Traveling with pets

[Cheryl Libby]

Just thought I wouldl start this topic after seeing it mentioned.

I breed Jack Russell Terriers and we travel to camp and shows a lot.

First thing is to make sure when reserving your site that dogs are not just welcome but can be walked around. We ended up in one camp that wouldnt allow us to tie the dogs outside on stakes or put an xpen up. The dogs spend the one day we did stay in the trailer or in their kennels. Not much fun for them.

Get pen and paper and start a To Bring list.

First aid kit - ask your vet for a list of things needed. Most store bought pet kits are very deficient. I always bring hydrogen peroxide to give the dogs if they injest something that is not good for them.

Xpen - with a top and a bottom if your dog digs. This is a nice secure space outside where your dog can see you and enjoy the out of doors without being tied. Also its a nice place to put them when you have company ina 13' Boler

I recomend the screw on type of water and food bowls for the xpen. You will find them in the small animal or bird section of your pet store for small pets and in the dog section for larger dogs. The clip on type get knocked over very easily. Also, I do not leave food in the kennel when the dog isnt there because of uninvited guests that can carry fleas, ticks and diseases. The removable bowls are easy to take out.

And God forbid,
Has your best buddy been tango-ing with a striped friend lately? Is he smelling a little ripe?

Please use care when washing your dog's face. These ingredients all have acidic properties and can cause painful eye irritation. If your dog's eyes are red and swollen, he may have been sprayed directly in the face, please contact your veterinarian about soothing eye drops available. Before starting to wash your dog add a few drops of vegatable oil into their eyes. This will shed any of the mixture that gets in their eyes.


Recipe
1 quart 3% Hydrogen Peroxide (small bottle 30% by volume from the hair supply store mixed up into a 3% solution)
1/4 cup Baking Soda
1 teaspoon liquid soap
Mix in a bucket (it will fizz).
Soak your dog's fur, but be careful not to get any in his eyes.
Use a sponge to clean off his head and around his eyes.
Knead solution into the fur and be sure to get every part of him with it.
Rinse thoroughly.
DO NOT STORE THIS SOLUTION IN A CLOSED BOTTLE ONCE MIXED IT WILL EXPLODE

Here is a short list of items I don't forget:

Leash and harness.
Extra leash and harness for when the first set goes on a walkabout.
Food that they are used to eating. Changes in food can cause diaria.
Water if your pet wont drink strange smelling water.
Treats
Toys
Bedding and this dosn't count the bedding you share with them at night!
Stake our set up with swivel so they dont get tangled. Long enough lead that can be adjusted to the area available.
Jacket if your furry friend gets the shivers
Dog papers showing vaccinations and ownership

A word to the wise:
DO NOT ever let your dog run free in a park that requires on lead walking. A happy planned trip can turn into a nightmare for you and anyone involved. Loose dogs are not only a danger or in danger they are a problem looking for a moment to happen. People bit, dogs bit,cops involved , veterinarian bills and court cases are not worth that few moments of freedom you want to give your dog. Some states require the dog to be impounded also and leaving your pet behind when you return home is a terrible option for both you and your pet. Keep your pet safe and happy.


I am looking forward to everyones ideas on this topic.

Cheryl

[Christi V.]

Cheryl..
I only have gone to parks where your pets are very welcome... I put up xpens and make a 'little yard' for them to be in during my camping stays so they are free to go in and out of the trailer. No one has ever told me to 'take them down'
I take some first aid supplys too.. Benydril for one... ( in case of bee stings ) but will rmember the hydrogin Peroxide too..... thanks.....

oh yes and of course dont forget the doggie bags for pickups!!

[Karalyn]

Thanks for sharing some valuable information Cheryl.
I too travel with my dogs. I breed Maltese, and have them in x pens also at the campground. I have not used tops and bottoms for the x pens, but usually take about 6 x-pens along and surround the camper with the x pens. I put some plastic travel crates under the camper for the dogs to crawl into. That way if it should rain, or is hot they can get under the camper if they so choose. It has worked great for me. If I go for a walk, run to the camp store or where ever I put them in the camper so that they are safe from other campers and other animals. No one should leave a dog un attended, as a hawk could fly in and take one, a kid could come by and stick fingers in the pen, maybe another dog might jump the fence or who knows what. I now feel my dogs are safe with me at the campground.
My main reason for me having a camper is for the dogs protection. It is set up so the dogs can come in and be in the camper with me. I never felt they were safe in a tent, so had to get a camper.
I too carry a first aid kit for my dogs, have everything I think they could possibly need. I bring bottled water, flea and tick meds are applied before camping, the dogs are microchipped in case they get lost (which should not happen!). Collars with name and phone # on, etc. Better to have more than enough for them then not enough.
What some of us won't do for the dogs. LOL

[james kent]

Hi Cheryl
We too have a Jack Russell. Our first was a frisbee freak. On arriving at a new park it was manditory to throw frisbee, to give him some excercise, for about ten minutes.{that was when I became tired, NOT the dog} You met every kid in camp and half their parents.It was a great introduction!If you asked permission at the office first there was usually no problem. Our present JRT is a small female and only wants to chase squirrls, chipmunks, and ground critters. as a result she MUST be leashed at ALL tumes. If you accidentally open the door B4 leashing you better be prepared to follow the barking dog.

