Road Trip With Dogs Planner – Life with Van and the dogs is amazing. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know our dog Charlie (he even has his own Instagram account – @charlietheadventurdog). He’s a Border Collie and Miniature Australian Shepherd mix, crazy, a little nervous (due to his breed), and has incredible energy. He traveled with us in the Sprinter Van most of his life, covering over 50,000 miles, from Southern California to upstate New York.
I get a lot of emails asking questions about living in a van with a dog…like, what do you do when you leave your dog in the car? Or how do we find dog-friendly places?
Road Trip With Dogs Planner
Living in a van with pets is totally doable, and I firmly believe that van dogs have the best life. They spend most of their time running around outside, meeting dozens of other dogs and occasionally looking for scraps of food that have fallen off the stove.
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That said, there are definitely things you can do to make sure your dog or other pet is as happy as you are. I also know people who live with cats, so if you are a cat lover, please know that you can bring your cat along too.
Here are the best tips and tricks for van living with dogs and van living with pets.
You may be surprised to learn that some campgrounds require vaccination records from anyone bringing a dog. While this has never happened to me in the West, it has happened at more than one campground in New York where allotments and free camping are more limited. So keep a copy on your phone or somewhere in your car for safekeeping. This is also great if your dog encounters a health issue while traveling and needs to see the vet.
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You want your dog to be comfortable on the long drive. If they spend time on the floor, it’s a good idea to give them some pads to wear. Bring a dog bed, yoga mat, blanket, or even a Thermares foam mattress that can be folded up. These foam pads are also great for cold backpacking trips when you want to insulate your pup from the ground. When we’re on the road, Charlie usually hangs out on the dog bed between the two front seats.
Charlie eats a giant bag of dog food every month. This means we have to replenish our dog food frequently while traveling. Changing food is always hard on a dog’s stomach, so you’ll want to make sure your dog’s food is available at a major grocery store or pet store so you can easily find it when you get to town. Luckily, quality brands of dog food are now available and widely available at stores like Petco and Petsmart. If your dog is particularly interested in something you can’t find at a big-box pet store, visit the dog food brand’s website to see if they have a way to find a retailer in your current location.
With a dog’s schedule, Van’s life can be difficult. Our dog Charlie doesn’t like eating while the van is in motion, so it’s important to us that we give him time to eat before we drive in the morning…otherwise his entire schedule for the day will be thrown off. Every dog is different, but pay attention to their eating habits and try to stick to your routine so they don’t go hungry or have dinner in the middle of the night, forcing you to send them to the bathroom. We also like to leave a bowl of water for him throughout the day. We found these collapsible dog bowls to be great for driving and don’t leak even on rough roads.
Van living with dogs requires that you consider your dog when planning trips and daily activities. As pet owners, we learn to prioritize places that accept our pets. Over time, you’ll learn to plan your van trip based on your ability to work with your pet. Maybe that means avoiding places that get very hot in the middle of the summer, or choosing to travel through national parks and hike other public lands that allow dogs on trails.
Travelling With A Puppy In A Car
Before you head out to find that epic spot you’ve heard about, check the dog regulations. The last thing you want is to struggle to find out that the place you want isn’t as dog-friendly as the Enchantments in Washington or the Wasatch venue in Salt Lake City. This also applies to visiting national parks, some of which are dog-friendly – be sure to check out my guide to dog-friendly national parks. Doing some research ahead of time can save you headaches later.
If you’re looking for a place to eat and drink, first check to see if they have a dog-friendly patio. If not, then go out and find a picnic spot that you and your dog can enjoy!
Let me start by saying that Charlie is Ryan’s service dog and has type 1 diabetes, so we rarely leave him in the car…but I wanted to share a few thoughts about living with a dog that most dogs can see The skills, well, this is a very important point.
You may ask, can you leave your pet in the car while dining out? When you go to a national park or go on an excursion where dogs are not allowed?
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Whether it’s legal or not, leaving your pet in your car depends primarily on temperature and safety, as well as local laws that may prohibit you from leaving your pet in your car.
As for temperature, if it’s too hot for you in the car, it’s too hot for your dog. Use your common sense. Dogs can die in cars, they can die in vans, and you don’t want to accidentally lose your best friend.
It may take you a while to realize how hot your van is after it’s been sitting in the sun for a while. Our van has two skylights, one near the kitchen and one above the bed. If we lift them up and open the window next to the bed we can get a nice breeze. We also have insulated curtains to keep the van cool even on hot days.
Having said that, we are very careful when putting our dogs in the car and evaluate them all the time. We also avoid traveling to the hottest places in the summer – you’re unlikely to find us in Arizona or southern Utah between June and mid-September. We are usually happy to leave Charlie in the pram
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When it’s not too hot, like in the evening if we’re having dinner.
If you really don’t want to go through an area that’s not pet-friendly, don’t leave your dog in the car all day. If the weather gets hot enough, at best you might annoy dog lovers, and at worst it could be downright dangerous for your pet.
No matter where you live, a nanny is almost always an option. There is also a rover where you can find a puppy for a day or two.
A few years ago, Ryan and I backpacked through Havasupai, which was not a good place to bring a dog because of the tribal dogs running around and the long stairs leading to Moonee Falls. We found a great kennel in Flagstaff with rave reviews, and Charlie had a doggie vacation while visiting the waterfalls of Havasu Falls. The effect is very good.
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A restless dog is a naughty dog. We spent many days on the road with Charlie. Even though we were in a rush to get to our destination, we made it a priority to get Charlie the exercise he needed. Recreational areas are great because they usually have large lawns or animal areas. You can also use BringFido.com to find dog parks in your current location. Bring something like a Frisbee, ball, or other toy (that glows in the dark when parked at night) and let them run around outside the car, because even these little exercises on a regular basis can keep your dog going on long flights keep Calm.
Most approved campgrounds require your dog to be over 6 feet
