer Spaniel) to travel on water. Many commented on our woofers in their life preservers (mainly to tie a rope on the handles) and about how happy they seemed to be as we floated by. We'd travel to small islands in the mountain lakes and camp in a tent there. Very peaceful.
Biggest scare was when all 3 would decide to get a drink over the same side at the same time.......

[padlin00]

So far we've left our Maltese at home when we do longer then weekends, she stays either at my brothers or my neighbors, both dog people. Taking a long trip to Yellowstone or Utah for hiking wouldn't be feasible with Dallas along. I have however setup our first snowbird trip to Fl for this winter with her in mind. Using Google map I picked campsites that look like they have decent areas close by for her to take care of business.

We use a retractable leash, never had an issue with it but then we reel her in when others get in the area. Now we have had issues in campgrounds with folks who let their dogs run loose while ours is on the leash.

When Dallas goes over the bridge, she's 12, we don't think we'll get another till our traveling/hiking days are over.

[cpaharley2008]

Ssshhh,
The dogs are saying, "Boy I'll be glad when my owner passes away and I can get to stay at home and sleep all day on the furniture, no more getting car sick and tied to a 3' piece of rope to do my business" and then they laugh and wag their tails and say "NaH, I can not wait for the next "Road Trip", as long as we are all together in the pack.
My dogs would be miserable without me and Franklin has over 20,000 miles under his feet and every night he thanks me with his little pink tongue on my cheek. Traveling without my dogs is just not traveling, it is just driving. Now the 3 cats are another story.

[Bob in Mb]

Loved the stories and the comments on this thread (both sides of the issue). Thanks to everyone.

[Steve L.]

Since I’ve posted a couple of contrarian posts in this and other threads on this topic and I camp with friends with dogs I feel I need to offer up some weasel-words on the topic so as to not be run out on a rail. I love dogs. Many are more than good campers. But for me it only takes one to wipe out the atta-boys (or “att’s a good boy”s) all the rest have accumulated. For all that, if they’re piddling on my camping pad, I’m going to be grumpy. Perhaps some of my issues are with the owners rather than the pets.

[TheWanderers]

We have four little dogs, two Chihuahuas and two Poodles, spoiled rotten. We're looking forward to being able to take them with us when we travel. We have been dog people for more than twenty years and it's always been an issue to get home to "take care of the babies." Rarely have we spent a night away from home for a very long time unless we pay the huge fee to board everyone. This is gonna be fun!

[Gennaver]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Just to rile everybody up, I can't wait until Charly crosses the rainbow bridge. I'd like to visit the farm museum instead of sitting in the car with the dog. I'd like to enjoy a beer and a burger at a funky patio bar instead of taking the drive-thru lane at a fast food restaurant.
She may make the trip soon, being an 11-year-old beagle with arthritis and likely bladder cancer.
Sorry, gotta go. She's barking at the neighbour for some reason.

I don't think you are riling feathers Sounds like you are trying to prepare yourself for the sad inevitable fact that we outlive our little fur friends. Please remember to enjoy those funky patio burgers and I imagine your doggie might be somehow pestering you now, "trying" to make her human do it 'NOW.' Maybe you should leave her in the car once and go have the burger, bring her a nibble back. Otherwise you may not really be able to enjoy it when she is gone, (just a thought.)

Jen

[Raz]

Years ago I put my dog in a kennel. Only once. Then I bought a camper. Jenny is our fourth Golden and our second with a camper. None of our dogs were what one would call well behaved when approached by people. If you come to our campsite expect to get licked to death. We often have folks approach us to get their "golden" fix. People either have a golden or have a friend or relative that does, so they know what to expect.

I would suggest that the guy unloading the five bicycles from the back of his pickup so his kids can ride through the campground while he pounds down the brews is a far bigger nuisance than Jenny. And he didn't have to pay the dog fee. Go figure Raz

[Jon in AZ]

Actually, I think Glenn is just being realistic about the sacrifices you will make to travel with pets. Like the places you can't go because you can't leave pets unattended in a vehicle or campground and they can't come with you.

