10 Tips for Full Time RVing with Dogs You Wish You Knew Before
Are you considering the full-time RV lifestyle and wondering how to bring your furry friends along for the adventure?
As seasoned nomads who have been living in an RV full-time with our three dogs since 2019, we understand the joys and challenges that come with RVing with pets.
To make the most of your RV travel experience with your four-legged friends, we’ve compiled a list of top tips and hacks for living in an RV with dogs.
From essential RV accessories for dogs to helpful advice on keeping your pups comfortable and safe during your travels, we’ve got you covered.
Tip #1: Opt for a Dog Friendly RV
When choosing an RV to call home, it’s important that you consider your dog. Make sure there’s enough space in the travel trailer for their kennel (if necessary) and other large accessories like bedding, and dog bowls.
Before making your buying decision, the best advice we can give is to consider your personal living conditions. How much space are you and your pup going to need to be comfortable?
Check out our top choices for travel trailers best for full time living.
Pro Tip: try not select an RV with carpeted floors. Dog hair, dirt and dander get stuck in the carpet and is hard to get out.
Dogs Need Their Own Space in Your RV
After you’ve found a travel trailer perfect for full time RV living with Dogs, It’s time to consider where your pup will be hanging out when they spend their time inside.
For the most part, any pup can live comfortably with you on the road given enough time to adjust and acclimate to their new lifestyle.
Regardless, It is important for dogs to have their own space in your RV to relax during the day and sleep at night that makes them feel at home.
Here’s a few ideas for giving your dog their own space in your RV:
Dog Bed: You can create a space for them by setting up an area with their own bed, toys and snacks. If you have more than one pet, it is important that they each get their own space so they don’t fight over territory.
Dog Kennel: Allows your dog to be in the RV with you but have their own safe space. There are many different sizes and options to choose from, so it is important that they have a kennel large enough for them to stand up, turn around and lay down comfortably.
Making sure your dog(s) has his or her own space will make RV life less stressful for you both. Here is an example of how we raised the bed so that dogs have their own space.
Tip #2: Bring Along The Essentials for Your Furry Travel Buddies
Pets need things too. Got their food bowl? Water bowl? Treats? Leashes? Make a list of all the dog accessories you need to bring along before RVing full time with Dogs.
Leash & Collars: We love to bring along a few of our dog’s collars and leashes when we travel with them.
Identification Tag: Keep an ID tag on your dog’s collar at all times. This will ensure that someone can find you if your dog were to escape.
Toys & Treats: You never know when your dog will start to get bored. Make sure you pack their favorite toy or two for those moments where they need a distraction.
Medical Records: Bring along Vaccination and other vet records. If you plan on traveling across the country into another country like Canada or Mexico, you’ll need vaccination records in case local authorities or border security ask to see them.
Tip #3: The Do's and Don'ts of Leaving Your Dog Alone in an RV
While living in an RV with dogs means that you get to travel with your furry friends, there may be times when they can’t come with you.
For instance, many national parks and beaches have restrictions against dogs. In these situations, you may have to leave your dogs behind in the RV. However, leaving your pet unattended in an RV can be risky if proper precautions are not taken. To ensure your dog’s safety and well-being, it is crucial to follow the do’s and don’ts of leaving your dog alone in an RV:
Do:
- Provide your dog with plenty of water and food
- Ensure proper ventilation in the RV
- Bring a variety of toys, blankets, and treats to keep your dog occupied
- Secure the RV to prevent theft or accidental driving
- Leave a note with your contact information in case of emergencies
Don’t:
- Leave your dog in a hot and unventilated RV
- Leave your dog outside
- Leave your dog alone for extended periods of time
- Leave any hazardous materials within reach of your dog
- Assume that your dog will be okay and not check on them periodically
While leaving your dogs unattended for long periods is never ideal, there are ways to make the experience safer and more comfortable for them:
Pet Monitoring Camera: Having a camera in your RV allows you to check up on your dogs remotely when you are away. You can see that they are safe and give you peace of mind.
Temperature Alert Device: This temperature monitor sends an alert to my cell phone if the temperature drops below or goes above the parameters I’ve set. As long as we have Wi-Fi, this allows me to feel safe leaving them while we’re out and about.
For more tips about how to safely leave your dogs alone in your RV, check out our in-depth blog post with tips about when you should avoid leaving your dog alone, and other helpful advice.
Is it safe to leave dogs in an RV?
There are certainly precautions you should take before leaving your dog alone in an RV, but most dogs will be just fine as long as they have a safe place to go while you’re away. Leaving your dogs unattended for extended periods of time is not recommended.
