Traveling with large dogs?

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Birdakl

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Jul 6, 2018
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We?re off on the maiden voyage with our dogs later this week. We have two large dogs, 60 and 75 pounds and a 29 foot Class C. What do you all do with your dogs? Harness, crates, let them have free reign? Free reign scares me, just as it would having a human wander around while rolling down the road. Thanks in advance!
 
It is not allowed for dogs to be off leash in an RV park or a campground. Many parks have limits as to the size and the number of pets allowed. It is best to check first before making reservations.
 
If I understand your question correctly, you are asking what to do with your dog while traveling down the road?
As a former insurance agent I cannot tell you the number of horror stories I have heard while taking claims for auto accidents. Not only dogs that caused accidents by jumping in drivers lap or bumping shoulder etc. but think of it this way...if Fido is not belted in, and your are rear ended...or suddenly have to swerve Fido becomes a 75 lb missile projecting around the cabin of your auto injuring himself, but also any passengers in the vehicle.  I have taken claims where tiny dogs were sitting in the back seat and wound up hitting the windshield when the car was rear ended. Not to mention airbags exploding in their face. Broken facial bones etc. another thought, if Fido is loose in the car and you are injured in an accident Fido will do his best to protect you from strangers...including the paramedics who are there to help you. I always harness my 50 lb Labrador to a seat belt anytime she is traveling with me.
One other point to consider. If Fido is injured in an accident...no matter who is at fault his vet bills are not covered under insurance. Unfortunately pets are considered private property and not a living breathing thing when it comes to insurance. This means they will reimburse for the ?calue? Of the dog if they are deceased but they will not pay for their medical attention. If the other driver is at fault, you can always try to take them to small claims for the vet bills unfortunately that takes a lot of time one, pati nice and money. It?s better to harness and hope they don?t get injured :)
Just my perspective
 
We have three labs, all 80+ pounds. We have a fifth wheel, so they normally ride in the back of the truck with the seats folded up. We have been toying with the idea of moving to a class A or super C, and I have those same concerns about the dogs. I really don?t want to crate them, so I am interested in this topic too. My initial feeling is to just let them roam and hope I don?t do something stupid driving. I know, ?hope is not a strategy?.  ?
 
SeilerBird said:
It is not allowed for dogs to be off leash in an RV park or a campground. Many parks have limits as to the size and the number of pets allowed. It is best to check first before making reservations.

And some breeds are not allowed. I won't get into what breeds but i think most of us know.
 
Thanks for your replies. I have already checked the rules regarding what kind of dogs are allowed and respective leashing rules. I was indeed specifically asking about treatment of them riding down the road and what best practice is. We will definitely harness them for the trip. That seems safest!
 
I had an old English Sheepdog riding with me in a class C for a year. I had three cats traveling with me for several years in a class A. I never worried about them at all. They just layed down and accepted traveling as a part of their life. They all did just fine.
 
We travel with two large Akitas (110 & 85 lbs).  They ride in our truck, a crew cab and we have never had an issue in travelling with them and seem reasonably secure in the relatively small space as opposed to say a van or in a motorhome in which case crating or securing with a seat belt harness system for dogs would be a good and the safest option for them.
 
Thank Goodness our furry companions have reduced in size & number. one 15# ^ one 12# travel together in crate strapped to sofs.  Or  crate in bagk of Toad on day trips.  In the TruckCamper they travel inna crate strapped onto the back seat,  Sorry to say in earlier times we were neglectful pet parents we allowed them to roam free 25 - 50 #'ers. Don't know how we would handle Shepherds or Labs now-- but they wouldn't be loose.  JM2?  ~~  YMMV

TakeCare  ~~  TravelSafe  ~~  HaveFun                          ~~ Kate ~
 
Rene T said:
And some breeds are not allowed. I won't get into what breeds but i think most of us know.
I saw that as I was researching where to stay on our cross country trip. I have a 100 pound mastiff pitbull mix, and a lot of places say. "no aggressive dog breeds" which I assume my guy falls into that category. I can understand no aggressive dogs, people shouldn't be bringing aggressive dogs anyway, but no aggressive dog breeds is pretty generalized and not too fair in my opinion.

