As a fanatical dog lover, Herbert really is mans best friend. Well my best friend anyway. He's part of the family and when we purchased our first motorhome a couple of years ago, it was a no brainer that our furry companion would accompany us on our travels.
At the start we had know idea if Herbert would enjoy his time on the road especially considering some of the trips would be for weeks on end, but after just the first day we realised that Herbert was about to enjoy his days as a motohomer as much as us. I thought I'd share some tips for all you other animal lovers who might want to take your pooches for the ride of their life.
Be sure to check that any campsites you plan to visit are pet friendly and allow dogs. The great thing about motorhoming is that you have the freedom of not just sticking to the camping ground, however it's still best to check. Herbert loves going for walks at the camping grounds we have visited and has even made the odd friend here and there.
Make sure you plan everything before you leave. We make sure Herbert has his regular food throughout the trip (subjecting him to strange foods can be rough on his digestive system and your carpets). Be sure to plan regular stops so your dog can stretch his legs and relieve himself. Get your dog used to travelling before subjecting him to an eight hour drive by taking him for short journeys before hand. Get a list of the nearest vets to where you'll be staying, hopefully it will never be needed, but in an emergency you could waste precious time finding this information.
Don't let your pet wander off without its collar and tag securely in place. As loyal and well behaved as Herbert is, he has been known to wander off or get distracted. I also make sure that our mobile number is on Herbert's tag rather than our home phone. We also make sure that we keep some clear photos of him in the RV just in case he was to get lost.
Before you leave, accept the fact there might be one or two accidents on the trip. The excitement of being somewhere new may also upset their digestive system so always keep plenty of kitchen roll and antibacterial spray to hand to help clean up any little accidents.
