ok dog owners help us decide

Brumeiser

Total Disney Nut
Joined
Jun 6, 2000
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we are debating for my 7 year old son for Christmas a dog. We have been cat people all our lives and we are starting to decide about a dog. What we are wondering we see many people travel with there dogs. What do you do with your dog while you site see at a museum, amusement park etc for the day. We have a class c motorhome so we unhook everyday and do our site seeing. Do you buy a small kennel to put the dog in the motorhome or what do you do with the pet? We have been doing some research and what is (matting) something to do with the fur what is that? Is that brushing the dog every day. How many times do you walk the dog in a day? Thanks everyone for your input.
 
If I could not leave the air conditioner on, I would not leave a pet in an RV. We have never had a problem leaving our dog in our travel trailer at our camp site.
 
We have a TT and if its more than a trip to town we book our dog into a kennel. Before we travel anywhere we always find the local vet and dog boarding and call ahead to see if they just board for the day and find out the hours of operation. There part of the family and they need to be protected. Also make sure they have had the shot for kennel cough. You dont want your dog to get sick while in one.
 
As a life long dog owner I think it is a great decision, at 7 your son will be able to help care for the dog. I would suggest that you give him a leash or a dog toy for Christmas and then after the holidays go pick out a dog. Especiallly if you are thinking about a puppy, they need a lot of attention the first few weeks they are in your home and that can be hard to do at Christmas. We did the same think for our 5 year old a few years ago and she really liked that she was able to have a say in which dog she got.
As for travelling if you can leave the air conditioner on in the trailer then the dog will have no problem staying in the trailer for a few hours at a time. I would suggest you crate train your dog they are natural den dwellers and a crate with a blanket over it gives them their own space and makes it easy to transport them safely.
As for matting that is when the dog's hair bunches up into a wad that you can not easily comb out and it is usually easier to cut the mat off, these can be avoided by regular brushing the amount of brushing will depend on the type of dog you get. As for walking we take our dog out atleast once a day unless the weather is horrible, sometimes depending on the weather and schedules she gets walked 3 or 4 times in one day.
Over the years I have had pure breds, mutts and pound rescues all have been great dogs as long as you are willing to put the time in early on training and showing the dog that you are the boss. I have owned one cat and it was a nice one there is nothing to compare to the love that a dog can give back. Enjoy.
 

We are life-long dog owners as well, and I can't imagine our life without them. We got the camper just so we wouldn't have to leave them behind! We leave the a/c on, and there's never been a problem. It may be fun for your family to research different breeds - Some have their own personality traits and care requirements. Good luck!
 
More than anything else, crate train them.
It will be easier and safer to leave them crated when traveling.
Nobody wants, needs a dog jumping on the while going down the road at 75 mph.
And I know of a guy whose dog loved to jump up, and it lock him out of his motorhome once, and another time stepped on the dash mount sewer pump switch.
Leaving them in strange places, such as kennels, vets, etc, they will crate them so why cause undo anxiety by making the first trip to a kennel or vet the first time they are put in a crate, get them used to it.
I dont leave my dogs crated at home but it came in handy when the were small, or sick or left in a hotel or motorhome.
Some people think its wrong, and will tell you so, they are wrong.
Ever see the result of a puppy left at home that chewed thru an extension cord, crate them.
 
We have a Class C also and have 2 dogs. We started traveling late in their lives (they were about 10 before we got the RV) and we have never put them in a kennel. That's just us. We go to FW/WDW about 5 times a year and they stay in the RV with the air cranked up full. We only leave them for about 5 hours at a time so we can check to make sure the air is still running. They also need plenty of out of RV time so we take them on walks, to the dog park and spend time with them. If you use your RV for transportation to other places (we don't) you would need to leave the generator on or find a kennel. We have rented a car on a couple trips so it eliminates the RV issue. Lots of attractions in Florida have kennels due to the fact of the heat and it is illegal to leave pets in a car.

Having said all that I want to reiterate two points: 1. Don't get a dog for Christmas. It is too hectic a time of year and puppies and any new dog needs lots of quiet time to get used to his surroundings and 2. Crate train! I wish we had kept it up. We will with out next dogs. It makes travel much easier and safer, although we do use dog seat belt restraints.

Whatever you decide have fun and socialize that puppy or dog. They will make a better traveling companion.
 
You can avoid the matting problem by getting a short haired dog, like a beagle. There are problems, however, with shedding. At least twice a year we can sweep up enough fur around the place to make another dog on a weekly basis. Compared to the Yorkie, though, we are saving a bundle on grooming fees. A long haired dog like a Yorkie has hair, not fur, and it continuously grows, making daily grooming a necessity.

Mickey was crate trained as a puppy, and doesn't mind being in the crate at all. In fact, we keep it in the basement with the door open and he goes into it when he wants to be alone, despite having the run of the house.

