Campervan with a dog

[Notonyournelly1]

We have a campervan and are going on our first weekend trip with the dog. We have done little day trips here and there but nothing overnight.

What do we need? I’ve bought the dog one of those leads that wraps around the wheel. He won’t run away but site rules say must be on lead 100% of the time and I cannot be bothered to sit holding the lead for the whole weekend!

Also, if anyone can recommend some very good camping chairs, I’d be forever in your debt. The ones we have were about £10 in Tesco and they are so uncomfortable. They fold up nice and small though. Everything I have ordered has either been flimsy and useless or enormous.

I am on loads of campervan FB pages but can’t find any specific to dogs where I can look at their whole set up.

I have a crate for her to sleep in (across the front two seats which are swivelled round. I do use a long lead attached to a deep screw peg but you MUST use a harness with a longer than 1m lead as they can spot something interesting and try to rush off and then damage their necks on a normal lead attached to their collar.

My dog loves camping so hope yours does too. Enjoy!

https://kilosgear.com/products/grandpeak-high-back-chair DH and I have these chairs for camping and love them. They fold up small, are really comfortable and not at all flimsy.

What type of dog? I have a fold out pen that’s perfect for my small dogs who don’t try and escape. It folds flat to store in the van.

https://amzn.eu/d/0hUs3E1F like this

Our dog loves going away in the camper van and sitting tethered outside watching the world go by is her happy place. It did take a few goes before she stopped barking at everything in sight though so be prepared for that. Now she knows that the whole site is not her personal territory.

We have a small bottle of dog shampoo with us in case she rolls in sea weed (or a dead seal). Most sites have a dog wash with warm water. Her own towel as well obviously.

Their bed and a blanket (it can get cold at night), toy, ball, chews etc. All their comforts of home!

We don’t have enough space for a crate in our campervan so it will be a harness and seat belt for travel and blanket on the floor for pup!

I have just bought him a harness for this very reason. It’s a hiking one so I can also carry him over ridges if needed to. It was expensive so I went for something multi-purpose.

All of the above plus I take her bowls, a “jumper” (it can get cold at night), tick repellant ( I use neem oil) and remover, doggy first aid kit, her travel harness and seat belt attachment, her food obviously plus I take a probiotic paste as I find the travel and changes can give an upset stomach plus towels, toys etc. I also take a mud daddy as my dog is part hippo.

My girl loves going away in the van, hope yours does too.

I have been looking at this brand. Thank you for the recommendation!

Cocker spaniel. He will just chill on his bed 🤞🏻

Dog shampoo is a fantastic idea! He’s a spaniel so mute but partial to rolling in fox poo! 🤢

Ours has her own bed and fleece but always ends up sharing our bed.

I have a doggy first aid bag with neem oil, leucillin etc. What seatbelt and harness have you got?

All the kit I have looked at is utterly useless in a crash. Anything above 30mph and it’s redundant. Makes me nervous as we travel with a transk9 crash tested crate in my car.

We have an old sleeping bag with a broken zip which we use as a dog blanket. It does get cold at night and he lies on half and we tuck him in with the other half.

We have bought him an equafleece - we call them his doggy pyjamas 😂

I use this https://kurgo.uk/products/impact-dog-car-harness?srsltid=AU7gw4W81EjQrXvxtaiUEYShMvIPD7Ck8ZDWt9tz9xX-0VlxUtkAXf4w and https://wigglesandwags.co.uk/products/dog-seat-belt-clip?srsltid=AU7gw4VjixcxVKro2FQpw0R6wyXW-DVSOKILskoBIDdpqhOLmebVCu6G (can get it in loads of other places).

My dog is 10kg and I put her in the back so it should be ok, though I accept probably not as good as the crash crate. Bear in mind you tend to be travelling at lower speeds in the van if that helps.

Unfortunately, they only test up to 30mph so if you are in a crash on a motorway, it’s likely to fail but I am sure it is better than nothing.

We have a bowl from Amazon which is meant to be "no spill"- it has a lip around it. We put that on a non slip mat and it means we don't have to empty and refill, we can travel with it still full. Lots of campers will use windbreaks to create a little area for dog to sit in too, good if dog is reactive to other dogs walking past.

My dog just sleeps on the bed with me, but it’s usually just the two of us. I have a long line that I use to tie him him to the van. Other than that I don’t do anything special just remember to take food, poo bags etc.

A heavy weight water bowl is a good idea or they just get tipped over.

Agreed, but as you say where a crate doesn’t fit it’s better than the alternative.

When sitting outside our Moho, Ddogs are either sitting on our laps or we use the screw-in anchors (corkscrew type) to keep them from wandering too far.
We used to carry fold-up fencing which was excellent for allowing them to roam around the pitch but even though it folded nice & flat, it was a bit bulky.
Indoors they just sleep on my bed with me while my OH sleeps in the overcab bed.😆

Awwwwww my doggie loves vanning! We go most weekends.
our front double seat turns round so she sleeps on there on her blanket.
We have round Tupperware bowls with lids, we use the for water and feed bowls for her - can put the lid on if she doesn’t eat all of her food and put it under the van overnight.
also a non slip small rug, which is machine washable.
my friend has an elevated dog bed which is good if the grass is wet.
if it’s midgey- we put Avon skin so soft on her hands and stroke her fur, seems to help

I might set up an instagram for all this campervan malarkey because the number of mistakes I’ve made so far is insane 😂

Thanks all - hopefully we have everything for our pup to enjoy these weekends!

Don’t forget a tick remover! Mine always seems to pick up ticks when I don’t have one near….

My dog loves going away in our camper!

I have a metal plate that you drive a wheel onto, with a hole in to tether your dog. I use an extra long lead on this so he has more space.
Saves the lead getting mucky on the wheel.
Warm coat for night time.

He has a very strong release command.
If my dog is in the van, he knows he’s not allowed to leave without hearing his release command.
This means he can hang around inside with the door open, without us having to watch him or keep a lead on him.

You generally need good overall training/relationship and impulse control for this though.

He would never run out of the front door or the garden gate at home, for example, even if it’s left open for ages and unattended/humans going in and out…….