RVing with a dog? I am often asked this question at my seminars by those investigating the RV lifestyle. RVing with your four-legged friend can be a delightful experience, but it also comes with its unique challenges. Understanding the pros and cons can help you make an informed decision before taking the plunge. Here are some important factors to keep in mind.
Pros and cons of RVing with a dog
Pros
Stop and smell the roses (while your dog smells other things!)
RVing with a dog requires you to stop more often, allowing them to exercise, drink, and take bathroom breaks. While your dog is busy finding the perfect spot, you have the opportunity to enjoy the surrounding scenery you might otherwise have missed. Frequently, these short breaks can turn into longer stops as you discover hiking trails, bodies of water, or other local attractions that you and your dog can enjoy together.
Stay active
Dogs need regular exercise, which naturally keeps their owners active too. Even if the weather isn’t favorable, or you’re feeling lazy or forgetful, your dog will insist on getting outside. This constant need for walks helps ensure you get your daily dose of exercise, which can be beneficial for your health. Visit a campground in the evening, and you’ll likely see many dog owners out for a walk after dinner, rather than sitting inside their RVs watching TV.
Security
Dogs are excellent at guarding their territory. They will bark when someone walks past your RV, knocks on your door, or encroaches on your camp space. While this can be less ideal in a crowded campground, it is a significant advantage when you’re RVing with a dog in an isolated area like the boondocks. Their presence can provide a sense of security and peace of mind, knowing that they will alert you to any potential intruders.
Great travel companions
Dogs are loving, loyal, cuddly, and always excited to see you. They make fantastic travel companions, especially for single RV owners. While dogs rely on us for their basic care needs, we rely on them for their steadfast devotion and endless positive energy. They can turn even a casual walk around a freeway rest area into an adventure, bringing joy and happiness to their owners.
Cons
There are many reasons not to take your dog RVing. Read on…..
Limited access
There are many places where dogs aren’t allowed, which can be a significant downside for RVing with a dog. National parks, for instance, typically restrict dogs to parking lots and campgrounds, severely limiting how much of the park you can explore with your dog. Additionally, swimming beaches, wildlife areas, historical sites, and botanical gardens often have similar restrictions, making it challenging to fully enjoy these destinations with your pet.
Fur and dirty paws
RVing with a dog means dealing with dog fur and dirt in the confined space of an RV. No matter how diligent you are about cleaning or brushing your dog outside, hair and dirt will still find their way inside. This can turn into a never-ending battle to keep the floors clean and the furniture fur-free. When considering an RV, take note of the type of heat vents it has. Floor vents can trap hair, require frequent cleaning, and are a hazard for their toenails getting caught, while wall vents are generally easier to manage.
Leaving them alone in the RV
While leaving your dog home alone is part of a normal routine for many pet owners, it can be more complicated in an RV. The changing environment around the RV can make some dogs anxious, and unforeseen setbacks during your outings can delay your return. This uncertainty can end any spontaneity in your plans, such as staying out for dinner, catching a movie, or visiting a museum, as you need to return to let your dog out and ensure their comfort and safety.
RVing in hot weather
RVers typically head to sunny areas for vacation, but leaving your dog in the RV while you explore can be dangerous due to heat. Unlike a house, RVs can heat up quickly and become hazardous for pets. While leaving the air conditioning on can help, power outages or limited battery power in boondocking situations can pose serious risks. Even leaving windows open might not provide sufficient cooling and can compromise the security of your RV. Many RVers opt for a wireless pet monitoring system, which allows them to remotely monitor temperature and humidity inside their RV while they are away.
Space constraints
Dogs, especially large breeds, can take up a lot of space in an RV. They might stretch out on the floor, leaving you to step over them when moving around, cooking, or making nightly trips to the bathroom. Additionally, you’ll need to find space for their food, toys, bed, leashes, and other essentials. This can be challenging in the limited confines of an RV, and it’s important to consider how much space your dog will need.
Conclusion
Most fur ball owners find that the benefits of RVing with a dog outweigh the drawbacks. The companionship, security, and active lifestyle that dogs bring can enhance the RVing experience significantly. However, it’s crucial to be aware of the challenges, such as limited access to certain areas, the need for careful planning when leaving your dog alone, and the potential risks of hot weather.
By keeping these factors in mind, you can make a well-informed decision when choosing an RV and planning your travels. Ultimately, with the right preparation and mindset, RVing with your dog can be an incredibly rewarding and enjoyable adventure. So, take the time to consider your and your dog’s needs, and you’ll be ready to hit the road and create unforgettable memories together.
