Traveling with your dog

JWalker

Northeast Region Director-Retired
Ok, here's a question for all you RVers who take your dogs along for the ride. Do you use some sort of crate or carrier, or do you let them just ride free in the back. Our new canine companion is going everywhere we go, so we need to figure out what we are doing. She is part English Setter and Border Collie, so I think she would be a medium size dog. We have a crew cab tow vehicle, so room should not be an issue. Thanks for the help.
 

pegmikef

Well-known member
We've got a hundred pound shepherd/husky and she just uses the whole back seat of our crew cab and rides fine. We cover the seat and seat back with her blanket to control her shedding.
 

SilverRhino

Well-known member
Our two Beagles ride in the back seat of the pickup......one on each side. They wear harnesses that have ends that can be inserted in the seatbelt buckle. They have enough length to them so that they can stand up and look out the side windows and lie down comfortably. While they are "buckled" in we do not have to worry about them wandering up to the drivers seat, getting out accidently when a door is open or being in the way as we get their play yard out upon arrival at a campground.
 

santafesoul

Member
Post a picture of their play yard when you get a chance please. Thanks
Our two Beagles ride in the back seat of the pickup......one on each side. They wear harnesses that have ends that can be inserted in the seatbelt buckle. They have enough length to them so that they can stand up and look out the side windows and lie down comfortably. While they are "buckled" in we do not have to worry about them wandering up to the drivers seat, getting out accidently when a door is open or being in the way as we get their play yard out upon arrival at a campground.
 

jnbhobe

Well-known member
Freckles just rides in the back seat, never tries to come up front. So we just leave it that way.
 

Hastey

Oklahoma Chapter Leaders
When we had our Great Pyrenees, Bear, he went with us everywhere. We folded the back seat down in the 4 door truck and gave him the whole thing to lounge in. 140lbs of dog needs lots of room.

Now we have Arnie the 1/2 Shiatsu 1/2 Schnauzer (****zer) who weighs 20 lbs. He has a dog bed/car seat combo that he is strapped to and rides in the back seat. The car seat/bed thing lets him see out.
 

TeJay

Well-known member
JWalker,
It really depends on your comfort zone. If you won't mind the dog breathing down your neck and licking your ear while you're driving then just let it run free. Several things to consider. The dog will be different when it gets older. In general after the puppy stage they usually become more docile and satisfied just sleeping or lounging. Our Golden slept in a chair in the motor home and was just fine. She pottied when we stopped and never had an accident in the MH. All dogs need socialization to be well adjusted. When they are young expose them to as much and varied items, noises, situations, kids, and all kinds of other people, riding in a car etc. Our new dog spends much time in the garage while I build things. We started this when she was 9 weeks old. New sounds or noises don't ever bother her. She is a 6-month golden Cocker mix is not allowed off the leash. She's not house or chew broken yet and that's why. Even after she's house broken she'll get limited freedom for the first year or two. The crate or kennel concept is really great. It gives the dog a sense of home. They like the confined space for comfort and they usually won't mess where they sleep. She did once because the crate was to large when she was small. I had to put up a partition and she has not messed in her crate again. When she got bigger I took it out. After about 2 months we could safely leave the new pup from 6-8 hours in the kennel with no problems. One other very important thing to consider. If you are at a camp ground and your leave for several hours to sight see the dog will usually be much quieter if it's in its kennel. If it's allowed to run free to look out the windows it will notice every car, person, cat, dog, and person walking by and bark, bark, bark. We all know because we have all experienced it. With that thought in mind start using the crate NOW not later. Get the dog trained to use a crate every night and you and it will be much happier. We are heading to FL in a few weeks. We'll put the crate in the back seat and use it but some of the time we will also allow her out on the seat tied up. One more thing. Dog obedience school is a must. As owners we need to figure out just how to train a dog. About 13 years ago I took our golden. It wasn't the dogs that were going to school but the owners and the instructor told us that. Raising a dog is just like raising kids. Some of us figured it out, survived and raised pretty good kids. Then there's the other group.
TeJay
 

PeternLiane

Well-known member
Our two Beagles ride in the back seat of the pickup......one on each side. They wear harnesses that have ends that can be inserted in the seatbelt buckle. They have enough length to them so that they can stand up and look out the side windows and lie down comfortably. While they are "buckled" in we do not have to worry about them wandering up to the drivers seat, getting out accidently when a door is open or being in the way as we get their play yard out upon arrival at a campground.