How to Keep the RV Cool for Your Dogs
One of the biggest concerns people have about leaving dogs alone in an RV is overheating. There are many ways to keep your RV at a comfortable temperature for your dogs while you are away, here are some things I’ve found helpful:
- Vent fans installed in the roof of the travel trailer creates good airflow throughout the RV.
- Using a generator to power your A/C paired with a pet temperature device ensures your RV stays cool.
- Newer RVs have auto-start features on generators that can kick on your A/C unit if the temperatures reach a certain degree.
- Ice water can cool your dog down while you are away.
- Keeping the shades down will help block out excess sunlight and make it harder for heat from outside to enter through the windows.
- 4 season travel trailers are better equipped to handle extreme temperature changes.
Tip #4: Prioritizing Safety for Your RV Dog
Be prepared for the unexpected and have an emergency kit for your furry friends.
Having an Emergency Kit is important to keep your dogs safe and healthy in your RV. A pet first aid kit can save your dog’s life by giving immediate treatment if it sustains an injury:
- First aid kit: This should include basic items like gauze, bandages, tweezers, antiseptic solution, and antihistamine for allergic reactions.
- Tick and flea prevention: Fleas and ticks are common parasites that can cause serious health problems for your dog, so it’s important to bring along preventative measures like flea and tick collars or medication.
- Medications: If your dog is on any medications, be sure to bring enough for the entire trip. It’s also a good idea to have a copy of your dog’s prescription in case you need to refill it while on the road.
- Vaccination records: Make sure you have a copy of your dog’s vaccination records with you in case you need to show them to a veterinarian or boarding facility.
- Muzzle: In case of an emergency, a muzzle can help keep your dog and others safe while administering first aid.
- Pet-friendly first aid book: Bringing a book with basic first aid information specifically for pets can be helpful in case of an emergency.
You can purchase a ready-made kit to be prepared for any unexpected dog injuries.
Consider Pet Insurance for Full Time RV Living With Dogs
You should also consider getting pet insurance for RV life with Dogs just in case something does happen while on the road. Spot Pet Insurance has affordable rates that has accident and illness coverage.
Tip #5: Managing Dog Fur in Your RV
I know what you are thinking, having a dog in an RV full time means there will be fur everywhere.
While the fur is inevitable, we have a few products to help clean up the fur and keep the smell at bay.
Check out our other blog post for more tips and easy ways to keep your RV clean of dog hair.
Air purifier: Our air purifier has really helped to pick up dust and dandruff and reduce dog odor.
Vacuum: We recently got the Shark Rocket corded vacuum and love it. It helps keep the fur and dust to a minimum.
Nature’s Miracle Stain & Odor: When your dog has an accident or makes a mess, this is the best product for removing any stains or smells.
On your travels, find a do-it-yourself dog wash location. If your dogs are clean, it helps keep your RV clean.
Tip #6: Advice for Travel Day
You love your dog and you know that they deserve the best life possible. You also realize how hard long road trips can be.
What’s the best way to keep your travel days smooth and stress-free?
Make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise on travel day: Dogs need exercise to stay healthy and happy. And keeping a healthy balance between activity and rest is key when it comes on travel day. Letting them get their energy out before a long day in the vehicle will help them relax and enjoy the ride. Plus, they’ll be less likely have any accidents caused by an overexcited dog.
If you’re headed out on an extended trip: be sure to take regular breaks so they can stretch their legs and use the bathroom. You could try to find a local off-leash dog park, or take your pup for a nice long walk or jog.
Always pack plenty of water and food: as well as their favorite toys and treats, to keep them entertained along the way.
Tip #7: Enjoying the Great Outdoors with Your RV Dog
There are many ways to enjoy the great outdoors with your dog. Hiking, camping, and kayaking can all be a lot of fun for you and your pup. You just need to make sure that you have the right gear for both of you! If you plan to go hiking with your dog, here is our complete guide with tips and gear for the trail.
Find Dog Friendly Hikes: All trails is a great way to find hikes that allow dogs. The app also lets you filter which type of pet friendly adventures suit your needs best – whether it be on leash or off!
Have complete control of your dogs at all times: Do your best to keep your dog out of sensitive or delicate areas. The best would be to keep them on a leash if their recall is not 100% and there are a lot of hikers on the trail. You never know who might be afraid of dogs or who has an allergy. Do not let your dog jump on other people.
Many National Parks do not allow dogs: so make sure to check before you get to the trail head if dogs are allowed.
If your Dog Poops, Pick it Up: Seriously. DO NOT leave it in a poop bag. NO it does NOT biodegrade. If i see you do this, I will be infuriated and tell you to pick it up.
