Go to a shelter although that really is not the best place to see what a dog is really like but some shelters will let you have a trial run.
I got mine from perfect pets rescue (not a sticks and bricks shelter but in foster homes) and I see you are in connecticut....so not far. They have a van transporting vetted and fostered dogs up here every two weeks. Some are adopted right at the van and some stay in foster for awhile until their family finds them. Our girl (48 lb. lab/heller mix) came potty trained (1.5 years at adoption) with instructions where to go.
There are so many great dogs just waiting for homes...never assume that shelter dogs have issues....although before we got ours my husband did NOT share with me his thoughts about them having issues.
We had Mali for one month when we took off for a two month long trip out west. She had never slept in the same room as us (I have sleep issues so I need what I can get) but she had been in the rv a couple of times. She was great. She chewed the rope (we had her tied to the dinette table leg) twice within the first hour. It purpose was to keep her out from under driver's feet which was easily managed with some training and a big foot blocking. Her bed between our seats or she in my lap. She gets out every time we stop...mostly just to sniff and that satisfies her on the multiway trip out west from NY. We stop at dog parks here and there enroute. She is on a long line when we boondocks and I think she loves the fact that there are constantly new sniffs. She is quiet when we are out (not that much without her).
Do it but don't get a little barker!
Do a trial run of a couple of days and in the rv.
