RV
Advice Proudly Presents: RV
Advice Proudly Presents: 
Select
this icon if f you want music while you read, wait till page loads completely.
Classified
Ad Corner
Below are questions and answers to Barbara Foley that are related to traveling
with pets. Important: If you have a question you wish to ask Barbara, you can use the E-mail form found below these letters but keep in mind she gets a lot of E-mail but will reply as soon as possible. Barbara replies to all questions via E-mail and we will try to post all letters to Barbara (when possible) on this page as well.
This page last updated October 5, 2007 containing letters E-mailed to Barbara from January 20th - July 11th.
Hello, I am a first time dog owner. I love dogs but now I am a bit overwhelmed at the thought of taking care of it. He is a 10 week Yorkie Poo that was just bought a day ago. We have bought a crate for it to stay and but he doesn't seem to like it, he keeps crying every time I put him in there. I periodically put him in the crate after he eats and drinks so that he will go and soil on the diaper pads in the crate (he is not fully vaccinated so I can't take him outside yet). I also put him in there to get him accustomed to the environment because starting in November I'll be working full time as an accountant and he'll be left alone all day. I'm mostly worried that I'm not taking care of him properly and that he will be depressed. Can you please tell me how to properly care for my dog or if there is anything I am doing wrong?
Dear Chripa,
Congratulations on entering the world of Yorkies! I bred Yorkies for about 12 years, and they are wonderful dogs.
You need to get an exercise pen (any Pet Smart) to confine your puppy while you are not there to supervise him. Do not confine a puppy to a crate for the entire day while you are at work. That is just too long, especially for a puppy whose muscles just cannot "hold it" that long. I do not crate any dog more than 3 hours, and puppies even less except when they are sleeping. While you are gone, leave the TV or a radio on to entertain him/provide "company." Puppies are also chewing machines because their gums are sore, so make sure he has lots of toys to chew which are safe (no small, detachable parts; no pig ears or chewies). He can't help the chewing so you just have to "get through it." Do not play games with him with your hands as he must never think it is okay to place a part of the human body in his mouth. If he tries to chew on your hand, tell him to "leave it" and flick his nose with your fingernail. It will startle him and he won't find it pleasant so hopefully he'll stop. NEVER strike your puppy!
Always remember in training your puppy, it is much better to mold positive behavior or nip bad behavior in the bud than to try to fix a bad habit. So stay one step in front of your puppy and encourage good behavior.
NEVER encourage or let him use the bathroom in the crate because you never want him to do that. You must decide if you want him to use the bathroom outside or on papers inside your home. If you decide on papers inside your home, he must never use any other place. It is preferable that he use the bathroom outside and as long as you take him out on a leash just in your yard you should be okay about the vaccinations. Walk him to the door immediately after he wakes up, drinks or eats, and at least once an hour. Watch him and get him outside if he starts to search for a place. As soon as he goes, praise him like he just invented the wheel. I also suggest you give it a name like "outside" or "potty." Your goal is to get him to gradually "hold it" for longer periods and to only go outside. Before you retire for the night, take his water away after say 8 p.m. and make one last potty break before you go to bed. Put him in his crate for the night and ignore his cries. You must be committed to hopping out of bed and taking him outside as soon as he wakes up in the morning.
To crate train your puppy, leave the door ajar and put some treats inside. Of course, he should have something soft to lay on. Position the crate in the room where you will spend the most time with him. He should see his crate as a safe place to go and be by himself. Hopefully, he will wander inside and take a nap or two. As he becomes more comfortable (which may take some time as you have already locked him in it and he won't trust the whole thing) with going into the crate, let him go inside and then just push the door closed but do not lock it so he can simply push it open to get out. If he stays in the crate longer and is more comfortable, actually close and lock the door. Then almost immediately let him out. Then gradually lengthen the time he is locked in. Never let him out if he is barking or whining. Only when he is quiet do you release him and then praise him for being quiet.
If you do not confine him while you are gone, you will never housebreak him and he will chew on your furniture and cabinets. When you are home with him, make sure he walks to the door and you praise him when he succeeds.
Feed your puppy kibble food. I like Pro Plan Small Breed. Most grocery stores sell Iams, which is also a good food (use Mini-Chunks - small pieces he can easily eat). Toy breeds develop tartar on their teeth at an extraordinarily fast rate, so feed kibble rather than wet food. Try mixing the food with a little water and let it sit for a few minutes. If he doesn't go for that, you may have to mix a little wet food to coat the pieces. It may take a little time to get him used to it but he will if you are patient.
