Bob cracks me up. Hes so frank about these issues no beating around the bush. I am informed and also entertained by these videos. Hope someday to meet you Bob
Sheza CraftyOne Bob always cracks me up! Even when he does his intro he's a great guy! To the point just wants to share so much great information with us
Definitely needed to address how to prepare in case your pet went missing. #1 Microchip your pet and keep your info updated, which can be done online - It's a very small $ amount investment and most vets and shelters have the scanning devices. #2 Take some really good photos of your pet to use for posters/flyers you can leave with local vets, shelters and on community bulletin boards.
While microchips and tags have great value, realistically they will not be of much use if you spend most of your time out in the wilderness like Bob and I do. Being aware of your surroundings and cautious with your animal is the best way to protect them.
I protect my dog too (she is not a fighter, and is happy to step behind me) but I'm never really angry. I carry hiking poles and I just swing them around swiftly, yelling until their owner gets there ;) I do swear though, I mean, I really yell my head off! :P It works, no one is hurt, everyone can leave happy enough : ) I haven't run into a dog yet that I felt was coming after me. But we're meeting on a trail, neither of us has territory rights ; )
yeah one of my dogs was attacked as well. I think the key to having a off leash dog is they have to be highly trained first! Sadly a large percentage of dogs off leash have had little to no training and their owners take no responsibility for the dogs behavior. More often then not they are also very large dogs who can do a lot of damage.
I used to live in a place with a lot of loose dogs. We carried what we called a mutt stick when walking our dog. If you raised the stick and yelled very few dogs would run up to you.
When I was part timing in the eastern forests I had my lovely German Shepard Heidi. All wonderful memories including sharing the bed on a cold night. Worst memory was Dog farts in a closed van.
Good advice. I wouldn't go anywhere without my dog. She is almost always off leash because she minds me. I can't imagine traveling without my Maddie girl. It also helps when people think you are talking to yourself which I frequently do but I just direct everything to talking to my dog. Thanks Bob for all your videos. Blessings, Teri
I'm officially hooked on your channel. Very helpful videos. Right now I'm trying to figure out the right rig setup for taking all my furbabies with me.
Great info Yes this might be old but the info is always good to hear You way of thinking ...I agree about living free and our pets should live free also
Thanks for this. It is my biggest concern. Keeping them in a van or camper and not having air conditioning. Especially if it stopped working if i were to go somewhere . i. Love this discussion. Such good points
What Tamra said about training her cat to come to her by a certain signal (a sound, a sound used only for this feeding time) and a certain food (they love). It works especially if you pick a certain time of day also! There are dogs that wander & dogs that stay pretty close to home! You mostly stay where you CAN let Cody wander, where you hardly EVER see other people. I live (& others that have the "keep them under control" in areas that are restricted & I will get a ticket for letting them wander! Two different circumstances, two entirely different very necessary answers! LOL Judie
Nothing here about planning ahead for if they do get lost. Collar, tags, microchip, etc. If someone finds your pet in a remote area, how do they find YOU?
My dog has worn a GPS on her collar since I found out she could jump a 4' fence without even touching it (that was before her arthritis, but she could probably still scale it in 5 seconds flat) and she's also a runner. I just ordered the new Whistle 3 for my cats, as I'm planning to go full-time in an RV next month and haven't had the time (or the heart) to rehome them. Technically they're fosters but I guess that makes me a foster fail story, lol. I bought harnesses for them too, which they're not too thrilled about.
One thing that worries me about taking my dog to the desert camping areas , snakes . I live on the west side of Washington State and we have no poisonous snakes here. I see Bobs dog Cody running around out there & Im curious if he has Ever had an encounter with one. I know my dog Big Joe would investigate something like that & probably get bitten.
I so enjoy your videos. They and you encourage me even though I have vision problems that are severe and I can no longer drive. Thank you for sharing like you do.
Blood Stained Sinner, I agree about the chipping and id on collar, but that wouldn't remotely make it responsible to risk letting a cat loose in a mobile living situation. RUclips videos showing cats loose in such circumstances encourages others to think it is a reasonable choice. I think it is irresponsible and cruel in the extreme.
Carol I would not do that! I agree. I would be scared all the time. That would not be the risk I would like to take for me and any cat of mine. Maybe some type of outdoor enclosure yes but not off leash outside
Ancient India had a solution for heat: straw in water.... So use fabric, soak it down then ring it out, cover the dog crate or hang it over the open windows of your rig... inside will become IMMEDIATELY cooler. If you get some containers with water in them and leave the ends of the fabric in it, as it dries it will wick the water upwards keeping the fabric wet. The constant evaporation really cools the area inside the fabric. So, figure out how to create an area curtained off by the fabric... even over the open windows will help cool the whole rig.... to keep water use down, just cover the dog crate or a smaller area... OF COURSE you need to create a canopy of it if you are not just covering windows. So... think of it like making a tent out of fabric, however small... and that would do it.... Covering windows in a rig will help just not as much.
