Nuts to get a new dog now, right?

[Lopo]

I'm on the road at last, and so miss having a travel buddy. It would be nuts to get a dog now, I suppose, to take on the road knowing none of her history, etc. My ghetto boy, Louie, a 15 lb. shih tzu, loved to travel even though he was blind. As long as he was with me, new places didn't bother him and he'd even take to motel steps, up and down, to my "step, step, step." Also wondering about size. Does anyonehave a dog in a rig as small as mine? (Mine is a 21' class C.)

[monik7]

I have a 25' B+/C and have 2 dogs. Krissi is a 15 lb. cockapoo (14 yrs.) and Abby is an 18 lb. shih-poo (2 yrs.). I don't think I could do my travels that are always alone without them. They're my best friends and great travelers. I would always vote for a dog. Beth has a rig about your size and has her dog Peaches.
Sandi

[Lopo]

Thanks. Do you have special equipment that helps you deal with them, like an outdoor shower, for instance? (If a dog shakes after a bath in this place, it'll wet down everything, but good. ) I don't even have an awning, thinking I wouldn't want to bother with it for short stays, but it seems like even an awning would help us to have a spot to dry off out of the rain. Where does a person buy an awning and get it installed? Camping World? I am going to meet this dog who was rescued from a kill shelter after some locals dumped 8 dogs because they couldn't afford to feed them. The rescue group assure me that she's a very sweet calm dog, and RV travel with me could be a mighty fine life for the girl unless she gets car sick or something.

Thanks for the supportive understanding; there are so many people saying I would be nuts to adopt a dog now - but I see at least as good a chance of it going well as going badly!

[Bethers]

I don't have an awning and don't think I'd use one much unless I spent the big bucks for an automatic one. Lost mine the first summer out, 2005, and have never replaced it. As to dogs, will probably never be without. My RV is 22 feet. Started out with 2 dogs. An 80 and 35 pounder. Both were senior citizens and quickly took to this lifestyle. My vet back then believes it added at least a year to my big boys life. That said both have traveled on and I now have peaches. Under 20 pounds. My major criteria is the dog has to like to walk/hike with me. I've created a monster with peaches in that she doesn't even pee til we've been walking a distance.

An outdoor shower would be nice, but I don't have one. However any outside water tap works for her. It is on my wish list for my next RV tho.

If you love the companionship of an animal, don't miss out. Just pay attn to the animal and find the right one for you and this lifestyle.

[Acadianmom]

Carolb was traveling with 2 dogs in a van camper and rescued another one on the road. Camping World has outdoor shower kits for about $50 but no telling how much it would cost to have one installed. I'm not a fan of Camping World. I would get some recommendations for RV service in your area if you decide to do something like that.

Martha

[Lopo]

I love your attitudes - so different from all the non-RV'ing naysayers around me. I do have to wonder where you and the two big dogs slept when you had them. Beth. Did they send you to the spot in front of the kitchen sink?
The rescue gal is going to bring the dog to me here at the campground this afternoon or tomorrow, I think, to meet. Waiting to hear from her again!

[Bethers]

I love your attitudes - so different from all the non-RV'ing naysayers around me. I do have to wonder where you and the two big dogs slept when you had them. Beth. Did they send you to the spot in front of the kitchen sink?
The rescue gal is going to bring the dog to me here at the campground this afternoon or tomorrow, I think, to meet. Waiting to hear from her again!

I hope the rescue is a good fit. My dogs have always been rescues.

Let's see ... the big dog slept with his head on the 2nd pillow, stretched the length of the bed. (Do I spoil my dogs, or what?) Until his hips didn't let him in the bed anymore, then he took the sofa. The smaller dog slept wherever she wanted. Now Peaches makes the 2nd pillow HERS. She'll move around, but that's where she sleeps most of the time.

Don't listen to the naysayers ... listen to your heart. I might be able to go without people for long stretches of time, but the companionship of my dog(s), nope wouldn't want to be without it. Oh, and while I believe dogs should be dogs, mine are always trained to sleep until I want to get up ... and it's a different time every day. I do not want to get up early if I don't have to

[codasmom]

Well, I don't full time, but I have a little 13' Casita and four dogs; three med-large and one little guy. We love our camper.
I think when you are an animal lover.....the animals find you. It is just magic and I'm not sure we can pick the time or place for magic!!

[BirdbyBird]

What they said!......I also have a smaller rig (22 ft class C) and have traveled with four dogs once and went to Alaska with three. Like many choices one makes in life...you make room in your rig for what is important to you. When I removed my jack knife sofa and replaced it with a day bed, I measure for the width to be sure there was room for a Golden Retriever on one side at the foot of the bed. Like Beth's experience there came a time when the big dog wasn't comfortable climbing up on the bed and he got "extra" deep soft bedding on the floor. The other dogs then moved up to find their corners. Even if the bed were bigger, the two with me now would insist on being right up next to me anyway. I also travel with kennels set up for them. I use the tops of the kennels as end tables on either side of my chair.

[retiredhappy]

Started rving with two Labs. Found a dog running loose in an RV park (Sophie, the black and white one). Where did they sleep? With me of course. How do you keep- warm without dogs under the covers? They did allow me at least 10" on the edge of the bed. I downsized to a 20' Roadtrek a year after I lost the smaller Lab mix. Took the bigger Lab, Buddy, and Sophie in the Trek. Lost Buddy a few months back and only had one dog, Sophie. Smart huh? Well I lasted about two weeks and went to the SPCA and got Baxter. I have two hands to pet with so I NEED two dogs. Don't listen to anyone except your own heart. Most shelters would allow you to return a dog who perhaps didn't adapt to traveling IF you could give it up. Poor Liz did get a little dog who just couldn't adapt so the shelter found him a new forever home that didn't move and she now has a furbaby who does travel well.

[Lopo]

Good point about the magic! I have been lamenting that the "dog police" in our country, while generally a good thing, will make it harder for me to find a stray along the road in my travels. I'm afraid the dog that I've been thinking about isn't going to be a good fit since I found out that she's become very attached to the rescue gal's husband. Shoot, the dog doesn't know that that is not her forever home. I think I'll leave her there where she now seems happy. I betting that they will not let her go to anyone.

Beth, I get it about sharing the bed, but I have no sofa for a second dog. My rig must be 20' instead of 21'; the bed's in the rear with the bathroom about 1' from it, with only an accordian door.

And kennels on either side of your chair? And sofas? I have no such space in mine for kennels or anyplace for a dog to sleep other than in my bed which is just 48" wide and a 24" wide space between the galley and the dinette bench or in front of the door. Or in the co-pilot's seat. But hey, if codasmom can deal with 4 dogs in a 13' Casita, I can do this! I will keep looking, and I'll find the right one.

[WickedLady]

If you notice...both of my dogs are large and we travel in a 16' trailer. They sleep on the floor on a couple of baby quilts. Makes for some acrobatics if I need to get up at night but we manage. They are allowed on the bed, out of the way, when I am fixing my meals. I could not be without my boys for companionship and security.
Marda

[Bethers]

I believe you have a dinette where I have a sofa. Otherwise our layout is almost identical.

[WickedLady]

Oops, double post, where's the delete button?

[Bethers]

Oops, double post, where's the delete button?

You can't delete, but I can ... so deleted your 2nd post