Breeds have certain characteristics which are breed specific. Beagles, for instance, like most hounds, are "vocal" to put it mildly. If you want a quiet dog, don't get a beagle. They also have a strong tracking instinct and sometimes go on track and won't stop for anything - running for miles to the point where they get lost. I always keep mine on lead for that reason. They are, however, the ultimate family pet - gentle with kids, loyal to the end to their family, amazing watch dogs, fierce defenders of their pack if they need to be. In case you didn't realize it, I am a real beagle fan. I have owned many breeds throughout my life, but none with the personality of my beagle. To top it off, he saved me from getting my head beat in one night, so he will forever have a place in my heart.
 
Please make sure that you have enough time to devote to a puppy/dog before you introduce one into your lives.

Having a cat and having a dog is totally different.
Cats are pretty much self sufficent. As long as they have food, water, and a litter box you can pretty much leave them alone for a very long day or a weekend get away. They really could care less if you had to work late, decided to go out for dinner instead of coming straight home, that you need to run a few errands, your child has activities they attend 2 night a week, etc.
Dogs need and depend on you to be there- especially to be left outside to go to the bathroom.
DH and I were debating on a new puppy for the youngest kids. (Our last dog had to be put to sleep when DD was very young, she has no memory of her other than pictures. Oldest DH grew up with her as his best friend. )
A new puppy sounded fun and exciting. The kids would love one. But the more we really thought about how active our lives are, how we would need to make sure that we are home after x amount of hours or arrange for someone to leave the dog out, having to poop scoop the yard again, etc., we realized that we were not ready to commit to what a dog would require from us. It just would not be fair to the puppy/dog.

Hopefully one day we hope to be able to add another dog to our family, but for now we have our cat (appropriately name TROUBLE)

Good luck on your decision.
 
We prefer to adopt a rescue. we usually get a Lab Mix. We have found that a dog of 1 to 1 1/2 years is much easier to train and is past the puppy stage. But still bonds quickly with you. Make sure you crate train and teach the dog basic rules. Get a good training system You must learn to do it yourself. Get the one by the Dogfather.com or the Dog whisperer.
Remember a good or great dog is one that is well trained. Training is the most important thing in a dogs life. Do not take the dog to petco or petsmart for training this is the biggest rip-off since printer ink. For less than the price of 1 of the lessons you can get the DVDs from the dogfather or the books from the dog whisperer. I prefer the DVDs that way you can watch how it's done.

Your 7 year old son cannot train the dog. You will have to do it but they can be best friends.

I would suggest that you get the training material before you get a dog. Watch them if you think you can't do it or dont have the time. Don't get him a dog get him a cat.
 
We have always been dog owners. When we travel, we always bring their crates. They , 2 dogs, stay in their crates while we are not in the motorhome. We have a 1983 Pace Arrow that is 31 feet long. It does not have slide outs. Our dogs are a cocker spaniel and a schnoodle. The cocker sheds and the schoodle does not. I would not recommend a cocker because they have a lot of health problems and they do shed. The schnoodle is great. She is 12 pounds and does not shed. We keep her groomed so there is not a problem with knots. Also, we groom her ourselves. We enjoy traveling with our dogs and have never encountered a problem with them. Hope this helps.:earsboy:
 
I agree crate training is great. I started crate training Maggie when I first got her 8 weeks, it was a very natural experience for her. I recently adopted a Golden retriever rescue about 2 years and it has been a working experience, but we are getting through this. I want to tell you about an experience we had while camping at a State park luckily we were still there ween the power went off for 8 hours the day before we had run into town and were gone for a while. Here in Florida it gets hot inside with out the AC. I have learned to leave my cell phone number with the ranger just in case.
I also think it's a good ideal to wait until after the holiday's then your son could aid to the decision. I also wanted to put this out there... there are alot of good good dogs in shelters and rescue groups. You may want to check them out.
 
You've gotten some great advice from other dog lovers -- good luck with your decision! We're dog lovers here, and love camping with our pup.

As a professional dog trainer for 20 years, I will add my two cents, though...please avoid the "dog whisperer" stuff. You'd be better served to hop in a time machine and travel back to the dark ages of dog training where people really believed that dogs were wolves. Here in the 21st century, we thankfully know better and don't train with archaic methods:

Using "Dominance" to Explain Dog Behavior is Old Hat

Beyond Cesar Milan

Position Statement: American Veterinary Society on Animal Behavior (debunking dominance myth)
-- this is a PDF file

Not picking on you, Pirate Jeff; Milan just makes my toes curl and I feel badly that people with good intentions don't realize that his style of training has been outdated for a while and it can be cruel.

...off my soapbox and back to dreaming about Disney!
 
I have used some of the dog whisperer methods, some, and they do work... I was ready to give our dog away 2 years ago and he's like a new dog. Still has some issues but not like the problems we were having before.

Not saying there aren't other methods out there that work also, but these were small easy things and alot about successful dog ownership is behavior modification of the dog but actually the owner's behaviour...understanding Ceasar's methods helped me see the things I was doing wrong....it really wasn't about me dominating him as much is it was recognizing how stupid I had been when it came to the obvious...LOL

Anyway, I think small dogs, crate trained for their and your trailer/mh safety is ideal. I would also recommend you look for breeds that don't have fur, instead going with breeds that have hair, as they don't shed or have the allergy issues that fur dogs have. Yes, you may have matting, but if you keep them clipped shorter, it's not an issue.