I just watched the Horror story that you made in Jan 2018. I have a service dog so she has to come with me. I noticed that there are mainly big dogs running off leash. I will guard her with my life.
Hey Bob I did the beet harvest w my dog w no problems. Brought her w me to pile site and walked her on my breaks (and had lunch together). There were also lots of people w dogs and available to help out.
I don't go camping, but I go hiking with my 2 cats for almost 9 years (they are indoor cats & only go out with me). They are leash-trained (8m flexible leashes), but I trained them to follow me off-leash as well...so most of the time they are off-leash. They follow just like well-trained dogs. We never had problems, nor did they ever run away. I decided to give them freedom too, instead of leashing them all the time. Because with a leash, they can't climb trees freely, nor can run & play. Without that, it wouldn't make much sense to take them in nature. But there is not much risk for them anyway, because I pay attention all times & they are very well trained, stay always close/follow me & listen all times. Also we have no dangerous wild predators in our nature areas, no mountain lions, coyotes, wolves or similar. Only wild prey, which we occasionally meet, but they always run off. I think we have foxes too, but I never seen one in my whole life, they are really shy. Depending on area, there are people with off-leash dogs (having dogs on leash all the time is totally uncommon where I live). Some listen, most don't. But I handle the situation & we never had any incidents (we surely met more than 200 off-leash dogs on our 9 years of hiking). So, I don't think you are bad for giving your dog freedom. As long as he is well-trained & stays close. I disagree with the woman saying, that cats generally spook so easily & run away, so that they have to be forced to be on leash all the time. If they are trained well & strongly bonded with the owner, they won't do that. My cats come to me & stay without even trying to run off, regardless of what is happening. Thunder, Storm, barking & jumping dogs, strangers, loud children, Firework, Construction Noise etc. I trained them to stay calm in this situations & trust me that I will protect them.
Thanks Bob Wells . Great tips on keeping our fur babies cool. That would be my most concerning thing when travelling. Although I have pretty much been doing most of the ideas you shared the kiddy pool with the water and towels is a great idea . A blow up from the dollar stores would be a smart option as apposed to hard plastic because of space and they are really cheap so having a few replacements would be a way to go. Small one or two rings and they would be handy when you are using a bucket of water for a sponge bath to catch splashes 💦 ☝️
I've been Traveling With Tabitha (A cat). Surprisingly, she obeys voice commands. Before Tabitha, my other cat got out one dark night. A bunch of other campers helped catch the cat.
I'm surprized the discussion about pets running off and leashing didn't include a mention of wireless fence units. The shock collars are adjustable and can be very mild - and emit warning beeps so the pet can avoid being shocked - when trained to it. They're low power and send a radio signal to the collar with an adjustable perimeter - seems the the perfect solution to me (Tamara's pretty cute - how yuuu dooin...)
Black walnut hull is fantastic for deworming dogs and cats. Break open 1 capsule and sprinkle over wet food. Do it every 2 days for 10 days. It kills the parasites immediately, and keeps hatch outs dead. I wont ever pay a vet fir worm issues, this works so much better
I agree with the letting your dog live unleashed. As someone who is getting ready to start this life with a dog, your videos are amazing and informative. Thank you!
We recently buried a friends dog. Leash is a good idea. Rattlesnake bites are usually fatal and if they attack another camp good chance they’ll get shot. Can’t reason with a dog owner is why their are leash laws. Someone sets off fireworks dogs bolt.
Blood Stained Sinner My risk area is more clif, river, bear area. All of which I take into account. I guess it's more of case by case. I know my dog stays within my camp and even out hiking she doesn't like to wander off. If I couldn't trust my dog to listen to my commands then there is a whole different story. Again case by case.
I used to hang out with my aunts dogs as a teenager. a Dalmatian and an Alsatian and a half Alsatian Labrador. really enjoyed it, lot of fun times painting their kennels and hinting with them and other stuff. they were good times really.
