How do you control your dog at campground?

[MaxB]

Not crazy about the phrase "control your dog," but couldn't think of better wording right now. We have 2 German Shepherds and I was wondering how others who travel with their dogs, particularly big dogs maintain them outside of the RV?

I saw one approach where the owner put a cable between two trees and put the leashes onto the cable so that the dogs could move around. What do you do?

Thanks in advance for all ideas.

MaxB

[okcnewbie]

You did use the word "control" so here goes nothin.....

To me it starts with training. The dog(s) have to be trained and know who is boss. My last Lab would have only needed a leash because it was a rule. I don't think my yellow lab would have been great at campgrounds in reality. Just a little to rambunctious.

[Hatchee]

Two year old 65 lb lab/boxer with tons of energy to burn. Training harness, leash, and at least 15 minutes of training 5x weekly for months prior to RV trip. When we stayed in a campground, we took him for a long hike or run every day. He was on leash w/chest harness next to us when sitting outside. Never had an issue except once from a "one night" neighbor that panicked when he saw a large dog....he was obviously afraid of dogs. The remainder of that day, our dog was either in the RV.

We have been pleasantly surprised by how many fellow RVers love dogs!!

[MaxB]

Originally Posted by Hatchee

Two year old 65 lb lab/boxer with tons of energy to burn. Training harness, leash, and at least 15 minutes of training 5x weekly for months prior to RV trip. When we stayed in a campground, we took him for a long hike or run every day. He was on leash w/chest harness next to us when sitting outside. Never had an issue except once from a "one night" neighbor that panicked when he saw a large dog....he was obviously afraid of dogs. The remainder of that day, our dog was either in the RV.

We have been pleasantly surprised by how many fellow RVers love dogs!!

Our Shepherds are well behaved, so I don't want to give the impression that when I said "control" I meant with undisciplined dogs. I'm actually looking for ideas as to how you contain them when outside on your campsite. Do you carry protable fencing, tie them up to something with a long leash, etc.? Wht do you do to give your dogs access to your campsite? Sorry if I had folks think differently.

[magicbus]

We carry two 10' cable tie-outs we hook around the picnic table for our 60+ lb Labs and they are never outside without one of us.

[Squerly]

Originally Posted by MaxB

We have 2 German Shepherds and I was wondering how others who travel with their dogs, particularly big dogs maintain them outside of the RV?

Two GSD's for us as well. One is 8, the other is 3.

The older one has his act together and will sit beside us, or lay down beside us, and is fine. We still have him on a leash of course, but he doesn't require much verbal input to stay put.

The younger one is a bit of a problem. The breeder told us he was a "high prey animal" but I didn't really understand what that meant. But I sure do now...

He can be a handful and we have to keep an eye on him constantly. He's the smaller of the two but he gets the BIG leash and the e-collar.

When we are in the less populated areas, we use the longer line (about 30') and either hook the dogs to them or string them out between two trees (or something similar) and let them move around. But like I said, that's in the less populated areas.

[fcbbob15]

As said well trained and a good harness. I use the tactical (chest) on my two Labs. It takes time and a willingness to work with them. Both are good now, don't really need the leash but use them as per the rules. It's the other non trained dogs and owners that I worry about. At the campsite I use two 20ft. cables. Previously I used the Kong harness but found they could snap them. A well trained dog is much more fun to travel with.

[Russ Silber]

Originally Posted by Squerly

Two GSD's for us as well. One is 8, the other is 3.

The older one has his act together and will sit beside us, or lay down beside us, and is fine. We still have him on a leash of course, but he doesn't require much verbal input to stay put.

The younger one is a bit of a problem. The breeder told us he was a "high prey animal" but I didn't really understand what that meant. But I sure do now...

He can be a handful and we have to keep an eye on him constantly. He's the smaller of the two but he gets the BIG leash and the e-collar.

When we are in the less populated areas, we use the longer line (about 30') and either hook the dogs to them or string them out between two trees (or something similar) and let them move around. But like I said, that's in the less populated areas.

Our three pugs sit with us on their dog mats. We take them for long walks 3 times a day. Stay away from dogs we dont know.
The younger ones love to play fetch and can catch a small ball out of the air. If there us a dog park we can let them off leash if no other dogs in fenced area.

