Solo travel with a dog - some worries...

[138go]

We have a big sign saying "beware of the dog." We also leave a large dog bowl and a dog chain with studs on it, outside. The last bit isn't true.

 

[Helen Ariel]

We leave our dog to go cycling for a few hours at a time and to be extra safe got a digital temperature display and a pet camera so we can go on our phones and check the temperature in the van and see her sleeping in her bed. So far i have never seen her even move when I've checked in.

 

[Minxy]

The best way to keep dogs cool in a MH/camper is NOT to let the light and heat enter in the first place. Unfortunately blinds on their own don't do this very well so we have various methods which we use as required depending on the temperature and length of time we need to leave the dogs, although when its warm we try to do so when its a cooler part of the day anyway but it can't always be avoided.

Parking is the first thing we consider - we look for shade if there is any available, if not then if possible we'll place rear of the MH to the sun which limits the amount of light that can get inside in the first place.

We close the blinds on the windows facing the sun as well as those that the sun will reach during the time the MH is left (ie as the sun moves round) then open the roof vents to allow hot air to escape.

If it's likely to get warmer we also put insulated pads on the roof blinds with suckers (like internal windscreen ones) that not only reduce the amount of light entering but prevent a lot of the heat too which can still be transmitted through a closed blind on it's own. If we're parked 'rear end on' I also put some drop down bits of reflective material on the opened edge facing the sun so it can't stream in but still allows air to get in the 'unblocked' sides.

If we can't face the front away from the sun we use an old internal insulated windscreen blind (it's doesn't fill totally as it's meant for a standard Fiat cab rather than an A-class) and this, along with closing the windscreen blind and side blinds, does a great job. We also have some silver faced 'bubble-wrap' type sheets (like those sold for car windscreens) which I've cut to size to fit the inside of the window apertures and close the blinds which holds them in place.

We've found that doing the above drastically reduces the temperature in our MH and often we'll find the dogs are lovely and cool whilst we're sweating like pigs from being outside!

Using some of these methods makes it much more pleasant inside the MH on a boiling hot day for all of us anyway.

 

[Minxy]

...and you'll need an appropriately sized Prestige Road Refresher non-spill dog bowl too ... (other makes available)

We use one of these ... works a treat ... one word of warning though, don't put it anywhere that you can accidentally stand on it as tipping it over isn't covered by the 'non-spill' claim

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-...0001&campid=5338547443&icep_item=121529818605

 

[The Coops]

We have these dispayed at each door

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[The Coops]

We have these displayed at each door

Available for most breeds of a certain auction site!

 

[Rosemary1]

... what was the picture like?

Fuzzy - mainly teeth

 

[Podney]

Minxy Girl Pigs don’t sweat. Your comment is therefore very “piggist” and I’m therefore reporting you to the Be Nice To Pigs campaign who may offer you free counselling.

 

[Minxy]

Minxy Girl Pigs don’t sweat. Your comment is therefore very “piggist” and I’m therefore reporting you to the Be Nice To Pigs campaign who may offer you free counselling.

I'll be nice to pigs ... I'll get hubby to cook the bacon really, really slowly so they don't feel the heat too much and sweat!

 

[JC2001]

Blimey. I am sorry to hear that but grateful for the wisdom. I’ll be carful...

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[TheBig1]

A cautionary tale, we had a disaster in the van 2 years back. We pulled up on a site and the owners asked that we park the car trailer in the carpark, not on pitch. So not thinking we left all 3 dogs chained up inside the van for 10 minutes. Being distracted, I hadn't noticed that Ronnie was clipped on his collar, not his harness. On returning, the van was like a crime scene with blood everywhere and Ronnie unconscious, nearly dead on the inner step. He had got himself tangled and in panic torn at his collar with his claws. If I had not opened the door when I did and get him freed off, we would of lost him. Then a dash off to the local vets to stitch up his wounds was not great either

Our dogs always have free run of the van when we , rarely, have to go out together. But everything is done to make sure they are comfortable. Sadly his brush with death has left Ronnie a bit worried so will howl sometimes for 10 minutes when we go out. Then he just settles down and sleeps till he hears us coming back

 

[lindyloot]

One thing i will add is do you have a cool mat , available from pet retailers. when the dog lies on it , helps keep them cool

 

[Kim H]

As well as taking all the measures mentioned, we have an AnimAlarm which we use when we leave our dogs in warm weather. We set a threshold and the unit will send us a text if the temperature reaches that threshold. We can also interrogate it whilst we’re out and it will send us a text with the current temperature.

This was the temperature displayed on the alarm, 19.7.

This is our indoor/outdoor thermometer showing that the temperature outside was 26.5 whilst inside was 19.6.

