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When RVing or camping with your dog, here are 10 things you must bring.

When RVing or camping with your dog, here are 10 things you must bring.


1) A Color Photograph of Your Dog: This comes from the mentality of "Expect the best...prepare for the worst." If your dog gets lost while you're traveling, you can print "missing dog" posters at the nearby Kinko's by bringing the photo there. You will waste time if you don't have a photo on hand.

2) Pet ID Tags: Get your dog's name and your current phone number printed on a pet identity tag at the neighborhood Petco or Pet Smart. Use your cell phone number if you have one since you might be traveling. In this manner, if your dog is found, you can be contacted.

3) Your Dog's Regular Diet: While traveling, it's crucial to continue giving your dog their regular food. We fed our two German Shepard dogs a different version of the dog chow we regularly give them during one RV trip. Wow, what a mistake it was. Even though we gradually gave it to them in their regular food, they both experienced diarrhea for days. I vowed to always bring plenty of their usual dog food on every vacation after receiving a $200 veterinary charge.

4) Drink a lot of bottled water. This is even more crucial than eating. Remember that different areas of the nation have differing water quality. Try to offer your dogs bottled water anytime you're traveling to avoid potential stomach upsets, diarrhea, and water-borne pathogens.

5. Strong Leashes: Be sure to carry a sturdy leash. At highway rest stops, pets frequently go missing or are murdered while traveling. This means that you MUST ALWAYS leash your dog before opening the car door. Whenever I watch folks searching for lost dogs at a rest area, it always hurts my heart. Your dog is in a foreign environment with unfamiliar animals and humans all around. You are unable to forecast their behavior in this situation. At the smallest thing, they could become frightened. So, for your own safety, keep them on a strong leash.

6) Dog Bed: Always bring your dog's bed, whether you're staying in a pet-friendly hotel, campground, or relative's home. Get them a bed if they don't already have one. Your dog will feel safer and more at ease in this manner. Put their bed down so they can sleep during the journey if there is space in your car. Our dogs sleep on their beds in the RV the entire time.


7) Medication: If your dog needs to take any form of medication, pack extra for the journey. On the go, it could be challenging to locate a veterinarian ready to write the same prescription (without an examination).




8) Their Toys: Just like with kids, toys may keep your dog entertained during the journey and once you arrive at your destination. Purchasing a new toy specifically for the vacation works very nicely. We didn't know that all dogs adore toys with our last two dogs until they were three years old. We've always assumed that although they didn't really require toys as adults, puppies appreciated them. Our two mature dogs now have a whole box's worth of toys, but wow, were we mistaken. They individually search through the box every night to find a toy for the evening.


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9) Treats: Dogs may act badly when they are bored or overexcited when traveling. It may be beneficial if you bring some unique delicacies. Don't try a new treat while traveling, though, just as you wouldn't with food or water. You want to continue feeding them the same things every time they eat. This will lessen the likelihood of traveling with an upset stomach and digestive issues.

10) Pet Friendly Directories: If you're taking your dog on a trip, there are many pet-friendly directories available (including one that we wrote for pet-friendly campgrounds). You should be sure to bring one. Knowing in advance whether a motel, bed & breakfast, or campsite is dog-friendly just makes life so much simpler. Even if a location might be listed in a directory, you should still phone ahead to confirm that they welcome dogs.


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