Dogs

[Viking1]

Just been away. We had a dog cum in to owner awning. It was very friendly. I tuck it to find its owner. Who was looking for it when he got it back he got hold of the coiler and drag the dog on two legs.

I all so seen a lot of dogs left on sit on their own as well.

I throat this was wrong

We have not got a dog. We have been thing of getting one but thing have put use of having one.

I can not see how it would live with use has we have boy who is alltistitk . He see to up set dogs and I can not walk for long and we like to take the kids to zoo s and other placer were dog are not aloud to go and were would the dog sleeps in the caravan.

Can any one give? So tip how we mite get round so of the things.

Thanks Mark

 

[Damian]

Mark, I am sorry you had to witness the behaviour of an owner who who obviously does not care too much about his dog, he should never have lifted the animal by the collar and dragged it on its back legs, disgusting behaviour. Dogs shoul dNOT be left alone on site at any time, and most sites actually have rules about this and expressly forbid it. It can get very hot in a caravan during the day, and even awnings can get too hot for dogs, plus , if they get distressed, they can doenormous damage to the van, themselves and if they get free, can cause lots of problems. Personally, if I see a dog left on its own I will report it to the RSPCA and the site owner.

As for getting a dog yourself, and taking account of your son, you will have to do a lot of research on the breeds of dogs, and get one with a very laid back temprament, probably NOT a terrier breed, definately NOT a GSD and not a working breed, such as a Border Collie.

From personal experience a Bullmastiff, Mastiff, Great Dane or, on a smaller scale, Lurcher, are all breeds which seem to know when something is not quite right, and they are very placid and seem to respond to people with disabilities, being much more tolerant to rougher handling by children. However, it would be up to you to ensure your son is taught to treat the dog with love and affection ,and that they need gentle handling and not to be pulled by the ears, etc.

Regarding visiting places where dogs are not allowed, then you have a problem, if it is a trip out from home, then after the dog has settled in its new home, and you are certain it will not cause damage if left for a while, then make sure you give it a good walk before you go out, and most times it wil sleep for the majority of time you are away, but if you are in your caravan, then you have to make hard choices, one of you will have to stay with the dog , its as easy as that, not at the caravan, but at the place you visit, and the other will have to take the children to se the attraction, or, you may find a local kennel which has day boarding facilities.

Sleeping for the dog is easy, in our case, they sleep inside the van, on the floor, sometimes in the awning and they have never caused any problem, except for tripping us up should we have to get out of bed in the dark for any reason,lol.

Getting a dog is a great commitment, but can have great rewards as well, especially for your son.

May I also suggest that you contact the breed rescues for a suitable dog, before paying out silly money for a puppy from a breeding establishment. there are rescue organisations for most of the breeds, search the net, you will find them, or contact the Kennel Club to get the web addresses and postal addresses (they have a web site too )

There are hundreds of dogs desperate for a new home, having been abandoned or just simply unwanted any more.

 

[patricia_5041765]

What a lovely kind letter Damien.And yes you are right about dog breeds.We have a lovely Lurcher,Baxter,and also have an Autistic son.........they are best friends.

Most zoo or wildlife parks alow dogs as long as they are on a lead,or look for a local kennels for the day.....lurchers just sleep all day anyway.Good Luck.

 

[JandP]

Recent studies have confirmed what I have always suspected, that children can get tremendous benefits from owning a dog but you need to consider all the implications before you go ahead and get one. The dog will need care and attention and you must be prepared for this. While most dogs enjoy a good walk, there are many breeds which are happy with very little exercise (including greyhounds!). I would question some of Damians recommendations, we have 3 GSD's and a terrier and I would say definitely DO NOT get a terrier (except perhaps a small yorkie) but a well trained GSD is totally reliable ( we have no worries when our 2 year old grandaughter plays with ours) but they are really a dog for the enthusiast ( a bit like a Ferrari) because they need to be handled correctly. In our experience we would also question the Bullmastif, Mastif or Great Dane but Lurchers can be gorgeous (if slightly mad!). If you go to a rescue center for a dog it is very important to find out why the dog is in there. Many are there because they have behaviour problems (which may have been caused by mistreatment by previous owners) but you need to be careful. My wife knows of a family with an autistic son who have a rescued Rotweiler. It bit a previous owner (who was trying to drown it in the bath at the time!) but it is so good that it now sleeps on the childs bed. Near to where we live there is a center which trains hearing dogs for deaf people. We often see them walking around town with their trainers, they are wonderful dogs, all crossbreeds but carefully selected as puppies for temperament etc. They often have dogs who fail the training course and these make excellent pets and this might be something you could try. So my advice is dont be put off by what happened, your child could benefit greatly from a dog but you need to get the right one. Dont rush, get lots of advice (possibly talk to your local vet) and contact your local dog club (the vet will probably have their address). They may let you go to one of their meetings so you can meet the dogs and see how your son gets on. Good luck!