[Excesses]

Our boxer Roxy is our 4th Boxer rescue (others have all passed) and we are her 3rd and forever family. We know very little about her past other than she was confined, as a pup, to a bathroom by the first family. She does not like to be confined. The second person to have her was either military, police or security according to the rescue. She does not like uniforms or men in dark hats. We got her at 18 months and she’ll be 5 in January.
She’s been attacked twice in dog parks, so she’s very wary and defensive when other dogs approach her.
To “control” her, we have focused on verbal hints and commands. If she doesn’t respond, we, as the alpha and beta dogs, will growl at her. She usually responds to that, but if she’s fixated, we will clap our hands, stomp our feet, or walk over to her and make eye contact to get her attention. We also have a collar that we can use to make a musical chime or a buzz. We do not use the shock function. She knows her place in the family “pack” (the 3 of us) and is not allowed to enter or exit doors before us, she’s not allowed near the dinner table, and she stays on a schedule that we’ve developed over the past 3.5 years.

When walking, we use the vest that goes beneath her belly, clips at the top rear and has a clip for her leash. If lots of dogs around, we use a trick shown to us by a trainer. We take her leash and wrap it once around her belly, once around the leash itself, then back to us. This gives us ultimate control as she is aware of the cinch wrap and stays on her best behaviour.
In the campground, she is on a 15’ lead, and is attached to either the patio table or one of us. She is not alone outside for more than 30 seconds, and she will sit at the door listening to us as we keep voice contact with her.
We’ve never had a complaint about her.

Cheers

DJ

[A32Deuce]

Our new rescue will calmLy stay in the portable pen we have for him only when we are outside with him. Plenty of long walks. Only had him 4 months, but the change is night and day over when we got him. He was abused and we think used as a bait dog, so he does not like other dogs. If I see one, we go the opposite direction. In the RV, you hardly know he is there!

[Fogbelly]

I have a 4 year old hunting Labrador that is absolutely obedient. I am able control her completely with only hand signals. It took patience and a time investment but well worth it. If a leash is required then I use one but a simple "Heel" command keeps her close at my side.
A 3 mile morning run keeps her calm and fit.

[ClassAboater]

Every campground we have stayed at requires pets to be on a leash. We have a 16 foot long leash that retracts into the handle or can be locked. We use a Velcro strap to attach the handle of it to the rear brace for the awning. He has the entire passenger side of the coach to run around on. Works well and keeps the dog in the campsite with us. We don't just park him outside unless we are outside also. This way we can keep him from barking at everyone walking by.


This works good for ONE dog. If you add another one they will get all tangled up. This is the third dog over the years we have attached the leash to the coach this way while camping. It works well and they quickly learn to stay out of the chairs and such.

[creativepart]

We loved our 64lb Dalmatian and he loved camping. But control? That was an issue. He lived a full long life and died, sadly, at the ripe old age of 16. Very old for a Dal. We had 3 Dals in a row over 25 years.

After a year of mourning and then looking around we found a wonderful small 14lb Terrier rescue that we love to death. He's now 4 years old.

Wow, now we know why so many RVers have small dogs. It's vastly easier to deal with them on the road. And when they won't listen you just bend over, pick them up and walk back to the RV.

I know that doesn't help you. Just planting a seed for the future. Hopefully a long way down the road from now.

[GreaTOne65]

We have had 4 Doberman Pinchers. The first dog, was never in our RV, the next 2 were in the RV. The dog we have now, has just turned 5, she weighs nearly 100 lbs. and up until this year has been a hand full, but is finally coming around. She knows hand signals, will heel on the leash, I used a choke collar with the hooks, looks dangerous, but she learned real early to obey. She is now only on a regular chain choke collar. When we tie her out doors it is on a cable, and I keep an eye on her always. She likes people, until they walk up to the door, then she makes everyone know, this is her domain, and you enter at your own risk. I always grab her, and as soon as they are in, she checks everyone out, then walks around looking for someone to rub her neck, and love on her. When we travel, I put her in a crate, behind my seat, and she is perfectly content, and so am I.