She has a short tether[18 inches}, in the car which allows her to move about on the back seat but not jump to the front,and it restrains her if we have to break suddenly. It's mostly a safety thing but I do like the fact that she's not jumping all over me while on the road. She doesen't seem to be bothered by farm animals EXCEPT horses which will get her pretty excited. She also likes to chase the window wipers when it's raining. We do carry her kennel and she happily sleeps in it and not on/in our bed. It's also a good place for her if there are too many people about.

The only drawback to travelling with a pet is when sightseeing or shopping and then we often take turns doing something rather than leaving her in the hot car. Once in a while we have had to forgo an event or something so as not to leave her locked up, but hey, that's the price you pay if you want to responsibly own a pet.

[james kent]

Cheryl
PS
Have used the skunk formula on the first JR SEVERAL times, 'Cause he- just- wouldn't- learn about them. Have had it tacked up on the bullitin board for a number of years. IT WORK"S It takes away about 95 percent of the skunk oder.
Jim

[Jeanne and Steve]

We wouldn't think of camping with our dog without a few essentials. The first is called The Water Hole, and lets our dog have unlimited access to water while traveling in the car. As long as you don't fill it too full, the water stays inside the bowl even if it gets tipped over.





When she needs to be on a leash at a campsite, a 6 foot lead that clips into a metal skewer that we put in the ground is a big plus. It lets her enjoy being outside, but but at the same time we're able to keep her away from the picnic table (where she tends to find food left by previous campers).





We also travel with a ramp that lets her get on the bed in our Casita whenever she wants. She has arthritis and is no longer able to jump up on her own.





Jeanne

[Anne H]

In the general paperwork category:
- Vet records showing vaccination history
- Ownership information
- Rabies Certificate
- LOST DOG flyer - this is a really good idea I picked up on another site. I made up 2 flyers with information on each dog (picture, description etc) and just left some blank space to put in location specific information (campground, local phone numbers, etc). I keep these in my car at all times. If I should ever misplace a hound (and greyhounds are surprisingly easy to lose!), my flyer is all ready to be copied and posted all over the place. It would really save time and stress to already have a flyer made up.

[Jeanne and Steve]

We had trouble finding a step that was both large enough and stable enough for our dog to jump on/off, as well as short enough to not interfere with the door of our trailer. The Folding Safety Step was the best answer that we found, and is another indispensable item we bring along camping.

[CarolnJim]

We have a different situation... We take Jerry with us... our 10 month old kitten. He has been camping since 10 weeks old and loves to ride in our van... We're so lucky with him... he's a great camper. We also use a harness and leash for him....

Since we can't walk Jerry around like a dog, we have a stroller for him. He loves the stroller and will jump into it... He goes just about everywhere with us... he's been to 4 corners, Quartzsite, Indio, etc. Where he goes, the stroller goes. It's always a problem leaving an animal in a vehicle in hot weather, but the stroller works for us.

[Nita F.]

Cheryl,

Thanks for starting this subject. Our dog, Meka, was 6 months old her first camping trip to Big Bend, Texas. She will soon be 15 years old, has arthritis, loosing her hearing, but still loves to go camping.

One suggestion would be to attach to the collar a small luggage tag with your campsite location in case your dog or cat escapes. This way you can change the paper when you move on to another location.

Also, ask the campground owners where the nearest veternarian is located. We had an emergency with Meka last year while in Big Bend. Thankfully a vet had recently moved into the area and he took care of her.

CarolnJim, I envy your travels with Jerry. We have 5 cats at home and none are interested in traveling in a car, much less camping!

Nita

[Linda of San Diego]

Jeanne & Steve,
The step is a great idea, I have an excerise or dance step. We find these at swap meets and thrift stores, and some are even adjustable or have risers with them.

These are all great ideas for traveling with pets.

We met Jerry the cat, he is so cute.

Linda[quote]We had trouble finding a step that was both large enough and stable enough for our dog to jump on/off, as well as short enough to not interfere with the door of our trailer. The Folding Safety Step was the best answer that we found, and is another indispensable item we bring along camping.


Attachment 6484

[Lizbeth]

Carol, I love that Jerry!

For those of you who take cats camping I have discovered Cat Walking Jackets.
http://metpet.com/shopsite_sc/store/...ingjacket.html
I ordered one and the company was very prompt and sent a bonus toy.

I have tried to use a normal cat or dog harness on several cats and didn't feel secure because I knew they could (and sometime did on in house experiments) get out of them.

