How do You Handle Your Dogs?

[myway_1]

I have a small dog. He is a house dog. I let him out into a fenced yard whenever he needs or wants to go out.

I used to live in rural areas where my dogs stayed outside and roamed at will.

I'm not sure how it would work living in a vehicle.

Do you let your dogs roam when you're camped out away from people? If you don't let them roam, do you keep them tied up? If you don't keep them tied up, how do you keep them from sneaking off to explore or chasing after an animal?

What do you do when you're in town and have to be away from your vehicle but can't take the dog with you? I have read where some of you keep the vehicle running with heat or a/c on. Isn't that an invitation to have your vehicle stolen? I have read that some of you keep your windows rolled down and park in the shade. My dog is people-friendly. He would happily go with anyone who might want to steal him (but he's a mutt so maybe no one would want to steal him?)

I'm sure there are other difficulties that I haven't thought of.

Thanks,
Joe

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I'm sure there are other difficulties that I haven't thought of.

In some parts of the country, coyotes will kill and eat small dogs and cats.

 

[cyndi]

*in most parts of the country coyotes will eat small dogs. That includes urban areas.

I do any errands early in the day or after the sun sets. Sometimes I'm camped with/near friends and they'll watch my dog as I do theirs.

My dog isn't free to roam but she is off leash when the situation is suitable

There are several threads in this forum that address your questions

 

[jonsun]

I want her to be off leash as much as possible. I also dont want her to die by snake bite, mountain lion, etc. So I take her swimming and walking off leash but wont let her roam in unfamiliar places while parked anymore.

can a pitbull take on a lone coyote? probably not an older female.

When left in the van my generator is outside on a hitch carrier running heat/AC.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

Is there any part of the country that doesn't have coyotes? My dog is 85 lbs so unless there is a pack I think he's safe and even still they'd probably go for an easier meal.

I'm not on the road full time, but my dog is with me full time, anywhere I go he goes. When I have to leave him in the vehicle in the heat I leave it running with the AC on. The doors stay locked because I have remote start. If you don't have remote start, you could get an extra key and leave the vehicle running with the key and lock the doors. I also still leave the windows cracked about an inch, just in case of carbon monoxide or something. If i was full timing and had to leave him for an extended period, I'd use a vent fan to at least keep the inside what ever the outside temp was and try to park in shade if possible and use a windshield cover to stop the worst of the sun. I might even have two fans, in case one stopped working.

He's used to being on a leash, but I let him roam free when the situation allows it. So on the road he'd have a combo of situations just as he does now. In the trailer, on a long leash, and roaming free. I also have a GPS on his collar that I can track with my cell phone. I used it when I first got him, but haven't activated the service in about six months. It's $10 or $12 bucks a month and a few different companies do it. It relies on cell phone signal so it won't work in remote areas and it has a 10-15 second lag on his position so it will get you close but not pin point if they're on the move. He never roamed much further than half a mile, although a few times he went a few miles. I also have a dog tag with my name and cell # on it and he's micro chipped.

If a situation arose where I needed to leave him for multiple days, I'd find a local boarding service. Hopefully I'll never have to do that. Just make sure he's always up to date on his shots in case you need to board him in an emergency. And keep a copy or two of his records with you.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

A house dog has no clue in the wild.  There are lots of dangers out there and your dog won't know how to avoid them.  Rural dogs grow up in that environment, they know what to avoid, and we would still loose a farm dog every once in a while.  Most National Forest areas mandate that you have your dog under control.  That means on a leash unless the dog will obey voice commands.

My dog is in a harness tied to the seat belt when in a truck.  This is to keep him safe.  He can't hit the windshield or dash in a panic stop and he can't jump on me and disrupt my driving.

There are a lot of places now that have laws about pets in a car in hot weather.  Must have water for your dog visible.  I try to find shade (lots of luck in a parking lot), have a fan drawing ambient air into the truck through the back window, and leave the side windows open a little bit to exhaust the air.  I have a visible thermometer in the truck to show inside temperature.  I have a 8.5 X 11 card on the dash with my cell phone number and a note ' please call if their is a problem with my dog'; I'll get a few calls a month.  If you can't find shade park so that the dog is not in direct sun.

 -- Spiff

 

[hepcat]

I travel and live with two Cavalier King Charles spaniels. They go everywhere with me, and are partially why I bought a fully equipped B-van to begin with. When I'm on the road, they're crated in the back of the van where the rear dinette is supposed to be. I use it for a cargo platform and place for the dog's crate and supplies. The crate is arranged so it won't go flying in a sudden stop. I let them out frequently, but NEVER off-leash. They're leash-trained at home as well. I do have a 25' double leash tether, so when I'm somewhere that has a large area for them, like a campground, I tether them out, but I stay out with them.