[GregandTeresa]

We have always had dogs, which are our kids, and currently have 3. With our previous dogs, we took them lots of places with us and they were pretty well socialized. With these 3, we've chosen to pay someone to dog sit at our home whenever we go somewhere, mainly because we go on bigger, longer trips now, but that means that they are not that socialized. So we don't plan on taking them with us when we go camping, and that is OK, because we still have about 10 more years of work-life, so our camping for now will be trips of a week or less.

And by the time that we do retire and want to spend more time on the road, they will all be gone, and our current plan is to not get more dogs at least for the first couple of years so that we can experience travelling totally unencumbered. After that, we can then decide if we want more or not. I suspect that we will want more since we love dogs so much, but we shall see.

[TheWanderers]

We love our "babies" and don't mind the sacrifices that we've made over the years. It's the choice that we make when we invite them into our lives. We've rescued all four of our little dogs and I can confirm that even thought their little, four is too many. I'm happy to say that each one has been saved and become a participating member of our family, but whew! It's a lot some times. Having a new-to-us camper will provide us with the opportunity to bring them along on our travels. While they might not come with us every time, we now have the choice...

[Gennaver]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Actually, I think Glenn is just being realistic about the sacrifices you will make to travel with pets. Like the places you can't go because you can't leave pets unattended in a vehicle or campground and they can't come with you.

I didn't really figure I would be denied to go somewhere because of my cat but know now. I also know now that some places won't let me come because of the trailer age too. I guess that will have to be a boondocking day.

I've got lots to learn as I start out.

Jen

[Bob Miller]

Trailer age usually only become an issue with places that have names with words like "Resort" in them and cater to the more $$$ RV'ers. They are almost always much more expensive. Beside that, like adults, most FGRV's in decent condition are ageless. If questioned, just tell them it is a 2009 Retro model.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Gennaver

I didn't really figure I would be denied to go somewhere because of my cat but know now. I also know now that some places won't let me come because of the trailer age too. I guess that will have to be a boondocking day.

I've got lots to learn as I start out.

Jen

While you may not see a sign saying NO Cats you will be denied going some places and doing some things simple due to the need to keep the animal safe.

For example leaving a cat or dog in a car is not a safe thing to do if the temps are 70 degrees are higher. Made even worse if the animal is contained in a plastic crate.

If traveling alone ask what your going to do with the cat, if you need to stop for groceries and its warm outside for example ? If you do not have a/c in your trailer or you are not connected to power to run it, how are you going to keep the cat cool while you go off for a hike or other activity?

[FRED SMAILES]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

Trailer age usually only become an issue with places that have names with words like "Resort" in them and cater to the more $$$ RV'ers. They are almost always much more expensive. Beside that, like adults, most FGRV's in decent condition are ageless. If questioned, just tell them it is a 2009 Retro model.

Bob I agree! Today there are more and more retros being built.
This very thing happened to us on our way home from Socal this spring.
Pismo Beach, not the village a bit south of there.
They asked the year and I said 74, they stopped in their tracks and said something about age restriction, Oh, well its the same as the new ones what year does it need to be was my reply. They said 05 or whatever so I matter of fact said it was an 05,,, our check in continued.
I won't be going back there, hole in the wall no services,, oh, they're on the beach so probably full in the summer.
Fred
Edit, pets,, our freddie saves me a ton a money, nope can't go there or do that,, lol

[tractors1]

Originally Posted by Carol H

If traveling alone ask what your going to do with the cat, if you need to stop for groceries and its warm outside for example ? If you do not have a/c in your trailer or you are not connected to power to run it, how are you going to keep the cat cool while you go off for a hike or other activity?

We use a thermostatically controlled ceiling fan that turns on to vent the trailer at 70 degrees (as measured at the ceiling) with side windows cracked a bit for ventilation. In truly hot weather our hikes are in the mornings and evenings.