We have a shih tzu and wee keep his hair in a "puppy cut" and no matting, no shedding, no allergies (both my son and myself are allergic to dogs with fur). There are many varieties with hair and also cross breeds like "shih poo" and Malty-poo etc. so there are lots of options. Of course check your shelters first and stay away from pet shops.

We take him with us and leave him in the crate provided the trailer has elec access for the air conditioning. Otherwise board the dog or have a friend take it while you are gone if you expect to be away from the site often.
 
I've been doing border collie rescue for over 9 years now and have 3 of my own that camp with us (we're all here at the Fort now in fact!)

Just wanted to add that choosing what kind of dog/puppy to get is a really big decision and not something to rush. Agree with PP about getting your son a leash/collar for Christmas and then taking your time to choose the right dog after the fact. The first 6 mos. of a puppies life are super critical to what kind of dog you're going to live with for the next 10-15 years (or more) and you need to be prepared to spend the time it takes to do it right or you'll be spending many many years trying to fix things - or worse, giving your dog up.

Please do your research if you're getting a purebred dog. Choose a dog based on your family's lifestyle, not what they look like. Personality, temperament, energy level, grooming needs and if they fit with your family's day to day routine are much more important that looks. Trust me! In rescue, we've had more young pups dumped in rescue that were bought (often on impulse with no research at all) because people liked the looks/size/brains of a border collie, but had no idea at all what it was like to LIVE with one. Please take your time and choose carefully.

There's an excellent book by Ian Dunbar called "Before and After Getting Your Puppy" that I would strongly recommend you read before you get your pup. Raising a puppy well is a LOT of work (speaking from experience here) - and that's just the housetraining. ;) If you don't have the time/energy to devote to such a young dog, I'd also recommend you consider adopting an older dog. The advantage is that you know what you're getting when you work with a reputable shelter/rescue in terms of size/temperament/personality, and you don't have to go through all the extra "puppy work." Just please be equally careful that you check out the shelter/rescue you adopt from. Sadly, not all are reputable, and even some that are well meaning really don't do such a fantastic job of finding out as much about their dogs as they can so they can make a proper match.

When it comes to camping with your pup - lots of great advice already. I'll just add to take it slow and don't expect your dog to just instantly take to camping the first time out. Crate training your dog can help, and in our case we planned to have the first day or so of our very first trip to the Fort with our dogs to get them acclimated and establish a schedule/routine that works for them. We're now on our 5th trip here (all of 2-3 weeks) and we're up to 3 dogs now, and I can happily report that EVERYone is having a good time. Takes a little extra time/work on our part - we have very active dogs that can't just sit around all day happily/quietly. We make sure to get them plenty of exercise each day before we head out to the parks, and then we leave them with safe, stuffed toys to chomp on in their crates while we're gone. We also leave the air/fan on, blinds closed and the TV on - what they can't see/hear they can't bark at, and we don't ever want to be "those people" whose dogs yap in the camper all day and annoy our neighbors. But with a little extra effort, everyone can have a happy, fun time. :thumbsup2

OK, I've rambled on enough. Good luck and I hope you'll post pics of your new pup when you bring him/her home!! :dogdance:
 
Oh, and one more VERY important thing....

I know you're getting this dog for your son, but please choose the dog that YOU want. We've seen tons of dogs dumped in rescue because the kids lost interest, went to college, etc.. and mom/dad were left with a dog they really didn't have the time/energy/want for.

My neighbors were smart about it. When their twin 12 yo girls begged for a dog - they wanted a border collie (because they loved our dogs). Dad wanted a big Golden because that's what he grew up with. Mom said, "hey, I know that *I* am going to be the one left taking care of/training this dog, no matter what you all say, so *I* am picking."

She did, and sure enough it turned out exactly as she thought. Luckily she chose a dog that worked for her (and as it turned out everyone else too) and everyone is living happily ever after. :goodvibes
 
At first our beagle, Dora, hated the camper... didn't want to go near it. We started her out camping in the side yard on Saturday nights. By the time we went on the first trip she (and we) was comfortable with it. She wanted to spend the time INSIDE with the air conditioning and not with us out under the trees in the shade. :rotfl2:
 
We have a crate in our FW for our new puppy that we put him in whenever we are gone, and just leave the A/C and the TV on. I take him out for a walk about 2-3 times a day. Our old dog we use to leave loose in the camper while we were away. We have never had any problems.
 
Mickey went driveway camping with me a couple nights ago. He loves camping. I'm trying to get him used to the new camper, but too many smells for that inquisitive beagle nose - he's just way too busy to settle down and sleep.
 
Mickey went driveway camping with me a couple nights ago. He loves camping. I'm trying to get him used to the new camper, but too many smells for that inquisitive beagle nose - he's just way too busy to settle down and sleep.

OK Jim, where's the pictures of the new camper??!!!!!
 












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