CARAVANNING WITH NEW PUPPY/DOG - ADVICE/TIPS PLEASE

[Alibongo1]

Dear All,

We are going away over the October half term and this will be the first time caravanning with our new puppy.

She is 13 weeks old and although house training is going well she is still not 100% reliable.

Can anyone who caravans with a dog/puppy give me any advice or tips. Particularly regarding nights as we are unsure what to do with her. I was planning on placing her bed in the doorway of the caravan and then 'cutting' the area off with her crate with newspaper in for her 'business' (obviously also leaving a water bowl down as well) but hubby thinks she would be fine outside in the porch awning in her bed.... (her bed is one of those house bed so has 4 walls and roof with opening at front - but I'm worried she'll be to cold.

Any help / advice / tips on caravanning with a dog/puppy would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks fellow caravanners/campers...

Alibongo1

 

[Colinn]

Hi Alison,

We have always caravanned with our dogs - and they love it. Never had a puppy as young as yours though. Personally, I wouldn't use the awning overnight. Not a matter of cold - but security! I would restrict the area available to pup as much as possible, put down loads of covering to protect the floor/furnishings, and be prepared to be up and out with your pup as necessary!! Good luck...

 

[LMH]

Hi Alison

What breed of dog is your pup?

I haven't taken a youngster of that age away with me, the youngest was four months. A few pointers which I'm sure you'll have already thought about is chewing. You must keep an eye of the pup when it's on the loose in your van or you'll end up with some costly damage. My youngster chewed through the rolled up eco ground sheet (brand new) in the few seconds we wern't watching him. He ruined it. Because we put the awning up on grass, he cocked his leg up at the van and side of the awning like mad. (Doesn't do it any more though).

The fabric crate you describe sounds ideal for inside the van with the pup in it. It's just the toileting prob I'd be a bit worried about and chewing. However, if you follow the rules of toilet training a youngster which I am sure you do, you should be fine.

If you put the pup in the porch awning in a crate rather than the fabric house you describe, he/she might make a bit of noise, mine did at home at that age and still does. I cover him with a crate cover because he sings like a canary otherwise.

If you did decide to put the pup in the porch awning, I'd definately clip heavy duty padlocks on the crate on the doors, I'd also chain the crate to one of the corner steadies. The pup should be ok in terms of temperature if you put nice thick bedding in there and cover the cage.

My two adult dogs sleep in the awning in crates if we take both dogs with us, if we take just one, it sleeps in the van with us.

Once you get the pup house trained and when it's out of its chewing stage, if you want to, have it in the van with you.

Good luck, let us know how you got on.

Never allow your dog to do this:

Lisa x

 

[LMH]

 

[ericcaravanning4u]

Only you know your dog and only you know what you are prepared to do.

Our dog sleeps on the bed with us and when she wants a pee she goes to the door and wimpers .

One of us will get up and take her out even if it is in the early hours.

But if its a pup and she isnt yet trained put some paper down against the door she/he will go on it in the night.

 

[LMH]

Of course Alison knows her own dog, she asked for advice and I simply gave her some.

Lisa

 

[RogerP]

One thought , animals generally do not like to soil their designated sleeping area.

I'd suggest that you possition the bed in the caravan so that they have to move towards the door if they need to. That way you will know as they go to the door its walkies time.

Also go for more walks , especially leading up to bed time. If the pup is expelling more water theres less chance she'll need to over night. Also being exercised more will tire her out and again less chance of her getting bored and chewing things as she probably sleep better.

 

[Tony A.]

Alison,

I agree with your husband,your pup won`t be cold with the bed in the awning, but I would tether it( the pup that is) to a screw in peg, if there`s a way out of the awning a dog will find it.I would fold the ground sheet back to give the pup some grass to `go` on, if it is trained to news paper put this on the grass,(saves washing the ground sheet) If you let it in the caravan and it chews, pees or anything else you`ll regret it,paper soaks up liquid, but if the dog goes to the edge of the paper then your furishings(chip board) will soak it up and you can`t clean that up.

The pup will soon learn its place, don`t think your being cruel

Tony A.

 

[AnnM1]

Perhaps I am just too soft, but I would never accommodate my puppy in an awning, and certainly not during the possibility of cold weather. It's OK if you want to be dragged out of your bed throughout the night go ahead, but it does seem a little harsh on both pup and yourselves. Nor would I tether an animal in a cage! We 'van on sites where badgers and foxes are regular visitors and awnings won't keep them out. Your pup would be terrified of such an intrusion.

I am always happy to let my dog(s) sleep in the caravan and I feel much safer for their presence. They don't need to share the bed and are usually quite happy to sleep in their own arrangements.

Each to his own on this one!

 

[AnnM1]

Hi Alison

What breed of dog is your pup?

I haven't taken a youngster of that age away with me, the youngest was four months. A few pointers which I'm sure you'll have already thought about is chewing. You must keep an eye of the pup when it's on the loose in your van or you'll end up with some costly damage. My youngster chewed through the rolled up eco ground sheet (brand new) in the few seconds we wern't watching him. He ruined it. Because we put the awning up on grass, he cocked his leg up at the van and side of the awning like mad. (Doesn't do it any more though).