Stardust I usually plan these things for early in the day. Athena just waits in the RV while I do my thing. There are a lot of ways you could handle this though. The great thing about being a traveler is learning how to think outside the box. Best wishes to you
What I do is make.sure that if I need to.go shopping or other errands..I make sure I take them.out and allow.them.to exercise ..then they just sleep.for.up to.2 hours ..if it's hot I turn on engine and use air conditioning.lock the door..with spare key
The temp inside a vehicle can rise 40 degrees in an hour on a sunny day. It’s a greenhouse. At 80 degrees outside, inside your van is over 100, even 120. Just something us Arizona and other warm states need to be aware of. Children and pets have died in cars with temps in the high 60’s outside on sunny days. I get you need to leave your animals sometimes, but you need to think it through. Their lives are literally in your hands as they can’t decide for themselves. Most of the time it would be cooler for them outside with shade and water available to them, maybe you could take turns watching each other’s animals when taking trips to Mexico ect... besides, if for some reason you didn’t make it back that day, someone would already be watching out for them and could help until your able to get back. Emergencies happen and sometimes people have complications from even mild procedures.
heidi gibbons excellent points. I can tell you from experience that I know my vehicle (40’ motor home) runs 10-15 degrees warmer than the ambient daytime temperature. I think it’s critical to make sure that you know the temperature your fur baby is exposed to and there are numerous ways to handle this issue. In addition to having someone watch them, you can remotely monitor the temperature or you can just plug in at an RV Park or a generator when there is a risk that the indoor temperature will be too high or low while you are away.
I take my dog to trails where I can let him off leash in order to enjoy his true nature; however I trained him to heal on leash training so he behaves on the lead.
The ideas with the sheet for the only works for one of my cats. The other one forget . He ripped it off very fast. Plus when he tries to escape he takes the other one with him. I’ve ended up getting a pet pin and keeping his claws cut down. So far he isn’t escaped.
complyvoluntarily nope can’t beat them you just wait for them to grow out of it. If ever. He’s a challenge to keep safely indoors. I don’t think that I cat who has no street smarts need be let outdoors. That’s just me, but it’s not really fair to them.
All cats are different. We are just trying to give you a few ideas. There is only so much you can put in a 20 minute video. You are welcome to ask questions at RealRVLiving.com when we go live in March
I have a dog doesn't bark my worst fear is listening to everybodies dogs barking, and people yelling at them all the time. My dog also in hardly ever on a leash but he is trained to come when called not matter what. I always clean up after him and don't allow him to chase anything but squirrels. Working so far.
Honestly I don’t think you need to worry about that unless you plan to spend a lot of time in RV parks or campgrounds. I almost never hear barking or yelling when I’m just out on public lands. Best wishes to you
If people can afford it, I recommend pet insurance. It can be relatively affordable but vet bills can be thousands of dollars if something serious goes wrong.
i understand about the leash portion. i had a doxie that i didn't have to leash b/c she never left my side and when she did wander a bit, sh returned when called. my current min pin, she can't go w/o a leash b/c she runs and does not returned when called. so i also think it is based on training/discipline and personality.
I wish I could keep my dog off leash. He’s had a lot of issues that caused fear and anxiety. So I have to keep him close by or he’ll run and may not come back.
I wouldn’t say Athena loves traveling but she does accept it. What she really loves is the amount of time I can spend with her these days. In fact she can get a bit peeved if I leave her alone all day like I used to when I worked in an office
Bob, what kind of dog do you have?; he is so gorgeous and well behaved. To the woman who lost her cat...Im sorry that you lost your cat. :'( What gorgeous pets y'all have there! Next time, let us know the names of your pets besides Cody! Little dog on the woman's lap looks just like a teddy bear!
I love the way Bob is about things. we made the same decision for our cat, we were actually pretty sure that he would have a greatly reduced lifespan but in HIS case it was worth it because of his personality, we knew he did not want to be trapped indoors. well that was 12 years ago and he is still alive!!!! not only alive but in VERY good health. despite the fact that he is neutered he has somehow become the top cat in the neighborhood and all others stay away knowing he will kick there ass in a heartbeat. we have a pitbull behind us and other dogs on each side plus a busy road near by and he always still comes home in one piece. cats are good with heat as well, they come from an arid and very hot climate and they do well with it. we get up to 112-118 in the summer here and he chooses to go out in it all day long even though he can come in any time he wants.Not all cats are that way but ours is and I am glad we gave him the choice.
Yeah. I had a cat that was very smart. Always came home. Very territorial for our yard, he knew the property lines better than the city did, lol. But off our property he got along, he was a Manx, which are very dog-like cats, very mellow, loving.
We are a family of 5 choosing to travel in our SUV along with our tent. We have found a friend to take our pup, but have not found anyone who is able to keep our cat. I'm curious to know how to woman traveling in the Rio handled the litter box situation.
Old video but new for my. Question on the subject: Have you encountered problems with the public freaking out about pets left inside your RVs. Talking about the trend to bust windows to get them out. How do you address that Situation?
