Large dog

Thanks for all the replies. Our goal is to work at least one season in Yellowstone and leaving a large dog inside a trailer seems inhumane to me. Neither of us perfer to have a dog in our house now, let alone inside a trailer with less than 300 sq.feet.

Bobbo - that puppy would still be doing that to her today! My dad's akitas loved to climb up my mom to see out the living room window... One offered to trade his favorite toy for my sibling's baby.

I took in one my dad rescued (only animal he ever took in like that). Bear-dog was 3 yrs old and had never been outside his kennel in the prior owner's backyard. Taking him for a walk was like Ferdinand the Bull - this massive dog stopping to smell every flower he came across. He was very friendly but shy.

He loved my dad dearly. Once my dad stopped by to drop something off and came in to use the bathroom. He w as in a hurry and went back out and drove away. The akita sat by the door for 6 hours waiting for him to come back in to say hello to him. My dad never did that again. And I still have the Christmas photo of him and his sister Dog with Santa. He loved that huge stuffed toy the moment he saw it. Then, it spoke and Bear-dog realized there was a MAN in that stuffed toy! The photo shows Bear-dog trying to get as far away from Santa as possible, Santa leaning over trying to keep hold of Bear-dog, and Dog being pulled along.

Akitafolk: I told my wife many years ago that she could have any animal that she wanted, but if she started with 1, the next one would be an Akita. I love most all dogs regardless of breed, but Akitas are just Different.

CFerguson wrote:
I am between dogs right now, but I have traveled with Akitas who ranged from 115 to 136#. Akitas are included on some cg ban lists.

My sister in Colorado was an Akita breeder for years. She has recently retired from doing that since she is soon moving back home to be near family.

Me helping her socialize some puppies during a visit in 2014. Every time I sat down, that particular puppy would crawl into my lap. DW said that if he had done that to her, he would have come home with us.

Lantley wrote:
I have a 85# dog, that is on the so called banned list. (More lunacy)
Anyway he is no harder to deal with than a small dog. As long as you train the dog it is not an issue. Large or small they both require care, exercise and training.

Unfortunately, the banned list is being mandated by liability insurance carriers. We had a rental complex and over the years, the insurance carriers started to require that certain sizes/breeds not be allowed. In today's litigious society you need to have insurance, and in order to have the insurance you have to restrictions, that's the way it works.

Frank55 wrote:
Please list any positive or negative issues traveling with large dogs. My wife wants a German Sheperd and I do not see anything but problems. From scratching the floor to tbe issue of what to do with one while we are away for the day. I do not think it is right to leave a large dog locked inside a trailer all day.

All parties involved need to be on board with getting a pet or it will not work out!

JimR

Dodgeguy qnd Cferguson - my dad had akitas and showed them. The males are really big goofballs. The females could be very territorial and their prey instinct was much stronger than with the males.

"Please list any positive or negative issues traveling with large dogs."

Under 45lbs is not a dog. It's just an over-sized cat.

"You may encounter some campgrounds that restrict certain breeds or have a size/weight limit for dogs."

Over the years the definition of "bad-ass" dogs has changed. When I was a kid, it was German Shepherds, then dobermans, rottweilers for a while, now pit-bulls. The ones that annoy me in the campgrounds are the ankle nippers (always 3 or 4 with one person) yipping constantly at anything from another dog to a blowing leaf.

Personally, I never liked pit bulls, but my daughter has had two. Both big babies and very friendly. Never any aggression. Would I get one? No. Don't like airedales either. Love Huskies, even though they are tough to train. The best dog I ever had was a shepherd/husky.

We don't have a dog now because we travel too much. But when we are more home bodies, it's on the list.

CFerguson wrote:
I am between dogs right now, but I have traveled with Akitas who ranged from 115 to 136#. Akitas are included on some cg ban lists.
I ignored the ban list and planned on claiming mine was a mutt- a cross of a husky and who knows. Most people don't have a clue about Akitas and I was never questioned.
That said, I am someone who demands that my animals are well trained/behaved and obey me at all times. All my Akitas have also been the most loving of all humans. They all believed that people existed only to love on them. That's a long way of saying my dogs are always more welcomed than someone else's yappy ankle biter. (Akitas rarely bark- some don't at all).

So yes, its possible. BUT, you are restricting yourself with any dog, regardless of size. DO NOT leave your animals unattended in a rv. They will make noise no matter how much you think that they wont. And if youre camped next to me, I WILL report your failings as a pet owner. That usually means shape up or get out of the cg.

The biggest drawback for us was not being able to do things together like see a movie, spend the day somewhere that dogs aren't allowed, and don't ask about summers when they have to be in AC. That means staying with them either in the truck or in the rv.

I would suggest that you travel without a dog for a while but act like you have one. See if the inconvenience is worth it to you. Because that's what it comes down to- your personal preferences. And if you don't both want a dog, DONT get one.

My cousin raised Akita's. They are some of the best well behaved and relaxed dogs there are. They are very laid back.
We traveled with a Chow/Golden retriever mix, 120lbs! He was very well behaved and didn't bark. Traveling with him was easy. He would just lay in the back seat or watch out the window, he really loved traveling! When we stoped for gas he knew it was time to get out and go. I love traveling with animals, but it has to be the right animal.

Quote "I would suggest that you travel without a dog for a while but act like you have one. See if the inconvenience is worth it to you. Because that's what it comes down to- your personal preferences. And if you don't both want a dog, DONT get one." Quote
This is good advice. Its better than getting one, and finding out you would rather not.