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eldonc · 01-06-2013, 06:01 PM

Our Lhasa-Poo is crate trained and won't go to bed until I open her crate for her at night. However when we travel she sits beside DW and looks out the windows until she falls asleep. She loves to ride in any thing that moves, even in our pontoon boat.

SarahW · 01-06-2013, 06:18 PM

Our little dog isn't crated. He usually rides in the passenger footwell, but he's free to move about the coach to get water, etc.

Mr_D · 01-06-2013, 06:27 PM

We never did with our two dogs.
Now down to six cats and don't crate them either.

Ridgmar · 01-06-2013, 06:31 PM

As a dog show breeder and owner for over 40 years I would never travel with my dogs not in a crate, car or especially an RV. The last thing one needs is a distraction adding to an accident.
No dogs are ever sold to pet homes without being crated. Dogs rapidly learn to travel in crates and it becomes their den home. Just as a child should be in a seat belt, a dog should be in a crate. I can't believe someone would even consider otherwise.

DLoy1324 · 01-06-2013, 07:50 PM

Thank you all for thoughts and suggestions. I do find that when our dog gets anxious, i.e. 4th of July, New Years Eve, etc, he finds a dark corner of the house to hide. That is a sure sign that crating would be ideal for him. We can recreate that feeling in the crate with blankets over the side.

Also suggested above was to gradually introduce him to crating by taking him to a favorite park in his crate for the first few trip. Great idea!

We're fortunate that he is a small dog and a medium size crate will suffice and not take up too much room.

Thanks to all for your suggestions.

D, L and J

Lincolnboy2 · 01-07-2013, 09:42 AM

My little Angie is a fart in a skillet

and she prefers to travel in her crate now. She actually likes being in her crate and heads right to it whenever we get into the coach to go somewhere.

The other pups, Spencer and Susie, are very mellow and laid back and head to their floor beds whenever we travel for a nice long snooze. I don't crate them because they are never crated at home and never have been and don't pose any problems while we are traveling. Angie on the other hand is all over everywhere for about the first 30 minutes including all over the dash and bouncing up and down wherever she can.

It is definitely safer for them to travel crated. While I don't crate all of mine, I should be for their own safety, but don't for their comfort.

Good luck and keep us posted as to what works best for you!

Sky_Boss · 01-07-2013, 10:35 AM

In our Winnebago we took out a table, put 2 crates and used the table anchor bold to anchor the crates. Used a couple angled rods over the top.

We are having a dilemma with our DSDP. We did have a desk taken out for crate room but anchoring them down will be a challenge.

From a pure behavior standpoint, one of my GSDs needs to be crated for various reasons while the other doesn't. During some test trips without the crates they both did a good job of finding some place to "relax" for the most part but, again, the one that needs a crate would get restless after an hour or so.

beenthere · 01-08-2013, 03:12 PM

we always crated dogs when first gotton to home ....but after there socialization we never do...they are happy just sleeping at home when gone....but when i do go Yoshi always wants to be with me so i take him...at nite or when we are gone for even 12 hours our house is the same as when we left, be it camper or SB/// .. so its just comes down to if your dog is good or bad when you leave...if good there is no reason to crate...and when driving the same applies..our two Shiba's could not be any better in any situation we leave them or bring them....there is no right answer for the dogs only the owners trust...jeff

flaggship1 · 01-08-2013, 03:32 PM

If seat belts were not required I would still use mine. Anyone riding with me would use theirs. Secured pet crates are seat belts for pets. I can't imagine saying that I love my child so much, and they are so sweet and well behaved that they just don't need a seat belt. There, finally got it off my.chest. I wimped around it with previous post. Whether they like it our not it's the right thing to do for our kids - no matter how many legs they have. Free country - do as you please - just my opinion.

Cfyanes1 · 01-08-2013, 03:40 PM

Our Dachsund "hates" the beeping noise at start up while the air builds up. We wait for that process to finish to bring her aboard. She used to be a nervous wreck while travelling. We kept her right behind us on the sofa in her crate buckled in. We have since found she LOVES to sit with the passenger in their seat. No more shaking or anxiety

Pepper2 · 01-08-2013, 04:00 PM

Buy a Thundershirt, they really do work. Kind of like swaddling a baby in a blanket.

Lincolnboy2 · 01-09-2013, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pepper2

Buy a Thundershirt, they really do work. Kind of like swaddling a baby in a blanket.

x2

Thundershirt | The Best Dog Anxiety Treatment

Here's my Susie with hers on. They WORK!

wa8yxm · 01-09-2013, 10:12 AM

I travel with cats and they have discovered a location where they are safe and secure and when they see us getting ready they go there. AND STAY THERE. if I have to do a panic stop they are secure, no danger of "Flying kitties".

Now if your terrier has such a spot. Good for him but he won't fit where the cats hide.. The absolutly worst situtation would be if you had t panic stop and Puppy was resting behind the brake pedal.

Can't happen if he's crated. And that's my recommendation, crate.

micd · 01-09-2013, 10:23 AM

We crate 100% when in the RV. Here is a picture of our set-up.
1994 Brave 29RQ RV: Dog's travel accomodations

We bought the garage door style crates so the door raises into the top of the crate and out of the way when they are open. The seatbelts from two previously present barrel chairs fasten through the bottom of the crate over the tray, but under the cushions so the crates will not fly around in an accident.

We do a combination of crate (attached to the tie downs in our SUV) and seatbelt (when we don't use the crate) in our car at home. The dogs are not loose in a moving vehicle for their safety.

As soon as the engine turns on the dogs run to their crates and settle in. At first they wanted to stay on the bed but they quickly decided the preferred the crates when one time we didn't close a bedroom drawer fully and it moved as we started to pull out. Also on occasion we leave a map on the dinette or something else out that moves after we get underway. In an accident things could come out of the cabinets, especially if you roll. In the crates the dogs are protected from this.