Just reading your struggles...

[DrJean]

:heart: Folks,  just reading about the struggles of having a pet while van dwelling takes my breath away...literally!  Panic for sure.  I just could NOT even think about van dwelling without my dog!  And I'm so grateful I don't have all the issues with which some of you have to cleverly figure out and deal.

If I didn't have my dog I couldn't think about van dwelling... but then, him being a service dog, if I didn't NEED my dog I probably also wouldn't even NEED to be thinking about van dwelling (and getting away from society and people who don't understand...)

My heart goes out to you all!

 

[Wabbit]

I am(was?) planning on getting a dog with tax return. After reading through some of the issues mentioned, it brought home that I was minimizing the thought and care it takes to own a dog in a mobile setting. So I am glad I read that thread. However, I am glad that DrJean posted this too. I am not a one man show, so the pup could stay at camp while one of us ran errands. Also, I want a dog not only for the extra kick it puts in life, but also as an early warning detection in remote camps(least I hope...lol).

 

[slynne]

There are advantages and disadvantages to dog ownership for sure. I live alone so the companionship is important. I also feel safer having a dog.

 

[Ballenxj]

I have decided to not get another dog, at least not for a good long while. My dog (Roscoe) passed away about five years back now, and it broke my heart. He was my Buddy, and a Border Collie. He was both extremely smart, and a smart alec when he felt like it.

 

[carlex.escapade]

I hope your feeling fine now, so sad to hear about that.
Well its never been easy to take care of a dog, just like humans you need to take good care of them, train them and show them love. One should be passionate and patient enough if s/he wants to build a relationship with his/her pet.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

Even though yes dogs are technically a lot of work, I think it becomes 2nd nature and just a normal part of your day, just as doing tasks like laundry and feeding yourself are. For the little investment in time of care they require per day they then return it with 24/7 companionship. Every dog has it's own unique personality and once you get to know them and their quirks, they can be really entertaining. They pick up on things long before you can, so they add a bit of security from both people and animals. And statistically people are much less apt to do you harm if there is a dog present, other animals too. With everything in life, it's a give and take choice.

They can be expensive though. I adopted mine with heartworm (I knew this before agreeing to adopt him) and when he arrived he was missing softball size patches of fur. After all was said and done I think he cost me $2500 initially. And he costs about $100 month to feed. I do give him a slightly more expensive brand of dog food, thru trial and error it was the first one that solved his issue with the fur falling out. Otherwise I always fed my dogs the cheaper more common national brands and they all lived long healthy lives. Having one on the road increases the chances they'll get into trouble in my opinion, so you should always have a little bit set aside for an unexpected emergency.

 

[akrvbob]

I don't understand this thread, who's having a hard time with their dog?

I think having a dog in a van is easy peasy--wouldn't consider not having one.

 

[Wabbit]

I mentioned "that thread", but that was a misnomer. I believe DrJean is talking in general about some of the posts in this subforum. Losing pets, possible stolen pets, what to do with them when the owner is away and temperature factors, people calling the police because they suspect animal neglect, pet hazards from wild animals. That kind of hard time. At least, that's what I was thinking, DrJean can clarify if it was something else.

 

[jimindenver]

Max can be a hassle. He has to be kept warm or cool. He has to be cleaned up after, looked after, paid for and one bath cost me a weeks worth of shower water and waste tank. Then again I look at it like I GET to have a dog to take care of, not have to. Max is a source of joy and pupose for me. A reason to get up, get out and I talk to many more people because of him. It's hard to get down when those coal black eyes see me and first that tail wiggles, then his butt and soon his whole body just quivers because I am his everything and he lets me know it all of the time.

 

[DuneElliot]

I don't understand this thread, who's having a hard time with their dog?

I think having a dog in a van is easy peasy--wouldn't consider not having one.

I think it was in reference to a couple of other threads lately. Some of us have to work on the road and knowing what to do with them during the work day is tough in and RV, and even more so in a van. You can't take them into some National Parks, you can't take them to restaurants etc. Having them limits some of the things that you can do or you have to come up with a work-around. Do I think mine are worth the sacrifices? Yes. Are there things I can't do because of them (like hike the PCT)? Yes, but those things will happen when they are gone. Until then I work around their needs.