6 Tips For Taking Your Dog With You On An RV Trip
If you just purchased an RV you saw on a site like http://www.orangewoodrv.com/ and are new to RVing, you're undoubtedly looking forward to hitting the open road and experiencing the RV lifestyle. If you have a furry friend you'll be taking along as a traveling companion, however, there are several things that you need to know about traveling in an RV with a dog. Following are six of them.
Have Current Photos of Your Pet
You undoubtedly already know that you should have your pet micro-chipped so it can be easily identified in the event that it becomes separated from you during your travels, but you should also have both digital and hard copy photos on hand. Social media is full of lost-pet pages, and you can quickly show hard copy photos to those in the immediate vicinity of where your pet became lost.
Book Campground Spaces in Advance
Last minute scrambling for a place to spend a night or two on the road is no fun, and it can be made even worse if you've got a canine companion in tow because some RV campgrounds have no-pet policies. Making reservations in advance will eliminate the stress involved in trying to find pet-friendly campgrounds at the last minute.
Practice Campground Etiquette
Even if your dog isn't usually a barker, strange locations tend to bring out abnormal behaviors in pets. There will also undoubtedly be other dogs in the vicinity since you'll be in a pet-friendly campground, and you dog will pick up on their presence and even join in the chorus if several of them are barking or howling. This can get out of control if you leave your pet alone in the RV, so plan to have dinners onsite. Be sure to keep your dog on a leash while in the campground and to always clean up after it. Many campgrounds require that dogs have proof of current rabies vaccinations, so be sure you've got one on hand.
Keep Your Pet Cool
With this summer gearing to be one of the hottest on record, it's important to keep pet comfort and safety in mind. The same people who would never dream of leaving their dog in the car during a warm or hot day do so routinely when it comes to parking their RVs and going shopping or out for a bite to eat. However, RV interiors can quickly become too warm for your furry friend even if the vehicle is parked in the shade. If you're going to be traveling through an area that experiences significant seasonal heat this summer, bring lots of sandwich ingredients and other foods that you can enjoy at rest area picnic tables instead of going indoors to a restaurant and leaving your pet in the vehicle.
Keep it on a Leash While Hiking
Keeping your dog on a leash while hiking is for its own protection. If you're on wooded trails and your furry friend is bounding along joyfully in front of you, it's running the risk of being attacked by a wild animal. Black bear populations are rising in many parts of the country, and this means that those who visit wooded areas need to be particularly careful when hiking on trails where abundant vegetative growth creates low visibility. Attacks by black bears often occur when the animal is startled, particularly in the case of mother bears with new cubs. Other dangers include rattlesnakes and a variety of poisonous plants.
Prepare for Possible Medical Emergencies
Even if your dog is young and healthy, include emergency veterinarian locations and contact information when crafting your road trip itinerary. You can quickly and easily do this using search engine resources. You should also have a current copy of your pet's veterinary records, and it's always a good idea to take your pet to the vet for a thorough checkup prior to embarking on a sojourn in your RV.
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