Wish me luck

[mamaloya]

Well, we are leaving today (decided this yesterday!) to go camping until Tuesday. I have never packed for a trip faster than this. This will also be the first time we will be bring both of our dogs. Gibson (8 month old shar pei/lab) has gone before and loves it. Gretchen (4 months looks like a lab/chihuahua mix) has never been. She hates riding in the van, so we will see how she does on a 4 hour road trip. Saturday they will go to my mom's house with us for a BBQ. Sunday they will be alone for a little while in the camper, safely in their kennels. We will be at a KOA.

The dogs seem to know that something is up with all of the packing activity going on. Gibson sees the camper outside and knows. He keeps trying to run out. Gretchen has no clue, is just following Gibson's lead.

Oh, btw, Gretchen is a rescue pup. Our vet found her on the side of the road at about 8 wks old and we took her in. I will have to post pics. She is something to see. LOL She is named Gretchen after my dad's Gretsch (sp?) guitar. He had a Chet Atkins country gentleman. Gibson is named after his les paul special. They love to play together, but get a little crazy at times.

I will let you all know how it goes. I will be on the internet while we are gone, so any tips on handling 2 dogs will be helpful. Luckily I will have 4 kids with me to help out!

[mamaloya]

Well, we are leaving today (decided this yesterday!) to go camping until Tuesday. I have never packed for a trip faster than this. This will also be the first time we will be bring both of our dogs. Gibson (8 month old shar pei/lab) has gone before and loves it. Gretchen (4 months looks like a lab/chihuahua mix) has never been. She hates riding in the van, so we will see how she does on a 4 hour road trip. Saturday they will go to my mom's house with us for a BBQ. Sunday they will be alone for a little while in the camper, safely in their kennels. We will be at a KOA.

The dogs seem to know that something is up with all of the packing activity going on. Gibson sees the camper outside and knows. He keeps trying to run out. Gretchen has no clue, is just following Gibson's lead.

Oh, btw, Gretchen is a rescue pup. Our vet found her on the side of the road at about 8 wks old and we took her in. I will have to post pics. She is something to see. LOL She is named Gretchen after my dad's Gretsch (sp?) guitar. He had a Chet Atkins country gentleman. Gibson is named after his les paul special. They love to play together, but get a little crazy at times.

I will let you all know how it goes. I will be on the internet while we are gone, so any tips on handling 2 dogs will be helpful. Luckily I will have 4 kids with me to help out!

[UFO Pilot]

Our blind PVGV knows everytime we start to pack the RV for a trip. He follows us to the front door and back until we are finished packing. Somehow he knows that we are loading the RV and not just going in and out of the house. He does love to RV!

[RustyJC]

Good luck. If Gibson loves to ride, that should help Gretchen get used to it. Some of our Shelties over the years weren't thrilled about riding at first, but the more they did it, the more acclimated they became. Even the toughest of them eventually became avid RVers.

The kennels are a good idea, especially with puppies, unless you want to come back and find the carpet chewed up (been there, done that! )

Rusty

[mom2mastiffs]

Sunday they will be alone for a little while in the camper, safely in their kennels. We will be at a KOA.

The dogs seem to know that something is up with all of the packing activity going on. Gibson sees the camper outside and knows.

Our mastiffs ALWAYS know the difference between packing the motorhome and when it's time to go! The hardest thing I ever had to do was when we left for Ohio and only brought Sparkle and spice. Surf was BESIDE himself with stress cause he didn't get to come with us.

Anyway, I have found that raw marrow bones in their crates keep them busy for hours!!

Have fun--walk them often.

Karen

[Ron & Dee]

Sandra,

I'm sure when Gretchen sees how much fun Gibson is having on a camping trip she will soon learn to love it too.

Have fun and good luck,

Ron

[TXiceman]

All of our dogs and parrot love to travel and know when we are getting ready to hit the road. Our schnauzer #2, Dieter, would go and get his toys and put them next to the basket we were loading things into as we got things ready to carry out to the RV. He would only pick his favorite items.

Schnauzers 3# and #4, only sit by the back door and won't move until you finally take them and put them in the RV.

Have fun,

Ken

[mamaloya]

Well, we are there. Gibson is in heaven. Gretchen is a pain in the rump as usual. She does not want to pee. That's means that she cannot be free in the camper. She was giving us fits with the housebreaking at home as well. She does not like to go in the grass. She will only go on the patio or in the house. I don't remember Gibson being so difficult. She is very stubborn. On walks here around the campground, Gibson stays at my side, but Gretchen is pulling at the leash and trying to get free.

Also, how do you handle the dogs roughhousing in the camper? At home they can go outside or run around the house. It is very tight in here for a 55lb dog to be running around chasing the little one.

They do seem to be enjoying themselves though.

[Ron & Dee]

Time and discipline will only cure Gretchen, 4 months is quite a difference in doggie years
Our first long trip with Ginger we drove straight through from Florida to North Carolina, and she wouldn't pee. I think we stopped at every rest stop between Tampa and Asheville and she just wouldn't go.

As far as the roughhousing, treat them just like children and let them know that it isn't good behavior. Give them plenty of exercise, walks and etc.

Puppy years are great if you can make it through them

Ron

[mamaloya]

Well, we found the dog park here. It was not on the map of the campground they gave us. Gretchen is doing better now. They were running around and having a good ole time. Now they are much calmer in the camper. I am glad we found the place. It also has a little gazebo with a picnic table for me to sit at.

I think Gretchen is starting to settle in and enjoy this adventure.

[FloridaAnn]

I found that consistency is important with the pups. All but one of our dogs loved RVing. New additions take a while and it might be the little pup was never house trained, so you have to start from scratch, so multiple walks, crate use so there can be no accidents, and time should help. I have seen in travels the pet pads that tiny dogs were trained on, and they were used outside as well, but seems like a lot of work, so my bet would be on exercise, lease training, consistency. Good luck.

[nhgeezer]

Earl, our black Kitty Kat, spent the first week of a six week trip under the couch coming out only for litter box and food. Then he decided to see what was on top of the dash. The only thing that scared him off the dash for the rest of the trip was when the Buffalo in Yellowstone came up and nudged the front bumper of the coach. Took him several hours to come out from under the sofa again. Hence his knickname, "Fraidy Kat."
PS. Earl was found in the middle of a busy road here in town at about 3 weeks old according to the vet. We took him in when he was about 7 weeks old.

1990 Foretravel

[bsavage]

Hope you're having a great time! We travel with 4 dogs (yes, crazy, I know, but we love them!) They all know when I bring out the bags that we carry stuff out to the coach in that it's road trip time. Cadbury (chocolate lab), the oldest, at nearly 3 years old, wouldn't pee for a long time when we traveled when she was very young... then she learned that it was okay (even at truck stops, with all the noise and craziness)... then Rossi joined us, same thing, but they learn quickly that they'd better go while they can. Then we added Hayden, and later kept our first puppy from the mating of Rossi and Hayden (Cavalier King Charles Spaniels)... that's Millie, she's 4 months, and she is doing great at traveling! She goes immediately when we step out for a walk! I think they'll do fine, I also think it's important to project a calmness to them. And I agree, a chewing treat to start off the trip gets them involved in something pleasant... then they nap! Good luck!

[bsavage]

How did the trip go? I hope all was well!

Brenda, of