Get your puppy used to being groomed early (this includes your clipping his nails). You will need a comb with medium-spaced teeth and a pin brush (not with the little nubs on the end of the pins; this will pull the coat out). It is very important that you succeed in both the brushing and nail clipping even if your puppy objects however violently. If you give in, you will always have a grooming issue -- and Yorkshire Terriers require MAJOR, regular grooming!!! Also get your puppy used to having his teeth brushed (preferably daily) as teeth cleaning is very expensive and requires that your dog be aenesthesized, which is very dangerous for toy breeds.
Discuss spaying or neutering your dog with your vet and do that as soon as he/she recommends. You should also consider having him microchipped in case he gets lost.
Of course you will need a leash and properly fitted buckle collar for your puppy.
Toy dogs are great but can be fragile because they just aren't that big. Unfortunately, they don't know they are little and Yorkies ARE terriers. They will run up and bark in a large dog's face, completely oblivious to the danger. Sadly, one of my dogs was killed that way. So always be aware of what is going on around you and protect your dog. Also be vigilant with young children. Falling from a child's arms has killed more than one Yorkie. Never allow your dog outside unsupervised and I strongly recommend you have a fenced yard.
Get the Complete Yorkshire Terrier (written by Gordon/Bennet) and as many dog training books you can lay your hands on. I also recommend you enroll in a local obedience class. There are tons and tons of good on-line resources to help you with your new pet. But you must do things right the first time or you will have behaviors to overcome. I strongly recommend you get with your local obedience dog training club as soon as you can. They are a wealth of information and will be happy to help you if you stay with it. Owning a dog is wonderful but is a responsibility and at times can be a challenge. It is highly rewarding. I started out owning a little Yorkie as a pet. Luckily I fell in with some obedience folks. As a result my Yorkies, in addition to being wonderful companions, were high-level obedience competition dogs and therapy dogs. I now breed and show Papillons but have followed the obedience trail with them and also finished four conformation champions. -- All just because I got a little Yorkie as a pet!
You will just love this breed. They are very loving and absolute clowns. I hope you will enjoy him.
My husband and I travel in a 5th wheel due to his work and we have a wonderful 2 year old dobi. We have a really hard time finding RVparks that will accept them. Do you know of any way to get around these rules? Is there and insurance policy that we can carry for that?
Dear Caro,
I wish I had better news for you but the situation is that campground owners will lose their insurance if they do not comply with their insurance carrier's limits. Unfortunately, dogs of certain breeds with a reputation for aggression have been identified as too high risk to allow. Some of the breeds usually include Dobie, German Shepherds, Pit Bulls, Rottweillers, etc. Many, many campgrounds now have breed limitations imposed upon them by their insurance carriers.
I'm not aware of any insurance policy that will counteract the limitations. Essentially, if they let one of these breeds in, they lose their insurance. BTW, some homeowner insurance companies are also following this trend.
Like I said, I wish I had better news for you. My heart goes out to you. I'm so sorry.
We have to move from our home and plan on living in our RV for awhile. I am very concerned as our cat 'Margaret' has always live in our current home with a half acre yard and has been allowed to come in and out as she pleases. She stays within our grounds and spends most of her time hangin in the house. We can't get her to go into the RV that has always been parked in the driveway, I am not sure what she fears as she has never even seen it move. We ahve carried her into the Rv givin her treats and "good girl" stuff but she just wants out. We have even spent the night with her inside, with and without the motor running. As soon as the door is open, she bolts. I fear that she will run off wants we are in a new place and not come back or perhaps not know how to identify the RV as home. We don't have but a few weeks to figure this out. Any help that you might be able to provide would be helpful. This will be home for at least six months.
Dear Dana,
Wow, sounds like Margaret will be a real challenge. Sounds like she doesn't want anything to do with the RV, but life being what it is, she will need to put up with it if she will be accompanying you. I applaud your patience and efforts to change Margaret's attitude. I don't think she will every sincerely "get with it" in the RV lifestyle. Given that admission, you need to figure out ways to keep her from escaping because you are right in that if she does escape she will have a hard time figuring out how to get back in her panic.
She probably won't like it, but I would put her in an escape-proof harness attached to a long, lightweight string. That way, if she bolts, she will get a rude halt at the end of the string but she will at least not escape. I know this is less than desirable, but at least she won't be able to escape.
Placing her used litter box inside the RV might help Margaret consider the RV "home." Of course, she should ride in a carrier whenever the RV is in motion.