 

[Steve L]

HI Mark.

I'm sorry that what you have witnessed is the way NOT to treat any animal.

We have two labrador dogs one white and one chocolate. They go everywhere with us and only go on a lead or wear a collar when there is an instruction (site rule, or out in the town.) They are free to do what they wish, and that is to be with us, because they rarely go more than five yards away from us.

I believe in having atleast two dogs as they then have each other for friendship as well as us humans. And yess we do clean up after them and I often have to give away bags to other irresponsible dog owners who think they can ignore the deposits.

I work in a very stressful job and often come home "wound up" but five minuits dealing with the lovley greeting I get soon puts all the stresses of the day out of my mind.

We have an estate car with air conditioning and prior to stopping we run the air con on cold to chill the car, then leave the car with the sun roof open and windows half down, and we have an electric fan (12 volt) in the dog area. this keeps the dogs cool for upto an hour, we also park under the shade of trees.

We went to the Eden project recently and there they have huge car ports to park your car under if you have dogs. Other places need to take notice of this and start providing facilities.

It isn't easy catering for dogs on holiday but then with a bit of thought and planning we manage to do most things.

Our dogs sleep on the floor of the van and often under the foot well when the double bed is made up. Thats how much they want to be with us.

My disabled in-laws find the dogs very friendly and also enjoy patting them and playing with them, the children do too.

You would not be able to take the dog to a zoo for instance, but If you contact the local vet he might be able to find a dog kennels that will do day boarding for about

 

[Wendy-Norfolk]

I agree with everything that has been written here.

We have a springer spaniel who only wears a collar and lead when going out into town. We very rarely use one on site only when taking him for a walk, as he never leaves our side. He sleeps with us in the 'van in his own bed. He is never left alone in the 'van or awning as we take him everywhere. We also clean up any deposits, and, hand out bags to other dog owners who simply can't be bothered! We consider ourselves to be responsible dog owners, and it's a pity there are not more of us about!!!!

 

[CliveV]

Spot on Wendy - I am working from home this morning as I have a local meeting this afternoon and have one dog at my feet and another beside me. They are big dogs but never any problems when we go away. They both love the caravan and want to stay in it when we hitch up rather than go in the car.

Mark, dogs are remarkably sensitive. When my son broke his ankle our retriever sat by his side and walked with him as he hobbled about. Not much of an example I know but a very real one to us.

If anyone wants a really intersting book to read (its a novel not a training text of any sort) try "The Last Family in England" by Matt Haig. Published by Vintage ISBN 0 099 46845 X

It's about a Labrador trying to keep his family together.

A good read.

 

[Damian]

Just to clarify MY reasons for posting about which dogs I personally prefer, and not wanting to get into senseless arguments.

Firstly I did say NO TERRIER breed, not even a Yorkie, as when they get annoyed they bite, and will not let go, and they are hunting dogs which still have very active hunting imprint in them.

I said no to GSD's because I have seen too many "reliable" ones of them suddenly turn and attack those closest to them, in two cases, biting the faces of very young children and doing a lot of damage.

In my opinion, NO dog can ever be said to be 100% reliable, it just needs a trigger to prove otherwise, having said that, many do live very peaceful lives and do not cause problems, but the the risk is there and any owner who does not think so is fooling themselves.

