Where to keep dog at night?

DanoHB · 10-25-2016, 04:17 PM

I just ordered my Rv, and can't wait to get out there. With that being said, I want to bring my 2 dogs with us. one, is very tame and I have no problem keeping her inside with us when we go to sleep. the other, I'm afraid may pee on everything inside. Has anyone ever used a small tent for their dog at a campsite? I am wanting to get the fencing for them during the day and times we are hanging out, but what about when we are away on hikes and such? If it is too hot, I definitely would'n't want to leave them in a tent either. What do others do for those dogs you just can't take inside? My dogs are a 65# female lab and a 70# Malinois. Both are VERY well trained, but the Malinois does pee on everything if you don't watch him (previous search dog-non aggressive).

**Flybob** · 10-25-2016, 04:32 PM

You don't say where you camp. If there are animals in the campground at night ( large or small ) it would be a bad idea to have a dog in a tent or fenced in area. If you are concerned about control issues in the RV, I would try a crate.

donniedu · 10-25-2016, 04:36 PM

Get one of the colapsable wire crates to put him in. Fold it up during the day.
BTW outside at nite? BAD IDEA! Coyotes, wolves, or any number of other not so nice critters love to feast on pets.

DanoHB · 10-25-2016, 04:39 PM

Sorry. We would take them when we go mostly to beach sites and such where there aren't any large animals. We will be doing a lot of weekend trips right now. The longer week long trips, will probably leave with friends or have someone come to house to feed them. they are outside dogs at home. i live in SoCal, so majority of time will be spent locally.

I have tried crates, and even covering them before in hotels while working with him. He just pees on anything I cover the crate with, which makes even more of a mess.

FrankG · 10-25-2016, 04:40 PM

All campgrounds we have been to have very stringent dog regulations, and they are all different. Most have the 6ft leash rule. No tied dog and no fenced dogs. Some will not allow you to leave the dogs unattended in the RV whale you are away. You may want to think about cages for the peeing issue at night. Some RV parks limit the size, number and bread of dogs. You need to check ahead. Sorry for the not so favorable information. (You should try traveling with horses)

A toy hauler where you could of installed a mini kennel might have been a better option.

DanoHB · 10-25-2016, 04:44 PM

I was thinking of using a wire crate in the back of my truck at night for him. He doesn't bark, so that is not an issue. Just don't wan't anyone to mess with him, so that's where the small tent idea came from.

DreiHunde · 10-25-2016, 04:51 PM

Passed out either on us or near us.

I wouldnt be able to sleep with one outside. And niether would they!

**Flybob** · 10-25-2016, 05:17 PM

I have seen very few campgrounds that do not have some undesirable animal roaming around at night. Our 65lbs boxer is a family member he goes where we go. Sleeps in the bed.

KingFisher · 10-25-2016, 05:22 PM

Crate in the trailer at night.

f5moab · 10-25-2016, 05:30 PM

Someone say they are tying a snack outside the trailer for me?

When I lived and worked in Moab, it was not uncommon for people to lose a small or medium size dog that they tied outside when dispersed camping, or in some cases, inside an actual campground. In some cases, parts of the dog were found, in some (the really stupid people) tied the dog to a rope and the dog ate through it and took off.

I keep mine inside at night....

7th day · 10-25-2016, 05:45 PM

We have a Great Pyranees that sleeps in the back of the truck with a fiberglsss camper shell so he is safe but anyone trying to mess with him would not be safe

merrykalia · 10-25-2016, 07:01 PM

We have 2 dogs that spend most days outside in our fenced in yard. When they camp with us, they are either staked outside in our campsite with us outside with them or they are inside the camper with us with them. At night, they are both crated in the living room. This allows them to be with us, but not right on top of us. Our little dog, a min-pin, has a habit of peeing wherever she is, but she will not pee in her crate.

**bikendan** · 10-25-2016, 08:42 PM

I've been camping for 35 years, most of it in California.
I don't know of any public or private campgrounds that allows dogs outside overnight alone.
To keep them in a tent overnight, someone has to stay in the tent with them.

asquared · 10-25-2016, 08:55 PM

Most campgrounds have rules against unattended animals outside anytime. Unfortunately, you will need to either crate train him for inside or leave him home. I know it is not what you want to hear.