Wish I had better news for you.
Is it okay for a 12 year old black lab to ride in a wire crate in June for 6 hours in the bed of a truck? Good ventilation, but worried about the sun.
Other option is an "It's a Breeze" canvas crate.
Dear Sandy,
I have several misgivings about your trip, but yes, it can be accomplished if you have no other choice.
My first reservation is about the stress on an elderly dog. Unless your dog is quite used to traveling in the bed of a truck, this could be very stressful for such an old dog.
Since you speak of "ventilation," I will assume your truck has a cap on it and is not just an open bed of a truck. If you DO have a cap on the truck bed, you must be absolutely sure the dog will get enough cool, not hot, air while traveling. You must be very aware of how hot such a confined space can get in the heat and sun. I don't like the idea of transporting a dog in the bed of a truck without a cap because the dog is totally exposed to the elements. If you absolutely must, make sure the crate is secured to the truck. Leave the door and opposite end of the crate uncovered so that fresh air can pass through. Place the crate just behind the cab to afford some protection and to prevent your dog from breathing exhaust fumes. Cover the "long" sides of the crate with an attached reflective "space blanket," which will reflect the sun's rays off the crate and shade the dog. You must remember that this would not be the ideal situation--only lessening the risks if you MUST do it.
A wire crate is essential to your dog's safe travel because it is structurally better than other types of crates (except perhaps the fancy aluminum shipping crates) and because a wire crate allows for free flow of air vital to your dog.
To keep your dog as cool as possible, place some water-soaked, cool towels in the bottom of the crate. I would also use one of our old dog show tricks: Turn the tray from the bottom of your dog's wire crate upside down and place some of those frozen blue cooler blocks under the tray (you'll probably need about 4). This way the dog reclines on a cool surface. You will need to change the blocks for newly frozen ones as they warm. Keep rotating them during your trip, so the dog is always on a cool surface.
You must remember that your dog can only expel heat from his body through the pads of his feet and by panting. If he becomes hot, sponge his underbelly and especially his groin area with cold water. Needless to say, he must have a constant supply of cool drinking water. Consider adding ice cubes to his water to keep it cool longer.
Stop frequently to check on how your elderly dog is doing and do not hesitate to have a "Plan B" in case this doesn't work.
If you have the flexibility to do so, make your trip at night. This would be the ideal because it would be cooler for your dog and you would not have to worry about the sun.
Please be very, very careful with your elderly dog on this trip and be safe.
My husband and I are planning on buying our first travel trailer/or fifth wheel in the near future. We have a toy poodle that is our "baby". My question is do people that travel with their pets leave them at any time alone in the RV? I know that you never leave pets alone in a vehicle (animal cruelty), and that RV's come with AC units. Do these run automatically like your home AC? And do the owners of the campgrounds allow the pets to stay in their homes away from home while their owners go to a restaurant, movie, etc? Thank you for your input, this will be helpful in our future decision!
Dear Lisa,
Yes, people leave their pets in their RVs alone with the AC on. Most modern RVs have thermostatically-controlled AC units much like your home units. As long as the unit has power, it will continue to run as you set it. There is a danger, as you perceived, of the power being interrupted to your RV while you are away and the RV becoming too hot. Please re-read some of my articles on the subject to get a full understanding of the risks.
That being said, everyone leaves their pets alone from time to time, including me. Try not to leave for longer than necessary and be especially cautious of older campgrounds with "iffy" power systems.
Most campgrounds do not have rules about leaving pets alone in RVs but some do. They are concerned, not with your pet's safety, but rather whether your pet will bark while you are gone and disturb others. I have been the neighbor of such a situation and it is a real pain--even to me, a dog person.
If you have to be gone for a long period of time and have someone in the campground you can trust, have someone check in on your pet while you are gone. When we go to dog shows, we routinely watch out for each other's dogs while we are away but then we know each other and park together. It is a good thing because the power has gone out more times than I can count. One time, a neighboring exhibitor (one we did not know), went out for dinner and we were sitting around outside our RVs when the power went out. We opened all our windows/doors, etc., until they fixed the problem but we were very concerned about the dogs in the neighboring RV. Luckily, they had left the window shades open so we just kept looking through the windows to see if the dogs were panting or distressed. They seemed okay and luckily the power came back on. But since they had locked everything up tightly if there had been a problem the only way we could have saved the dogs would be to get the police and break in.
I have a tag which I hang on the inside of my window next to the door. "In case of emergency, please call me at (cell phone)." This helps.