I said about Bullmastiffs as I have owned one for the last 8 years, and he is the most laid back dog I have ever had the pleasure of owning. They do not bark at everything and everyone, but when something is amiss, they start with a low rumble, and build up to an ear shattering bark, before anything else.As with all dogs he has his likes and dislikes, he hates Border Collies, and Black Labs, but only the males, he is fine with females and will defer to the smallest female. Aso they do not like copious amounts of walking, they like a gentle stroll for about 30 minutes, as they were bred as a Gamekeepers dog to protect them from Poachers, so were used to walking for most of the time.

The Mastiff, which we have is similar in walk needs, a stroll is fine, then back to sleep. They have been around for a very long time and been used for all kinds of purposes, incuding eating Christians in Roman times, carrying bombs across from allied trenches in WW1 and being blown up with the bomb at the German trenches, which is one reason for their decline to almost extinct at one point.

Great Danes, of which we have had 5, were bred for hunting wild pig, and like a quick run for about 20 mins, then back to bed, or a walk of about 40 mins to an hour.

All 3 of these breeds are very people orientated and will do anything to please the owner, wanting only love and affection in return, as well as food, which is the ultimate goal. They are very quick to learn and are very protective of their "family" in a passive way.

Lurchers are new to us,having just adopted one which was abandoned by travellers, she loves a mad run , generally in a circle, for about 10 mins then settles down to walk and sniff the entire countryside as she goes, but after about 20 mins wants her bed.

Dog ownership is a very subjective matter, and each owner has their own particular reasons for having their breed of dog.

Questioning why people have, or recommend, a particular dog is irrelevant, and it is only by owning a certain dog thatyou can know why some people prefer their kind of dog.

A dog is, generally, the product of its upbringing, and even "problem" dogs can be turned around with the right care and attention.

 

[JandP]

Just to clarify MY reasons for posting about which dogs I personally prefer, and not wanting to get into senseless arguments.

Firstly I did say NO TERRIER breed, not even a Yorkie, as when they get annoyed they bite, and will not let go, and they are hunting dogs which still have very active hunting imprint in them.

I said no to GSD's because I have seen too many "reliable" ones of them suddenly turn and attack those closest to them, in two cases, biting the faces of very young children and doing a lot of damage.

In my opinion, NO dog can ever be said to be 100% reliable, it just needs a trigger to prove otherwise, having said that, many do live very peaceful lives and do not cause problems, but the the risk is there and any owner who does not think so is fooling themselves.

I said about Bullmastiffs as I have owned one for the last 8 years, and he is the most laid back dog I have ever had the pleasure of owning. They do not bark at everything and everyone, but when something is amiss, they start with a low rumble, and build up to an ear shattering bark, before anything else.As with all dogs he has his likes and dislikes, he hates Border Collies, and Black Labs, but only the males, he is fine with females and will defer to the smallest female. Aso they do not like copious amounts of walking, they like a gentle stroll for about 30 minutes, as they were bred as a Gamekeepers dog to protect them from Poachers, so were used to walking for most of the time.

The Mastiff, which we have is similar in walk needs, a stroll is fine, then back to sleep. They have been around for a very long time and been used for all kinds of purposes, incuding eating Christians in Roman times, carrying bombs across from allied trenches in WW1 and being blown up with the bomb at the German trenches, which is one reason for their decline to almost extinct at one point.

Great Danes, of which we have had 5, were bred for hunting wild pig, and like a quick run for about 20 mins, then back to bed, or a walk of about 40 mins to an hour.

All 3 of these breeds are very people orientated and will do anything to please the owner, wanting only love and affection in return, as well as food, which is the ultimate goal. They are very quick to learn and are very protective of their "family" in a passive way.

Lurchers are new to us,having just adopted one which was abandoned by travellers, she loves a mad run , generally in a circle, for about 10 mins then settles down to walk and sniff the entire countryside as she goes, but after about 20 mins wants her bed.

Dog ownership is a very subjective matter, and each owner has their own particular reasons for having their breed of dog.

Questioning why people have, or recommend, a particular dog is irrelevant, and it is only by owning a certain dog thatyou can know why some people prefer their kind of dog.

