About to get our puppy - best advice when touring?
After sadly loosing our dog in August last year, we are due to collect our new puppy in 3 weeks time. It's 13 years since we had a pup, so we may be in for a shock! What are everyone's top tips for touring with a young pup - we only started touring last
year, and our elderly dog loved it, but he was pretty laid back about the whole situation. We have just ordered a crate, so he can be kept safe whilst travelling etc, but any other advice?
Comments
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Start as you mean to go on! Be firm but fair. We have a very lively English Bull Terrier and when we started motorhoming 3 years ago he was just two so whilst not a puppy he was still very playful. I worried how he would react in the motorhome as he had
never slept in the same room as us let alone such a confined space. I can happily say he took to it like a duck to water, never a spot of trouble from him and know as soon as he gets into his travel crate he curls up and sleeps. If the jouney is 30 minutes
he sleeps, if it is 3 hours he sleeps and he never gets out when we arrive on site until I say he can. Things are helped by the fact he loves all other dogs so is happy to lie outside the van watching the world go by. Try and socialise your dog from an early
age so he is happy to meet and greet other dogs and people. Have fun and fingers crossed you will have years of happy touring together0 -
If you are planning on taking him from a very young age (as we did with ours .. about 12 weeks old) take plenty of puppy pads, just in case, and if you're still 'house training' maybe use a CL for the first trip. I was subjected to really nasty verbal
abuse by a fellow club member, on a club site when my pup pooped on our pitch (which was picked up immediately!)So, unless your puppy is fully housetrained, my advice would be to avoid club sites.
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Puppy pads are a great invention! And I never go anywhere with a pup or any dog without "Flash" or some nice smelling cleaner plus Febreze to clear the air. I would also make sure the pup is used to the car and take it with me shopping etc. Good luck.
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Thanks! Yes, our plan to to tour with the pup as soon as he's finished his injections - so from about 12 weeks (which is easter bank holiday as it happens). Lynnrugby - I cant believe someone would be so rude! An accident is an accident - it wasn't as if
you left it there. How awful
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Our dogs have always loved the Caravan or Motorhome and we have the wind into the ground screws to anchor the leads on and they will sit quite happily watching everything around. At night they have their cushion beds on the floor and no problems unless rabbits
are below the van.David www.perthshirecl.co.uk
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A good chain and clip attached to the caravan so pup can have room but not run or chew themselves free! For very young pups, trainer pads are brilliant and we absorbent, not cheap but work well in a caravan.
my hound has a fleece to suck which he loves, plus a raincoat, chews and lead on board! He also has a barrel with is name etc on his collar as well as a disco light tag so I can see him in the dark!
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Our dogs have always loved the Caravan or Motorhome and we have the wind into the ground screws to anchor the leads on and they will sit quite happily watching everything around. At night they have their cushion beds on the floor and no problems unless rabbits are below the van.
David www.perthshirecl.co.uk
Write your comments here... Over the years I have tried dozens of corkscrew dog things and all lasted approx 15 minutes! I ended up tying him to the towbar bracket or the chassis of the caravan.
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We have just taken our four month old setter pup away for a couple of nights in our pvc, along with our old boy. This was a gamble as she is a live wire at home, to say the least. We found a fabrikennel to fit the available space and she took to it like
a duck to water. Plenty of fresh air,walks and a first experience of chips in a pub next to the log fire, and all was well in puppy world. Now back home she has reverted to the red she devil.I am sure your youngster will love it.
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If you are planning on taking him from a very young age (as we did with ours .. about 12 weeks old) take plenty of puppy pads, just in case, and if you're still 'house training' maybe use a CL for the first trip. I was subjected to really nasty
verbal abuse by a fellow club member, on a club site when my pup pooped on our pitch (which was picked up immediately!)So, unless your puppy is fully housetrained, my advice would be to avoid club sites.
LynnRuby, you forgot the first rule of dog training. After the 'accident' you should have rubbed their nose in it straight away !!
No not the Pups nose, the Abuser's !!
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Thanks ABM
Maybe that's what I should have done! My OH took the less drastic action of reporting the incident to the warden.
The people on the opposite pitch, witnessed what happened and could not quite believe how nasty someone could be! They were not dog owners, but could see that she was a very young puppy, and accepted the fact that these things happen, and I had picked up
straight away.0 -
Our dogs have always loved the Caravan or Motorhome and we have the wind into the ground screws to anchor the leads on and they will sit quite happily watching everything around. At night they have their cushion beds on the floor and no problems unless rabbits
are below the van.David www.perthshirecl.co.uk
Write your comments here... Over the years I have tried dozens of corkscrew dog things and all lasted approx 15 minutes! I ended up tying him to the towbar bracket or the chassis of the caravan.
We do that too! We have devised a sort of 'zip wire'. Plastic coated washing line, tied to the caravan chassis. Then peg it out (either front or back, depending on pitch) Attach a 'house line' then clip it on to the dog's harness.
You can then open the caravan door without fear of escape! The dog can get outside, in an out of the awning, and in and out of the caravan. Works for us!
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Our Cassie is 21 weeks old and this week we're off on her fourth short trip in the MH. Used puppy pads the first time but fortunately didn't need them. We've tried to keep a similar schedule to what she does at home, feeds, bedtime etc and she's taken to
it like a puppy to a motorhome ;-)0 -
Gwen Baileys book The Perfect Puppy is very good - https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-perfect-puppy/gwen-bailey/9780600617228
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We too have 7 and a half month old Pup, he is more or less housetained . Having had dogs for 40 years i must say all dogs are different, well thats what we have found anyway. From a yorkie to a Newfie and others in between we have a Jackfrise who is 7 in Sept , he is highly strung. Where as our well, we thought we had bought a Chihuhaua turns out he is crossed with a Jack russell. But hey he is great company for our older dog . We used the puppy pads which we bought form the £ shop . We used a Crate and still use it now sometimes because he likes to chew. The amount of chews we have bought is ridculous . So now he has those nylon type bones which are better for him. As for the Ferry if your thinking of taking him abroad i suggest a crate , But making sure its not too small for the size of dog. So be firm and reward when he is good thats a must. We took the pup out to the Marina last sunday let them both off the lead i was a bit worried whether he would make a run for it . But he was really good when i called his name he came back and i gave him a tiny biscuit worked every time.. Patience with a pup is a must but soon they will be housetrained.
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Don't forget, puppies haven't developed balance and many a time they might be sick! As someone esle has said, it is important to get them used to travelling in the car. Pnut still has the occasional 'event' and she is getting on for 18 months now!
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