Lookin towards the future!

[BirdbyBird]

Shelly, I am in SW Ohio, so if you are anywhere within an hour of me PM and we can meet up for lunch or something.

And your dog question. I am not so sure that my dogs will ever protect me but they do alert me if something is in the area. They have traveled enough to ignore a lot of campground stuff unless someone comes knocking on the door. Then it is their territory. I add that because different dogs adjust to the traveling life differently through training and sometimes just by their personality. Once you get to camping, you will meet a lot of wonderful camping companions and a bunch of dogs that you are glad that you don't own. It helps if you have a well socialized dog that accepts people and other animals. But being dog folks we love the family we have and make accommodations for our own....

The only time campgrounds worry about the dogs left alone in a camper is if or when those dogs become a nuisance.

Mine generally are crated when I am away for any amount of time. In their crates they sleep and can't really "see" anything outside the window so they don't usually bark. There are dogs that will bark and bark and bark and bark .....if you are parked next to that rig....it is both frustrating and heartbreaking....

I know that traveling without a dog (or three...) would be a lot simpler but having shared my life for so many years with dogs I can't imagine leaving them behind now. They insure that I get out and walk even when I would rather make an excuse not to. I meet other nice dog people. They keep my secrets. The small ones can keep your lap warm around the campfire on a chilly night. They are my therapy dogs and from past history I seem to require multiple medications....

[srbbear]

Hi Tina,

Loved the pics of your furry friends! Your a very good photographer! As you said, a dog would be nice to alert you to anyone around, yet have the personality to be sociable. When I had my travel trailer in the park we indeed have those that had the dogs that barked incessantly, so I know what you mean. The crating is an excellent idea too.

At this point I am satisfied with my kitty, thank goodness he cant talk. lol I tell him everything! Definitely a therapy pet.

My son is a dog trainer for the military and he would be happy if I took one of his dogs with me. lol I have to say after having one of his in my home for awhile, they aren't as scary as I thought. He was able to adopt one of his Belgian malewahs (sp) after it retired from Iraqi duty, think of a large German Shepard, and it was the sweetest thing ever, surprisingly calm and very disciplined of course! I think his dogs would be a little large for rv living though!

My head kinda swims at the thought of everything I will need to do when I am ready to make the move to the road. RV, insurance, phone, mail, doctors, supplies....I am getting dizzy! Is there a list of necessities and ways to do some of those things? lol My gosh that would help so much!

[BirdbyBird]

Wow....a beautiful, sweet and well trained dog.....You might have to rethink that one!

We travel with all sizes of dogs.....When someone asks "What do I have room for?" I have always maintained that we can always make room for what is important.

[avalen]

just wanted to say "WELCOME"
I've always had 3 or 4 dogs but am down to just one now. Although I'm not in my rv now (its in storage) my little Maggie is quite
content to stay in her kennel if I'm gone for any length of time. She's not a barker other than the door knock thing and I do believe
after seeing some of her barking episodes I think she would actually protect me, albeit an ankle biter though she will jump and I
believe she would actually rip someones nose off. I hope I never have to see that though but she sure hates my son coming in my
room. It doesn't help that he teases her to "get him".

[Cudedog]

Hello.

I think you might mean the Belgian Malinois:



http://www.akc.org/breeds/belgian_malinois/index.cfm

These dogs are often used for police and military work. They are around 25 inches tall and weigh around 65 - 75 pounds.

A personal opinion regarding the selection of your new best friend and family member:

Try not to choose a dog that is so large that you can't comfortably lift and carry him/her by yourself, without assistance.

Just now I have a sweet old girl that weighs about 30 pounds, and she is at the limit of what I can comfortably lift and carry. It is for her that I wait before hitting the road as she slowly approaches the Rainbow Bridge. She is beyond car travel at nearly 17 years of age. She was born into my hands (I owned her mother) and she has been a gift and a joy and a blessing all of her long life. One of the most courageous beings that I have ever been blessed to know. It is magnitudes more difficult than I ever imagined to choose the best time to finally let her go.

I said that I would never do this, but it started slowly (once in a while) and now is an everyday thing. I am hand-feeding her, carrying her in and out the door, and just loving on her.

If she were larger I could not manage it.

Even before the end of days come for any dog one may choose, there will be times of illness and accident and injury that will necessitate carrying one's dog. A personal opinion, of course - but I suggest choosing one of a size one can manage by one's self.

Best wishes.

Anne

[srbbear]

Thanks for the welcome Avalen!

Oh boy did I get the Belgian name spelled wrong Anne, lol. That was pitiful The one my son had must have been more than oversized though!

I do like the pointers on selecting the size of a dog, great suggestions.

[JudyJB]

I am 70 and travel alone with no pets to "protect" me. It also turns out I am allergic to dogs, but someday, I might get a cat. I had no pets when I started and decided not to get any. A problem with pets is that it limits you at times. You would not want to leave a pet outside in the RV while you were in a museum or shopping center, for example, because of the heat. You also have to worry about barking and such. It is different if you already have a pet and start out that way, but I would not get a dog as protection only. Companionship is another thing, but I have the internet and my cell phone and also enjoy chatting with camp hosts and people I meet in my travels, so I really don't feel lonely.

I have been on the road for 16 months and find campgrounds to be very safe places. If you feel uncomfortable, you can leave. People tend to watch out for one another and are extremely helpful. At night, once you lock yourself in and draw the curtains, it is very cozy. No one has ever bothered me or made me worried at all, and I have been in a LOT of campgrounds.

I will say one night I did get a bit freaked out, but that was because it was a November weeknight, and I am pretty sure I was the only person staying in the huge Mammoth Caves National Park. Mostly it was just so dark and quiet that night, and I got scared. It has never happened again, and no bears or woods creatures have ever come out of the dark to attack me!

[srbbear]

See, that's me JudyJB, I am not sure I want a dog. Guess I am just burnt out on taking care of things and want to just be lazy for awhile. I have gotten to be more of a cat person for the simple fact they are so self sufficient....and cuddly, lol.

I have never been the nervous type about being alone and I think campers are the nicest people out there. I loved the campground I stayed at for 15 years, all seem to be very relaxed, down to earth people! I think because they have walked away from all the stress and attitudes of the workday rush and turmoil and have learned how to relax and breath!