A dog is, generally, the product of its upbringing, and even "problem" dogs can be turned around with the right care and attention.

Totally understand your point of view Damian. You are clearly a responsible and experienced dog owner and I only queried your suggestions as these are all breeds that my wife has had problems with in the training class she runs. It is a sad fact that quite often the dog is only taken to classes when it is being a problem and these are by no means the only breeds which can be troublesome. The most important factor is how the dog is treated (the rescued Rottie I mentioned is a good example) and children can learn to respect the dog and its needs and to behave in a responsible way and this is one of the many benefits they can gain from owning a dog.

 

[Damian]

Totally understand your point of view Damian. You are clearly a responsible and experienced dog owner and I only queried your suggestions as these are all breeds that my wife has had problems with in the training class she runs. It is a sad fact that quite often the dog is only taken to classes when it is being a problem and these are by no means the only breeds which can be troublesome. The most important factor is how the dog is treated (the rescued Rottie I mentioned is a good example) and children can learn to respect the dog and its needs and to behave in a responsible way and this is one of the many benefits they can gain from owning a dog.

Just read your comment, and I have to say , with a chuckle, that I know exactly what your wife has experienced with all 3 of those breeds. They think training classes are for running amok, causing as much distress for the owner as possible, but doing everything perfectly for the instructor, only to revert to mayhem when returned to the owner, who by now is convinced they have the devil dog from hell.

I have found that classes are not suitable for these breeds, and individual attention is necessary, but they do learn very quickly, and become good dogs, with occasional surprises, as most dogs.

 

[Surfer]

We have 4 Yorkies and there is no problem because we trained them. If you do not train a dog from day one you are the loser and the dog suffers.

 

[petercoachman]

hi we have small dog who comes with us all the time including europe she love's camping and children' on site we have her on a running lead which gives her some freedom. if we go out were we can't take her she stays in the van she is fine surprising how many freind's we have made just talking to other people with dogs i would'nt let the actions of this person put you off the copanionship and loyalty they give is worth a little inconvence as you say you arn't able to walk far not all breeds need long walks seek advise from a vet or rspca all the best pete

 

[Gary_5039903]

We have a two year old chocolate brown labrador (Fudge) who doesn't appear to have a bad bone in her body and loves our one year old daughter (Jessica). BUT, Fudge appears to have been born with a major organ missing, her brain! She is always bouncing around and happy to see anyone & anything which is lovely but makes it very hard work. Now when we go away, Fudge goes into kennels as trying to look after Jessica & Fudge really made the holiday quie stressfull. We will try bringing her with us again next year (she may have calmed down by then) but don't under estimate the work needed to look after a dog.

 

[emmerson2]

hi Steve in Leo.interesting comments on life with a dog.Is their life without a dog?I cannot imagine it, can you? Anyway, to the point. i have a dog guard fitted to my car which appears to solve all the problems of dogs left in cars,if you have an estate or hatchback.It is a lockable guard,which means that you can leave the tailgate open so the pooch can have fresh air, but the car remains secure. Made by MMG Guards in Holbeach, lincs. Don't have a phone number cos our guard is so old the label has faded away, but the firm was still there last February. Emmerson

 

[emmerson2]

Follow up post. Steve, if you'd like to see the guard in operation, qwe'll be on The Leen at Pembridge around 16 - 19 Sept. 07811839187,if you can come over.Emmerson

 

[CliveV]

We have a two year old chocolate brown labrador (Fudge) who doesn't appear to have a bad bone in her body and loves our one year old daughter (Jessica). BUT, Fudge appears to have been born with a major organ missing, her brain! She is always bouncing around and happy to see anyone & anything which is lovely but makes it very hard work. Now when we go away, Fudge goes into kennels as trying to look after Jessica & Fudge really made the holiday quie stressfull. We will try bringing her with us again next year (she may have calmed down by then) but don't under estimate the work needed to look after a dog.

Gary - from my experience Labradors do not loose their "bounce" until they are about 10.

Wouldn't have it anyother way!

 

[Steve L]

Follow up post. Steve, if you'd like to see the guard in operation, qwe'll be on The Leen at Pembridge around 16 - 19 Sept. 07811839187,if you can come over.Emmerson

Hi Emmerson.

