Why these 20 Things for RVing Dogs are Must-Haves
There’s nothing like taking your fluffy best friend with you on an RV trip. Every adventure is better with your best buddy! If you’re planning on RVing with your dog, there are some basic essentials that you should make sure you take along to keep your pup happy and healthy along the way.
Dog safety
Keeping your pup safe is paramount. Not only will they be hanging out in a moving vehicle, but there will most likely be opportunities for them to get lost or sick. To keep your dog as safe as possible, consider taking the following items along with you:
- Dog crate: Keep him contained when you need to step out.
- Doggy seatbelt harness: Keep him safe and strapped in when moving.
- Safety/ID Tag: Make sure it has your personal details on it.
- Vet’s details: Carry your own information or those in the area in which you’re traveling.
- First-aid stuff: Make sure you can treat wounds and doggy illness.
- Ramps: Make it easier for your dog to get in and out of the RV.
Dog comfort
Your pooch needs to be comfy too! RVing with your dog is no fun if your pup is cranking and irritable. Take these comfort items with you to keep him feeling warm and fuzzy inside and out:
- Dog bed: Give him a comfy, warm spot of his own.
- Blanket: He’ll stay warm when the temperature drops.
- Your dog’s brush: Keep him pretty and give him some attention.
Food & water
Of course, your pet needs to eat and drink too! When packing food for your dog, think about the entire day. It’s easy to forget those teeth cleaning treats you give at bedtime and keep in the freezer. Make sure you have:
- Dog food: Bring a large enough supply for your trip.
- Fresh water: He’ll need a constant supply to quench his thirst.
- Travel bowls: These take up very little space.
- Treats: Reward him when he’s a good boy or if needs some security.
- Medicine: Don’t forget any permanent or temporary doggy meds you may need on the road.
Remember to give your dog a break now and then.
Fun time
Pups need stimulation and exercise on a daily basis. Don’t forget to include some playtime in every day that you are on the road RVing with your dog.
- Leash: You’ll need one at many campgrounds, on trails, or when you’ve stopped in a walkable spot.
- Your pup’s toys: Keep him busy while you’re driving.
- Interactive toy: Consider getting a puzzle toy to keep his mind active.
Cleaning your pet
Remember, you’ll still need to clean up after your pup. In some places this is law, so you can never be too careful. It’s a good idea to carry:
- Waste bags: Cleaning up after your pet is part of being a pet owner. Bring biodegradable waste bags like these and discard them in the next trash can you see (not along the trail or around the campground).
- Flea & Tick shampoo: Carry some flea & tick shampoo in case your pup picks up something along the way.
- An outdoor shower: You’ll want an outdoor showerhead to clean off your dirty pup before allowing him back in the RV.
Don’t forget break time when RVing with your dog
Don’t forget to stop for regular bathroom breaks! You may normally be able to hold it for several hours, but the sensation of moving and extra vibration in the RV or truck might change that. You can use a tool like RV LIFE Trip Wizard to find Rest Areas ahead of time so you can plan for those stops in advance.
One thing we haven’t mentioned on this list is your time. Part of having your pup with you on the road is bonding! Take time every day to play with your dog—not only are you making his day, but you’re also helping him get some exercise after being cooped up in a vehicle all day.
RVing with your dog can be an amazing, fulfilling experience. Being prepared is the most important thing, for your safety and sanity, and theirs! Happy RVing!
Mike Powell is a dog-lover. He also loves traveling and has some of his dogs with him on the road. Mike writes about dogs on his blog, https://www.dogembassy.com, and shares some tips on how to take care of them.
Good list, Mark. I’d add a cooling pad for warm weather, the kind which re-cools itself.
I’m a full time RVer and I have had my dogs with me all the time. My dog Dakota was my service dog. I am a diabetic and he was trained to alert me when my blood sugars were getting low. He was with me every place I went. He loved the R V because it was home no matter where we were. I lost him two years ago last August and now it’s really lonely on the road . Dakota was a German shepherd malamute and was 188lbs. He was an great friend we would take train trips from Sacramento to Chicago and he has pictures all over the U. S. because everyone thought he was so special.
May have overlooked it,
but a harness should be an absolute must (dont leave home w/o it) requirement for maintaining control and safety in your Pups travels.
New surroundings and encountering strange dogs or wildlife in the campground heighten the importance of a solid harness, not to mention your own safety.
I know this may sound silly, but PET ARMOR is a must if you boondock, and your dog is off the leash (only if he/she does not run off). There is pet armor with spikes and weird frilly things that make it impossible for a coyote or wolf to bite your dog without getting a mouth full of sharp spikes. Also the vest is puncture proof.
Good points, all. ID tags should include your personal phone number as well as a phone number from a friend of family member who will know how to reach you while you’re traveling. Additionally, all dogs (and cats) should be microchipped and the chip registration up-to-date with at least one phone number that belongs to someone else who knows where you are and how to find you.
Definitely be aware of cougars, bears, bobcats, wolves,coyotes and moose dogs are very vulnerable to these pretetors.your pets are essy meals dont leave them outside alone.
We have additional RVing ID tags that we put on their collars when we are traveling. In addition to all the normal info, we include the RV manufacturer and license plate number, in case they escape in the park or campground we’re in. They are always on leash, but you never know…
Great article. We camp with 4 dogs and my tiny Yorkie has hypoparathyroidism and needs medication every 12 hours or she could die. They make dog medic tags and I got one on the internet that had enough room to put her disease name, medication name, dosage amount and how often needed plus my cell phone number. She also has the regular tags with her name and our cell numbers like the other dogs. We travel a lot and always take their medical files and we have even had to purchase little Mindy’s meds at Walgreens when we were on the road for an unexpected extended 4 weeks due to a tow vehicle breakdown. I think the medic tags are the best because if we ever lost Mindy she could die very quickly without her meds. We almost lost her when she first got this disease. Luckily it happened when we were not traveling and our regular vet was open that Saturday morning and they got her stabilized enough for us to get her to the University of Georgia Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s ICU where it took them 4 days to get her stable enough to come home without IV meds. Although this disease is very rare if Mindy ever got lost from us any vet would know how quickly she would need treatment and she could not be left alone without having her proper medication.
Great list, don’t forget your dog vaccination papers, many parks want to see proof
We took this tip from someone else… We bought a container of key tags (paper tags with a spring clip) from walmart. We write dogs name, our camping site number, and our phone number in case they get away from us (so far it hasn’t happened). The tags are disposable so we change them when we change camp sites. I hope we never need them, but I will use them every time (just in case).
We RV in the winter, so we like a heating pad to go under our dog’s bed!
fold up exercise pen and x pen cover. We have 3 Corgis. We set up 2 pens so they run out the door to the “area” pen’d off. Could not have dogs camping where Owls, coyotes, bear etc are without it. Tying them up is not enough. We had a pesty Barred Owl curious when our 10 week old puppy whined to go out. The cover (on Am) 1/2 over the pen and me were enough to shoo the Owl away.
Recommend knowing where the nearest location of a vet in case of an emergency.