Dogs and hybrid camper

[Matt162]

We just bought a hybrid roo camper. What does everyone do with there dogs when you leave them in the camper alone do you crate them or let them run free? I didn't know if the tent ends were strong enough to keep 2 labs in or not?

[bikendan]

We camped in our hybrid, with our 60lb golden retriever, for 8 years.
She never was a problem and simply slept while we were gone.
She was a very calm dog.

[Chaplain Kent]

I am going to stir the hornet's nest here. I was a campground host for many years and one of the most common complaints was barking dogs. Next to that was dog owners telling me their dog never barked when they left. I would challenge the dog owner to not drive to their camper but park a few blocks away and walk to the RV quietly. If they took the challenge they believed me, their dog barked. What you are doing is taking your pet out of its regular home and placing it in a strange environment. There are new smells and new sounds. You have changed your pets routine and then you leave them alone. They will bark.
Please do not leave dogs alone in a RV. I have seen too many of them spend a frightful day alone. Have consideration for the campers around you, they may not complain to you but their day was spent listening to your dog bark.

[jking46]

Only you know the temperament of your fur balls. We also have a lab, black, normally the most easy going critter you could find. She's usually good for 16...18 hours sleep a day. Only things that bother her at a campground are little ankle biter dogs yapping and kids on some kind of scooter.
Bikes, no...bigger dogs, no.

[cheeseheadjim]

Originally Posted by bikendan

We camped in our hybrid, with our 60lb golden retriever, for 8 years.
She never was a problem and simply slept while we were gone.
She was a very calm dog.

Ditto to this. We have a 50lb pointer and she just sleeps. We bring her bed from home and she is happy to get away from our two cats.

Jim S

[Summer2Go]

Well we might leave our doodles for an hour or so. We also worry about the tents. They usually jump into the beds to cuddle with us, and so far no other time. If we pull the curtains across that keeps them out. They have soft beds on the floor, and cuddle up on them and go to sleep. I thought about leaving the radio on to mask outside sounds. I got a spy camera I want to try to see what they are doing. I would never leave them for hours on end, cause I just don’t know for sure.

[Life Without Whine]

In the best case all dogs should be crate trained as they are naturally den animals. Makes it really easy when they have to travel & makes them welcome in other people's homes, hotels, B&Bs & campgrounds. Also easier on the pet if they have to be hospitalized or kenneled at some point.

That said after training your dog to kennel at home taking them on the road becomes easy. Our latest addition liked to break out of the kennel when we first got him from the rescue. That is noisy & we found that an ultrasonic unit placed in front of his kennel keeps him really chill.

Have other things that help pets chill on the road that I can get into with you ...just PM me (I am a veterinarian so have a bit of insight into this kind of stuff )

Our 2 pups just last weekend at one of our favorite camping music festivals ...

[Mewcasa]

Originally Posted by Life Without Whine

In the best case all dogs should be crate trained as they are naturally den animals. Makes it really easy when they have to travel & makes them welcome in other people's homes, hotels, B&Bs & campgrounds. Also easier on the pet if they have to be hospitalized or kenneled at some point.

That said after training your dog to kennel at home taking them on the road becomes easy. Our latest addition liked to break out of the kennel when we first got him from the rescue. That is noisy & we found that an ultrasonic unit placed in front of his kennel keeps him really chill.

Have other things that help pets chill on the road that I can get into with you ...just PM me (I am a veterinarian so have a bit of insight into this kind of stuff )

Our 2 pups just last weekend at one of our favorite camping music festivals ...

80,000 volts works easier & quicker!

[Harris85]

We leave our schnauzer for a couple of hours. We shut all the curtains and leave a radio playing. She is not a barker though, so we have never had those issues with her. If you are not sure how your dog will do, leave your camper for short periods of time and stay within hearing distance. You will have a good idea how they will react pretty quickly.

[Livin the Life]

I'm with Chaplain Kent, DW and I have been camp hosts for many years and the most common camper complaint, in our experience as well, is barking dogs when left unattended. Ditto to the other things he mentions as well.

I'm not talking about "very short" trips but going out for hours or for the day.

Like Chaplain Kent said when returning campers were told of their dogs barking while they were gone the response was always, "Not my little precious, he/she doesn't bark". (or something close to that).

Most all areas in the country have pet sitting or kennels while you are out enjoying the amenities of the area. Be considerate of your camping neighbors AND of your dog.

We are dog lovers and have two Black Labs and travel with them a lot, but when going out or away for extended times we make arrangements to have a dog sitter or board them.

Leaving a Dog Alone for Inordinate Amounts of Time

Again, if you want something that can spend most of the day alone, get a houseplant, not a pet. Dogs need companionship; not just for the emotional connection and to truly thrive, but for their physical well being, too. Would you like to hold your pee in for 10 to 12 hours a day? In fact, some dogs will so as not to upset their owner. Other dogs will pee inside and then the owner gets mad upon return. Seek the services of a family member, friend, neighbor, pet sitter, or doggy day care if you must leave your dog for long hours at a time.

Nothing destroys a dog’s spirit like emptiness, so don’t do it.

my 2¢

[tking01_2000]

I walk mine and wear him out there are times he does bark and we don't go out we always test his mood and how he will react he has camped with us for 10 years now from pop up to hybrid to travel trailer.

[Aqualight]

We have 3 small dogs and one of them (the Chihuahua) would poke her head through the canvas at the corner of the bunk. That’s when we had the older style Roo with the wraparound canvas with snaps/bungees.

[2 in a Roo]

We have a 12 pound schnoodle and he barks at anything he sees or hears. We leave him to roam the Roo but we have the radio or TV on, plus the AC. Never had a complaint, nor have we heard him barking, even when we drive up. That sets him off at home.

[karrun]

Years ago we left our two boxers in our popup while we went down to the beach. Came back and saw a crowd laughing and pointing. The boys had nearly clawed their way completely out of the screen end. Their front ends were dangling in space (wish I had gotten a picture). Now we never leave our dogs, they go where we go.

[karrun]

I do have this picture of our girls from a few years ago. Boxers, gotta love them.

[deartruc]

Except for being in a 23 foot box, my fat lab, I mean black lab is used to being home alone for 10 hours every day. She's 5 and her predecessor was 13 and no one ever complained.

[FarmerTeddy]

Our dogs are crate trained, but we don’t leave them alone in our camper (21DK). If we are going to be exploring somewhere they can’t come, we use Rover.com to find a in home daycare close by. That usually works if we plan ahead

[ddbck]

We often leave our dogs in the Shamrock if we go fishing or for a long 4wheeler ride. Make sure they have water & put the food and trash away. 2 older Boston Terriers & 2 year old German Shepard.

[hack522]

Originally Posted by Matt162

We just bought a hybrid roo camper. What does everyone do with there dogs when you leave them in the camper alone do you crate them or let them run free? I didn't know if the tent ends were strong enough to keep 2 labs in or not?

We have had three dogs of small to large in our Roo at the same time. No damage caused by them. Typically keep the windows partially blocked so they can't see outside. Have asked other campers near by if the digs barked excessively. Thank goodness no complaints.

[Summer2Go]

Well the pups are 2yrs and 1 1/2 yrs now, I watch them at home and they bark out the front window. I’m really concerned that they won’t behave for me to run to the camp office or something close. We love having them with us camping, and they love [emoji177] people, but I worry for their safety.