What about you? Do you go RVing with a dog? What has been your experience? Please share in the comment box below.
Dave will be speaking at these upcoming RV shows:
- 2024 America’s Largest RV Show in Hershey, PA, September 11–15
- Knoxville RV Show February 7–9, 2025
- Birmingham RV Show February 14–16, 2025
He would love to meet RVtravel.com readers who will be attending. Feel free to introduce yourself at one of his seminars.
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Be considerate of other campers who are trying to enjoy the outdoors. Dogs are animals and can be noisy and make messes.
So can humans.
I have found most dog owners are indignant when approached about their dogs incessant barking. As a camp host, I can give numerous example of the “messes” dogs make. From damaged trees from folks tieing their dogs to the yellow spots and resulting dead grass from the dog urine to the “lawn bombs” left behind because the owner refuses to pick it up. Consideration went out the window when folks started referring to their pets as “fur babies.” I surmise it’s because we don’t hold babies accountable for their actions.
Thank you, Dave! 🙂 Excellent overview of “why,” and “why not” to take a dog RVing. We (I) haven’t any real choice. We have a dog, so he comes with us. Apparently we only have a house so DW can have a dog. I can only guess that we’d still be living in an apartment if she’d never wanted a dog. 😉 Thanks again, have a great weekend, safe travels, amd safe stays! 🙂
As an avid dog addict and professional dog trainer the whole reason we rv is so the dogs can come along too.
There have been very few places we’ve ventured that were not dog friendly but those few times we leave the dogs behind in the rv we pay to stay at campgrounds with power plus have a generator auto start system in case of power failure. I also leave roof vents open and Fantastic fan on exhaust mode just to be safe if shore power and generator were both to fail. It will buy you time to get back to rv before dogs overheat. We have a rule of not being more than 30 mins drive away for safety and 2 temp alert systems to monitor things remotely.
We are Kentuckians, currently traveling around Newfoundland (wow, it is an amazing Province) with our 126 pound almost 7 year old, Newfoundland mutt, Jasper. We have a ramp to better make the transition into the back seat of the truck. The seat has been widened and padded to give him a better observation platform. (A piece of 1/4” plywood, padded with an almost worn out pet seat cover kept for a just in case moment, and then a large soft rubber foam mat with a fabric topping.) The truck, 2019 Ram 3500, has plenty of room for him to stretch out and snooze, sit up and enjoy the view, or have a drink of water from his travel water bucket, all while safely clipped into his travel harness.
(2) We do plan our camp stops to accommodate Jasper’s needs. First, dogs are welcomed, and must be leashed. Second, enough power to run the AC when necessary. Third, is the most important, and that is shade. He likes to nap, and an amble to a shaded public area is always good. We do have a hard and fast rule. Although Jasper is huge, he is a gentle giant that may not be climbed or ridden. He loves children (who must have a parent guardian with them to allow them to love up on him).
Recently we were in campground walking on the road to bathroom when a pit bull came out of a campsite barking & about to attack us. He would have attacked me since I am shorter & smaller than my husband. The only reason he did not attack us was that the owner was able call him, grab him & haul him back to his camper. This was a campground that has a restriction that all dogs be on a leash or chain. Clearly this dog was tied up. The good thing is that this occurred mid-week when there were no kids in campground. Some dogs should never be taken RVing.
At home we have a doggie door to a fenced yard. Our dog takes care of herself. RVing requires getting up at 7 whether I want to or not to walk her. Then another five to seven walks a day regardless of the weather. Wouldn’t change it for anything, though.
We have traveled 49 U.S. states and Canadian provinces of Ontario and west to the pacific. Our German Shepherd dogs have always accompanied us when RVing. They have been great companions, and on several occasions we have believed just their presence saved us from potential harm. The same goes for times at our sticks & bricks home. They also keep us on schedule: rising in the morning, daily exercise walks, breakfast and dinner times, just to name a few; they keep us moving!
We RV with our yellow lab and two cats. Dog travels well, except this time, problems developed. Bad diarrhea. After a $244 vet bill, he was fine for 5 days, then it started again. We decided to head home. I drove home from Zion 1,666 miles in 3 days. We then discovered that it was a bad bag of dog food. Have also seen this happen to cats. Moral of the story is to take a partially consumed bag of food that you know is good.
Bob, sorry that happened. Another thought. We always bring drinking water for our dogs that we have gotten out of the faucets at home with us. We have found drinking strange water can sometimes lead to diarrhea for our dogs. So we bring our own just for them to have as drinking water.