When I go shopping, or leave them in the van for any extended period of time I let them out into the living quarters of the van. If it's merely warm out, I leave the upper top windows open along with the fantastic fan for ventilation. The van stays about ambient air temp that way. If it's severely hot, I fire up the generator and run the roof air. If it's cold, I run the furnace for them. They've got a pretty sheltered life.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

 I have a 8.5 X 11 card on the dash with my cell phone number and a note ' please call if their is a problem with my dog'; I'll get a few calls a month.  If you can't find shade park so that the dog is not in direct sun.

 -- Spiff

I'm going to add this to my truck.  I had it out with a lady last fall who was in the process of calling the police on a 65 degree day with the truck parked in complete shade and windows opened.  And was in a strip mall with a convenient store, liquor store, and UPS store so it's not like anyone would be in those stores for more than ten minutes anyways.

 

[bonvanroulez]

can a pitbull take on a lone coyote? probably not an older female.

Coyotes are pack animals. A lone coyote sets up the prey for the pack to ambush and kill.

Is there any part of the country that doesn't have coyotes?  My dog is 85 lbs so unless there is a pack I think he's safe and even still they'd probably go for an easier meal.  

Coyotes routinely hunt and kill deer, elk, animals much larger than your 85 lb dog. 

Dogs are pretty easy prey for a pack of coyotes.

 

[jonsun]

you're thinking of wolves. Coyotes are solitary and the size of a medium dog. Pitbulls are about 45-60lbs. Coyotes 35-50lbs.

I came upon a dead one a month ago on a hike. Think skinny juvenile husky size.

 

[DannyB1954]

you're thinking of wolves. Coyotes are solitary and the size of a medium dog.

Coyotes are also known to hunt in pairs or even more. Where I live fish and game consider them pests and no hunting licence is required. 
I haven't had to dispose of any. They seem to keep their distance from my yard as if they know that I would. I see them in the neighborhood a lot. As long as they stick to the wild rabbits that are everywhere, I have a live and let live attitude.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Coyotes usually travel as a mated pair, but in areas where large game is available they do form packs.  A pack can take down a deer and will attack large dogs (territorial?).

http://askanaturalist.com/are-coyotes-always-in-packs/

 -- Spiff

 

[jonsun]

I seen a pair once years ago. They're everywhere around here and always alone. They're almost as bad as deer.

Worked night shift security on river for 8 years. It was a nearly every night encounter.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

Coyotes are pack animals. A lone coyote sets up the prey for the pack to ambush and kill.


Coyotes routinely hunt and kill deer, elk, animals much larger than your 85 lb dog. 

Dogs are pretty easy prey for a pack of coyotes.

Deer and Elk are very different prey than a dog.  Large dogs are seldom the victim of a coyote attack. Something to be aware of yes, something i'd worry about, no.

 

[akrvbob]

I had a pack of coyotes try to lure my dog out on A1 Mountain Road at Flagstaff. One (presumably a female) came close but fortunately, he didn't chase after her. Then I looked close further away and there were four others maybe 100 feet away. We were out for a walk and they trailed along behind us the whole way back to camp. They stayed in the trees about 150 feet out. We packed up and left the next morning.

 

[jimindenver]

Coyotes do pack, it's something to do with the absence of wolves. In any event we have had them on three sides of a clearing and the three schnauzers were not about to come out of the trailer while all the yipping was going on.

Max is rarely left to roam even a little and if he gets out of sight I am looking to get him back in it. I do allow him to play zoom puppy but it's a game where he races away from me until I tell him that's far enough and then he zooms back. Generally he is leashed but I do want him off of it enough that he doesn't run as soon as he gets a bit of freedom. At 6 months old he is too young to be left alone.

When we travel he has a car kennel but if we stop I put him in the trailer that is much easier to control the temperature.

 

[steamjam1]

I travel with two dogs. A full Border Collie and a border/Aussie mix and they are utterly worthless in the wild. I worry about coyotes all the time as I see then nearly everyday. I keep a close eye on them off lead. A good sized coyote can make burger meat out of my two dog buddies.

 

[jonsun]

^IDK about that

2 collies in good shape would make a meal of a coyote

 

[DannyB1954]

I had a pack of coyotes try to lure my dog out on A1 Mountain Road at Flagstaff. One (presumably a female) came close but fortunately, he didn't chase after her. 

Happened to a friends dog in Columbia Ca. They lure the dog out, then attack by tugging at both ends until the back breaks. 
Nature is not often kind. The people that want to save the wolves, coyotes, bears, etc. are the one's who don't have to deal with them. 
let a stray dog enter their neighborhood, and they are calling animal control.

 

[Zizzer_Zazzer_Zuz]

Is there any part of the country that doesn't have coyotes?  My dog is 85 lbs so unless there is a pack I think he's safe and even still they'd probably go for an easier meal.  

May you never encounter a coywolf. Then again, they gotta eat too and an 85 pound defenseless dog stands not a damn chance against an animal like that and would feed him/her for days and days.

PS - Coywolf as a species has evolved in the last 200 years and since dogs/coyotes/wolves reproduce so quickly we are getting to see evolution happen right before our very eyes.

Something I learned a long time ago while on Dead Tour ... don't take your dog on tour.