 

[JC2001]

A cautionary tale, we had a disaster in the van 2 years back. We pulled up on a site and the owners asked that we park the car trailer in the carpark, not on pitch. So not thinking we left all 3 dogs chained up inside the van for 10 minutes. Being distracted, I hadn't noticed that Ronnie was clipped on his collar, not his harness. On returning, the van was like a crime scene with blood everywhere and Ronnie unconscious, nearly dead on the inner step. He had got himself tangled and in panic torn at his collar with his claws. If I had not opened the door when I did and get him freed off, we would of lost him. Then a dash off to the local vets to stitch up his wounds was not great either

Our dogs always have free run of the van when we , rarely, have to go out together. But everything is done to make sure they are comfortable. Sadly his brush with death has left Ronnie a bit worried so will howl sometimes for 10 minutes when we go out. Then he just settles down and sleeps till he hears us coming back

That is shocking. I am so glad Ronnie recovered but what a terrible shock that must have been. I hope these scary tales aren't things I get to experience first hand.

Thanks for the wisdom, especially as it came at such a cost

 

[PeteH]

We occasionally leave ours in the van so far never on a hot day. The roof vents give some air movement and she has water. The first time we did it was a deliberate act an we sat on the nearby pub garden seating to check if she made a noise. She barked for a few seconds and then settled down, as far as we have been aware the worst thing is her tendency to get up onto the furnishings. She is normally forbidden !,!!

I have been looking for some time for a stand alone camera for the motorhome, most seem to require being on a home network though?

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[Wellington]

We all have the gel coolmats, and love them!
Like everyone else, we park in the shade, put the blinds up, open everything (including the cab doors) and hope for the best. I only leave Archie on UK campsites, because of the security risk. We don’t leave our tech in the van, but even so I’d rather come back to stolen iPads than roast dog.

Because I am a single parent, this means we don’t take Archie abroad, because I don’t know where we’d be parked when we need to go out. He loathes being left and barks and howls like he’s been abandoned FOREVER, and I have to warn the wardens (and occasionally apologise to the neighbours) and tell them that he really does have three fans, two bowls of water, all the lights open and special cold mat, and is not in the slightest bit hard done by, whatever he barks to the contrary! (We try not to leave him, but I have to balance everyone’s needs)

 

[Reallyretired]

Ours are fine left in the mh. Blinds closed on the sunny side especially windscreen, roof vents open and turbofan on. They are a lot cooler than us. Alarm on with internal sensors off.

 

[Hollyberry]

Low tech but useful on a hot day/ night : For anyone who uses an electric fan, freeze a plastic bottle 7/8 filled with water. Stand it in front of the flow of air. Reduces the temperature by a few more degrees.

 

[JC2001]

Low tech but useful on a hot day/ night : For anyone who uses an electric fan, freeze a plastic bottle 7/8 filled with water. Stand it in front of the flow of air. Reduces the temperature by a few more degrees.

thats a brilliant idea!

 

[The Wino]

And for your benefit a notice each side of your van stating the animal inside has sufficient cooling/ventilation and water and requires no intervention.
In the local speak and especially English, because of the

Thats always my worry the MH is nowhere near like leaving an animal in a car it stays pretty cool but a passer by could easily get worried about a dog in an unattended vehicle.

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[bobandjanie]

Our van is parked behind our apartment, it's on the north side in the shade with external silver screens on insulation pad in the large rooflight bathroom rooflight open and at 9.30 already 27.2 inside, we can monitor it from our kitchen, can't wait to get out in the van again, we do miss it but not as much as our pool, even the pool is too hot and being 30m you wouldn't think it would be possible.
When we are travelling we have two Roadpro 12v fans, shifting the air about. Bob.

 

[Aly1]

It is difficult if you are by yourself and have nobody to hold your dog whilst you pop in a shop for a minute.
Maybe something like this http://www.petloc.com/

 

[Potty]

Get a conical Kong or similar toy and fill it with treats and give her/him that when you go out. She/he will soon associate you going out with food and will probably beg you to go out more often! Like the idea of the water bottle/fan but it wouldn’t have worked with one of ours. She would have had the top off in seconds and we would come back to wet carpets!

 

[Minxy]

We all have the gel coolmats, and love them!
Like everyone else, we park in the shade, put the blinds up, open everything (including the cab doors) and hope for the best. I only leave Archie on UK campsites, because of the security risk. We don’t leave our tech in the van, but even so I’d rather come back to stolen iPads than roast dog.

Because I am a single parent, this means we don’t take Archie abroad, because I don’t know where we’d be parked when we need to go out. He loathes being left and barks and howls like he’s been abandoned FOREVER, and I have to warn the wardens (and occasionally apologise to the neighbours) and tell them that he really does have three fans, two bowls of water, all the lights open and special cold mat, and is not in the slightest bit hard done by, whatever he barks to the contrary! (We try not to leave him, but I have to balance everyone’s needs)

Who the heck is Archie? I didn't know you had a pooch! C'mon we need to see PICTURES!

 

[Wellington]

Haven’t I mentioned him? Poor Archie, I’m doing him a disservice.

Here he is, indulging in his favourite activity, napping. He doesn’t come abroad with us, but likes a UK jaunt in the MH (indeed he gets sick and very distressed in the car, because the car goes to Bad Places, like the vet and the groomers. The MH only goes to Good Places. With extra laps and barbecues)

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