RV Dogs - Some People Shouldn't

[gcal]

OK. This is going to be unpopular, but it is also reality. There is a dog behind us that spends most of his time in jail, in a pen in front of the RV door. He cries all day for attention and to be let out. He is a big dog, looks like part pit bull and part black lab, young, energetic, rowdy and wild when out of his pen. He gets out 2 or 3 times a day for walks and very occasionally for a brief trip to the dog park. We only have the owner's word for the dog park thing as we have never actually seen him take the animal anywhere.

Please, people, think about what kind of life you are willing to give a dog before you get one. It is not all about you and what you want. A dog is a living creature, not an accessory.

 

[BradKW]

Agreed...which is why I don't have a dog, despite really wanting one. Being single and working means a dog would sit inside my apartment from at least 7am til 5pm, and that's just not fair to the animal imo. I've had cats, but they are far more independent minded...throw in a cat door and they will deign to grace you with their presence a few times a day, usually coinciding with meal and nap times.

 

[SoulRaven]

We have full-timed RV'd with larger dogs up to 75 lbs. Basically, you are either a good pet owner or you aren't and it doesn't depend on your quarters but your level of dedication to your pet. Those same people being described would probably not do any better job if they were in a house and most likely would be in an apartment doing the same thing. Rinnie spent her first year in an RV park. She learned manners, got lots of walks, became very social with people and was only crated when we were not present which was not that often and she caused no disturbance. We let the office have a key in case there was an emergency, they asked for it because they all enjoyed her company so much. Again, it depends on the dedication of the owner.

 

[minimotos95]

In all honesty since my younger dog passed my older dog has been spending 22 hours a day in the van sleeping, getting to play with other dogs only when they are running around off lead. In general he's not interested in playing with me or other humans. This is the longest he's been without another dog in his daily life since my family got him atleast 10 years ago. I think he needs a younger dog but I'm not sure I want to make that commitment unless my van is running.
So in the mean time he gets to sleep all day and get petted instead of played with.

 

[SoulRaven]

We have two senior dogs and in a house, they spend 22 hours a day sleeping. I walk them when the weather is good. They don't really care for the each other that much, don't fuss at one another but if one disappeared, I don't think the other would really care. One we got about 4 years ago. Both prefer people to "dogs" since they don't identify with "dogs".

 

[buckwilk]

Responsible pet ownership has nothing to do with what you live in.

 

[SillyLilly]

No different than the life most dogs seem to lead back in my sticks n bricks neighborhood. Nothing to do all day but run up and down the fence line in the back yard and bark at every sound they hear. All effing day. All effing nigh too for that matter.

 

[GotSmart]

Some people do not deserve the company of pets.

 

[SoulRaven]

I have seen a lot of happy pets living with full-time RVers. The one thing I want to impress upon pet owners is that coyotes, especially in the SW, can come up and snatch a small pet even off the end of one of those extendable leashes. Cats let outside didn't last long. There were complaints to the rangers by some of the older people that this happened and the people wanted something done about the coyotes. The coyotes were not the problem.

 

[gojo]

I'm a dog person, never met a dog that didn't like me.

 

[johnny b]

Dog: "They lied....this definitely don't taste like chicken!"