To get a dog or not

Mike Harding · Guru

To get a dog or not

Santa · Guru

Evening Mike, traveling with a dog has its moments as I'm sure you can imagine, regardless, we wouldn't be without our Lab Missy.

One word of advice, get a young pup, take it to puppy day school, then when old enough dog obedience classes, having a well behaved dog whilst on the road and around other people is a pleasure, on the contrary having an untrained dog is a liability.

One other tip, choose a dog breed noted for being easy going and sociable, and not a working type dog that will be bouncing off the walls.

This lot in the pool are having a wonderful time biggrin

Gaylehere · Guru

Hi Mike,

I'm not a dog owner but from what I see more and more places are catering for dogs these days. For instance when we stopped at Double D CP, last year, at Peak Hill, NSW they had a doggy day spa. A big tub for bathing your dog, towels for drying and some meaty bites. (Maybe dog wash too, just can't remember off hand). I was impressed that they went to that much trouble for their 4 legged guests. Another place that ran an organized bus sight seeing tour (just can't think of the place off hand either) had a person there to dog sit for the sightseers and the dogs weren't put in cages but kept on a lead in the booking building, had a bowl of water each and someone on hand to watch over the dogs. I don't know if this is becoming more of the norm but it must be encouraging for those travelling with their pets. All people with pets that I've talked to were more than happy to miss seeing some things than to leave their pets behind.Cheers.

PS: Love your clip Santa.

Mal_W · Member

I have been travelling (holidaying with dogs since the 90's.
They go into kennels when there are places they can't go, even if that requires doubling back to collect them.

I have just retired and we are planning on travelling full time with 2 dogs. They have already done The Tanami, Part of the GRR, Darwin where they spent 2 weeks in a kennel, Savannah way, Cape York as well as lots of other places. Later this year off to Tassie with them.

I wouldn't know how to travel without them.
Teaching them to do there 1 & 2 on commands saves wandering around in the dark while they sniff out the wildlife.

As mentioned previously having the dog socialised to man and dog goes a long way to making travelling easier.

cheers

Mal

Pete49 · Senior Member

Just go for it. We go everywhere with our dog and never had a problem though she is a desexed Mini Dachshund and enjoys our company. If she can't go to a certain area then we're not interested in going either. We enjoy our travels as does she.

Pete

Eaglemax · Guru

Hi Mike We wouldnt be without our mini foxy. A Pappilon is another good breed but with the mini foxy no brushing her coat- a plus. Largely white in colour in 7 years she's never had a flea! We did our lap with her, made a platform beyween the front seats for her to sit high and watch for roos. She sees them before we do. She is really clean, sleeps with us, eats our food, loves Harrys practice. We dont care if we miss out on parks or CP's. Eg Coral bay had too many restrictions so we gave it a miss. Get one. :) Tony

Desert Dweller · Guru

We traveled extensively with our dog from 2011 to 2017 (around 70,000kms). Around a total of 6 months of every one of those years.

She was never a nuisance even though we had to modify our plans occasionally to suit dog ownership.

The main thing that you need to know is that caravan parks are RED HOT about not leaving a dog alone while you both go out somewhere.

Unfortunately we had to have our dog put down through old age & ill health a year ago.

We miss her enormously but we have to admit that there is a sense of freedom without her.

We've had dogs continuously for 30 years but we're not planning to have any more.

These days we enjoy patting other peoples dogs, it helps.

Blues Man · Guru

Hi Mike , we travel with with our smithfield cattle dog which we rescued from the Gympie pound when she was 6yrs old

and honestly she is the best dog we have ever owned .She is a working dog but very easy to exercise ,she loves

to retrieve the ball and she's a good watch dog to boot. She has slowed down a little bit now 'cos she is 16yrs but she still

loves the ball.

There are some places we can't go to because of her but we don't care ,we just don't go to those places.

I reckon everyone should have a dog ,they can teach you so much.

