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Old 07-24-2014, 05:01 PM   #1
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Just bought a puppy - camping with a dog questions

Hey everyone,

So my wife and I just put a deposit down on a golden retriever puppy, and will be picking him up in a few weeks. I'm going to find & talk to a vet regarding how long we need to wait before we can take him camping with us in the 5th wheel (as far as shots are concerned when exposing him to nature), but my question to you all, is what would you recommend / have used that makes it easier to travel with a dog? Any advice on things to watch out for?

Obviously we will have a 30 or 40ft cable to tie him up with, and we are considering getting one of those mobile play pens that you can break down pretty easily. We have a full size crate that we bought for him to sleep in, but I'm weary on whether or not it'll actually fit through the trailer door LOL. So I might have to buy a smaller one for when he's a pup, and then once he's older and trained, we won't need to worry about him sleeping in the crate.

Anyways, just looking for any input that might be helpful. Thanks!
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Old 07-24-2014, 06:12 PM   #2
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First thing when you pick him up, start him off wearing a seat belt harness and hook him up every trip, even if it's around the block. This is not only for his safety, but yours as well, you don't need an energy fill pup jumping all over you when you drive. Keep him in the back seat, airbags can kill a dog.

Second please do not chain him out when he's a puppy, chaining a dog can cause them to become frustrated and lead to aggression. Do get a play pen for him and use it at home as well as while camping.

Third crate train him from a pup, it's in a dogs DNA to den up in a place where they can just stand up and turn around. When you are busy and need to get things done put him in his safe place. When you go out and leave him alone, put him in the crate, he can't get in trouble and chew through that nice new leather sofa or get into something that can injure him. When you go camping and have to leave him in the camper put him in his crate. If you are going to be gone for a while, make sure you leave him enough water, we leave a large chunk of ice, with a bit of water. If the water bowl gets knocked over the ice is still there for them to lick.

Most importantly enjoy your new pup, give him lots of chew toys and play with those chew toys with him. We have been very fortunate with or dogs, we have only had one accident where the puppy forgot and chewed up an old slipper. It wasn't a big deal because they should have been in the trash, we just took the slipper away and gave her one of her chew toys and never looked back.
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Old 07-24-2014, 07:46 PM   #3
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With four daughters who own a total of 6 dogs, which I am proud to say include 4 rescue dogs, just about every family camping trip is "dogs allowed"

A few tips from my experience...

I agree with the post above, most campgrounds have too many obstacles to chain a dog.

Always cage/kennel a dog when your away, even an older/trained dog will scratch/chew/tear when confined in an unfamiliar place. I leave the dogs kenneled in the garage of the toy hauler with the AC running.

You can make an inexpensive collapsible pen with wire fence panels and zip ties from the farm supply store.

I am usually able to recruit a young teen from the campground to dog sit for a nominal fee while we're away. Since all the dogs are house trained this usually just involves letting them out for a potty break.

We always enjoy the company of our four legged friends on camping trips!!!
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Old 07-24-2014, 10:39 PM   #4
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Our two puppies joined us last year and were introduced to our previous 5th wheel right away. For starters we never tied them up outside. We did have a dog fence that we put up outside and they stayed in that till they out grew it. The puppies were walked often to socialize them and we looked for RV parks with fenced dog runs. They're 1.5 years old now and travel with us everywhere we go. They are content to stay by themselves in our Voltage while we sight-see and we routinely walk them and take them to the dog runs. Plus they love having the back patio ramp access for the additional room to run in the trailer. They're great RV dogs and I hope your's works out as well.
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Old 07-25-2014, 12:09 AM   #5
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We have a rescue dog that we take with us on every camping trip. Be sure you have your papers with you at all times, shot records, etc. some camp grounds require proof of vaccination. We have trained her to use a crate and usually chills out in the crate out side with us. The best crates are the metal cage type, they give the dog full view. The metal grates also easily fold up to a very compact size, we bought ours at tractor supply. We also bought an auto retracting 30' leash that we use from time to time, but we do not leave her on it. We walk her every chance we get, helps her get used to the area and she loves meeting the neighbors! She has a dog bed that she uses at home, we bring that and leave it on the floor in the camper, it gives her a comfort zone to retreat to. We love having our pup with us and she loves camping, so much that when we are home and I let her outside, she runs directly to the camper and waits to see if we are hitting the road again.
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Old 07-25-2014, 12:28 AM   #6
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Our rescue dog travels with us a fair bit and loves camping! He is Jack Russel/Walker Treeing Hound. We have to keep him on a lead at all times, if he gets his nose on a scent he will be two counties away before you can set your drink down. He is allowed to run on our acreage at home. (I have 17 acres of our 40 contained by invisible fence). He does pretty well on a leash and when he is in hound mode is a great couch potato. We haven't bothered to try and crate train him (yet). He wants to be right with us and sleeps on the floor at the foot of the bed at home or on the road. He loves people and wants to meet everybody whether they want to meet him or not.

