Pets and fulltime solo RV

[Alikair]

I've always wanted a dog but needed to wait till after I retired to get one.
I've also always wanted to travel across the states in an RV after I retire.
Would you recommend waiting till after I am done with my travels to get a pup?
I will be solo fulltime and a loner.

Will a pet be a major handicap?
I am planning on doing a lot of fishing as well as the normal sight seeing stuff.
Not sure if this next part is important, but it will most likely be in a 21ft TT

[twogypsies]

We love dogs but avoided getting one because we love the national parks, hiking and siteseeing. Dogs aren't allowed everywhere and there are many rules of not leaving them unattended. I know some folks don't go by the rules and leave them but then they don't have to listen to their barking - even when they say they don't bark.

I guess it just depends on your activities and where you go.

[vyndance]

I'd get the dog now. Anyplace that doesn't allow dogs isn't worth seeing anyway. Seriously, if there is something you want to see and it is not dog friendly put it in a kennel overnight.

[groveln]

Until this past January 29th I had a Teacup Yorkie that I traveled with in the my coach. Unfortunately we were in the horrific auto accident as passengers in my buddys car on vacation in florida just 2 days in when a person blew a stop sign & we Tboned her at 40mph. My little 5lb. Stormy was on my lap & when the airbag deployed it killed her instantly..yes I was injured & my buddy got the worst of it. So my travel buddy was taken from me in a millisecond & I am not dealing well with it some 19 1/2 weeks later as I attempt to try to go forward to set out for this years RV travel trips without her. She also was a biker dog & we rode everywhere together. So Alikair absolutely get yourself a canine travel partner you won't regret it. My hopes are to get another Yorkie from the same breeder sometime by midsummer early fall as I been told. Until then I'm doing as best as I can to push on. I wish I could post her photo here but I don't get how to do it.

[Argosy]

It sounds like you might be gone a fair amount. I'm not sure it would be fair to a puppy that needs a lot of training and bonding time, I'd wait.

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by Argosy

It sounds like you might be gone a fair amount. I'm not sure it would be fair to a puppy that needs a lot of training and bonding time, I'd wait.

Exactly^^^^^

Puppy needs 'attention/training' and that special bonding time
Leaving pup alone while you are gone would not be conducive to pup learning how to be a good dog

If you do decide to get one........safety harness for travel (not loose or in your lap), good leash for CGs and training
No bad dogs...just lousy owners.

[NCC-1701A]

"Will a pet be a major handicap?"

As Argosy said, new puppies take a lot of training and bonding up front. Then that discipline has to be maintained and nurtured.

I wouldn't call a pet a "handicap," but rather an "investment." If you don't want to put the time in to do the training and bonding, then you might call it a "handicap." If you are willing to do it, it's a GREAT high-payback (emotional, not monetary) investment.

If you get one, choose carefully as different breeds have vastly different requirements. Some are happy to be "couch potatoes" and some need LOTS of exercise and attention.

My wife and I are not full time, but we travel with three dogs. Sometimes we have left them with a "babysitter" at home and traveled briefly by ourselves. It makes a difference. When on our own, we leave in the morning and sight see all day. When the pups are with, we never leave for more than 3 or 4 hours at a time. When we leave them we pull all the night shades so they cannot see out and turn on the radio for "white" noise. Trained dogs can be quiet when you are gone.

Only you can make the decision if you want to make the investment in time, energy, and changed schedule vs not having to be "handicapped" with the responsibility that comes with dog ownership.

[tmandoug1]

Originally Posted by twogypsies

We love dogs but avoided getting one because we love the national parks, hiking and siteseeing. Dogs aren't allowed everywhere and there are many rules of not leaving them unattended. I know some folks don't go by the rules and leave them but then they don't have to listen to their barking - even when they say they don't bark.

I guess it just depends on your activities and where you go.

Subtle but effective....lol.

[amosnandy]

Originally Posted by Alikair

I've always wanted a dog but needed to wait till after I retired to get one.
I've also always wanted to travel across the states in an RV after I retire.
Would you recommend waiting till after I am done with my travels to get a pup?
I will be solo fulltime and a loner.

Will a pet be a major handicap?
I am planning on doing a lot of fishing as well as the normal sight seeing stuff.
Not sure if this next part is important, but it will most likely be in a 21ft TT

Forget the dog and get two kittens. I have two 8 year old cats that travel with me in a 40' DP. Also have friends who bring two cats from Manitoba to Mazatlan. Mine fight with me when it is time to get in and go, an hour out they are both fine. Probably would have been easier if we started off as kittens, but they were 3 by the time I was ready to go on the road.

Cats are pretty self contained. They need food and water, and of course a litter box. It stays back by the bathroom when traveling and up under the steering wheel when we are parked. One hibernates the whole time we are moving, the other sleeps in the copilot seat, until we slow down for a town, then he is up looking out the windows and across the dash.

Only real concern when we are in Mexico is heat. Make sure it is not to hot for them, although they tolerate it better than me.

They are mostly inside cats, although I do put them out on the leash when the weather is good. The adventurous one actually likes to go up to the beach with me. Gotta stay in a chair with an umbrella. Sand is too hot. But he will get up and run around a little on cooler days. Has a yellow lab that is his best bud but can't get him to go play in the ocean yet.

[Hurricane-TX]

Originally Posted by vyndance

I'd get the dog now. Anyplace that doesn't allow dogs isn't worth seeing anyway. Seriously, if there is something you want to see and it is not dog friendly put it in a kennel overnight.

Exactly my thoughts. The dog will be with you as you travel and will provide unconditional love. We take ours every place we go and if the dogs aren't welcome, we don't go there. Every park we go to we run into others that also travel with their pets.

[Alikair]

Originally Posted by groveln

Until this past January 29th I had a Teacup Yorkie that I traveled with in the my coach. Unfortunately we were in the horrific auto accident as passengers in my buddys car on vacation in florida just 2 days in when a person blew a stop sign & we Tboned her at 40mph. My little 5lb. Stormy was on my lap & when the airbag deployed it killed her instantly..yes I was injured & my buddy got the worst of it. So my travel buddy was taken from me in a millisecond & I am not dealing well with it some 19 1/2 weeks later as I attempt to try to go forward to set out for this years RV travel trips without her. She also was a biker dog & we rode everywhere together. So Alikair absolutely get yourself a canine travel partner you won't regret it. My hopes are to get another Yorkie from the same breeder sometime by midsummer early fall as I been told. Until then I'm doing as best as I can to push on. I wish I could post her photo here but I don't get how to do it.

I'm sorry to hear of your loss and pain. May your new Yorkie live a long happy life

[DCBinVT]

Get a dog Maybe an older dog already trained.
Love and companionship is precious.

You will not regret it.

DCB in VT