When I began traveling about the country in an RV, I was surprised to see how many RV owners had pets, especially dogs, with them. On second thought, it made sense. If you are traveling for more than a week or so, boarding a beloved animal companion seems heartless, and most campgrounds are pet-friendly. Why not take Fido or Fluffy along? Besides the other advantages, having a dog along can easily lead to meeting other RV owners. A friendly dog is almost as useful as a cute toddler in that respect.
Certain breeds are better
than others for RV travel. A terrier or Chihuahua doesn’t need the space that a
larger dog does, eats less, poops less. Gentle, friendly breeds are also indicated—hopefully,
you’re not using the dog as a watchdog!
Some traits can make a pet
less suitable for the RV life. I have seen cat owners spend hours vacuuming cat
hair out of the upholstery. Cats need to have a litter box, too; and they can
escape from a vehicle in an instant.
Campgrounds often are
crowded, and so having a dog that barks often or is aggressive is out. (Here I
must add that I would never own a pit
bull or other notoriously aggressive breed, whether at home or on the road. I
had a terrible experience with pit bulls years ago, so I’m more frightened of
them than most people are, but it’s not just me. The web site www.dogsbite.org gives many
stats on the subject.) Some campgrounds even refuse to allow certain breeds.
Lest I sound like a
dog-hating grouch, let me say that I do like
dogs in general. In fact, for 32 years I helped raise a series of wonderful Scottish
terriers. Though in principle I think it’s preferable to adopt a mutt from a
shelter, in practice my late husband and I bought pedigreed puppies because we
knew exactly what to expect. We never had an RV, but Scotties would have been
ideal for the RV life I have today. They are small enough to adapt to the limited
space, but big enough not to disappear easily into a moving slide. Loyal and
protective, they always made me feel safe when alone at home or walking them at
night. They are cute! (Older people who remembered FDR’s Fala were especially attracted
to our dogs.) All these traits would make them ideal for RV campgrounds.
Much as I loved our dogs,
today I prefer not to have one. Thirty-two years of feeding, walking, and
cleaning up after them was enough! Also, many of the places we go in the
RV—museums, many hiking trails, visitors’ centers—don’t allow dogs for good
reasons. We would have to miss out on those places altogether or take turns
with dog sitting. Leaving a dog unattended for more than a short time is
usually a bad idea, and in hot weather it is simply impossible.
If I were a solo RV traveler,
I’d take a dog with me in spite of these disadvantages. (Perhaps I’ve read too
many of Sue Henry's mysteries about Maxie McNabb and her miniature dachshund,
Stretch, who travel in a Minnie Winnie. Invariably in those books, some
evildoer tries to break into their RV.) In addition to making me feel safer, a
dog would be a fine substitute for a human traveling companion. Scotties can be
stubborn, but I’d win any arguments!
