On The Road In My RV. How To Travel With Pets!

I said, let’s buy an RV.

She said, your crazy!

So, we bought an RV.

My wife and I have bought a Class A motor home and have begun a journey of touring the USA and seeing sites such as National Parks and meeting great/interesting people along the way.

Like most RV travelers today, we have brought our dog along. We have a Pomeranian that loves to be with us and has adopted to the traveling lifestyle very quickly.

However, on the days we travel, she is still a little nervous about the moving house, our RV. She is still getting used to the noises and motions that the RV makes as we travel from state to state.

Millions of people today are doing what we are and traveling with their pet that is a part of their family. If done properly, the journey can be both enjoyable for you and your pet.

I learn something new each day we are on the road about RV travel and how to travel with pets. RV travel with your dog such as mine is not stressful if you follow tips and helpful advice along the way.

In this article today, I will discuss my experience so far and what we do to make the trips safe and secure our dog and how to travel with pets.

Don’t Leave Home Without Them!

All dogs will travel.

If your dog is like mine, they will have separation anxiety when you leave. If you leave for an hour or days, the separation for them is the same.

Most RV parks if not all now days will allow pets. Our experience shows that all will accept non aggressive dogs.

Personally, I think all dogs are non aggressive. However, not everyone agrees with this.

When I take my dog for a walk, I keep her away from other dogs. I know my dog, but I don’t know the dog that others have. This keeps the peace and avoids potential conflict.

When we get pets today, we are making a commitment to the life span of the pet. They quickly become an integral part of the family.

So don’t leave home without them!

Healthy Dog, Healthy Trip!

Having a healthy dog leads to a healthy trip. One of the best things you can do is have your dog checked by your Vet prior to traveling.

Some states will require that you have a written record of the pets vaccinations to make sure you are traveling with a healthy pet.

I took my dog to our Vet and had her shots brought up to date for the next year as we do not know when we will get back to our home town for the next Vet visit. We have written records of this for our dog in the case we need to provide them.

Before we left, we made sure we had:

• Plenty of food and treats.
• Any medication such as flea and tick treatment.
• Favorite pet toys and her dog bed.

When you are traveling, it is very important to keep your dog hydrated and frequently walked. A rest stop for your dog (and yourself) is healthy and you should do so every 3 hours or so.

This break will refresh your dog and yourself from the task of traveling and driving.

What We Learned We Needed.

Since we have started our travels, we have learned a lot about traveling in a RV and traveling with our dog.

The first and an important thing we learned is to be a good neighbor. This means keeping your dog quiet and pick up after your dog when they do their business.

Most people love dogs and want to show their affection, but it is important to keep your dog under leash at all times and control the people you give them access to.

When we travel, we discovered the Thundershirt (Extra Small, Small, Medium, Large).  This shirt works very well with our dog.

This vest is tight-fitting around your dogs chest and it provides the feeling of being swaddled (similar to an infant swaddling) that provides them comfort and security.

Bring plenty of food and treats. When traveling in a RV, you are limited on the size of parking lots that you can pull into. Having your dog’s favorite food and treats eliminates the need to make unnecessary stops along your journey.

When we left, we forgot our dog’s toys. We bought new ones and they are essential to keeping your dog entertained and it provides them exercise while you are traveling.

All the RV parks require that your dog be leashed at all times unless in a designated dog run that some provide. You will need a leash that gives your dog some freedom, but gives you control of your dog when required.

Daily Exercise, Calm Pet!

I think my dog has me trained.

Every morning I start with a cup of coffee and a short walk with the dog to let them take care of business.

This usually involves a quick walk around the RV park. When we get back, within minutes, my dog starts to bark at me and lets me know she wants to go outside again.

This happens every morning. I think she has me trained!

Daily exercise is essential to having a healthy dog and it will keep them calm, creating a good neighbor if they don’t bark. If your dog knows what is in their environment, then they are less likely to bark or show any unwanted behavior. This involves exploring the RV park.

We quickly understood that a good dog harness is necessary for a comfortable walk. The vest needs to be comfortable, breathable, and fits snugly to your dog. Make sure it is properly fitted to your dog’s body.

Most quality dog harnesses will come in a variety of colors and some with reflective stitching.

Go Out And Have Fun.

If you are traveling with your dog or cat, please take advantage of the lessons I have learned within this article. How to travel with pets should not be taken lightly.

They are your family and they want to enjoy the outdoors with you. 

There are some things you should do to have your dog or cat calm while traveling and how to let them have some freedom but you have control at the RV parks.

Here are my recommendations:

• Utilized a calming vest such as the Thundershirt.
  
• Have a well fitted harness to take your dog on walks with. 
• Take your pet’s Vet records with you.
  
• Exercise your pet frequently while traveling and at the RV park.
  
• Be a good neighbor and clan up after your dog.

I hope this article has help with solving any questions you might have had about RV travel with dogs or how to travel with pets.

I would love to hear about your experiences by leaving a comment below. I will get back to you ASAP.