8. Tips for Staying at RV Parks with Dogs
Dogs are great travel companions and many RVers take their dogs with them to RV parks. However, it’s still important to be respectful of your fellow campers by following a few basic etiquette rules. Here’s our tips for making the most of your RV Park stay while keeping your furry friend happy and safe:
Double-check the park rules about dogs: If they are allowed, there may be restrictions on size and breed.
Respect Leash Rules: Most RV parks require you to have dogs on a leash.
Be prepared to clean up after your pet: and dispose of their waste properly.
With a little bit of preparation, you can have a great time living full-time with dogs.
Tip #9: Plan Dog-Friendly Adventures
If you’re an RV dog owner, there’s no need to leave your furry friend behind when you hit the open road. With a little bit of planning, you can enjoy Rv travel with Dogs. Here are our top tips for ensuring your trip is fun for both you and your pup:
Find pet-friendly campgrounds: There are plenty of them out there, and most websites that list campgrounds will also indicate which ones allow pets.
Plan your route ahead of time: make sure there are plenty of dog-friendly parks and attractions along the way.
Pack everything your dog will need: including food, water, bowl, bed, toys and treats.
Bring any medications or vaccines records: in case of emergencies.
With a little planning and research, it’s easy to plan a dog friendly vacation. You may even find a town that offers dog-walking services, dog sitting services or day care facilities.
Tip #10: Take Short Trips Before Committing to Full Time RV Life with Dogs
Taking short trips before committing to full-time RV living with your furry companion is an excellent way to determine if you and your dog are compatible travel partners.
Even if your dog loves going for rides in the car, living full-time in an RV can be a different experience for both you and your pet. A short trip will give you a sense of how your dog behaves in a confined space and whether they are comfortable with the movement and noise of the RV.
Additionally, taking your RV on a weekend trip to a nearby RV park or campground allows you to practice RV living with your dog and work out any kinks before you embark on a longer journey.
You can experiment with different RV accessories for dogs and learn what works best for you and your pet.
For example, you may discover that your dog is prone to motion sickness and may need medication or calming aids during travel. Alternatively, you may find that your dog loves to explore new environments and is more adaptable than you anticipated.
RV pet supplies: What we Buy to make our lives easier RVing with Dogs
Full time RVing with 3 dogs means you need a whole arsenal of RV pet supplies for keeping them safe, entertained, and allowing us to maintain our sanity.
This is a list of things I recommend to anyone living full time in an RV with Dogs. You can also check out our gift guide for dogs to get the a gift your adventurous pup would love.
Seat Cover: On travel days, 2 of the 3 dogs are in the backseat of our truck. That means their dirty paws, and fur get all over the seat. By adding a seat cover, it helps keep the truck clean and we can easily wash the seat cover
Tie Out Cable: This is one of the tie-out cables we have used for Cruze and Bella when we are at our campsites. It prevents them from roaming around but allows them to still have room to play with each other and go inside the trailer when they want to.
Bully Chews: Highly recommended for any dog. Having bones and treats that keeps dogs preoccupied when you have to leave them alone and helps prevent them from chewing on your sofa, your shoes, carpet, etc.
XLarge Dog Kennel: Whenever we leave Cruze (our wolfdog) for long periods of time (2-3 hours) which doesn’t happen often, we put this dog kennel in the trailer. Even though he has his own bed, we found out that he become destructive when left alone.
No Pull Harness: This harness has been amazing for taking Cruze on our hikes and walks. He gets excited and will pull your arm off if you’re not careful. This harness prevents him from pulling so hard by redirecting him towards you when he pulls. Jake says it has made walking Cruze a whole lot easier.
Regular Harness: This harness we use for Bella for when we go on bike rides it allows her to pull and get as much exercise as possible.
Stuffed Animal Toys: Cruze is obsessed with his stuffed animals. He carries them around from inside the cargo trailer to outside. He protects them like they are his babies. It’s actually really cute.
Tug Rope: Bella’s favorite game is playing tug. We got her this tug rope and she absolutely loves playing with it.
Bungee Leashes: These leashes are a game changer. They are SO much better than regular leashes. When the dogs get excited, and pull, it doesn’t feel like they are going to pull your arm off. They come with a waist clip as well.
Dog Jacket: We have 2 northern breed dogs, so their fur gets really thick in the winter. Gunner on the other hand, is a lab/pointer mix and gets cold in the winter (especially if we play in the snow and he gets wet) so we like to put him in a doggie jacket to keep him warm.
Guide to Full-Time RV living With Dogs
Dogs are like family, and life on the road can be really fun- especially if you are prepared. And we absolutely love the memories we’ve made while full time RVing with dogs and hope you found this helpful!
Do you travel with your pet? What are your tips? Leave them in the comments below!
For more tips on RVing with dogs, check out these other helpful blog posts:
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