Advice on 1st time travel with dogs

[1 Cup]

Don't let them drive Evan in carparks. .

 

[Boris7]

Hi all. We're new members of this group (and motorhoming too!). We have 3 dogs and a Burstner Lyseo and looking for tips on travelling with dogs for the 1st time.

we picked a MH with a good lounge and floor space so dogs can relax too. At home they are used to coming and going freely in and out of house and garden so worrying how we provide something similar whilst out and about.

I was thinking of portable dog fencing or something...?

As you’ll probably noticing this lot have a tendency to wonder wonder off a bit

Robs suggestion of a wind break is a good idea, personally I’d get an air inflated model, the one I have can be zipped to another (or 2) and is high enough to deter the dogs from jumping over (deter, not necessary stop)

You didn’t ask about retraining the dogs in transit, but it’s an issue you should consider. I don’t have a dog, but a close friend has 4 border collies and he has a rear bathroom with a central door, he’s had a folding frame made (by another friend of ours) it bridges the bathroom door therefore using the Motorhome structure as it’s strong, from there he has 4 brackets that take long leads these allow the dogs to move around, but not enter the cab, and if he has to break hard they restrict the dogs from any impact hazards, once he parks up the frame folds away to leave access to the bathroom, obviously this may or may not work with your layout but it’s a starting point.

He has no physical restriction outside the Motorhome, but he doesn’t need to as the dogs simply know they are only allowed a certain distance from the Motorhome, he has no leads etc, when he walks the dogs they just stay with him, until he signals them to run off and play.

But I guess he’s very talented with dogs and spends his time with them 24/7

He once kept a girlfriend for nearly 3 months

 

[alcam]

As you’ll probably noticing this lot have a tendency to wonder wonder off a bit

Robs suggestion of a wind break is a good idea, personally I’d get an air inflated model, the one I have can be zipped to another (or 2) and is high enough to deter the dogs from jumping over (deter, not necessary stop)

You didn’t ask about retraining the dogs in transit, but it’s an issue you should consider. I don’t have a dog, but a close friend has 4 border collies and he has a rear bathroom with a central door, he’s had a folding frame made (by another friend of ours) it bridges the bathroom door therefore using the Motorhome structure as it’s strong, from there he has 4 brackets that take long leads these allow the dogs to move around, but not enter the cab, and if he has to break hard they restrict the dogs from any impact hazards, once he parks up the frame folds away to leave access to the bathroom, obviously this may or may not work with your layout but it’s a starting point.

He has no physical restriction outside the Motorhome, but he doesn’t need to as the dogs simply know they are only allowed a certain distance from the Motorhome, he has no leads etc, when he walks the dogs they just stay with him, until he signals them to run off and play.

But I guess he’s very talented with dogs and spends his time with them 24/7

He once kept a girlfriend for nearly 3 months

Where did he keep her?

 

[Jo001]

You didn’t ask about retraining the dogs in transit, but it’s an issue you should consider.

We touched on it earlier in post #4 @Boris7 .

 

[Honey65]

To be fair, the OP never mentioned going abroad. We seem to have strayed a little!

all good to know though! I think it will be a while before we're brave enough to venture abroad

 

[Honey65]

Ahh, so I now see................... as this is the case, then I suggest the OP joins the Caravan & Motorhome Club and makes use of their mostly excellent CL sites.

I know of many of these sites where we take our 3 dogs many of them when we visit only having our outfit there, a large number of them have dog walks and some even have fully enclosed fields where your dogs can run free.

But what I do when selecting whichever one of these sites we might next go to is to do a very detailed search of the sites immediate area, making use of GPS location codes along with the very useful https://footpathmap.co.uk site to thoroughly check for the closeness of good dog walking in the immediate area.

The one thing that most users of sites share in their pet hates is uncontrolled dogs or constantly barking dogs, let alone dogs which are allowed to run free by their totally inconsiderate owners.

Thanks for sharing the https://footpathmap.co.uk site. Didn't know about that and it'll be really useful

 

[r4dent]

You didn’t ask about retraining the dogs in transit, but it’s an issue you should consider.

Retraining dogs in transit is not a good idea!
However, restraining dogs in transit is an issue that you MUST consider.
Use a crate or an harness (not a collar).
Ensure that the dogs cannot reach the driver or passenger.

On site keep them on a lead or tether at all times when they are outside.
Even the best behaved dogs can be tempted to use the adjacent pitch as a toilet or defend its area from passers by.
I trust that cleaning up after them doesn't need mentioning.

 

[Gertiegoose]

Hi all. We're new members of this group (and motorhoming too!). We have 3 dogs and a Burstner Lyseo and looking for tips on travelling with dogs for the 1st time.

we picked a MH with a good lounge and floor space so dogs can relax too. At home they are used to coming and going freely in and out of house and garden so worrying how we provide something similar whilst out and about.

I was thinking of portable dog fencing or something...?

You could use leads tied to the van, not too long though as sheep and cows are usually roaming free .