rethinking getting a puppy

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gregbart

Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2017
Posts
8
Hi All,
  New user here.  Been lurking for quite a while. 

My wife and I have been weekend/vacation RVers for about 10 years now.  We are planning to go full-time around May/June of next year.  The issue is that we are also on the waiting list with a local breeder for a labrador puppy.  Best guess would put the puppy at about 8 months old when we hit the road. 

We plan on doing some campground hosting, etc. and plan on about 10 years "on the road".  We are concerned about all the campgrounds who have "No Unattended Pets" on their rule sheets.  We will have the dog with us, whenever possible.  But, we know there will be times when we just can't bring her along.

Any thoughts, experiences, etc. would be appreciated.  We are having to decide whether or not to drop off the breeder's waiting list.

Thanks,
Greg
 
Better yet, get 2 cats.  Less maintenance, easier to care for and we've never been turned away from a campground because of the cats. Go to a shelter, try to find a "bonded pair" and don't have them declawed!!!!! 
 
Good luck with your plans and your new puppy.  We have traveled in a TT with our two dogs for years now and will be going fulltime at the end of December and have similar plans as you.  Typically when the rules state not to leave dogs unattended, which is pretty universal, it means not leaving them outside your rig unattended.  Leaving them inside while you are gone is generally not a problem, unless they are nuisance barkers that might annoy other RV'ers staying in the park.  The suggestions I would make is to get your puppy use to travelling, use to being left alone and monitor barking habits.  When we first introduced our dogs to the TT, we would leave them inside and hang out outside the TT out of view of them from windows and listen to see if they would start barking.  When it appeared they were not going to be problem barkers, we would leave for a short time and tell a neighbor we  were trying to determine how our dogs would behave if we left and asked if they minded and if they would let us know if the dogs barked while we were gone.  It appeared after a few times of doing this we were in the clear and would leave for longer periods.  When we returned after the longer stints, we would ask a neighbor(s) if the dogs barked or were disturbing.  Bottom line train the puppy gradually and be mindful of others.
 
Never seen anyone with a pet not leave their pet unattended (in the RV). The primary challenge is whether the dog is a barker.
Of course when ankle biters bark endlessly it's ignored, but when a larger breed barks a few times it's a crisis.
 
  My suggestions would be to forget the breeder and get a rescue lab from a local rescue. Most are already housebroken and evaluated as to their disposition. You would be giving a dog a home that otherwise may not get one. They are also neutered, shots given, andchipped. That by itself is a cost savings along with the other benefits. Rescuing is a win win for both.
 
There are campgrounds that don't allow any animals and others that will boot you out if you leave a dog unattended, barking or not.

Traveling with pets can be challenging at times.
 
HappyWanderer said:
There are campgrounds that don't allow any animals and others that will boot you out if you leave a dog unattended, barking or not.

Traveling with pets can be challenging at times.

Luckily in our extensive travels thus far we have not encountered such campgrounds, though no doubt they exist, but in our experience they seem to be the exception.  Hopefully that will be the case for you.  Which brings up another point when travelling with pets, make sure you get the rules of the campground before making a commitment.
 
I have to agree totally with forgetting a breeder.  Rescue dogs are so much better.  We are on Lab/Lab mix number four.  Our last one was probably the best dog I have ever had and I have had large breeds close to 60 years.  The one we have now came from a rescue in Houston,TX and after the initial training he i9s doing great. He is currently 17 months old.  We just finished two months camp hosting and he did really good for a first timer.  Well, actually second timer.  We had him for two weeks when we went out for a month last fall.  Anyhow, plan on a lot of training.  You do know Labs are working dogs, and have a lot of energy that unless you burn it off they can become very destructive.  Swimming, running twice a day or be prepared for the consequences.  If you like to ride bicycles then get a Walkie Dog and train your pal to run with you. Oir last one loved it.  I clocked him pulling me at 22MPH more than once.
 
We've been fortunate in finding some excellent doggy day care places for Fido while we go day tripping. A couple of times I think he had a better day than we did!
 
Thank you for all the replies so far.

For those who suggested getting a dog from a rescue organization.  I agree and totally support their work.  Our last two dogs were lab crossed with border collie, and lab crossed with amstaf.  Both were destined for the shelter when we got them.

However, as usual, there is more to the story...  The plans my wife and I are making are contingent on me being able to do my work remotely.  If the company says "no" then I will be right here for the next decade, or so.

Currently, I am a member of a NASAR Search and Rescue team.  If we are unable to go full-time, I will be training the dog to perform as a search dog and we will be a dog/handler team.  Her, search specific, training would be starting just about the time we would be leaving.  This will take untold hours of training, traveling, etc.  Of course, the dog will think of it as her favorite game.

The breeder I am working with knows what traits are needed to produce a dog that will excel in the field.  Technically, any dog can be trained to trail.  But, finding (breeding) the dog that does it naturally, and loves doing it, is a little more technical.

