dogs in motorhomes

[Ebbo]

just about to get our first motorhome, the sales lady ( french ) was really surprised when we said we were taking our dog with us!

do many people have dogs with them in their motorhomes?

how do they they travel?

just interested

 

[John Barrett]

I wish I'd had these two when I was single...

 

[138go]

how do you secure her ?

She wears a harness which is clipped securely onto a ring.

 

[Caggsie1]

Our current crew, cat comes too. Haven’t a piccie of him though.

 

[kevenh]

Cats like motorhomes too.
We take two cats with us on most trips. Hannah & Derek - their unchanged rescue names.
They’ve laid claim to the overcab area
They don’t get let outside - yet.

They travel in individual soft carriers.

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[Coolcats]

This is a personal view, I do not dislike dogs but there is no way I am owning one and letting it sit on the sofa or bed or in a MoHo. A dogs place is in their dog basket on the floor. Yes I have owned a dog they smell even if you wash them often. And Dog hair gets everywhere even if they are short hair and brushed.......etc etc etc.

 

[tonyidle]

This is a personal view, I do not dislike dogs but there is no way I am owning one and letting it sit on the sofa or bed or in a MoHo. A dogs place is in their dog basket on the floor. Yes I have owned a dog they smell even if you wash them often. And Dog hair gets everywhere even if they are short hair and brushed.......etc etc etc.

In the order of importance in my life the dogs are way, way, ahead of any vehicle. Including the motorhome. A dogs place is where it is happy, relaxed, and enjoying life. I have never washed any of my dogs ever (Whippet, Whippet, and Vizsla).

 

[RustyRuss]

I’ve just installed a spring loaded heavy duty hasp/shackle to the floor by the habitation door of our Autotrail. (It’s technically a two seater so only has two seat belts.) I used stainless steel screws and a large spreader plate beneath the floor to secure it. The dogs are samoyeds and shed hair on upholstered seats like it’s seriously gone out of fashion. Needless to say the dogs stay on the floor! They both wear a full harness for walkies so these are clipped to the shackle via heavy duty seatbelt type dog leads and a big carabiner. Definitely secure your dog in your mo ho. 12kgs of unfettered dog is a lethal missile in a crashing motor home, it will kill you if it hits you on the back of the head/neck!!

Take the dog! You know you want too!

 

[Minxy]

You forgot the silly trousers and crocs...... or was that just me?

with or without socks?

 

[Mick and Ruth]

We have a lab and she loves the van the picture is when I took the van from storage home to clean it, as soon as she heard it on the drive she wanted to get in. The way we secure her is she wears the harness pictured and her bed is just behind our seats, a short lead is secured over passenger seat belt buckle shaft, so if god forbid we had a bump she is secure and the harness distributes the stress through her shoulders and body and not the neck like a collar. She has never been on furniture house or van and remains firmly on the floor.

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[Reallyretired]

Our two border collies have harnesses attached to rear seatbelts. Travel everywhere with us.
The French in particular really love dogs.

 

[Jim]

Yes I have owned a dog they smell even if you wash them often

Washing them often was likely your problem, maybe if they roll in fox poo you might have the urge to give them a bath. The wrong foods can make them smell too. My dog is 3 next week, long haired German Shepherd, her coat has never seen shampoo, certainly doesn't smell.

That said you might have just been unlucky. Some dogs can chuck up more than others, I've known labradors that can make your eyes water especially after they've been swimming. With few exceptions though, if your dog stinks it's down to you providing a bad diet, for resulting in poor health coupled with little or no grooming etc

 

[Kingham]

The reason being it's the law......

Urban myth, it’s not law.

 

[The Dudess]

We've always taken the dogs away with us in the MH. Wouldn't be without them.
Funnily enough, we were in Spain when lockdown started and the Spanish government stated that no-one could leave the campsite to go for a walk unless they had a dog and this was enforced quite strictly by the staff on reception - we could have made a fortune by hiring them out to stir crazy campers who didn't have
a dog.