To add onto what others have said, I've actually been in an accident with my dog in the car, and he is VERY protective, We had to be rescued out of the vehicle and to protect the responders, I had to tell them not to approach us until the dog was secured. That never crossed my mind before, so now we're more careful.
 
I have class A and while traveling with my 2 mid sized dogs we put their harness on and attach the leash to the couch seat belts where they lay on either side of my wife.
 
RVMommaTo6 said:
no aggressive dog breeds is pretty generalized and not too fair in my opinion.


Agree. My avatar picture is of my youngest daughter's Pit mix, one of the sweetest, most cuddly dogs I've known. Look at that tongue!!  ;D
 
Another reason for crating or harnessing a pet while you travel is that in an accident, they will likely run off.  I have known people in RVs who have lost pets in an accident.  Dogs might come when called, assuming you personally are not too injured to search for them, but cats just take off and never come back.
 
Unfortunately, we have decided to postpone our trip due to a weather ?system? causing high rain chances. But, I appreciate everyone?s input and have already ordered some harnesses for the dogs. Better safe than sorry!!
 
Another reason for crating or harnessing a pet while you travel is that in an accident, they will likely run off.

I was going to add that also. Youre actually more likely to lose your animal than to have it injured in the accident. That said, my dog roams free, but he typically just lays on the couch or sits in the passenger seat. Once I pull off the highway, he gets up and stands behind me on the couch and looks over my shoulder.

I looked for a good restraint system for him a few years ago, but couldnt find any that were reliable. According to the reviews I read, many of them came unhooked in an accident. I gave up looking after awhile, but think I should go back to it. Im sure theyve made some impmrovements by now.
 
A few years ago, we decided before a long cross country trip to get seat belt harnesses for our two dogs. One figured out what the red button on the seat belt does and continually released herself whenever we belted her in. And the other got so stressed out, he turned around so may times on the seat, he choked himself. So the harnesses, for us, were a waste of money.

We now have two Collies - 54 and 62 lbs. - so they're good sized dogs, along with a mini Aussie puppy that will get up to about 30 lbs. We crate the puppy in a car carrier while we are on the road but give the big dogs the run of the coach. Without fail, they will lay down in the floor behind our seats, or one will take the couch and the other will take the doghouse. They don't get up and wander at all until they need to go outside. Then, they'll come up and let us know it's time. If one or both were to begin to get rowdy, we would leash them to the seatbelts on the couch. The biggest problem this has caused us so far is my wife trying to step between them when going for a soda in the fridge.

Because I travel with precious cargo, I make sure to pay attention to the road and what is in front of me at all times. The primary cause of accidents is not paying attention. Because Collies have a tendency for motion sickness, and because I tow, I have gotten into the habit of always making slow starts, turns, lane changes and stops or slowdowns. This combined with watching the road as far ahead as visually possible allows me more stopping distance in the event an accident is about to occur.  Knock on wood, but I have never had to slam on the brakes yet in my coach, and I have never had a dog come forward due to a sudden slowdown or stop. Accordingly, I feel giving my dogs freedom to move around and lay comfortably on the floor is worth the chance of an accident and not having them belted in. Of course, no one can ever drive defensively enough to avoid every accident and you can never trust the other driver, but I feel good about putting in over 2,000,000 miles without having an accident on the road. Of course, I'm the guy who runs into his own mailbox trying to back the coach in the driveway.  ;D
 
if you get a good harness such as something from ruff wear, and a seat belt attachment... they keep dog in place and safe. while still having room to sit or lay down. My service dog usually lays on the floor board in the back seat. I feel like that's the safest place for him and i like that i know he's getting heat or a/c down there as long as i have the air going to feet.
 

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