So, anyway....  If There were a bunch of issues with campgrounds and such we might have re-thought having a dog with us at all.  At least for a couple of years.  But, I'm getting the feeling that there doesn't seem to be any major hassles from CG owners if your dog is quiet and in the trailer while you run some errands, etc. 

Thanks again,
Greg
 
Sidetrack to to the question....but a lab seems like a big dog to have in an RV to me.  I understand the appeal to a lab, but I think I'd be considering other smaller breads for RV living.

I'm a dog lover but haven't owned one in many years.  We would love to have a dog but with our work schedules and such it just doesn't seem good.  We aren't home enough, and we travel a fair bit.  I've always figured that if one of us were "stay at home"...or maybe on a farm, it could make sense.... but not in our situation.

We adopted a stray once several years back. A cocker spaniel.  We didn't go looking for a cocker, that wasn't our pick....  Anyway, this was back when we were tent camping.  I thought it would be nice to take her camping.  Nope.  It was a royal pain in the neck.  With the leash rules, she was constantly wrapping herself up in the chairs, and the awning posts, and around the picnic table, and around us..... then when we wanted to run to town to a restaurant or whatever, we had no solution.  Too hot here in FL to just leave her in the car.... even at dinner time.  Overall it just didn't work for us.  In the end, she had some psychological issues and could not be left alone during the daily thunderstorms we have in FL so we had to find another home for her.
 
blw2 said:
Sidetrack to to the question....but a lab seems like a big dog to have in an RV to me.  I understand the appeal to a lab, but I think I'd be considering other smaller breads for RV living.

I'm a dog lover but haven't owned one in many years.  We would love to have a dog but with our work schedules and such it just doesn't seem good.  We aren't home enough, and we travel a fair bit.  I've always figured that if one of us were "stay at home"...or maybe on a farm, it could make sense.... but not in our situation.

We adopted a stray once several years back. A cocker spaniel.  We didn't go looking for a cocker, that wasn't our pick....  Anyway, this was back when we were tent camping.  I thought it would be nice to take her camping.  Nope.  It was a royal pain in the neck.  With the leash rules, she was constantly wrapping herself up in the chairs, and the awning posts, and around the picnic table, and around us..... then when we wanted to run to town to a restaurant or whatever, we had no solution.  Too hot here in FL to just leave her in the car.... even at dinner time.  Overall it just didn't work for us.  In the end, she had some psychological issues and could not be left alone during the daily thunderstorms we have in FL so we had to find another home for her.

We traveled first in a TT and now a 3-slide, slide-in truck camper with 2- big Akitas, without any issues at all.  In our travels I have seen other RV'ers also travel with large dogs. 
 
Boy does it ever depend on the dog's breed. My Border Collie gets car sick, but my Terrier mix can't get enough of the car. Had a lab/chow mix that looked like a small pure black Newfoundland (110 pounds). He loved to sit in the car and look out the windows, was a big lap dog and a barker. Used to scare other dogs just for the fun of it. ;-) Dogs are great to have around, avoid the parks that don't like them.
 
There are campgrounds that don't allow any animals and others that will boot you out if you leave a dog unattended, barking or not.
We've been full timing for four years and have not been in any campgrounds with rules against leaving your pet unattended in your RV. Unless your pet were being a nuisance.
We've been fortunate in finding some excellent doggy day care places for Fido while we go day tripping. A couple of times I think he had a better day than we did!
For us it would be very difficult, time consuming and expensive if we had to find doggy day care every time we left our coach. We just try to be back within four hours. On days that we will be gone longer than that we look for doggy day care if it's available, if not we don't go.
Traveling with pets can be challenging at times.
:)) :):)
 
The dog traveling with us now (technically my son's dog) does great in the truck,while traveling and in the trailer when set up. She is 60+ pounds, very mellow, and generally sleeps a lot! She never barks when we are gone, but she does give a "whoof" when we are with her and people or dogs come around. In other words, she has zero protection instinct toward things, but does have some toward her people. Our previous dog (Springer Spaniel) barked continuously, and we couldn't take her. Luckily we were just weekenders in those days and could find boarding easily. It really is personality and training instead of size or coat or age.
 
We have travelled with 2 or 3 Newfoundlands. some campfeounds restrict by size or breed, but we have always found a suitable campground to enjoy with our dogs. Normal responsible dog ownership, keeping dogs leashed, cleanup, not tieing out go a long way to being welcome!
 
I'm feeling like it's not a big deal.  Unless, your dog barks incessantly.  But, like I was saying, we plan on not leaving her unattended (much).  But there will be the occasional time where we will need to, for a couple of hours. We will check with the neighbors to see what her behavior was like.

Thanks,
Greg
 
The number one reason folks get RVs is so they can travel with their pets.

I've been 24/7 fulltiming for 8 years. I see lots of lab mixes  in the RV parks. My 6 pound dog gravitates towards them because he is a clown and labs are playful, so they are generally instant friends.

