Pets left alone in RV at campground?

We leave our dogs and cat in the trailer all the time. never with the windows open, always with the A/c or heat on. If you leave the windows open, there will be sounds your pet will hear. And being in a strange place alone, you don't know what may or may not happen. It is best to bring their bed from home and some familiar toys to help keep them occupied as well. Also, never give them water from the faucet where you are staying. The different mineral content can cause them to be sick or worse yet, diarrhea. Give them bottled drinking water or distilled water. We have a Reverse Osmosis system in out trailer for us and them.

People do it all the time.

However, my take on it (as a dog owner whose dogs go camping with us) is that if the rules say "don't leave dogs unattended in the campsite", then simply don't do it. Like all the other rules regarding dogs, the more people ignore the rules, the more likely those places are to stop allowing dogs period. And then we all lose.

Select campgrounds/parks that allow you to leave dogs unattended in the campsite, take the dog with you when you go out and leave them in the vehicle while you eat, etc, find a doggie daycare or kennel or pet sitter for those days you want to do non-dog-friendly stuff, limit yourself to dog-friendly activities during the trip, or leave your dog home.

When I was a campground host in a National Park, pets were not allowed on the trails and were not allowed to be left alone in the campground. That made it about impossible for a visitor with a dog to do much of a visit. The rules were enforced.

I suppose a few visitors left dogs alone and got away with it. It would be much better to leave the pets with friends/relatives or to board the animals. Of course it depends on the style of "camping" you plan on. If you want to hike and visit scenic areas, a dog can be an issue. If you want to sit around an RV park, drink and eat and have BBQs, then not so much.

I'm sure many leave their dogs inside while away. All dogs, all CGs, differ, so common sense will apply, each time you camp with your dog.

A new dog will need time to adjust, to get used to camping, inside and outside.

I rarely left my dog in the camper, but she understood, from experience, that I'd not be gone long, which I would limit to 2 hours, or less. I would leave the Tv or stereo going, for comforting sound, and to block outdoor noises.

There is all kinds of surveillance equipment available today, that you can view, talk, monitor temps etc, right from your phone.

Hope you enjoy taking your pet camping, and that your dog enjoys going too!

Jerry

As far as state parks go, I know of no state park campground we've been to in at least 18 states where they did not have a rule against leaving dogs "unattended". That's open to your own interpretation I suppose. I have seen people talked to by rangers for it 3 separate times in 3 separate states, one of those I believe a citation was issued. As far as federal parks they have this on the National Park Service website under camping.

While You're Camping;

Be mindful of restricted areas.
Be courteous to other campers by picking up after your dog and control barking and other noise.
Keep your pet on a leash. Some parks have a 6 ft. leash policy; check with your park for specific rules.
Never leave your dog unattended, especially in a hot vehicle.

Again, it's open to your interpretation of what they mean by unattended. Unattended in a vehicle, unattended in a trailer or motorhome, or unattended tied to a tree.

Nothing worse though when folks leave dogs in an RV all day while out and about and the dogs barks continuously. Even high end diesel pushers such as Prevosts are far from sound proof. But of course good little Fido never barks at all.

Know your dog. If dog is quiet and well behaved no one is going to know.
If dog is not accustomed to being alone and disturbs everyone around him. The authorities are going to know and you will have to face the consequences of violating the rules.
If you are unsure how your dog will behave, do a test run and leave for a few minutes and see how your dog reacts.
For the record experienced campers with well behaved dogs leave them unattended all the time.

Most likely the dog will be a little anxious. They’ll hear noises and bark. It’s their nature. Owners should think about neighboring campers who have to listen to it. I’m speaking from experience and I should’ve reported it because it was 9 hours of continuous barking. Air conditioning, radios and favorite toys don’t make a difference. Don’t do it.

We travel with a dog and do leave him inside when we must. Many of the campgrounds elaborate on the unattended pet by saying no unattended pets OUTSIDE.
I've read that well over 50% of RV'ers travel with pets.

As per usual, the "All about me" or the "rules don't apply to me" folks come out of the woodwork.

Non-barking dogs? I wonder? Hokeypokey is right. The calm and quiet for everyone around you will be broken when the pup does start barking.
When we first started RVing in 1990, we were across a small cove from a couple who tied their pup outside and left for a while. Barked continuously. Poor pup was scared in a new place and no one he knew around and those he trusted for security had abandoned him. He could only bark for help. It will be the same even if you leave him inside. Please don't for his sake and the sake of your neighbors