A lot of folks new to the RV lifestyle wonder what it’s like to camp with pets. We often get asked at campgrounds if Eva, our 2 year old shepherd enjoys camping. Actually she is much better behaved camping than she is at home. It may just be that there are a less opportunities for her to get into trouble; since the trailer is small compared to the house. Plus it is much easier to see what shenanigans she is up to inside the trailer.

Today I will share what it has been like traveling with all of “our Girls” over the years and some tips for camping with your puppies.

Eva enjoys the portable fan.
Eva enjoys the portable fan on a hot day.

The first six years of camping in a travel trailer were without any pets. Starting in 1993, after we adopted Shana, we began taking her camping with us. We have traveled with up to three dogs before Eva came along, but for the majority of our camping years we had most often traveled with just two. This has been our progression over the years:

1993 to 2000, Shana

Our First Dog, Shana, hanging out in front of the Prowler.

Shana was the ideal camping dog. We adopted her when she was seven months old, and quickly wondered how such a wonderful, smart, loving puppy had been placed in a shelter. She loved everything about camping and looked forward to it. When we would pack up the trailer for trips she would only relax once we took her items to the van. Then she would climb into the van and wait for us to finish. Having Shana was like traveling with another adult.

2000 to 2005, Shana and Kaela

Shana and Kaela (and Tammy) and our Trail Cruiser.

Kaela, just like Shana, loved camping. Primarily because she looked at Shana as if she was her mother. So if Shana was there it had to be something good.

2005 to 2011, Kaela and Hannah

Kaela and Hannah at Disney’s Fort Wilderness and our Coachmen Captiva.

Kaela adored the new puppy Hannah as she went into quite a depression after Shana passed away. Of course once Hannah got older, Kaela wasn’t too thrilled with the puppies activity level. Both of these puppies loved camping, but only Kaela could be crated inside the trailer. Hannah had an aversion to being put in a crate so she stayed out and was a very trustworthy girl. They also loved going to daycare together or getting groomed together. Wherever they went they had to be close to each other or they would be stressed out.

2011 to 2014, Kaela, Hannah, and Kendra.

Kaela, Kendra, and Hannah

As Kaela aged we decided to get a younger playmate for the still active Hannah. Hannah and Kendra developed a really tight bond. Kendra also loved camping, and we did a lot of it with those two. I would say that the Coachmen travel trailer was ideal for two or three dogs because there was so much room inside. However, the seating for the humans wasn’t that great. I will say that three dogs is a very complicated dynamic.

Traveling with multiple dogs can be a challenge. At least it was for us. For example, at rest stops both dogs wanted to be the first one out of the truck. This is challenging as they need to get their leashes on as they move back and forth vying for first position. Once we had their leashes on, they would get out but had to be next to each other. So if one of them got a little bit ahead of the other, that led to some leash pulling.

Once they got to the grass at a rest stop they were fine doing their business. Once they were headed back to the truck it became another race to see who could get in first. Then we would try to give them water before we would pull out, but many times their excitement level was just too high to think about drinking.

Once we landed at the campground they settled into place very quickly and were great campers.

2014 to 2019, Hannah and Kendra.

Hannah and Kendra in San Antonio

2019, Hannah.

Hannah on our long, long walk at Tyler State Park.

Unfortunately both Hannah and Kendra passed away closely together. So we didn’t get much time with Hannah alone, but we did get to take several camping trips with her. I think at that stage in her life (13), she had finally begun to slow down and enjoy being the lone puppy.

Sadly, pets don’t live forever. Now that we are older, we made a decision to not be a “Multiple Dog” family any longer. So when Hannah and Kendra passed suddenly in 2019, we decided we would be a one puppy household moving forward.

And now we have Eva, our sable shepherd, and she is very spoiled. She rides in our Truck, seat-belted into a riding harness so if we have an accident she wont be injured. I highly recommend the Sleepy Pod Dog Harness, as it is the only one that was crash tested. We are not in any way sponsored by them but are big fans of their product.

We also have a enclosure (doggie hammock) that covers the back seat to try and cut down on the amount of dog hair. It helps but as any dog owner knows, it is not a perfect solution. This is not a must have item but amazon has quite a few to pick from and they do help. Click here to see their selection.