Post a picture of the Harnesses for the Beagles too.
 

phix

Active Member
Re: Traveling with you dog

We have very small dogs. They each have separate canvas collapsing crates in the back seat. They are easier to control that way and have a sense of security. Also, they are less of a distraction to the driver especially when towing. Of course you know that the dog is safer if crated or otherwise constrained in the back seat. Another thought is that you are also safer. In an accident, the dog becomes a missile.
 

porthole

Retired
Re: Traveling with you dog

Our pups have the back seat, but we also don't have children to take along.
I made a bed for them that takes up the whole back, 28" x 60".

Do your rear seats fold down separately? Fold one down, make up some "pad" that the pup can call home and give it a shot.
Frequent car rides now will help when the trips begin.

One challenge I can think of is Madison's excitement with the new puppy. Make sure you are prepared before you open the back door.
We keep the harness's on while traveling and I will open the door with my knee against it to keep the pups from jumping out. I don't let them out until the leashes are leashed.

Our dogs lover to go camping!

 

donr827

Well-known member
Re: Traveling with you dog

We have a Bicheon that rides in the back seat of the truck in her crate. Five minutes after we start out she is sound asleep and stays asleep the whole trip.
Don
 

truknutt

Committed Member
Re: Traveling with you dog

We use chest harnesses (Easy Rider) that have straps with assorted clips (Ford, GM, Chrysler) that click into the vehicle seatbelt. The harnesses have a D-ring on the back that can be used for the car or for walking them. We've found that a harness/seatbelt helps control the animal; our "kidz" try to jump out as soon as the rear doors are opened. More importantly a harness keeps them from becoming a projectile during emergency braking or swerving.

The attached pic shows the configuration but not my dog!
 

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Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
Re: Traveling with you dog

Our dog rides in the back seat (folded down) and does just fine. In fact, If I even go near HER truck at home she has to go along. She has her toys to play with while riding and lets us know if she needs a potty break. We do carry water for her and she has a tupperware water dish with a lid. She did lick my ear once or twice but I felt the cold nose first. So I did not soil my shorts.
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
Until last year, Suzi was able to hop up in the front of the truck and go through the buckets to her spot in the back. The earlier GM's had flat folding rear seats and there was plenty of room. She's almost 15 now and because she hates being picked up, she won't go near the truck. I made her a platform for the back seat of Lin's Sebring. She hops in there without any problems. The down side, we have to take 2 vehicles now. The up side, we have a nice convertible with us all the time. Talk about spoiled dogs...:eek:
 

SilverRhino

Well-known member
Post a picture of their play yard when you get a chance please. Thanks

Here is a link showing the "play yard" that we use. Each panel is 24" wide by 48" tall and there are 8 panels in each unit....we connect two units for our Beagles. It is very easy to set up and it stores very easily in the front compartment of the BC. We only have our dogs in the "yard" when we are outside with them.....Beagles are great jumpers and out youngest could probably get out if enticed by a squirrel or just about anything that moves!

I have also used it home when for various reasons I did not want the dogs to have access to the entire yard. We have been using this set up for the past 8 years without any problems.

http://www.greatcompanions.com/Midw...dfV2457_a_7c619_a_7c9058_a_7c12152_d_596_d_GC

Hope this helps.
 

SilverRhino

Well-known member
Post a picture of the Harnesses for the Beagles too.

The harness we use is like the one posted in the photo by truknutt. Another reason that I like the harnesses is that if there was an accident, I would rather have my dogs remain secure in the vehicle as opposed to being possibly thrown around the cab....We buckle up and so do they!
 

JWalker

Northeast Region Director-Retired
Re: Traveling with you dog

Thanks for all the great info. I think we are going to crate her for the next few trips because she is so small and still doesn't have great balance (she has skinny Chicken legs). Then we are going to use the harness that attaches to the seat belt latch. That seems like the safest way, plus allows the dog the most freedom to move around.

We will see how it goes this weekend. It is our first long trip with her. Going to Hershey Pa for a few days.

Thanks for all the help
Jamie
 

Boca_Shuffles

Well-known member
Re: Traveling with you dog

We use a sling that attaches to the headrests for our two 50 lb (average) Beardies. The sling keeps them from falling off the seat onto the floor and acts as a partial partition to keep them in the backseat. They've logged about 15,000 miles this way.
IMG_0086.jpg
 

cableman

Well-known member
Re: Traveling with you dog

We Just let nikkie ride on the seat between us and the cat enjoys roaming around in the truck. The dog has her pillow on the seat and lays down to sleep most of the time. We tried one of those harnesses but she just couldn't get used to it.
 
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