What to do with dog when shopping, etc?

RandK-M · 03-18-2016, 08:30 PM

Hi all,
Last year we got a puppy and took her on all our weekend camping trips. We didn't do our usual full week trip because we went to Ireland for our 25th anniversary. Anyway, we'll be doing a full week again this summer, and of course we will have our little pooch with us.

What do you all do if you want/need to go shopping or something like that when your away traveling with pets? It might sound silly, but we thought about getting one of those pet strollers to go into a non food store. Either that or one of us will just have to stay outside with her while the other goes inside I guess.

Ray

kenandterry · 03-18-2016, 08:56 PM

We have a cat that "Owns the RV and lets us travel with him"

Touring, shopping, visiting, or sight-seeing.........set the A/C or furnace if it's not comfortable with the windows open.

He catches up on his sleep, and we both enjoy it when we return.

Bowhnter · 03-18-2016, 09:42 PM

My dogs stay in the road cave when we go for a few hours. Is your dog kennel trained?

RandK-M · 03-18-2016, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bowhnter

My dogs stay in the road cave when we go for a few hours. Is your dog kennel trained?

Yes, at home she stays in her crate when we go out and in the crate next to our bed when we sleep. She loves her crate at night and all and goes right in on her own when it's time. I'm not sure I'd be comfortable leaving her at the campground though. I'd be afraid she might bark since the trailer isn't her normal home.

dalford · 03-18-2016, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandK-M

Yes, at home she stays in her crate when we go out and in the crate next to our bed when we sleep. She loves her crate at night and all and goes right in on her own when it's time. I'm not sure I'd be comfortable leaving her at the campground though. I'd be afraid she might bark since the trailer isn't her normal home.

Do a bark test. Leave the dog in the RV and go for a walk. See if she is barking when you return or make noise outside. Maybe you already know the answer to this question and I can feel your pain. Nothing worse than camping next to a camper who has left their dog and it barks the whole time they are gone. I know, I experienced this from a camper just last year.

5er_tom · 03-19-2016, 08:00 AM

Yes on bark test. We left the dog in the 5er and asked camper next to us to keep an ear open for barking. Good news! Dog does not bark, just sits on top of couch watching for our return.

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RandK-M · 03-19-2016, 08:12 AM

The bark test sounds like a good plan. Thanks for the tip!

Ray

Mr Havercamp · 03-19-2016, 08:47 AM

At certain places you have to be careful. Although I have never seen enforcement, at PA State Parks they have a regulation against leaving dogs at campsites / in campers unattended. At Ohio State parks if you leave a dog in your trailer and someone complains, they'll call the animal control people to seize the dog. We made the mistake of leaving our sons little yapping rat of a dog in out camper while we went to get firewood, a busy body walked past as no one was anywhere close to us in the loop and evidently the dog barked. They called the ranger.

I take our dog with us and if I have to leave the truck running and locked with the AC on for an hour so be it. You can not count on common sense anymore. We stopped for breakfast in Athens Ohio one morning and some whackjob called the police because we left our dog in the truck. The outside temperature was 65, it was cloudy, and it was around 60 in the truck. This was at 9 AM. We had all 4 windows down 5 inches. We came out to 2 Athens police officers getting ready to break my window. It didn't matter to them that it was not hot in the vehicle and the dog had water, they had an ordinance and were going to enforce it. Maybe because we had PA plates. I was issued a written warning and in the description it said "potential animal abuse".

You can't take anything for granted.

bbbymac · 03-19-2016, 11:28 AM

We leave the radio or TV on loud enough to cover outside noise. People also think someone may be inside. It keeps the dog quiet.

Fluffywhitedogs · 03-19-2016, 11:31 AM

My preference is to leave them crated, in the trailer, with the radio at a level that will cover up outside noises but not annoy other campers. If it's hot, the AC is on. If it's cooler, a window as far as possible from the crates is open just a touch, and the Fantastic Fan is set to open and come on at around 78 degrees.
I travel and camp with 4 dogs. All the same breed so usually nobody knows how many there are!

mtnlvr · 03-19-2016, 11:50 AM

Depending on the weather; I leave the A/C on or vents open, Fantastic fan on & the windows cracked. I cover windshield & any side w/ excessive heat w/ an additional shield such as foam core boards or silver metallic reflective covers. If they can't see out- they are less likely to bark.

jeffrapp · 03-19-2016, 11:51 AM

It's even worse!
Most (?all) national parks won't even let you take your dog on park trails on a leash anymore.
They also have rules about leaving your dog in the RV unattended.
So, what's a hiker with a dog supposed to do? We often go on multi-hour hikes.
My solution is to not camp in national parks, thus depriving myself of my part of my heritage.
I also was kicked out of Yellowstone when our friends in the government shut down the country a couple of years ago, but that's another story.

mtnlvr · 03-19-2016, 11:58 AM

You can try to locate a home boarding/ doggie day care type business for the day. Check Yelp for reviews. I have my own kennel free dog boarding/daycare/ nature hike business. I'm near Yosemite and Mammoth ski resort and get a lot of business every summer from people going into Yosemite not wanting to bring their pets inside the gates. The kennels in Yosemite are lousy & disease ridden, I'm told.

BobHanke · 03-19-2016, 11:58 AM

Pull down all the shades and play radio. Give a neighbor your cellphone number to call if your furry baby is attracting attention.

tstanger · 03-19-2016, 12:05 PM

Yes! Do a bark test. We leave ours in the trailer. We leave either the radio or the TV on so they can't hear any noises outside.

CarolinaGirl · 03-19-2016, 12:06 PM

Our dog is always inside when we do a shopping run. Most campgrounds have rules about leaving them outside and unattended. Also, I would be worried about somebody taking ours. He is a very handsome Siberian Husky that doesn't bark and loves every person that he meets. I would rather be safe than sorry.

Steelhorzz · 03-19-2016, 12:07 PM

We take our "boy" with us everywhere!
(He's a Pug). Walking, shopping, restaurants. He's been inside everywhere but grocery stores. It's our choice not to take him in. One of us sits in the car or RV with him during grocery trips. He is registered as a "Service Dog". Either he walks, or we carry him, and he does have a stoller. He doesn't bark, is friendly, And he really enjoys the outings. He was a Rescue, and we chose not to leave him alone.

Havasu Bill · 03-19-2016, 12:22 PM

We have left our lab for short periods in both the motor home and fifth wheel. We have Direct TV with the Dog Channel (354) on and don't have any problems.

Oaklevel · 03-19-2016, 12:41 PM

If we are away ours stay in the camper, never had an issue at the campgrounds we visit.

mtnlvr · 03-19-2016, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarolinaGirl

Our dog is always inside when we do a shopping run. Most campgrounds have rules about leaving them outside and unattended. Also, I would be worried about somebody taking ours. He is a very handsome Siberian Husky that doesn't bark and loves every person that he meets. I would rather be safe than sorry.

I agree. Huskies are the one breed I don't usually accept at my dog business. Their independent nature, fence jumping and propensity to roam over most other breeds is a risk I don't want to take.

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