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Concern about RVing with Our Dogs

Blue_Devil
Explorer
Explorer
My husband and I want to purchase a travel trailer and camp with our dogs. Our dogs have a pack mentality and bark at other dogs and other animals scurrying at night. We thought about renting an RV to test the waters but dog friendly RV rentals are practically unheard of in our area, both at campgrounds and from individuals. RV rental places that are pet friendly are booked! Iโ€™d hate to spend all that money only to find out our dogs will be a nuisance to others. Does anyone have experience with their own dogs that may have been similar? Any advice, recommendations or suggestions would be very much appreciated. Thank you.
24 REPLIES 24

JimK-NY
Explorer II
Explorer II
Dogs are a major commitment. You are not going to be able to leave them in the RV alone! Don't even think of that. Many campgrounds, RV parks and the National Park where I hosted, prohibit leaving dogs alone. Even going to the grocery store might mean one of you staying back at the RV with the dogs.

Don't plan on having freedom to go where you want with the dogs. National Parks and some other areas totally prohibit dogs on the trail.

Another consideration is the health and wellbeing of your dogs. Some dogs just do not travel well either in the tow vehicle, motor home or left alone in a trailer while traveling.

You do not need to worry a lot about dogs being a nuisance to others. I would immediately go to the campground host to alert them to issues with dogs. Nor do I put up with unleased dogs or dogs on leashes too short for trails and other close quarters.

time2roll
Nomad
Nomad
Try a day use camping area. Get a pet friendly motel if needed.

I'm not a pet expert but maybe some dog training would help them acclimate to other dogs etc. Have you been to any dog parks?

toedtoes
Explorer II
Explorer II
First, when you say "camp", do you mean travel and sightsee or actually go camping (relaxing and playing in the wilderness)? If the former, then you may have a rough time. If the latter, then depending on the answer to the second question, it can be doable.

Second, how many dogs do you have? Many campgrounds have a limit of 2 dogs per campsite.

If you have more than 2 and they are big barkers, then I would agree with the above. It will be extremely difficult to retrain a pack of dogs to not bark at everything.

If you have 2 dogs, then you can work with them. Each of you take charge of one dog. When that dog barks at something, redirect the dog's attention. Use a can filled with pennies or pebbles, a squirt bottle filled with water, a favorite toy or treat. As soon as the dog barks, shake the can, squirt the dog, or entice him with the toy or treat. As soon as he focuses on that item, praise him profusely. Each of you do this with "your" dog EVERY time one of them barks. If the other dog barks, immediately get the attention of your dog the same way and praise her profusely.

It will take time. You will need to be constantly attentive to your dogs. You will need to be aware of your surroundings - you need to see the disturbance before they start barking. You cannot leave them alone while you go off for more than a few minutes.

Start this retraining at home. If you find it really difficult, seek help from a professional trainer. Once you grasp the technique, you can take the next step. Get the camper, park it in your driveway and spend the day in it with your dogs. Get them used to being in the camper. Continue to use the training technique to stop any barking. Fortunately, most trailers have limited windows, so there won't be as much visual distraction when inside. But they will hear more things, so stay on top of the refocusing.

Then start camping, doing short trips, 1-2 nights, at first. Do not let up on the refocusing. Take them for long hikes in the woods. Let them sniff all they want, but refocus if they bark or try to chase.

While no one likes dogs who bark and bark and bark, most folks are understanding if they see you putting in the effort to stop it. Let others know you are teaching your dogs to be good campers and they will give you some leeway. But you have to always be teaching your dogs. If you can't put in that effort, then don't do it.

My Bat-dog was a barker and had people fear. If I had listened to the "if your dog isn't perfect then leave it at home" folks, we would have both missed out on so much. Instead, I took her and worked with her. Other campers and even the rangers and camphosts were great. Most just ignored us, some talked to me and let me know I wasn't ruining their trip, and some went the extra mile and approached my dog and helped her see people weren't bad.

My current dogs will require onsite training also. Cat-dog is afraid of other dogs, so she is getting socialization training and that will continue with camping trips. Tornado-dog is mostly jack russell terrier, so being vocal is bred into him. But he is learning to focus that barking and, again, that training will continue with the camping trips.
1975 American Clipper RV with Dodge 360 (photo in profile)
1998 American Clipper Fold n Roll Folding Trailer
Both born in Morgan Hill, CA to Irv Perch (Daddy of the Aristocrat trailers)

Timmo_
Explorer II
Explorer II
Dog training would be my answer.

My experiences--"good dogs" are dogs that know how to behave "good" and are fun to camp with. While "bad" barking dogs are usually "good dogs" that need TLC training to behave like other "good dogs".
Tim & Sue
Hershey (Sheltie)
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Old-Biscuit
Explorer II
Explorer II
IF they bark when YOU are around...think what they will do if you go somewhere and leave them in the Trailer??

CGs that are Pet Friendly ...means Pets must be friendly and QUIET

Camping with your dogs would work if you 'boodocked'....but not in a developed campground with rules about dogs
Is it time for your medication or mine?


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BB_TX
Nomad
Nomad
I agree with the above answers. Some dogs do great, some not so much. We have had rescue older Golden retrievers for years. And once to that age, they tend to be slugs. I think they have looked forward to us going off for 2-3 hours during the day do they could sleep undisturbed. And they have never barked, even outside seeing other dogs.

But we have been parked next to RVs with dogs inside that barked constantly when the owners left. Not good.

Lwiddis
Explorer II
Explorer II
โ€œOur dogs have a pack mentality and bark at other dogs and other animals scurrying at night.โ€

You answered your own concern. No fun for you, the dogs or your neighbors.
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Seon
Explorer
Explorer
Don't bring your dog to the RV rental office then go camping or park at a shopping parking lot and see how your dogs react.

Barking dogs bother everyone in a campground. And it isn't just the people nearby. That nuisance noise travels a long ways and irritates everyone.
I doubt this would work for you.
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Crowe
Explorer
Explorer
Sadly it doesn't like your dogs are meant for the camping lifestyle. It would be very unfair to others if they are constantly barking.

I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be

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