 

[Potty]

Urban myth, it’s not law.

You are correct not a law but recommended in the Highway Code and not having a dog secured would probably invalidate your insurance and anyway, it’s common sense!

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[kevenh]

Urban myth, it’s not law.

Are you only partially right?

Rule 57 of The Highway Code ie: The Law
Rule 57 of The Highway Code on the transportation of dogs in cars says,

‘When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves, if you stop quickly. A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars.’

There is no actual penalty for breaking Rule 57, but once broken, you can be prosecuted for ‘Driving without due care and attention’, which could mean losing your license, a maximum £2,500 fine and nine penalty points

And then the other “law” that affects us is what will our insurance payout for?
Best check for any animal in vehicle exclusions there too.

 

[138go]

This is a personal view, I do not dislike dogs but there is no way I am owning one and letting it sit on the sofa or bed or in a MoHo. A dogs place is in their dog basket on the floor. Yes I have owned a dog they smell even if you wash them often. And Dog hair gets everywhere even if they are short hair and brushed.......etc etc etc.

I agree with you, up to a point. Our dog isn’t allowed on our sofas or beds. She has a basket she loves and is very happy in it. We keep her clean and tidy, most campsites in Spain have dog showers which we use regularly and at home the dog groomer comes In the “Dial a dog wash” van.

We love our dog and she is devoted to us. Looking after her is just what you do, when you have a dog.

 

[Kingham]

You are correct not a law but recommended in the Highway Code and not having a dog secured would probably invalidate your insurance and anyway, it’s common sense!

Are you only partially right?


And then the other “law” that affects us is what will our insurance payout for?
Best check for any animal in vehicle exclusions there too.

Absolutely, the advice in the Highway Code is sound, but it remains advice.

I’ve not heard of an insurer stipulating that dogs must be restrained either, but there’s always been a prosecution route of not being in control, or even careless driving if your animal is allowed to interfere with your driving.

My Lab lies on his bed as docile as a docile thing, behind the seats and a lead or harness would make no difference in the event of ahead on collision, it’s the seat backs that would stop him becoming a projectile.

If it ever becomes an actual law, I would have to devise something for him.

 

[Minxy]

Regarding dog washing, you shouldn't do it unless it is absolutely necessary. A dog excretes oils etc which are more than capable of keeping their coat, and skin, in good condition so a dog that needs constant washing usually has some sort of health issue, be it diet, stress, skin, or an underlying condition which makes it produce more oil, smell etc. It can be exacerbated by having a home too warm so a dog pants more causing a 'smell'.

We've had dogs since before we got married (nearly 40 years) and other than the usual rolling in stuff and health issues we've never had a need to do regular washing and our homes don't smell 'doggy' at all ... when we were selling our place people didn't eve know we had dogs (no smell etc).

Our dogs love clambering on the furniture etc and other than if there was a health issue (ie our Romy is 'leaky' so we can't let her up now) they are part of the family and treated as such ... although I draw the line at letting them sit at the dinner table as their table manners aren't great!

 

[138go]

That’s not quite correct Minxy. The thinking about keeping dogs clean has changed.

“Dogs by nature will need to be bathed from time to time in order to maintain basic hygiene and grooming standards. It is also imperative to bathe dogs to avoid health and skin issues such as fungal and bacterial problems. At other times, it will be necessary to give them a bath when your dog is muddy, caked in dirt or has rolled in something malodorous”. - taken from the Kennel Club site.

Our dog loves the sea, so on holiday we rinse her coat regularly to remove the sand and salt, otherwise she gets itchy.

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[Helen Ariel]

 

[tonyidle]

My smelly, unwashed, dogs:

 

[138go]

Pet Plan:

As all dog owners know, it’s not often that your canine companion stays clean for very long. Dogs have a desire for rolling in things that they shouldn’t and frustratingly, a love for muddy puddles. It can be impossible to keep your dog clean 24/7, so Petplan takes a look at the burning question: How often should I wash my dog?
When To Bathe A Dog?
First things first, when should you wash your dog? While there is no exact science that will apply to every single dog, it is generally advised that you should do so once every three months at least; although it’s not uncommon to wash your dog up to once a week, provided that you’re using a gentle shampoo and you’re not overcleaning your dog.