Mike before getting your dog ,think about saving a dogs life and have a look at the RSPCA or dog pound.

You won't be sorry ,i guarantee it.

Cheers ,Pat.

Caliban · Veteran Member

Sometime before I die I plan to travel full time, solo with a Maltese mix.

One of my major concerns with this whole idea was my dog.

I have scoured the in internet and thought extensively on how i would cope with her, this is what i have come with.

Routine for the dog is a must
A well trained dog is a must
A dog that has been introduced to all kinds of situations is a must.
You need to walk the dog and tire them out a couple times a day.
Treasure hunt, training and treat balls and lots of toys, rotate the toys so they have something new.

If the dog is small enough get a pet pram you can take them into some places without anyone thinking it is a dog in the pram.

If you need to go to the supermarket doctor etc, take her to a local vet to look after the dog so you don't have to leave the dog tied up or in a vehicle.
My dog being only 5kg I would put her in her dog crate with water and a toy and then they don't have to do anything with her or use there cages.

Geocaching is a treasure hunt game which is only in public places so you can take your dog with you.

You can get various light weight pet enclosures so your dog can have some freedom, couple this with an annex and the dog has twice the space.

Greencross vets have healthy pets plus, which is $480 per year. You get free unlimited consults at any greencross vet and affiliated emergency vet.
Free vaccines
$200 off dental procedure and 20% off products, 10% off medications

mezza56 · Senior Member

Mike as you can see the folk here are more pro than con, a testament to dogs . We had our last dog for 10 great years he was a staffie , he loved life ,other dogs and people and most loved him back. sadly we had to have him put down last year on grand final day , it broke our hearts to say goodbye . The pleasure , the company , unconditional love a dog gives you , far outweighs the places you cant go . All that said we will not get another until we settle down back into a house . We feel a dog owner should take their dog everywhere with them , many time we have wanted to stop for a short time to go into a place or shop or whatever . You cant leave a dog in a hot car, even under a tree on a hot day the car cant be closed up or air restricted .so many times we have driven on after not finding a park close enough under a tree or in a safe place. There have been times when our little mate needed to get out of the van in the middle of the night to go to the toilet , despite the fact he was very well house trained . Be prepared for that on a cold wet night , never get angry at them they cant control their upset gut no more than you. Despite the obvious things like restrictions to places there are many other things top consider , we now have more of a sense of freedom without a dog . But in a blink we have him back , with all those things said.

SouthernComfort · Guru

Certainly there are compromises, but always worth it Mike. We have a 10 year old diabetic Maltese/Cavalier X. She requires two insulin injections a day at 12hr intervals with balanced feeding and we'd never think of leaving her in someone else's hands to potentially get it wrong. Despite the challenges and effort involved we'll be devastated when her time comes, she is an amazing companion who needs us and loves to be with us. More and more CP's are accepting dogs, we filter them in Wikicamps so they're easy to find. Our girl is extremely quiet and virtually never barks so we usually introduce her to the CP manager/staff on arrival. Because we do this up front they can see her demeanor and none has ever forbidden us to leave her alone in the van while we shop or eat out briefly. Oh, and this X breed means she doesn't shed fur either - a real bonus! As you're a dog lover, don't deprive yourself of the great companionship they bring, just go out and find your next best friend.

Possum3 · Guru

Mike, my old red cattle dog was my shadow for many years and travelled with us every where, he has been gone for a few years now and I still miss him - the child bride is firmly against me getting another one, so I volunteer to mind other people's dogs when they go on holidays and such. If I were travelling as a solo, I would definitely have a companion dog if for no other reason to get me motivated each day.

dogbox · Guru

most people seem to think a well trained dog is a joy I tend to think it is the owner that needs to be trained first. training the dog is probably less than half the battle they are pretty smart not much point in training the dog if the owner is not

Yuglamron · Guru

Myself I got a Hootch Dog. A rescue dog from the RSCA pet rescue website. She is a large breed and is a Dogue De Bordeaux. They have a relatively short lifespan around nine to ten years. Active when you take her to an area where you can have her off lead but very happy to sleep for hours.

I got her knowing full well I would have restrictions on where I could go and where I could stay.CP's Etc.

I would not consider any breeders, petstores etc. So many lovely dogs up for adoption on the websites.

I got my girl and quite happy to have the restrictions owning a dog has. Change that not owning, Adopting.

-- Edited by Yuglamron on Sunday 27th of May 2018 11:30:09 AM

Santa · Guru

Whilst I understand the emotions and motives of those suggesting a dog from a rescue home, if you really want a dog to bond with you you need to own it from early in life, i.e. approx 3 months, and start training immediately, particularly getting it used to traveling in a vehicle. smile

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

We had a dog for 16 years. It was an integral part of the family. We also had numerous cats, some lizards and the occasional bird over the years.
We would NEVER try to travel with a dog (or any other pet) because it is too restricting, totally unfair on the pet and unfair on other people that you come into contact with that may not share your love and connection to the animal.

Cheers,
Peter

Moose2 · Senior Member

Santa wrote:
Whilst I understand the emotions and motives of those suggesting a dog from a rescue home, if you really want a dog to bond with you you need to own it from early in life, i.e. approx 3 months, and start training immediately, particularly getting it used to traveling in a vehicle.

Sorry if I offend Santa but I say that is a load of rubbish. Certainly not our, nor our daughter's or friends' experiences with rescue dogs. All have been over 1 yr old when rescued and all have bonded and travel just fine.

boab · Senior Member

Agree with moose 2 on the age thing some dogs are naturally very active and need more space such as the kelpies and other working dogs selecting a breed that with suit you is pretty important i travel with a 6 year old bull terrier its my third one i find they are naturally lazy and happy to lay around a lot he has a cage he lives in at night,its his safe place he is happy to go out in the dinghy with me i couldnt imagine not having him he is well socialized and no trouble. Good luck with your pet he will give back much more that he will ever take

Santa · Guru

No offense taken up to the point you state that I'm talking rubbish Moose, I suspect most would be a little miffed about that. furious

I stand by my statement, if you want a dog to truly bond with you get it young.

If you want to buy a ticket in a raffle, your choice.

Yes we hear lots of feel good adoption stories, I can relate a few that were less than a stellar success, we have one living next door to us right now, a barking, chicken killing, escapee, bloody nightmare, the neighbor introduced us when he rescued it a couple of years back, told us what a wonderful well trained mutt it was, then it started killing his chooks and non stop barking, the shine has worn off a little now.

At the end of the day, we are all relating personal experiences, no problem if it's done with a level of respect, insults and barbs will usually draw a riposte of the same. wink

msg · Guru

No one has mentioned the responsibility for their safety very much.

I have a very small dog and for her everything is a threat. Eagles, snakes lizards and all other dogs. Anything that moves. The heat, the cold. Ticks. Health issues. God, I hate dealing with a poopy bum. The list goes on and on.

She is getting quite elderly (13). It will be our 8th year travelling together. Which is a worry in itself. what will I do without her. what if the unthinkable happens while we are away. what will happen to her if something happens to me?

I wouldn't be without her.

Travelled around Aus and she has experienced a lot, most she loved and other things not so much. We have met a lot of people, some of whom I have only to say we are going to see so & so and she gets all excited.

Not sure that I would recommend anyone getting a pet to travel with though. Perhaps.

Chris61 · Senior Member

Desert Dweller wrote:
We traveled extensively with our dog from 2011 to 2017 (around 70,000kms). Around a total of 6 months of every one of those years.

She was never a nuisance even though we had to modify our plans occasionally to suit dog ownership.

The main thing that you need to know is that caravan parks are RED HOT about not leaving a dog alone while you both go out somewhere.

Unfortunately we had to have our dog put down through old age & ill health a year ago.

We miss her enormously but we have to admit that there is a sense of freedom without her.

We've had dogs continuously for 30 years but we're not planning to have any more.

These days we enjoy patting other peoples dogs, it helps.

Very good report Desert Dweller, totally agree 100%. We have owned several dogs, I like dogs, but I would never travel with a dog, just too many hassles, too many restrictions. Say good day to someone elses dog and give it a pat

Hylife · Guru

Mike Harding wrote:
..... I'll start by saying that I'm seeking replies from people with an
affinity with animals in general and dogs in particular. I'm not
interested in the opinions of people who either don't like
dogs/animals or think they should be left at home - this probably
includes people who think dogs should be an outside animal and not
allowed into the house....

Not sure why you bothered to ask the question, when you pointed it so.

You are only going to get a one-sided biased point of view .

This is like asking people who have Siamese cats if you should get a Siamese cat!

If you don't want to hear from people who think a dog should be left at home then you are only seeking replies from people who think dogs should travel, so of course you are going to get the vast majority telling you to get a dog and take it with you.

They say that a politician will never suggests a royal commission or commission of enquiry unless they already know the outcome. I suggest that you have already made up your mind by asking the question the way you have.

Oh, and although I love dogs, I would never travel with a dog further than from the kennel to the working paddock. Taking a dog into unfamiliar surrounds is very stressful and some might suggest cruel for dogs.

It will also exclude you from ALL national parks and most state parks.

Whilst some caravan parks may allow you in, the vast majority of caravan parks in popular areas won't.
For them it is a simple business decision. The vast majority of travellers leave their pets at home which means there is plenty of guests don't want dogs in the park to fill up the empty spaces.
Because they can afford to turn you away, they do, and then they have one less headache to worry about.

Mike Harding · Guru

Hylife wrote:
Not sure why you bothered to ask the question, when you pointed it so.

Predominantly to discourage responses such as yours.

With 20 thoughtful and helpful replies and one not so it seems to
have worked.

drtooheys · Senior Member

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
We had a dog for 16 years. It was an integral part of the family. We also had numerous cats, some lizards and the occasional bird over the years.
We would NEVER try to travel with a dog (or any other pet) because it is too restricting, totally unfair on the pet and unfair on other people that you come into contact with that may not share your love and connection to the animal.

Cheers,
Peter

So putting your dog in a boarding kennel where they are basically locked up in a 6' X 3' enclosure for days or even weeks on end is not restricting and fair, when they would much prefer to be with their owners. As far as being unfair on other people that you come in contact with, they don't like dogs well let them just walk past.

We travel with our border collie, and he loves travelling and given the way he lays beside the caravan while we pack, he would have it no other way. I get up early in the mornings when he taps on the door of the van to get his breakfast before setting out on an extra long walk and a run in a park chasing his ball. We have rarely met a person that walks past him without stopping for a pat and a chat with us, so in that regard we meet a lot of people through him.

On the restricting side of things, yes you are spot on, but we tend to put him in to a kennel for a few hours do what we want to do and collect him afterwards and if that's not available then we just don't bother, we knew what we took on when travelling with him. I for one would have it no other way.

Do it Mike they love it as much as you.

Tony

-- Edited by drtooheys on Monday 28th of May 2018 09:54:02 AM

SouthernComfort · Guru

Hylife wrote:
Mike Harding wrote:
..... I'll start by saying that I'm seeking replies from people with an
affinity with animals in general and dogs in particular. I'm not
interested in the opinions of people who either don't like
dogs/animals or think they should be left at home - this probably
includes people who think dogs should be an outside animal and not
allowed into the house....

Not sure why you bothered to ask the question, when you pointed it so.
You are only going to get a one-sided biased point of view .
This is like asking people who have Siamese cats if you should get a Siamese cat!
If you don't want to hear from people who think a dog should be left at home then you are only seeking replies from people who think dogs should travel, so of course you are going to get the vast majority telling you to get a dog and take it with you.

They say that a politician will never suggests a royal commission or commission of enquiry unless they already know the outcome. I suggest that you have already made up your mind by asking the question the way you have.

Oh, and although I love dogs, I would never travel with a dog further than from the kennel to the working paddock. Taking a dog into unfamiliar surrounds is very stressful and some might suggest cruel for dogs.
It will also exclude you from ALL national parks and most state parks.
Whilst some caravan parks may allow you in, the vast majority of caravan parks in popular areas won't.
For them it is a simple business decision. The vast majority of travellers leave their pets at home which means there is plenty of guests don't want dogs in the park to fill up the empty spaces.
Because they can afford to turn you away, they do, and then they have one less headache to worry about.

"Taking a dog into unfamiliar surrounds is very stressful and some might suggest cruel for dogs."

So you think it's "stressful or cruel" for the dog to travel into different environments, yet apparently acceptable to leave it at home? That option, along with locking the dog away in boarding kennels is tantamount to abandonment as far as the dog is concerned. Separation anxiety is a real cause of stress for dogs!! All you're doing is justifying putting yourself first and pretending it's for the good of the dog. I know which "biased view" I'll stick with!

BTW, approx 75% of parks nationally are now dog friendly, whether seasonal or full time. Most parks aren't making great money and more are realising they can't afford to turn away this growing market, evidenced by the increasing number of dog friendly parks.

Santa · Guru

It's very obvious Mike is a dog lover and is seeking opinions from like minded people as to how best to incorporate a dog into his GN lifestyle along with pitfalls that may be involved.

Why people bother with contributing their opinionated/biased rants is beyond me.

Mike Harding · Guru

Nicely put Santa.

My decision is not about taking a dog or not - I have already made
that - what I don't have the experience to assess are the difficulties
and issues associated with having a dog in a caravan as a full time
nomad and it is people's wisdom in that area I seek in order that I
may be better placed to decide whether to go ahead and maybe what
breed of dog etc? It is this type of question to which forums are so
well suited and if the overwhelming thrust of responses from people
with experience had been "Don't do it" then I would be thinking long
and hard whether I should.

You're right; I am a dog lover and they respond very well to me too,
I have no doubt they sense people who are comfortable with them.

There is also a considerable emotional and psychological aspect to
this. When I go solo nomad it will be for the rest of my life (I'm
early sixties) and although I'm very comfortable with my own company
everyone needs to love and be loved and as I have no intention of
taking another human partner (short term live apart is OK ladies? :) )
I would like a "mate" to chat to and "be with" and dogs are pretty
good at that.

Numerous studies have shown significant mental health benefits for
pet owners over non pet owners, I suspect this does not surprise any
dog lover.

My main concern is for when my mate dies in about 12 years when I'll
be mid 70s+. When I love I love deeply and I know they'll be a whole
stack of grief, again, when that happens. However, as a good friend
said to me some years ago, "Grief is the price you pay for owning a
dog because you'll always outlive them." 'Tis a price worth paying I
think.

Thank you *very* much everyone for your responses, please keep
posting them.

Santa · Guru

All very valid concerns Mike.

We lost a much loved 17 year old dog about 8 years ago, left a big hole in our lives, sadly we left it too long (3 years) before getting another, when we did we realised what an enormous positive difference having a dog made to our lives.

Good luck with your choice/decision. smile

Ron-D · Guru

My two cents The dog places a lot of restrictions on how you camp,we dont need those restrictions,if your a lone traveller thats different,all the hassle becomes worth while,as mans best friend would be a great travelling companion ....

Santa · Guru

Ron-D wrote:
My two cents The dog places a lot of restrictions on how you camp,we dont need those restrictions,if your a lone traveller thats different,all the hassle becomes worth while,as mans best friend would be a great travelling companion ....

Guess its very much a point of view thing Ron.

Yes! having a dog with you does impose some limitations, regardless, we wouldn't be without our canine companion, she's a constant source of pleasure.