One of our main concerns when we started to contemplate full-time RVing was how would our dog Rufus do with this new way of life. We worried whether he would adjust to moving around to different locations and how he would handle the downsizing of his play area in the house. You see, Rufus is a very active, if not slightly hyper Cavachon,  who, at least once or twice a day loves to chase a ball, or anything else that suits his fancy, around the house, the BIG house. How would this work in a 200 square foot space? Would he adjust to having different people and animals around all the time? Would it be too stressful?

Rufus had been used to an environment of having his own yard and not being around many dogs. He also has a tendency to bark at the wind which could be an issue in a campground atmosphere. My husband and I wondered if this was a good move for him, however, we love him too much to have him go anywhere but with us.  So we decided to do research to find ways to help him acclimate to the new life that we were pursuing.  The following are things that we have learned and as we learn more we will continue to share.  I must make a disclaimer here, we are not experts in this field but hope that perhaps, you might find a tidbit of information if you are seeking to follow the road less traveled!

Check-up: The first thing that we did, and what we recommend, is to take your pet to the veterinarian to have a check-up. This will help to ensure that all shots are up to date and there are no health issues that might rear its ugly head while you are in unfamiliar territory. Any preventative measures are always the best. Just a side note, if you are planning to travel out of the country, you will need documentation of shots, especially Rabies vaccination.

Food and Treats: If your pet has a special diet or does not eat the mainstream food typically found in most stores, you need to find out if it will be available where you are heading. Unless you have exorbitant space in your traveling accommodations for the extra food, it is best to know where you can restock the necessities for your pet(s). In addition, using plastic containers for their food and treats will not only help with storage but also help keep the bugs out!

Routine: Keeping a routine can sometimes be a bit difficult when on the road, but it helps keep your pet(s) less stressed. Feed, walk and giving treats at the same time each days helps them know what to expect and helps you in regards to their time-frame for bathroom breaks. We have learned that taking a nice long walk in the morning and evening has calmed Rufus down, gives him specific time with us and wears him out!

Familiar Items: Having familiar items such as their bed, toys etc. helps them to acclimate to new surroundings. We are fortunate enough to have a four door truck with a back seat that folds up. This allows us to put his bed on the floor in the back so while we are traveling he can relax and feel comfortable enough to sleep. I don’t know about your pet, but Rufus is a lap dog, likes to be right next to us, so with him being right behind the passenger seat he knows we are right there!

These are some of the basics. As we learn more we will certainly share the information. If you have any questions, please feel free to fill out the form below. We also would greatly appreciate any suggestions anyone might have in regards to traveling with pets!

More to come, travel on!

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