The fabric crate you describe sounds ideal for inside the van with the pup in it. It's just the toileting prob I'd be a bit worried about and chewing. However, if you follow the rules of toilet training a youngster which I am sure you do, you should be fine.

If you put the pup in the porch awning in a crate rather than the fabric house you describe, he/she might make a bit of noise, mine did at home at that age and still does. I cover him with a crate cover because he sings like a canary otherwise.

If you did decide to put the pup in the porch awning, I'd definately clip heavy duty padlocks on the crate on the doors, I'd also chain the crate to one of the corner steadies. The pup should be ok in terms of temperature if you put nice thick bedding in there and cover the cage.

My two adult dogs sleep in the awning in crates if we take both dogs with us, if we take just one, it sleeps in the van with us.

Once you get the pup house trained and when it's out of its chewing stage, if you want to, have it in the van with you.

Good luck, let us know how you got on.

Never allow your dog to do this:

Lisa x

Hi Lisa

I see, deep down, you are just as soft as the rest!!!

Best wishes

Ann

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

hi, we have a staffie and they are known chewers. storm has always slept in a crate. she usually sleeps in the awning in her crate and if its winter comes in the van in her crate on one of the bunk beds. usually dogs dont mess there beds so you might be surprised. when she was little i put newspaper one end and her vet bed the other. i wouldnt use newspaper to wee on in the van it could stain the carpet and soak through causing it to smell. i would use the piddle pads and let her out in the day every hour at least.

if shes crate trained then i would give her a last wee and put her in her crate to sleep in the van . i wouldnt put any water in there ( she wont dehidrate ) as that will encourage wees and i would feed the pup no later than 5.00.

some will proberbly disagree with me but this is my way and it worked.

good luck

jo-anne

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

alison, i meant to say im assuming when you say crate its the metal one?, and the bed is the canvas house?.

i did forget to say if you do put the pup in the crate always take the collar off incase they strangle themselves. but you proberbly already do that.

sorry to sound so regimental.

jo-anne

 

[LMH]

I've never used the newspaper method myself, when my dogs were pups, they were put outside after eating/sleeping/play and on the hour during the day. I agree with what Jo says about don't feed after tea time and don't leave water out for it at night.

I would just like to say one thing though and no disrespect meant to anyone but as I don't know what sort of dog you have, or if its a cross, what it's crossed with so I'll make a generalisation (providing it's not something like a Borzoi).

A dog is skeletally immature until it is 12 months of age. Too much hard exercise can cause serious damage to most breeds. A 13 week pup should literally have no more lead exercise than walking around a short block, or one mile maximum per day at that age. Play is fine as long as it's not continuous galloping, trotting along side a bike roadwork, or twisting/turning/jumping chasing a ball, particularly on hard uneven ground.

I'm sure Jo will back me up on that.

Lisa

 

[RogerP]

Just to add Lisa's comments about too much exercise.

You do need to make sure a pup isn't over exercised.

However , most sites require you to keep the dog on a lead and under control and exercised in a designated area or indeed off site. These exercise areas may be some distance from your pitch so therefore you will have to walk the dog quite a bit so factor this in. (mind you if they need to go they go anywhere and you cant really stop them just make sure you bag it and bin it)

You might want to let the site know in advance and see if they can factor in getting you nearer to the doggy area (not always possible especially at half term but worth a call).

 

[craigmurray]

hi alison,

how did your week go? i missed your post b 4 u went. We went away 3 years ago with our brand new 7 week old rottweiler puppy. Apart from her doing a number 2 in our landrover on the way dwn to weston-super-mare she was fantastic in the van. At night we put down puppy training pads (big nappies) she wee'd on these and num 2 on them as they have a scent in them to attract them and also like a nappy they absorb moisture unlike newspaper which would soak straight through and leave you with an unpleasant smell. As for leaving our dogs in the awning they would die from shock lol, they sleep on the bed with us and now that our little fluffy rotti is full grown with her best friends of another rotti and a staffi things get tight but its great for keeping you warm. Personally i dont like the crates especially stuck in the awning, its only a personal point of view but to me dogs are like children, and would u put your kids in the awning in the cold and dark and scarey nights all alone lol. Well maybe the kids , but definately not the dogs.

 

[LMH]

QUOTE: 'dogs are like children' UNQUOTE

Blimey - I really hope that's a tongue in cheek comment????

Lisa

 

[gypsy]

I must be a softie too, as our Dogs sleep in the van, in beds with sides and a blanket, and why not, they are part of the family.

 

[Angela_5076436]

Mine was an elderly Dalmatian - who really felt the cold and as he slept in the Shower [ and end bathroom Van ] it could get cold there - even on a big thick duvet type bed - so he had a fan heater blowling warm air towards him.

We learnt the hard way about him being cold - we had some wet beds from him and a French Site warden suggested he was cold - turned heating on and it was magic - no more problems.

BTW - we didn't decide he was sleeping there in the shower - he did