Eva sleeping with her head resting on the backseat hammock

Eva is a creature of habit. She is two years old now but even as a puppy she picked up on routines and memorized them. So she knows our “packing up the trailer routine” when we are leaving home or leaving a campground. Needless to say, her excitement level when we start to pack up at a campground can be a little much, so we typically put her in her crate while I dump the tanks, check the roof, and disconnect the water and electric. Then it is back into the harness and into the truck so we can bring in the slide rooms.

While we are at camp, she understands that having the harness on means that she will be hooked up to a lead out side. We also have her Coolaroo bed out there so that she doesn’t need to lay on the ground. However, despite that, she does like to sleep under the trailer as well. I think this is because it gives her a better view of everything going on at the campground.

So what are the items that I feel are most important for camping with your pet?

  1. A dog Harness for restraining them in the tow vehicle. A good harness like the Sleepy Pod will still give them enough room to turn around and lay down comfortably. In an accident that last thing you will want is your dog being injured as they fly about the cabin.
  2. A Temperature and Power monitoring device so you can get an alert should power at the campground be interrupted and your pet is in the trailer. The temperature is monitored as well so that if an AC unit fails you get notified that the temperature is rising in the trailer. It won’t take long in the heat of the summer for the trailer to become deadly hot inside. We use the MarCELL Unit and if you decide that unit is the one you would like, you can use the code TTN20 during checkout at www.meetmarcell.com to get $20.00 dollars off.
  3. All of your pets vaccination and health records just in case you need to make a trip to the vet OR just in case the campground requires it. It makes sense when you arrive at a campground to do a quick google search of vets in the area. Check their reviews, and then make a note of where you need to go if you have an issue.
  4. Any medications that your pet needs. Also, it doesn’t hurt to carry something like Vetoquinol Pro-Pectalin (available on Chewy.com). It helps safely stop diarrhea, soothe irritated intestines and restore the normal balance of intestinal bacteria. This shouldn’t be something that is used in place of a Vet visit for a sick dog, but instead as something to help with an upset stomach. I have used this in the past, and I always carry a tube.
  5. A reliable method for anchoring your pet lead outside the trailer. I drilled a hole through my frame and installed an eyebolt that I can hook our lead to. That is not going anywhere. Remember, if your pet gets excited for some reason, it may be easy to pull a stake out of the ground unless it is absolutely secured. A dog unleashed at a campground is a law-suit waiting to happen.
  6. Dog Deterrent such as “Halt” spray. It has been used by postal carriers since 1966. This may seem cruel but there are many people at campgrounds that feel the “leash rules” do not apply to them. So, you need a way to protect your dog (and you) from an unleashed dog attacking them. I have been rushed by an off-leash dog before and had to pick up my white shepherd to prevent a fight. Another time, I was able to separate my dog from one that charged us by grabbing the other dog by the collar. Frankly, I’m getting too old for these kind of interactions. I also keep it handy when Eva is sitting with us outside the trailer because you never know when someone will lose control of their dog.
  7. A screen door protector so that your pet doesn’t break through the screen to get outside. There are many companies that make an RV screen door protector, and some folks have simply made their own using plexiglass. There are many different types to pick from ranging from a grill (that’s what we have), to a screen mesh. No matter what you choose, this is a “must have” for dogs, and small children.
  8. An outdoor pet bed. This keeps your pet off the gravel, sand, or cement and keeps your pet cool as well. At the end of the day, I put our coolaroo bed into the back of the truck. I will say that these are a little hard to assemble but well worth the effort. Eva loves hers, and you only need to assemble it once. You can also buy replacement fabric for the coolaroo should it get ripped.
  9. We use a Neater Feeder elevated dog feeding station for Eva. It prevents a lot of water from ending up on the floor, or splashed on the walls. We have one at home as well. They are very light, and they come in various color combinations so you can probably find one that looks good in your travel trailer.
  10. A portable dog water bottle. This is a nice thing to have along your hikes for when you pup gets thirsty. Another option is packing a collapsible water bowl and then just add water to it from your own water bottle.

There are a few other things you may want to consider when camping with pets.

  1. You might want to turn the water supply off when you leave your trailer. That way if there is a leak, it won’t cause much damage, and it won’t flood the trailer with your pet inside.
  2. It would also be beneficial to leave a note in your wallet or purse with your campground location and site and telling them there are pets in you trailer. This way if you are in an accident or incapacitated, the police can retrieve your pets.

I hope some of these ideas will help you when you are camping and traveling with your pets.