Our dog goes on almost every trip with us. Some trips we spend too much time away from the trailer so our dog goes to doggie camp (kennel) instead. We do use 2 portable pens attached to each other in the camp site for when we are out with him (70 lb boxer/american bulldog) but he is never left unattended. In fact this weekend, he was playing with a pitbull friend in the pen and they got a little too rambunctious. They managed to get a section of the pen the knocked over. They were well behaved and so neither ran off but a reminder that anything can happen.

As you can see, I have no breed prejudices but know that many campgrounds have rules preventing dogs of certain breeds or over a certain weight so always check the campground policy before booking.

gfarmcafe · 10-25-2016, 09:28 PM

We take our Sheltie on almost every camping trip and he's very well behaved. He likes to sleep in the back seat of our truck and out of our way on our nightly trips to the bathroom. We can even leave the windows down and he won't bark or jump out. Most of the beaches in Florida won't allow dogs, so we have to put him in the trailer with the AC on and a cracked window. So far, no problems. Oh, take proof of vaccinations in case you need to take them to a vet. We keep them in our glove box.

HONDAMAN174 · 10-25-2016, 09:29 PM

We crate our three monsters outside under there own easy down or under the awning. We camp where coyotes roam but after a few returned howls from our three, not a peep from the coyotes. Hard sided crate should be fine.

2014 Evo 2850 "Woodstock"
2011 Toyota Tundra "Clifford"

lugoismad · 10-25-2016, 09:29 PM

My dog stays in the camper at night. At home she sleeps in her crate. In the camper, she's figured out she sleeps under the dinette.

Briorick · 10-25-2016, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanoHB

I just ordered my Rv, and can't wait to get out there. With that being said, I want to bring my 2 dogs with us. one, is very tame and I have no problem keeping her inside with us when we go to sleep. the other, I'm afraid may pee on everything inside. Has anyone ever used a small tent for their dog at a campsite? I am wanting to get the fencing for them during the day and times we are hanging out, but what about when we are away on hikes and such? If it is too hot, I definitely would'n't want to leave them in a tent either. What do others do for those dogs you just can't take inside? My dogs are a 65# female lab and a 70# Malinois. Both are VERY well trained, but the Malinois does pee on everything if you don't watch him (previous search dog-non aggressive).

I don't know of anyone who doesn't take their dogs inside at night with them when camping. Kind of unheard of leaving them outside, and as others suggested, the presence of other critters in the area. And some not so friendly ones. Better safe than not.

This is a tough one, especially with a dog who appears to be a chronic leg lifter. You got some good advice here, and maybe as you stated, you may have to leave him in the back of your truck at night as long as he is content being in there by himself and doesn't bark / howl, and not disturbing others.

Our dog has a 12' round wired collapsible pen during the day she stays in, and at night she sleeps on the dinette seat.

There are times when we will board our dog at our Vet, depending on what are camping weekend entails. We like to think of her Vet stay as her little vacation as well. Good for doggy socializing. But 95% of the time she travels and camps with us. So, where we go....she goes! We just plan our day with her, but never leave her at the campsite alone, inside or outside.

Ahhhh, the joys of traveling with pets....sometimes!

timfromma · 10-26-2016, 06:21 AM

My TT has a bunkhouse. We removed the lower bunk and put a baby gate across the opening. This is our dogs' home while RVing.

Philos3 · 10-26-2016, 07:26 AM

I think you asked the wrong question in the wrong forum (a pet forum or dog training forum would be better). The question is how to keep the dog from peeing on everything inside the RV and the crate when that is his behavior pattern.

I own a Boxer, so I'm not insensitive to your plight.

1) Work with a trainer to solve the behavior problem - probably insolvable because you need to be constantly present and correct such behaviors immediately when they occur.
2) Put the dog in a kennel when on vacation (may be your 2nd best solution)
3) Stay at home and sell the RV.
4) Rehome the dog.
5) Leave the dog with another dog owner while on vacation. (1st best solution)

A parallel would be taking a dog to the dog park, who then has a behavior problem and is aggressive towards other dogs. If you can't train the dog to stop being aggressive, you can't take the dog to the park if, as at my dog park there is an aggressive dog rule, or you re-home the dog.

Best of luck.

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