Dogs and Motorhomes

LancashireLad

LancashireLad

Joined
May 6, 2023
Posts
88
Likes collected
84
Location
Romney Marsh, UK
Funster No
95,758
MH
Peugeot Autocruise
Exp
Just Started
We love our newly acquired motorhome, yes it was mostly so our two old dogs could come away with us, rather than the dreaded kennels. But despite our best intentions our first four trips have been fraught with problems all dog related. One of them has sort of got used to travelling in the back in his bed, but the other won’t settle and seems totally stressed whilst travelling. She’s a Staffy and despite the tough reputation she is timid and frightened by noises like the van blinds going up and the occasional jolt caused by a bumpy road. She also pulls on he harness/ seat belt to try and come into the front. Everyone else on sites seems to have well behaved trouble free dogs.
I know all dogs are different we’ve had a lot of them, but has anyone else had similar problems?
It’s looking rather like it might have to be the kennels as sadly we’re not having much Motorhome Fun at the moment!
 
Can't you get something from the vet or Pets At Home to calm her I'm sure I've see something.

Millie loves it she stands by the door waiting to be lifted in (y)

06.jpg
 
My Springer Spaniel is a very well behaved dog until he gets in the motorhome. No problem while travelling, however, if I get out the van to fill with diesel or to check into site office etc he goes crazy and and as well as upsetting himself also risks damaging the inside of the van. Once out the van back to the calm friendly Springer he always is. Afraid I haven't found an answer yet.
 
Could one of you sit in a rear seat ( assuming you have the seat belts ) with the dog until it gets accustomed to travelling.

We travel with our young dog harnessed but between the two front seats.
Does not like bumpy roads but settles well after the initial part of any trip.

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Dolmen said:
My Springer Spaniel is a very well behaved dog until he gets in the motorhome. No problem while travelling, however, if I get out the van to fill with diesel or to check into site office etc he goes crazy and and as well as upsetting himself also risks damaging the inside of the van. Once out the van back to the calm friendly Springer he always is. Afraid I haven't found an answer yet.
Click to expand...
Yes, the getting out of the van for diesel scenario sounds familiar even stopping at traffic lights trigger the “ are we getting out yet” response.
 
My mini Dachshund is fine travels on the floor harnessed in his basket just behind us UNTIL I stop to pay the tolls. Then is very barky !! Move off silence ensues. Same on the car , but he is improving , by the time I retire from Motorhoming I’m sure he’ll be fine!!!!
 
Hi we have 2 collies who love travelling in the van but they are very noise sensitive, we discovered a herbal remedy made by Phytopet calm calm extra it is for stress and anxiety .
It really does work.
Chasnam
 
Thankfully my cocker spaniel (Bracken) absolutely loves travelling, and particularly in the motorhome. When I get it home from the storage site, she will get in, sit in "her" seat while everything is being loaded, and is really miffed if we do not get moving very quickly.

Sorry, I have no idea what the OP can do, other than the suggestions already made.

Picture for the cute factor:

1689787004842.jpeg
 
Has your dog ever been crate trained? Dogs with travel difficulties often travel well in a covered crate where it is dark along with a favourite toy and treat. Having had a lot of dogs myself and worked with dogs for almost 50 years if there is anything I can do to help please contact me. Probably quite a lot of options.
 
LancashireLad said:
Yes, the getting out of the van for diesel scenario sounds familiar even stopping at traffic lights trigger the “ are we getting out yet” response.
Click to expand...
Yes I have that problem too, also I can’t pull up hand brake on as she know we’re getting out, so at traffic lights I have too pull up quietly 😬
 
Also we used to travel with two dogs , unfortunately we recently lost one , so know we have trouble getting her in the van , but she loves it when we are away but just don’t like travelling any more.
Still has to be better kennels 👍
 
Ours have always worn proper car harnesses, two clipped into the rear seat belt and one attached to a strong point by the jab door. All able to see us and are within talking distance. The two little ones settle down and roost on a doggy bed under the table while Rosie has a mat by the door. Maybe if they could be closer to you it may help??

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Our boy sits on his bed on the floor. His harness is fitted to the slide out bed frame so he can move around but in the event of a sudden stop, he can't travel too far and can't get as far as between the front seats. He has been excellent in the car since we got him but recently has started to shake a little until we are going.

In the 175 he starts off a bit nervy but once he sees his licky mat with peanut butter he is okay. When out and about if he gets a bit stressed he heads back to the van!
 
We bought a caravan about 8 years ago, only a cheap thing (sub £500). The taps worked but that was it.
Pulled up on site with our 2 dallies, took them for a brief walk. Put their tea down in the van. One stood eating, the other stood and blast sh*t all over the carpet and up thr cupboard door. Evacuated, I took the dogs back out whilst SWMBO used a Stanley to remove the carpet and clean up. We came home next day and sold the caravan for a small loss.

Roll on to now and the one that did the mess (the surviving dog) is almost perfect in the MH.

Patience and perseverance!
 
We used Bach Rescue Remedy available on Amazon which seemed to help with our Cocker Spaniels.
 
