We’ve been RVing for almost a year now and rarely camp without seeing at least a few families RVing with dogs. Everyone seems to bring their furbabies when they go RVing, and that includes our camping buddies. They have two golden labs they bring with them almost every camping trip. We’ve even been known to bring our Brussels Griffon grand-dog with us. Here’s a little taste of what you need to know when RVing with dogs.
Our friends with their dogs, Champ and ASAP.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT RV
RV living with dogs takes a little planning, be sure to get the right RV to start. If you have medium to large dogs, consider whether there’s enough room for them to move around inside.
You should think about how cramped you will be if you plan to boondock overnight and are unable to move any slides you might have. Will the dogs do ok if you’re unable to put the slides out?
Dogs are pretty adaptable, so this isn’t everything. It’s just a matter of your sanity!
You can also see my post on What to Consider When Buying an RV.
ACCLIMATING TO RV
Once you purchase the RV, you’ll want to introduce your dog to it.
Set it up near your house and take them out to it for several days.
If you can’t park it near your house, maybe take a weekend trip(or several) nearby. Let them get used to the idea of being in a confined place.
Help them understand how to use the stairs.
Make sure they have something of theirs in the camper to make them feel at home. A bed, blanket, or toy should do the trick. When RVing with dogs, I like to make sure they have something that smells like home (like a t-shirt or blanket or something).
RVing WITH DOGS
Our granddog Louie looking out at the RV park.
Once you have your RV and your dog is acclimated to it, it’s time to CAMP!
You’ll need to do a little more research to find dog-friendly RV parks and/or dog-friendly campsites. Make sure beaches are dog-friendly. See if it’s ok to take them to national parks.
DO YOUR RESEARCH before showing up somewhere! RVing with dogs isn’t hard, you just have to make sure they are welcome!
If they get car sick, be sure to bring any necessary meds. It’s SO IMPORTANT to know your dog and his/her reaction to different situations and to be prepared for multiple outcomes!
BRING THE RIGHT STUFF
Obviously, you can only bring a limited number of things in an RV, but your fur baby has his/her needs too. They will need the obvious things like food and water as well as their dishes. Think about food dishes with rubber bottoms so they don’t slide around.
They will also need a great tie-out lead. You can find one on Amazon here it has the leash included. This keeps them in your camp area while you’re outside hanging out.
Make sure to have a noise machine for when you need to leave for a while (more about that later).
Are you going somewhere cold? Bring a doggie jacket. Are you going to the water? Take a doggie life jacket.
Also, bring any chew toys or bedding they might need.
Don’t forget pet shampoo, too.
FLOORING CONCERNS
Most campers are made with vinyl flooring now, although there may be a few older ones that are carpeted. If you have a carpeted one, you might want to consider reflooring it. Non-carpeted areas are SO MUCH easier to clean up after pet accidents and don’t hold odor as much as carpeted areas. Not to mention, it’s easier to spot doggie mistakes on vinyl floors vs. carpet!
Make sure to sweep often to prevent odors and dander from building up.
LEAVING PETS IN RV
When RVing with dogs, a time will come that you will have to think about leaving pets in RV. If your dogs are sensitive to noises and like to bark, leave either a TV or noise machine on. Keep it loud enough to block out noises from outside.
Another great idea is to be sure and walk your dog before leaving. Walk fast enough they can burn some stored up energy!
If they like to bark at other dogs or people walking by, pull the shades down to block their view.
BE A CONSIDERATE NEIGHBOR
Have you ever had a neighbor whose dog barks incessantly day and night? Or stepped in dog poop that someone failed to pick up? Yeah, I have…don’t be that guy (or gal)!
Keep up with your dog like you would your children. Take a baggie when you walk them and clean up their waste, especially clean it up if they do it on the pavement or sidewalk!
If your dog barks, try to learn some training techniques to teach them to stop or consider getting a dog-sitter when you camp.
If you’re unsure of how your dog behaves when you’re gone, ask your neighbors. They will be OH SO GLAD to tell you if your dog was misbehaving. If you’re friendly with your neighbors (yes, this happens), you can leave your keys with them to help your dog if they feel up to it.
VETERINARY CARE ON THE ROAD
Veterinary care is probably the LAST thing you want to think about when you’re RV camping with dogs, but t is a necessary part of the planning.
If you have an emergency with your dog, ask around to see if anyone knows a good vet nearby. Usually, there will be locals camping nearby and they might have a good suggestion.
For emergencies, be sure you bring your pet’s vaccination papers EVERY TIME you travel.
Consider having your dog geotagged.
Make sure to have a pet tag with your dog’s name and your phone number on it.
RVing with dogs can be fun and leave you with memorable family pet stories. We all love our fur babies and they deserve to have fun vacations, too! 🙂
Be sure to leave some of YOUR family pet stories in the comments!
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