I'm working on getting Smokey Black Bartholomeow (8 mo) used to wearing it. We might try our first car ride this weekend. He was a foster kitten...I wish I had decided to keep him earlier so I could have started on this when he was younger. We'll see how he does.

[George Cathcart]

Anyone have more ideas (and your on-line sources) for best collar tags, especially configured for when you are travelling?

(I need to order a couple.)

Anne H., that's a great idea about a "lost dog flyer." Not as fast as your greyhounds, but our Siberian Husky and Alaskan Klee Kai can move too fast for ol' G.C. ----especially if one of them might think there's a kitty nearby in Carol n Jim's rig! Mellowing as they age and they're always on a lead, but you know..............

Disclaimer: I was just reminded that my comment "mellowing as they age........." refers to canine companions Lucy and Simba, not to anyone else!

[Al Stansell]

Don't forget to bring a bunch of the disposable mitts for picking up waste. Nothing worse than owners that don't pick up after the little mites!! I also strongly suggest you get micro-chips for the dogs. It's a great system for recovering lost pets. Happy Tails and Trails! Alec

[Lizbeth]

George, we put our last name, our cell phone, a relatives, and our home phone numbers on the tags. I make them at Walmart on a machine in the pet department, 4-5 bucks apiece. They have the same machines in Petsmarts but the cost is higher.

Plus mine wear their city license tags, which say what city and state they are from.

[Anne H]

Travel Tags: In addition to their normal tags (home phone, name, etc), and being micro-chipped, (and since mine are greyhounds - ear tattoos), I went to Office Depot and got a box of those little round cardboard tags with metal edges and put my cell phone or CG phone number on them with a permanent Sharpie. They're cheap and easy to use.

[NorCal Ellen]

Hi Cheryl,

Thanks so much for getting this topic going in the right forum.

Bret and I just adopted the new addition to our family, Maggie, 6 days ago. She's a 12 lb rat terrier/beagle mix.

I love all the ideas that everyone came forward with. I'll definitley print out the skunk-spray-b-gone mixture and assemble our first aid kit and such. I'm curious though if some of you can more fully explain what an x-pen is?

Xpen - with a top and a bottom if your dog digs. This is a nice secure space outside where your dog can see you and enjoy the out of doors without being tied. Also its a nice place to put them when you have company ina 13' Boler

Is it mostly a wire mesh pen made of panels or something different? Sounds like it might be a good idea or we may just get the spiral stake and a long lead.

Being that so many fiberglass trailer folk have traveling pooches, are there any fun activities or outings planned at the 2007 Oregon Gathering to include this sizeable group?

Thanks everybody for all the great tips!
Ellen, Bret & lil' Maggie

[CarolnJim]

First I want to thank Cheryl for this great informative pet thread.... it has already given me plenty of ideas.

Thanks Lizbeth... After seeing the Cat Walking Jacket - I just ordered a blue one and it should be here in about a week. Looks very sturdy... I'm always afraid that Jerry will pull backwards out of his harness so I'm very careful to always be in front of him.

Nita and Anne.. Great ideas for the tags with campsite and cell phone number and the flyers I will make up a couple before the next trip to have handy - Just in Case.

George... You might have two very large dogs.. but Jerry is fast as greased lightning .. very good at swiping with his claws and Oh My... you should hear him growl.. Are you planning another trip to California . maybe to our Lake Casitas Rally?

Thanks Linda .. We think he's cute too... Jerry was given to us last year by our daughter as a surprise - he was in a shelter - 8 weeks old. He came with the micro chip, all his first shots, and a free first vet checkup. Savings animals from shelters ... welll you know, it's the best way to go.

Thanks to everyone .... super ideas.

[lwehrly]

Im so glad this topic was started! We have a yorkie and take him with us most everywhere. I've seen the pet strollers but never really considered it until I saw it here. While our dog is only 6 pounds, it can be a hassle to carry him and other things. He doesn't do well on hot beaches or hot asphalt (watching the July 4th parade in Mendocino) I'll definitely be looking into some sort of stroller.

Much to the dog's chagrin, we make him wear a collar with a bell when we travel. That makes it easy to immediately know where he is, even in a dark trailer or a dark night if he darts out the door. Since he found it too embarassing to wear a cat collar in public, I also made him a collar with little brass bells (hippie bells) and he thinks he's stylin!

[Robert Brummett]

I've traveled with two different breeds, at different times, and neither are very good in very hot weather. My current co-pilot is a Boston Terrier and these little dogs, thanks to man's incessant gene-tampering, have definite breathing problems in very hot weather. Whenever I stop someplace (grocery, diner, etc.) in the summertime, I put her in the Casita, open some windows, crank up the roof vent and turn on the roof fan. She stays cool and comfy, and seldom even pants— even in 100°+ weather. No wonder she loves her Casita so much!