a/c for the dogs?

[Carol]

I have recently purchased a small class c and will not be pulling a toad. My question is, if I go sightseeing what do I do with the dogs if they can't sightsee with me. It will be summer and way too hot to leave them in the camper without the a/c on. Do I turn on the gen. whenever I get out of the camper for any length of time?? Camping alone is all so new to me.
Thanks
Carol

[retiredhappy]

Yep, you need to leave AC on for the dogs - that small RV can become an oven in the sun. In the summer I stay at RV parks with electric for the AC. If you leave the generator on and you're gone for very lone it could go off. Mine shuts off if my gas tank gets to 1/4. The other alternative is to find a pet sitting place to leave them. My biggest fear is that I'll be off sightseeing and the AC will go off for some reason.

[mitch5252]

..

I think the answers you get will be interesting because our Little Beast was the very reason I choose a travel trailer...leave her behind with the A/C on if we wanted or needed to do something. This was after the poor Beast spent almost 10 hours in the van while G was in the hospital in Nashville. I took her to a hotel that night, but the time with her in the van was no fun for her and exhausting for me - G - Dog - G - Dog...running back and forth, and St. Thomas is a huge complex!

We've had to take G to Nashville three times since we got the trailer and it was a godsend...no worrying about the pest while we had to be gone.

I hope you get the answer you need!!

..

[avalen]

in some climates its a necessity, mine are ok when the temps are only around 90, but I leave
my ac set to kick on if it gets up to 85 inside. Last summer when my ac motor went out, it
was 113 degrees inside the rv and it was evening. Luckily I had already taken the dogs over
to my daughters until the ac got fixed. But over the past 3 years there were a couple occassions
where the circuit breaker tripped on the ac and it was hot in here when I got home. Some
breeds are more susceptible to heat problems than others. When the weather is mild I've been
known to set the thermostat on the fantastic fan and if it gets too hot inside while its nice
outside it will kick on and circulate the air through here with an open window on one end.

[sharon]

Yup, make sure you have a full tank of gas, turn on the generator and a/c. Some places may not allow you to park and run the generator, so watch out for those. I have a setting on my genny that if I'm in a park with H/U's, and the electric goes off for some reason, the genny will come on.

[Bethers]

Actually, in my Class C I've never had to leave the air on when sightseeing. I open windows the same as I would in a house and make sure to open the roof vents. Never has it gotten too hot inside. Now, if in the desert, I might have to rethink that. The Class C - at least mine - stays plenty good - especially if I can park in partial to full shade. And in many places you will not be allowed to run the generator like that.

Now, with a Class B - entirely different story - they get hot like cars do.

I look at it this way - I grew up in heat and humidity and no air conditioning, as did my dogs as a kid. We did fine. And I imagine you have windows in the Class C. And if you have a Fantastic Fan or nice roof fan, run it, also. The dog(s) will be in more danger if you're running the generator and air and for some reason it goes out - as then there will be no air circulation - although, again, the Class C does not heat up like the B or a car or van will. Oh, and if you have a window cover (the white ones) and it's especially hot, I put that on - that makes a world of difference inside.

[deborah12060]

Gosh, I had a class C and left my afghan hound, poodle and cat in there when I would play tennis. Now, I don't think it ever got over 90 outside but, there was difficulty. I had curtains of light cotton which I shut, leaving all the windows open and had two fans on batteries going, lots of water out with ice cubes in it.

I think you could have a couple of safe guards going if you dog is very stressed with heat. For instance, they make a
mattress that you fill with water that can be used to keep your dog cool. You could set that up in the shower, perhaps.
Or, how about having a few freezer packs (assuming you have room in your r.v. freezer for that) and making a sleeve for them out of a quilted fabric and having them on dog cushion for the dog to lie on to stay cool.

Or, having a large, rubber tub (they have them at feed stores) or child's plastic pool, filled with water, set on the shower floor, with a couple of battery operated fans blowing down from the sink counter onto the water. That might
be kind of cooling. Could put a low fence up to keep the dog in the bathroom so your coach doesn't get all wet should the dog want to change rooms. But then, what would do about the "wet dog" smell in your coach.....lol.

DD