Thanks for your kind offer. I have seen these guards. My Laguna estate has the ability to be converted to allow the tail gate window to open. I'm in the process of getting that done. I'll then fit a grill to the opening which will afford air flow and security for the dogs. I have heard of cases of dogs being taken from un locked cars. Steve (in Leominster)

 

[Surfer]

Follow up post. Steve, if you'd like to see the guard in operation, qwe'll be on The Leen at Pembridge around 16 - 19 Sept. 07811839187,if you can come over.Emmerson

We will be at Townsend Caravan Park tomorrow for the weekend with the UKCS crowd. May give you a ring.

 

[Roger_5040982]

hi Steve in Leo.interesting comments on life with a dog.Is their life without a dog?I cannot imagine it, can you? Anyway, to the point. i have a dog guard fitted to my car which appears to solve all the problems of dogs left in cars,if you have an estate or hatchback.It is a lockable guard,which means that you can leave the tailgate open so the pooch can have fresh air, but the car remains secure. Made by MMG Guards in Holbeach, lincs. Don't have a phone number cos our guard is so old the label has faded away, but the firm was still there last February. Emmerson

There is a good life without a dog.

roger

 

[Viking1]

Thankyou all for your help.

Mark

 

[CliveV]

hi Steve in Leo.interesting comments on life with a dog.Is their life without a dog?I cannot imagine it, can you? Anyway, to the point. i have a dog guard fitted to my car which appears to solve all the problems of dogs left in cars,if you have an estate or hatchback.It is a lockable guard,which means that you can leave the tailgate open so the pooch can have fresh air, but the car remains secure. Made by MMG Guards in Holbeach, lincs. Don't have a phone number cos our guard is so old the label has faded away, but the firm was still there last February. Emmerson

Yes but you have to work at it! With a dog(s) a GREAT life just happens. Even after a terrible day, our dogs are always just happy to see us. Can't put a value on it.

 

[Mike_5041089]

Couldn't agree more with all that's been said. We got a Chocolate Labrador puppy in May (Charlie) - Dr's orders - I had to lose weight and am now 2 stone lighter thanks to his regular walks twice a day. He loves vanning, and we use an indoor kennel which he sleeps in at night in the awning - he's got so used to it that he goes in their when he's tired for a rest, of his own accord. It folds down for easy transportation as it's quite big when unfolded and won't fit in the car or van. The Breeder, Vet and dog trainers all recommended getting one. Apart from Charlie, the indoor kennel was the best investment we made.

 

[JandP]

Totally agree with Mikes comments on the indoor kennel, they are excellent ( for us and the dog). We have used them for all our dogs and they are ideal for the back of the estate car as well as in the van/awning and at home. The dog likes it because he feels safe in his own space and its ideal for house training puppies as the dog will not mess in its own bed and soon learns to bark for you to come and take it outside (you must remember to always take the dog straight out when you let him out of the kennel, keep him moving so he has no chance to go until he is outside). Our GSD puppy was clean very quickly, we only had 4 or 5 puddles and no mess in the house. Highly recommended.

 

[Baxter]

I'm so pleased to see so many positive posts about dogs. The reason we started caravanning was so we could take our Westies on holiday with us, after all they are part of the family!

In answer to the first post, if you drill a small hole through the windbreak pole near the top, you can use cable ties threaded through the material and the holes in the poles, to hold up the material. The cable ties can be cut off after each use and only cost pence. There is always a danger of the fabric tearing but if that happens, then perhaps a windbreak isn't the right thing to be using to restrain your dogs.

 

[Baxter]

I'm so pleased to see so many positive posts about dogs. The reason we started caravanning was so we could take our Westies on holiday with us, after all they are part of the family!

In answer to the first post, if you drill a small hole through the windbreak pole near the top, you can use cable ties threaded through the material and the holes in the poles, to hold up the material. The cable ties can be cut off after each use and only cost pence. There is always a danger of the fabric tearing but if that happens, then perhaps a windbreak isn't the right thing to be using to restrain your dogs.

Sorry, post added to wrong thread!!