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Old 07-25-2014, 02:39 AM   #7
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Cute pup! Ours is a cattle dog/ corgy mix, she is definitely a runner as well and loves to chase rabbits, squirrels, mice anything that moves. The leash is a must item if you want to relax. We had a issue one time with her getting away and running through the camp ground. Luckily she and I ended up at the neighbors just in time for breakfast so I couldn't be too upset at her, the bacon was calling!!!
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Old 07-25-2014, 03:18 AM   #8
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Originally Posted by mictin2 View Post
Cute pup! Ours is a cattle dog/ corgy mix, she is definitely a runner as well and loves to chase rabbits, squirrels, mice anything that moves. The leash is a must item if you want to relax. We had a issue one time with her getting away and running through the camp ground. Luckily she and I ended up at the neighbors just in time for breakfast so I couldn't be too upset at her, the bacon was calling!!!
Been there, my hound dog something is a little too smart for her own good. Last year we were at the NASCAR races in Dover DE, she decided she wanted to go for a little stroll, so she unlatched her crate, opened the dead bolted camper door and went for a little run.

People were trying their best to get her to come to them but she's not to sure about strangers. She kept coming back to the camper, but couldn't get in until the fellow that was behind us came over and opened the door wide so she could get back in, then shut the door behind her.

It really didn't surprise me that much, she's always unlocking and opening the doors at home. I had to put locks on the gate latches so she can't open the gates.

I love dogs, they keep us young and laughing.
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Old 07-25-2014, 03:35 AM   #9
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http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00A...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That is where our chocolate lab sleeps when we go camping
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Old 07-25-2014, 03:38 AM   #10
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About the shots, I get the basic annual shots and blood work done but ensure you treat them for ticks and fleas. Ticks are getting to be a huge problem right now.

I use this. Paid about $50.00 cheaper vs. getting the same stuff at the vet

http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B004...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Old 07-25-2014, 04:16 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by WASABI View Post
About the shots, I get the basic annual shots and blood work done but ensure you treat them for ticks and fleas. Ticks are getting to be a huge problem right now.

I use this. Paid about $50.00 cheaper vs. getting the same stuff at the vet

http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B004...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Makes me happy that I live in a place where we don't have a flea problem, they just don't survive in our climate. Ticks can be another problem, but the girls all get a lot of huggin' and pettin' when we get back from their forest service road runs.

We don't have heartworm around here either, but I give them heartwoom chews, just in the one in a gazillion chance that a visiting dog has heartworm and the mosquito that bites them bites one of ours. Heartworm has got to be one of the ugliest things I have ever seen that can afflict a dog.

I like the tent that would be great if we only had one dog, but I'm a sucker for the seniors that get stuck in the SPCA. My wife has said that I can't have any more 3 dogs at a time. At least I got her to come around on the senior thing.
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Old 07-26-2014, 01:40 AM   #12
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The part of the country I live in, heart worm and flea/tick stuff is mandatory year round. I use Front Line Plus for the flea and tick control. I am more apt to find ticks on me than on him. He also gets a bath about once a month with good quality shampoo. We control fleas and ticks on our acreage with a flock of guinea hens, they do a pretty good job.

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Old 07-26-2014, 02:36 AM   #13
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Originally Posted by wahoonc View Post
The part of the country I live in, heart worm and flea/tick stuff is mandatory year round. I use Front Line Plus for the flea and tick control. I am more apt to find ticks on me than on him. He also gets a bath about once a month with good quality shampoo. We control fleas and ticks on our acreage with a flock of guinea hens, they do a pretty good job.

Aaron
I'll make a note, so when we are headed your way we'll give the girls a flea and tick treatment.
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Old 07-26-2014, 10:54 PM   #14
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We just got back from a 10 day camping trip in Colorado where we took our 10 month Corgi/Schnauzer. There are a lot of places that were dog friendly, on leash. She even got to go on the train ride in Cripple Creek. Leash training is a must if staying in campgrounds. She also rides on the ATV's with us; with a seatbelt-type harness for safety.
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Old 07-27-2014, 05:12 AM   #15
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We just got back from a 10 day camping trip in Colorado where we took our 10 month Corgi/Schnauzer. There are a lot of places that were dog friendly, on leash. She even got to go on the train ride in Cripple Creek. Leash training is a must if staying in campgrounds. She also rides on the ATV's with us; with a seatbelt-type harness for safety.
It's great that there are plces like Cripple Creek, that let you take your dog.

We have an Air Tram across Hell's Gate on the Fraser River, they are also dog freindly, our dogs love to go across. They all want their turn being picked up so they can look out the window.

Our gilrs also ride in the ATVs, we don't hook them up on the ATVs though, where we ride we have some pretty severe trails and if we go over, I don't want them going over the edge with the ATV. In the truck absolutely mandatory that they wear their seatbelts. Seen too many pictures of dogs a our vets, that have been in wrecks, a lot of them were pretty badly injured.
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Old 07-28-2014, 02:52 PM   #16
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Wow, thanks for all the replies everyone.

We are definitely excited to bring the pup with us on a camping trip, and its good to hear how many of you do that, and how enjoyable its is for you and the pups.

I'm eager to go pick him up in a couple more weeks, and start the training. I'll look into some of the links shared and get setup for a camping trip, just as soon as he's gotten all his shots and can be around other animals etc.
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