When I fist got my dog and got him settled and housebroken, my neighbors helped me train him to stay alone quietly. Now it's a breeze. When I say "STAY" he knows I am going to lock him inside and go somewhere without him. When i say "WAIT" it means you are coming too, when I get everything ready. I only use the wait when he is getting antsy. Like he sees me organize garbage and 99% of the time I walk him and the garbage out together.

Sometimes I tie him up outside the office to pop in for something. I tell him WAIT and he knows to sit there for a short time til I come back.

When I return from where ever, I reward him with a walk, even if it's just a short one. Like I shop with my RV, so I come back out with groceries. I take the dog and the cart to the front of the store. He loves this cart return!

I used to workamp and I looked for the type of jobs where he would be welcome, so I had all outside work. When I was at the hunter's station, he was there working with me during my entire shift. When I hauled garbage for the state park, he rode with me in the cart. When I cleaned campsites, he was there with me. Even cleaning restrooms, I put him tied up at the door with my cleaning sign.

I had bouts of insomnia, so I often cleaned the RR at 3 or 4 am. I about gave a man a heart attack one night. I was just opening the men's door to come outside, I had finished cleaning at 3am and I had just put the cleaning sign in the closet. I opened up the door to a big man about to reach for the door, standing there horrified to see a woman blocking the entrance. It was kind of funny.

I've never seen anyone thrown out of a campground because of their pet, but some have had visits from management urging them to get their pet under control... or else. I typically stay 1-4 weeks in a camp.

A few places I have stayed won't allow pets in tents because they don't want them left unattended zipped up in a tent.

The biggest problems I've seen is typically  after folks have arrived on vacation and their pet has never been rving with them before, then the whole family takes off and leaves the hapless doggy locked up for the day. For some strange reason many folks leaves= the windows covered up. Then the poor dog either barks himself silly or howls pathetically all day long.

My doggy prefers all the shades up, so that is how I leave him. Sometimes if the stereo is already playing, I just leave it on for him. If it's not playing then I leave it off. I try to include him in my lifestyle so he isn't left alone much. My neighbors helped me train him to stay alone early on, stay quietly.

When I arrive at a camp, as quick as I can get parked and the electricity working, I leave everything else for later, and take my pooch on  a tour of the campground or trails or both. When I come back, I can tether him while I finish up my outside work and he tends to play with a toy waiting on me to finish.

Another mistake is thinking that the 6 foot leash rule applies on your RV lot. Usually you can use a decent tether for your dog to be on while you are outside with him. If the site was really small, I used 2 screw  stakes, run a line, then used a snap hook to attach his leash to the line. Other times I just tie his tether to my front steps and make sure he can't reach the neighbors.

He is friendly but protective. If my neighbors are friendly I try to let them let my dog give them a brief sniff. Then he doesn't feel the need to bark at them when they come and go. My current dog-less neighbor says he loves the extra security. For some reason when my neighbor has company, my dog feels the need to alert the media. I joked with my neighbor, well no one is sneaking up on you either!

When I go inside, he comes inside with me, when I go out, he goes outside with me.  Generally he likes to sit in a chair next to me when we are outside.

Many RV parks have added dog runs and dog parks. I suggested this to an owner in Georgia as outloud wishful thinking. I was shocked that on my next visit there she said "I took your advice. Go see our new dog park!"

So my vote is YES, go get your puppy!

Include him/her in your life and keep them well exercised and never give up on training.

My dog is 7 years old and I am still training him. Which at the time I got him, I had no idea that 2 years later I would take up bicycle riding. My pooch rides in my front basket nearly everywhere I go. He loves the wind in his fur!

Before my RV days, I've had 4 different lab mixes from the pound. They were all so much fun and a thrill to own.

I found my dog needs 3 water dishes. One inside, one outside and a collapsible one I use on the bike and at the dog parks. When traveling I often map out dog parks along the route. We stop, take a break there. My dog has been to countless dog parks this way! It's far nicer than a welcome station on an interstate.
 
I forgot the pictures! ;D
 

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People think we're nuts, but we bought our coach because we had two older dogs that we no longer wanted to leave in kennels or with sitters when we went on vacation. In the 32 months we've had the unit, our 10 year old Collie passed last year and our 14 year old Sheltie is living his last days. We took him with us on this vacation hoping he will survive until we get home and at the moment, he's looking pretty good, so I think he'll make it another four days.

On our last year's vacation, we made plans around getting a replacement for our Collie and picked up a nine week old Collie puppy with about a week left out of a five week vacation. We took a puppy crate with us and he did very well. Now, when he hears me start the generator of the coach when it is parked in the driveway, he gets excited because he loves going on trips. He is now 17 months old and doing very well on this vacation. Tomorrow, we pick up a rescue smooth Collie we are driving 600 miles out of our way to adopt before we head home and we expect no problems from him, either.

As said before, parks that do not allow pets to be left alone are referring to them being left outside. Your biggest problem is usually if the pet suffers separation anxiety and barks or whines incessantly after you leave and leave them inside the RV. You can always check with your neighbors to see if that is occurring.

I would stay on the breeder's list if I were you because we won't go anywhere without our four legged children.
 
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