We are going to travel in Spain and France for 6 to 8 months of the year. We are hoping to take our two cats with us but are unsure whether they will cope with the stress's that travel can cause for them. We have seen some travellers with cats and they seem to be able to let them outside knowing that they will return. I have been told that the cat see's the RV as its territory and therefore returns there to be fed. Do you know whether this is true?
Dear Yvonne,
Sounds like you will have a very enjoyable, exciting trip. From your note, it sounds like you will be RVing and wonder if it is okay to let your cats outside. Without some sort of safe enclosure for your cats, I would discourage you from letting them roam outside. When you travel from spot to spot, the smells, etc., are all new to your pet and it is unlikely that he can "smell" his way back home or otherwise find his way back. I've seen many people who lost a pet while traveling because it either escaped or wandered away and, being in strange territory, could not find his way back to the RV. If you take your cats with you, please make sure you have an escape-proof enclosure for them if they are outside. You could consider a metal exercise pen for dogs equipped with a metal top. They fold up easily and are quite portable.
I have one dog, A Coton de' Tulear, and want to take him on our Rv trip coming up this summer. Do you know of an Rv web Site that has specials bowls that wont spill and other things to have in the Rv.
Dear Patrick,
You can find virtually unspillable bowls called "Water Holes" at most pet supply warehouses. They are a plastic water bowl with a lid. The middle of the lid is open so the dog can drink but the rest of the lid keeps the water from slopping over. They are great!
Check our article on The Right Tools for the Job for other dog items you should consider for your trip.
Basically, think ahead to what you and your dog will be doing and get the things you will need to make that more enjoyable.
4 LB CAT TRAVELING IN OUR 45 FOOT PREVOST MOTOR COACH; WHAT IS THE BEST SMALL CRATE FOR HER TRAVEL FOR COMFORT; SHE WILL BE OUT OF THE CRATE/CAGE DURING OUR ANCHOR TIME.
Dear Ginger,
I prefer wire crates because they offer more ventilation in an RV. If space is an issue and you would be moving the crate frequently, I recommend one of the "suitcase" models that fold up easily for storage. I love mine! If your cat prefers a place to hide, etc., and it is not warm, you could place a towel over the wire crate to give the appearance of a closed space.
How long should a muzzle be left on a dog? Tthe dog is constantly looking for food, while on walks and around the house, and is overweight. Would a muzzle help stop this behaviour?
Dear Maureen,
Unfortunately, a muzzle will not stop a dog from looking for food. Assuming your dog is properly fed and is actually consuming what you put down for him (i.e., no other animal is getting his food), please consult with your veterinarian for other physical causes. Since he is overweight and still constantly hungry, I suspect some underlying physical cause. I've found feeding dog food with green beans often makes the dog feel fuller without actually feeding him more volume of food. They make him feel fuller. Although the green beans tend to help fill the dog up, it is important to remember that they are not a balanced diet and he must be fed proper rations as his regular diet.
If the dog is older, his weight might be deceiving in that he might be consuming a lot of water. Just an idea . . . .
A muzzle is designed to prevent a dog from opening his mouth wide enough to bite. It has nothing to do with the outward signs of your dog's hunger. You need to find the cause of his extreme hunger and then deal with that.
On a recent stay at Thousand Trails in Clermont Florida, we experienced a problem with an animal hospital. They refused to sell me a special cat food for our Main Coon cat, he has a problem with urinal track infection, even though I had a prescription from our local vet. I was told they could not sell it to me because of a state law saying they could sell to a non-customer.
The scenario would have to go like this since the cat is healthy right now due the fact he has been on feline a c/d diet, if I brought him in they could not prescribe a special food. I would have to feed him regular cat food till he started having blood in his urine and crying. Then I could take him in so they could squeezes some urine out of him and test it for minerals, Then they could charge me for the office visit, the blood test and the antibiotics, then I could by all the food I could ever want from them.
If this way the law reads something must be done for people that travel in the state of Florida.
Dear Tom,
Sometimes laws seem to make absolutely no sense, don't they? I admittedly am not familiar with Florida laws and perhaps there are similar laws elsewhere. Guess our only choice is to travel with a sufficient supply of food. Seems crazy since you clearly had a vet prescription. You might try another vet to see if it was just a scheme to get an exam fee. Not saying it was, but one never knows. I would also try Pet Smart's veterinary hospital, Banfield, to see if they will honor your prescription.
Send your question(s)to Barb using this E-mail form:
