Travelling with dogs - how?

[Tricuspid]

Hi all, looking for some advice ... we had a caravan for a years and the dogs traveled quite happily in the back of the car (hatchback). We are now looking at motorhomes and wondering what people do with their dogs. Ours are older (11 & 9) and have never been in a crate, so that would be a no-no. The motorhome we are interested in only has two belted seats, so there's nothing to clip them into. Do you actually tie your dogs down, or do they wander around? Ours sleep most of the day , so they won't be bothered I expect. If you tie them down, what too? I've seen a harness thing that goes round the seat cushion, I think it's aimed at the back seat of a car, but the cushions in the motorhome aren't fixed so that's not going to work. Confused ...

 

[Landy Andy]

Shhh. Don‘t tell anyone else. But my dog does whatever he wants. He just wonders about the motorhome enjoying himself. He’s not allowed on the sofa but has a choice of areas he sleeps and occasionally pops to see us. I’m sure he, my wife and myself will all go to hell for this, even if we don’t crash where the dog will mystically fly towards our heads killing us all in an instant. But then he‘s never really on a lead so we are destined for hell any way, but the dog has been trained which appears not to be standard.

Enjoy your trips, our dog does

 

[TheBig1]

A tie down ring as used in vans and trailers, then clip a lead to a harness. We travel 3 like this and you are obliged to restrain animals in transit so they can not distract the driver. We feel safer too that they don't rush out of the door if opened in a layby etc. They do get very excited to be away in the van. The 2 youngest are 11 and the other 12. A complication for us is one of them is blind too

 

[Eggs]

Shhh. Don‘t tell anyone else. But my dog does whatever he wants. He just wonders about the motorhome enjoying himself. He’s not allowed on the sofa but has a choice of areas he sleeps and occasionally pops to see us. I’m sure he, my wife and myself will all go to hell for this, even if we don’t crash where the dog will mystically fly towards our heads killing us all in an instant. But then he‘s never really on a lead so we are destined for hell any way

Enjoy your trips, our dog does

Same, although my dog used to lay or sit on the passenger seat of my MH and work van, t'was funny if I had to get on the brakes a bit sharpish, he'd dig in to stop himself from sliding off the seat

 

[busby]

Shhh. Don‘t tell anyone else. But my dog does whatever he wants. He just wonders about the motorhome enjoying himself. He’s not allowed on the sofa but has a choice of areas he sleeps and occasionally pops to see us. I’m sure he, my wife and myself will all go to hell for this, even if we don’t crash where the dog will mystically fly towards our heads killing us all in an instant. But then he‘s never really on a lead so we are destined for hell any way, but the dog has been trained which appears not to be standard.

Enjoy your trips, our dog does

Took different dogs with me in the cab of my truck for over 40 years..Never ever a bother. BUSBY.

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[Potty]

If you do a search on travelling dogs, there have been a few threads on this where you will find lots of info and advice.

 

[Landy Andy]

Same, although my dog used to lay or sit on the passenger seat of my MH and work van, t'was funny if I had to get on the brakes a bit sharpish, he'd dig in to stop himself from sliding off the seat

Yep. Mine is always a bit miffed when the wife takes his seat. (The passengers seat).

 

[bigwood]

I think I said this befoe but until we adopted our latest muttly we didn’t secure our last muttly. He would eat through his lead if we tied him up. He wouldn’t wear a harness either which made it impractical to try and secured him by his collar.
The latest muttly came wearing a harness so I fitted a d ring to the front seat base and secured him with a short strechy lead. He seems quite happy to lie on his mat between the seats.
I am not sure what difference it would make in an accident. He wouldn’t move very far forward due to his size and weight.

 

[Eggs]

Yep. Mine is always a bit miffed when the wife takes his seat. (The passengers seat).

The only time mine was injured in a vehicle was when some tool hit my ex Mrs head on in our Jeep Grand Cherokee, the dog was in a crate in the boot.

 

[BikerDJ]

We haven't done this in a motorhome but I had our dog in our car for many years front and back. The law as I understand it is that a dog must not be free to roam at will in a vehicle as it represents an unlawful distraction to the driver. The safety of your dog if involved in an accident is a major concern as is the risk of injury to the driver or passengers of the vehicle in which your dog is travelling.

Our dog, a Westie, had a harness (designed for the purpose) which then looped around a seat belt and clipped back into itself. This allowed a fair amount of freedom of movement but was then restricted by the seat belt itself. The idea was that, in the event of an accident, the seat belt would lock in the same way (inertia) that it is designed to lock when worn by a person and the harness around the dog would not cause any injury because it spread the load.

If you don't have a spare seat / belt to clip your dog into and a crate is a non starter then I suspect you will struggle to find a legal / safe solution.

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[138go]

Our dog wears a good quality harness, which is attached to the table leg.

 

[pandas]

Shhh. Don‘t tell anyone else. But my dog does whatever he wants. He just wonders about the motorhome enjoying himself. He’s not allowed on the sofa but has a choice of areas he sleeps and occasionally pops to see us. I’m sure he, my wife and myself will all go to hell for this, even if we don’t crash where the dog will mystically fly towards our heads killing us all in an instant. But then he‘s never really on a lead so we are destined for hell any way, but the dog has been trained which appears not to be standard.

Enjoy your trips, our dog does

How sweet, we occasionally travel with two grandchildren taking up your point I am sure they would love to roam around the motorhome whist we travel. Will give it a try - or possibly not.

 

[pandas]

Hi all, looking for some advice ... we had a caravan for a years and the dogs traveled quite happily in the back of the car (hatchback). We are now looking at motorhomes and wondering what people do with their dogs. Ours are older (11 & 9) and have never been in a crate, so that would be a no-no. The motorhome we are interested in only has two belted seats, so there's nothing to clip them into. Do you actually tie your dogs down, or do they wander around? Ours sleep most of the day , so they won't be bothered I expect. If you tie them down, what too? I've seen a harness thing that goes round the seat cushion, I think it's aimed at the back seat of a car, but the cushions in the motorhome aren't fixed so that's not going to work. Confused ...

A quick Google will find you this which may help to make up your own mind from a legal perspective (also if you loved your dog and your own safety):

Rule 57 of the highway code states: “When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves if you stop quickly. A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars.”

 

[Shrimp]

Ours used to sleep in her bed on the settee behind my chair, she never moved until we got to our destination, she used to look if we stopped but wouldn’t move until told she could.
if your dogs like sleeping get them used to their beds on the floor and they will probably sleep most if not all of the journey!

 

[Tricuspid]

Thanks all, we bought a new motorhome today & it has suitable anchor points. Not sure how the dogs will take to it, but we will see what the best option is.

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[Langtoftlad]

I'm more in favour of the common sense Landy Andy approach rather than a slavish adherence to vague rules, not written with motorhomes in mind.
If you're in a smash severe enough to worry about your dog becoming a missile, I think, given the way the average MoHo is screwed together, you're going to have harder, sharper things flying at you to worry about.

 

[LiquidLunch]

We put ours bed in between the cab seats and he goes to sleep, doesn't move until we get to our destination.

 

[Spriddler]

Our dog, a Westie, had a harness (designed for the purpose) which then looped around a seat belt and clipped back into itself.

Our rescue Westie loves to roam in the m/h but isn't keen on riding in the front of the car.

 

[pappajohn]

This'll get the dog restraint police going......

 

[pappajohn]

Ex GFs mother used to drive her old Morris minor 1000 with her two yorkies.
One on her lap and one across the back of her neck.
Never had an accident in the 5 years I knew her.

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[Grummyb]

I'm with landy Andy on this 1 but I have to say pappajohn that is a bit dangerous in terms of obstructing your view of pedestrians and cocks on bikes when in you are in built up areas

 

[Grummyb]

Oops sorry that should have said cyclist damn predictive text

 

[pappajohn]

I'm with landy Andy on this 1 but I have to say pappajohn that is a bit dangerous in terms of obstructing your view of pedestrians and cocks on bikes when in you are in built up areas

Not really, the dashboard and screen are 8ft 2in wide.... And I hope pedestrians never come into it..... Its a stretch of the A1

 

[Grummyb]

Not the width I'm concerned with it's the height of your vehicle and then add the height of the hound on top of your dash and you will, be surprised how easy it is to not see a child at the side of the road, just my opinion obviously but based on a bit of knowledge

 

[Littlewheels]

Shhh. Don‘t tell anyone else. But my dog does whatever he wants. He just wonders about the motorhome enjoying himself. He’s not allowed on the sofa but has a choice of areas he sleeps and occasionally pops to see us. I’m sure he, my wife and myself will all go to hell for this, even if we don’t crash where the dog will mystically fly towards our heads killing us all in an instant. But then he‘s never really on a lead so we are destined for hell any way, but the dog has been trained which appears not to be standard.

Enjoy your trips, our dog does

I love a Man that says it how it is and you just did exactly that in great style. At least you have happy dogs.

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[Eggs]

I'm with Langtoftlad, there's more chance of my epitaph saying, Eggs was killed in a tragic accident by Ping the microwave than Eggs was killed in a tragic accident by Buster the dog.

 

[Phill D]

as an extra we have a "tommy Tippy" style dogs bowl that enables the dog to have access to water while travelling without it spilling all over the place.

 

[pappajohn]

Not the width I'm concerned with it's the height of your vehicle and then add the height of the hound on top of your dash and you will, be surprised how easy it is to not see a child at the side of the road, just my opinion obviously but based on a bit of knowledge

Nah, you still don't get it.... The dog is nearly 2ft from the screen and I could see the lower right hand corner from my driving position.
But as I said, the dog restraint police will be along.

 

[Ridgeway]

oh dear



How would they lick their....

 

[WESTY66]

Oops sorry that should have said cyclist damn predictive text

Think you were right the first time! (ex road racing cyclist back in my youth, before anyone says I’m anti cyclist).

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