We have a 34kg Labradoodle who never, ever rests until we stop. He stands up on every journey. Even to Spain and back. He also slobbers, dependent upon journey. So we cover the floor and the seating and he roams up and down the van each journey.

Some may tut, tut at that. But that's the way he copes with travel. So we don't care as long as he's content (ish).

We also bought the size and type of van so we could take him with us. We thought he'd settle down, but he hasn't. We even tried him on very low dose diazapam but that didn't work either.

We could never leave him with anyone or a kennel, because we say he's our dog and our responsibility. We did two Europe trips without him. But this year he goes everywhere with us.

It's something we get used to. We don't think he'll ever get used to it. He just accepts it, we think anyway. Because he can't tell us🙂
 
We find they vary in what they like when travelling. One if ours likes to sit up on a seat in the rear and looks at the passing scenery the other lies on the floor with his eyes closed till we stop. Neither like the bumpy roads till we get to the tunnel though.

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Forgot to add, we must have the only claustrophobic dog in the world that won't go further than the gallery area. Anything less than three foot wide and he won't go through the gap. So crateing would be hell for him.
 
herald_400rl said:
We bought a caravan about 8 years ago, only a cheap thing (sub £500). The taps worked but that was it.
Pulled up on site with our 2 dallies, took them for a brief walk. Put their tea down in the van. One stood eating, the other stood and blast sh*t all over the carpet and up thr cupboard door. Evacuated, I took the dogs back out whilst SWMBO used a Stanley to remove the carpet and clean up. We came home next day and sold the caravan for a small loss.

Roll on to now and the one that did the mess (the surviving dog) is almost perfect in the MH.

Patience and perseverance!
Click to expand...
That’s hilarious, made me laugh👍
 
Seen on some TV dog programs use a cage and cover it over as they find it comforting
 
Our dog won’t go into enclosed spaces so a crate not an option.
When we had the folding camper she was alright in the back seat of the car until I needed to reverse and then she would try to get into the front.The end of a days travelling and she and my wife wrestling, the dog is a Golden Retriever, not the most relaxing way to start pitching the camper.
Much better in the motorhome but she doesn’t sleep.
I always chose motorways etc because it upset the dog when we had to go round roundabouts and stopping and starting through towns.
She hates bridges because there are always ridges and bumps etc.
Yes I know it’s only a dog but hey……
 
Our Labrador was really unhappy on his first journey. We thought he’d like to sit on the bench seat so he could see outside, but he looked visibly green during the journey so he now lies on his bed between our seats and is so much happier 😊
 
My two dogs are opposite, one always hides in a space under a seat where you wouldn’t think she would ever fit. She stress pants all the way and hates it. I have always just left her to it and she seems fine, gets in no problem and otherwise she loves going away.

The other travels very well and will happily go anywhere and sleep while on the journey.

My own experience is dogs are very good at picking up on your nervous energy. The more wound up you get, the more wound up they get. If you take no nonsense from them and show them as pack leader that there is nothing to be afraid of, that often works.

I am not saying it’s easy though, the Malinois we have has been a bit of a pain round people and very reactive. The behaviourist wasn’t cheap……

IMG_2258.jpeg
 
Lots of treats and maybe for the dog to be closer to you.
Pippa was about 12 weeks old for her first trip in the van and she was in a crate (she was whelped in a crate and was used to a crate) between our seats with a towel hung over the back of the crate so she couldn't see what was at the back of the van.
We tried getting her to sit on the settee behind passenger seat (our JRT used to sit there) but that didn’t work, now she sits on a cushion on a box between my feet, she’s happy as she can’t see back of van and she is close to me.
Yes, dual carriage ways, motorways or good condition roads without too many bends etc. are favourite.
Make sure you have nothing flapping about-towels etc, and nothing that will fall, crash or bang, I put a towel in the cutlery drawer and T-towel under cooker lid. Anything & everything that moves is pinned down or put away!
Everyone is happy.
Persevere and plenty of reassurance.
 
LancashireLad said:
We love our newly acquired motorhome, yes it was mostly so our two old dogs could come away with us, rather than the dreaded kennels. But despite our best intentions our first four trips have been fraught with problems all dog related. One of them has sort of got used to travelling in the back in his bed, but the other won’t settle and seems totally stressed whilst travelling. She’s a Staffy and despite the tough reputation she is timid and frightened by noises like the van blinds going up and the occasional jolt caused by a bumpy road. She also pulls on he harness/ seat belt to try and come into the front. Everyone else on sites seems to have well behaved trouble free dogs.
I know all dogs are different we’ve had a lot of them, but has anyone else had similar problems?
It’s looking rather like it might have to be the kennels as sadly we’re not having much Motorhome Fun at the moment!
Click to expand...
We travel with two dogs. A huge BMD who just sleeps on the floor totally oblivious to his harness. The other dog is a rescue Miniature Pinscher. She is highly strung, we put her in a travel cage on the table just behind us so she feels close. It works OK, but we found that a natural calming chew helps a lot. We give here one before we go, and one on the way. Amazon product ASIN B086KWHKN3

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