keeping floor dry when dog has "accident"

[henkelphoto]

Hi guys!

My wife and I are picking up a Starcraft Comet a-frame camper next month. We've never had a camper before so there are questions everywhere.

One of the reasons we wanted a camper instead of using hotels is that we want to take our two bichon frise's with us when we travel. If you don't know the breed, they are exceptionally hard to housebreak. And though ours are now housebroken, they occasionally have an accident.

We're worried that while we are gone, one of them might have an accident in the camper. So what do you do to keep the urine from soaking into the floor? Lay down some plastic over the floor?

This, of course, brings up another question. Is it okay to leave the dogs in the camper when we are out at a museum or such?

[DSDP_Don]

Personally, I find dogs a lot less annoying than some of the kids running around. I bring my dog to places like Home depot for a number of reasons and I enjoy meeting other folks with dogs. I have never had an issue with a dog but I have had a number of issues with out of control kids - and those issues are much harder to deal with.

This is really a sad statement.....dogs are more important than human beings????? I guess this is why so many people have zero common sense when it comes to animals and their role in society.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

Assuming your camper won't have a linoleum floor (?) - you could always lay some heavy towels over the carpet? At least those would soak up most of the urine before it can soak into the pad; and are easily washed.

I'm not sure about using pee pads - they usually encourage a dog to potty indoors - exactly what you DON'T want.

The other secret to having good dogs while you are away for a bit - is walking their wheels off. Tired dogs are good dogs. The longest we ever left ours was 7-1/2 hours while we took a boat tour. We walked them the perimeter of Valdez, AK - they were STILL passed out when we got back....LOL! Closing the blinds so they can't see stuff to bark at; and turning up the TV volume so they can't hear stuff, also help. The other thing is to NOT let them bark when you are there. IMO, good camping dogs learn that the perimeter they need to "defend" is about 3' all around the camper. Anything else is "camping life" and doesn't need to be barked at. Bichons are smart - they'll learn!

[ncrowley]

Personally, I find dogs a lot less annoying than some of the kids running around. I bring my dog to places like Home depot for a number of reasons and I enjoy meeting other folks with dogs. I have never had an issue with a dog but I have had a number of issues with out of control kids - and those issues are much harder to deal with.

[Samsonsworld]

I always leave the TV on at moderate volume when we leave our dogs alone in the trailer so they don't hear everything going on outside. Keeps them from barking.

[Grit_dog]

Bucky Badger wrote:

DSDP Don wrote:


Just yesterday, I saw another brain dead owner shopping at Target with their dog inside the basket. Just what I love, some dog that pissed and pooped on the lawn, walked through it and is now in the shopping cart where I place my food. (Here's your sign!)

The same place where some child pissed or pooped their pants?:p

Yep but you can't leave your kid locked in the car! Lol
Is the rest of the country like the PNW now? "Pet" people take their ($(&:!(ing dogs everywhere! So annoying.
I have 2 dogs but YOUR dog does not belong in Cabelas, the grocery store, hospital lobby, etc. And I'm not talking about service dogs unless them little c r a p eaters that fit in a purse are service dogs!

[paulcardoza]

Pee Pads

[DSDP_Don]

People are so worried about treating their dogs like humans, they forget that they are animals, not children. First, dogs like cold weather and really don't need to wear sweaters and coats, second, dogs need exercise and rolling them around in strollers is the worse thing you can do for them. Lastly, crate training is good for a dog. They have a place to go that THEY know is secure, something they need and look for in nature.

Now for my rant.....Sorry....I've had dogs (not called my kids) for over fifty years. My last two were labs, one of which was an arson dog. We loved them dearly, but they didn't go camping with us, just too big, too much hair, too much work and too restricting.

Just yesterday, I saw another brain dead owner shopping at Target with their dog inside the basket. Just what I love, some dog that pissed and pooped on the lawn, walked through it and is now in the shopping cart where I place my food. (Here's your sign!)

[ncrowley]

I would crate train them. That way if they have an accident, the bottom of the crate would keep anything from going into the floor. You do not want to have them pee on the floor and get into the wood under the flooring.

[dahkota]

We have a small dog that happens to be 17 years old. She has been fulltiming with us for almost two years. She can't always hold it but she will used pee pads. Some are better than others but most all are pretty much the same.

Since we full time, we have no choice but to leave her alone sometimes. All fulltimers with pets do. Our dog is not a barker but when we first started, she would cry. We have found that closing the blinds and leaving the tv on covered outside noise and helped her feel safe. No more problem. Over time, she has come to think of it as her home and no longer cries.

[Old-Biscuit]

If the pee on linoleum no big deal cause you can wipe up/disinfect

BUT if they pee on carpet.....then it soaks into padding and then into the wood sub-floor.
That is NOT going to be wiped up. It will stay soaked into the wood sub-floor. It will always be there and the sub-floor could be damaged depending on the amount/frequency of them peeing there


It doesn't sound like a good camping dog breed:

The three most common behavioral issues with the Bichon Frise are: 1) housebreaking: Bichons are usually difficult to housebreak; 2) separation anxiety: most Bichons are so sociable and dependent on human companionship that they don't do well when left for long periods of time; and 3) some Bichons are barky -- and some have a high-pitched bark that can set your teeth on edge.

Peeing, anxiety, high pitched barking........ :S

[OutdoorPhotogra]

We have a pop-up and don't leave our dog in it but I second crate training. Our dogs have always slept in their crate and love it. Boxer would go in and out of the crate when she was tired until we closed the door. Silly dog.

[2gypsies1]

Crate-train them. They won't go in their bed :), I don't think. Your RV will be difficult to sell if the smell is there.

[henkelphoto]

Okay, well that was why I asked the question. Agreed, if the dogs bark, it's bad for everyone involved.

[darsben]

henkelphoto wrote:

K Charles wrote:
You want to take your dog's with you so you can leave them alone?

K Charles,

yes, horror of horrors, there are places that don't want our dogs. Even here at home, when we go out to dinner we leave the dogs at home, when we go to a museum, we leave the dogs at home. That doesn't mean that we don't spend the majority of time with them.

To the others who posted, thanks for your informative posts!

Yes and when you leave the little darlings in the camper lone they are going to bark. Then someone will go to the office and complain ad you will be asked to leave.
At least I HOE that is what would happen.