 

[Charente16]

Hi Ebbo, when travelling the dog lays between the front seats on her cushion, we put a lead around the table plinth and secure it to her harness. Length of 'lead' needs to be long enough to give her room to move but prevent her going forward.

Try putting your dog for awhile into the van whilst it is stationary at home to get it used to it. Also, a few short runs with the dog in it's travelling position. Our 'Coco' is not very fond of the van, but would rather be with us than stuck in a kennel.

Robert

 

[Minxy]

That’s not quite correct Minxy. The thinking about keeping dogs clean has changed.

“Dogs by nature will need to be bathed from time to time in order to maintain basic hygiene and grooming standards. It is also imperative to bathe dogs to avoid health and skin issues such as fungal and bacterial problems. At other times, it will be necessary to give them a bath when your dog is muddy, caked in dirt or has rolled in something malodorous”. - taken from the Kennel Club site.

Our dog loves the sea, so on holiday we rinse her coat regularly to remove the sand and salt, otherwise she gets itchy.

The Kennel Club is an organisation that encourages dogs to be bred for 'showing' in the main so they would obviously want them to 'maintain' them at a very high level due to their need to be 'perfect' for showing, this isn't the same as a pet though IMV. A healthy dog shouldn't have skin etc issues and if you 'know' your dog you'd notice anyway.

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[Jim]

Washing your dog once a week! I'd have to disagree. When did you last see a wolf in a shower that wasn't just rain. Many dogs problems stem from people treating them like humans, three meals a day and a bath on Sunday

 

[Minxy]

Pet Plan:

As all dog owners know, it’s not often that your canine companion stays clean for very long. Dogs have a desire for rolling in things that they shouldn’t and frustratingly, a love for muddy puddles. It can be impossible to keep your dog clean 24/7, so Petplan takes a look at the burning question: How often should I wash my dog?
When To Bathe A Dog?
First things first, when should you wash your dog? While there is no exact science that will apply to every single dog, it is generally advised that you should do so once every three months at least; although it’s not uncommon to wash your dog up to once a week, provided that you’re using a gentle shampoo and you’re not overcleaning your dog.

Do Pet Plan have any 'association' with those producing the products by any chance? I'll go by what I've done for years. I've NEVER had any issues with my dogs having skin etc problems with the exception of one who had Cushings disease which caused it and was how we found out he had this awful disease in the first place.

If you want to wash your dog then do so but I'll go by my years of experience and won't unless its necessary.

 

[haganap]

This is a personal view, I do not dislike dogs but there is no way I am owning one and letting it sit on the sofa or bed or in a MoHo. A dogs place is in their dog basket on the floor. Yes I have owned a dog they smell even if you wash them often. And Dog hair gets everywhere even if they are short hair and brushed.......etc etc etc.

Please mate, whatever you do,,,
avoid coming to my motorhome or house.

when you see that wonderful drool or slobber heading your way, I don't think you could duck in time. As for smelly? yep, it's a lovely smell.

 

[Minxy]

One of the loveliest smells on the planet is puppy breath ... I wish I could bottle it!

 

[138go]

There are plenty more references about keeping your dog clean Minxy. Our dog is 10 and we’ve always had “Dial a dog wash” probably around every four to six months. Her coat is very healthy, our vet is always very impressed with how healthy she is.

I guess everyone makes their own decisions based on advice from experts and their own circumstances. I really wouldn’t want to dictate to anyone else, what they should do.

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[138go]

Washing your dog once a week! I'd have to disagree. When did you last see a wolf in a shower that wasn't just rain. Many dogs problems stem from people treating them like humans, three meals a day and a bath on Sunday

Yes, once a week is unnecessary. We don’t even have a bath once a year, unless we need one!