Share with fellow dog lovers!
If, like us, you’ve always dreamed of exploring the open road with your dog in an RV, we have some tips for you! Today, we have a guest post with tips from pet influencers who are exploring America with dogs (and cats!) and sharing their best RVing tips. with dogsS–And some of their recommendations for the best pet-friendly RVs.
Pet RV tips from Grateful Glamper
For the past four years, Charity and Ben DeVries have been enjoying RV life with their family of “seven” in 2004. Fleetwood RV® Discover® 39J. Their family consists of two children, a large dog and two cats.
Frequently, the husband and wife team shares widely popular videos documenting the ups and downs of RVs living on Grateful Glamper website and social media channels.
“One of the things we love about our Discovery is that it’s built for cargo. It’s an absolute must when you bring a pet crib, cat litter, and food for one Great Pyrenees and two cats,” says Charity.
To maximize cargo efficiency, Grateful Glamper recommends buying food in bulk and stowing the bags underneath in the luggage compartment. Daily pet food can be packaged in a plastic cereal container for easy picking and feeding.
Other tips from Grateful Glamper include:
- A spill-proof water bowl is a must and can be used by all pets.
- The litter box at the top helps prevent litter tracking and keeps the dog from moving around the cat’s business area.
- Know where your cat is before you put the slides in or out!
- Know where the nearest emergency vet is located. VCA has a network of veterinary hospitals in 46 states and five Canadian provinces.
- Get a Waggle RV pet temperature monitor. The system will send a text or email message with a warning about any potentially unsafe conditions for your pet. The best part is that there is no need for Wi-Fi as it uses mobile data.
- Wear Fido is a great site that will help you find dog-friendly places.
- Identify and close any internal “holes” that your cat may want to explore.
“We learned the last trick the hard way. After a day of traveling, we pulled into our campsite and heard a faint meow. KitKat found a gap in front of the RV and sat on the generator the entire time we drove that day. Charity said.
Grateful Glamper has two YouTube videos about traveling with pets. The video above shares five tips for having an RV life with a pet, and the second includes 10 tips and products makes traveling with pets and RVing with dogs easier.
RV dog advice from Gaston and Sven’s dad
Scott and Sophia Murray have owned a 2016 Holiday Rambler® Effort® 40DP for over a year.
The Murrays, along with Golden Retrievers Gaston and Sven and their cat Holly Hox, usually hit the road twice a month and plan to start RVing full-time this July.
To follow Gaston and Sven on their travels, check out GastonTheGolden on Instagram.
Murray’s advice includes:
- Know your dog and their tolerance. Remember that your dog is currently traveling and being introduced to new experiences and situations with which they are not familiar.
- Take the time to train your dogs. If they don’t behave well at home, they certainly won’t behave well in their new environment.
- Know how your dog interacts with new people and new dogs. Don’t assume that everyone or dog you meet is nice and wants to have a positive interaction with your dog.
- If your dog is aggressive or reactive, don’t create situations that put them in close contact with other dogs. You should also make sure to over-communicate your space needs from others.
- Plan activities that include your dogs.
- Make sure you have up-to-date information on vaccinations, flea and tick protection, and heartworm prevention. Bring documentation from your veterinarian in case you need to provide it to the campsite.
“If your dog is allowed on the couch or your bed at home, plan for that in your own home,” says Scott. “Gaston and Sven love to lounge on the floor wherever they are, whether it’s at home or in a private home. We therefore made sure we found an apartment with a king-size bed, an expandable couch, and opposing sliding doors. We don’t want to feel like we’re constantly overcoming obstacles when we’re with them.”
RV tips for dogs from Adventurtunity Family
The The Adventurtunity family joined full-time since September 2020 during the 2017 Rambler Holiday® 36 hours. The family includes mom Kristi, dad Spencer, five-year-old son Kade and Ruko Blu, an 18-month-old Golden Retriever.
Some people may be apprehensive about traveling, especially full-time with a large dog, but our Vacationer provides us with ample space for all to live comfortably.
The Adventurtunity family
Adventurtunity Family advice includes:
- Always double check that the campground is pet-friendly. Most are yes but some do not allow large dogs or dogs at all.
- Check the dog rules in national and state parks in advance as you may have to leave your furry friend at home. Have an NPS app or visit NPS website for all details.
- On travel days, keep everything your pet needs in an easily accessible place.
- Invest in a collapsible impact bin that can be easily stored flat when not in use.
“Some people may be apprehensive about traveling, especially full time with a large dog, but our Vacationer provides us with ample space for all to live comfortably,” says Kristi. “We put Ruko’s food and water bowl under the kitchenette and we put her food and treats in one of the large drawers under the couch. We have a big bed for him in front of the fireplace and even have room for a 40″ collapsible crate that we can put in front of or behind the coach.”
RV Cat Advice from Wendy Gaynor
At 72, Wendy Gaynor is happy to travel the country alone on her 43′ American Eagle show® luxury motorhome from American Coach along with her three cats – Cleocatra, Zipper and Miranda.
Gaynor’s advice includes:
- Microchips for your pet. If cats get out of fuel stations or campsites, microchips may be the only way to identify cats at shelters if they get lost.
- When entering or leaving the house, stomp or make some noise to make sure the cat is not at the door waiting to run out.
- Consider wearing a collar with a bell so you can more easily find your cat as they move around the RV.
- When you are about to travel, give them plenty of water but just a little food.
- When traveling, remember that cats are not tourists. They don’t need to see the scenery but just want to be in their own cozy little space. Make the cat carrier warm and inviting by covering it with a towel or blanket.
- It’s not safe for a cat to run across the dash or try to sit on your lap while you’re driving, so a cat carrier is the best place for them when the trainer is on the move.
- Stop every few hours. Pay attention and give your cat time to use the litter box and drink their water.
Whether you are a travel lover, pet influencers Or you’re just looking for a great way to enjoy the weekend away with your dog, you’ll have to agree that RVing with dogs sounds like a great option!
Pin it to remember RVing tips with dogs
