RVing with a Pet

In most campgrounds, I would say about half of the RVs have a dog (or should I say the dog has an RV?).

I don't know if any of the dogs actually drive their RV, but most of them seem to be in charge and run the show. And if you have a cat, you know they are in charge. Cats don't take orders from anybody.

An 18 year old RVing dog

The dog at the top of the page is Harry. He's 18 years old and is doing fine. He's even old enough to vote this year. Since some people think the country has gone to the dogs anyway, why shouldn't he vote? I'll stay away from politics and get back to discussing pets in RVs.

Harry has been a full-time RVing dog for six years. He loves the lifestyle. In dog years, he's way past old enough to retire, so why shouldn't he live in an RV?

Andrew and Ellie take him for walks every day. He's perky and sharp as a tack. This year Harry has been to Florida, Alaska, California, Texas, Canada, North Carolina, Georgia, and all of the points in between. He's a vegetarian dog. Maybe that's where he gets his energy and long life from.

Pets make great companions when traveling and living the RV lifestyle. They enjoy checking out new places and seeing new things. Even cats that stay inside all of the time seem to enjoy and be intrigued by the new scenery

All campgrounds allow pets. There are some rules that must be followed, so make sure you and your pet both read the rules. The rules are usually straightforward, common sense rules such as no barking, your dog must be on a leash, clean up after your pet, etc.

What do you do about healthcare for your pets?

First of all, be sure to keep current copies of all of your pet's vaccinations or you might end up getting duplicate and unnecessary treatments. One solution is to use a national chain of vets such as Banfield Pet Hospital. They have offices all over the country.

Go to their website at Banfield.com and enter the zip code where you are, and you can find their closest office. Many of their offices are located inside PetSmart™ stores. They have a centralized database, and your pet's records can be brought up at any of their offices.

Wouldn't it be nice if doctors had the same system for us humans?

When traveling with pets, you have to pay a little bit of attention to their special needs--especially when you're away from the RV for a few hours. Make sure it doesn't get too hot or too cold and make sure they have plenty of water.

One last point about traveling with pets

Be sure to keep plenty of your pet's food on hand. You may not be able to find your normal brand everywhere (even if it's a common brand). Changing your pet's food and then hitting the road in your RV could result in trouble for you and your pet. Don't risk it. Some people order their favorite brand of pet food on Amazon and have it shipped to wherever they are if it's a brand that's not commonly available.

Remember that pets can be expensive

If you already have a dog or a cat, I'm sure you're not going to give it away. But if you don't have a pet and you're trying to live on a tight budget, by all means, don't get a pet. Some RVers tell me that they spend $100 to $200 a month on pet food. Also, vet bills can blow your budget in a heartbeat. A friend just spent $800 on a vet bill, and there was nothing wrong with her dog. It was just for his annual wellness check-up.

My brother spent $1,800 on emergency surgery for his little dog because of a blocked bladder. Having a pet may also interfere with the jobs you can accept. You might not be able to work all day if you have to get back to take your dog out during the day.

Bottom line: Pets are a lot of company to RVers, but they can be expensive. Accept the facts and decide if the benefits are worth the cost. But be realistic, if you already have a pet, are you going to tell him that you're going to find a new home for him because he can't go RVing? Could you look into Harry's eyes and tell him he can't go?