Not the same thing and I don't know how to address this...people are way too eager to rescue an animal that is not needing a rescue. I had a woman call the cops on my van that the windows were down, fan was on , water was visible because my Beagle was howling. The weather was in the 60's. I had gone into a grocery store for 3 small bags of groceries. Well, yeah Lady, you are standing, walking around her house !! What do you expect her to do ?? I got back to the van just as she was giving dispatch my tag #. I guess dispatch asked if I was back at van since she said yes and hung up. Breaking windows out of an RV ?? That sounds criminal 😳 !! Did John Q Citizen do that or Law enforcement ?
My dog is raw fed, so that is one obstacle I haven't figured out how to resolve if I live on the road full time. I would need a freezer for her raw meat, she consumes 1 pound a day. Anyone else feed their dog raw and live on the road?
Where I live, when it gets up to 80 degrees and hotter, I would not leave my pet in a vehicle for even 15 minutes to run into the store. A closed up vehicle in 80 degrees can become an oven very quickly, especially in the sun. Leaving windows cracked invites theft (and is inadequate anyway) and leaving the motor/ac running is risky as the pet can hit the shift and put it into drive. I don't understand how you are able to run errands in the heat with a pet.
PrairieNightMoon you must have missed the part where we talk about not staying in hot places. 😎 Knowing your vehicle is.critical. I know for a fact that my vehicle will be 10-15 degrees warmer than the outdoor temperature anytime after midday. Your vehicle may be different This is just one of the things a traveler has to manage. We get used to following good weather, doing errands early in the day, and knowing how to manage if it does get too hot.
Mush Mouse, I guess I'm just used to my Texas weather where it's hot 24 hours a day except for a few weeks around New Years. I've heard you all chase 70 degrees but in summer it gets pretty hot even in the north. I guess we all just do what we have to do to manage. Thanks for explaining how you do it. All the van/RV pets on you tube seem to do well.
PrairieNightMoon I really appreciate your concern for animals in vehicles! Not much makes me angrier than seeing an animal or child mistreated or neglected and leaving either in a car can create a crisis in very short order. It’s important that humans traveling with animals be very conscious of how weather can affect their companions.
Lisa Bilek Why do you single out pit bulls? They are gregarious and fun loving. They love their people to the ends of the earth. Any non socialised dog off leash could come upon your dog and attack it.
For me any big dog with agility and muscles can be a problem for me and my dogs. If a dachshund dog were to run at me I would have no issues, because he would not be able to kill or maul me and my dogs.
I just had a neighbors dog who is about 25 pounds, a pointy snout, long hair collie type dog who stood there, not snarling, not baring teeth. Very quiet then he attacked my dog. Only the dog whisperer would know the signs of pending attack.
I have pet insurance. $75/mo and a $500 deductible. It’s great peace of mind knowing my dog is covered because you never know when they can be sick or injured. You can also get well care benefits that cover routine exams and shots but l choose to pay for that myself. My insurance covers vet care all over the world. When her tail was injured in Nevada when l was traveling the insurance paid for it without a problem even though my domicile was in California at that time
I do feel concerns for pets on the loose as some people may hit or kick them - or even poison them if they don't like the dog pooping on their lawn. Out in the wild, of course there are other potential dangers, like rattlesnakes & water moccasins, & alligators - but their instincts & sense of smell would pick up on mammals, like wild cats, fishers, badgers or bears a mile away. That doesn't mean a Coyote, eagle, wolf or bear wouldn't want to kill a dog - for a meal, to protect their young, or during mating season, or just to not feel threatened. There are also instincts that make some dogs find themselves in trouble since feeling a threat - they may get aggressive, thus getting more than they bargained for. I've seen dogs mouths & faces full of porcupine quills, though, & have known dogs to go after skunks. My 1st dog got sprayed when I was just a kid of about 11 yrs old. I took him home & bathed him in tomato juice.The other time my dog stayed a respectful distance & barked her head off until I ran a block in the wee hours to see what she was barking at like that. It was a big ol' skunk. Once I got there, she began to act like she wanted to run at it.I told her to STAY & NO...STAY & told her - that's a skunk! She listened to me & I could see it registered with her - in my tone - it's OK, let's just leave it alone. It was touch & go though...then I was able to get her to sit - that's when I could quickly put her on the leash.Whew! Disaster averted! Once leashed, the skunk was relieved & felt safe so strolled away & crawled under my neighbor's shed. I sure miss her. Abigail was a great dog.
Whenever I see a dog panting, I want to give it a bowl of fresh water right away. Too often I've seen dog owners not even noticing it as a symptom of physical stress - as they're playing with them, or out walking or running with their dogs.If they're panting - they need water to quench their thirst & to help cool them off. I love dogs.
When my dog has been running around and cutting up with another dog, as soon as she can, she flops down on the sand (or grass or whatever) on her belly. Legs all splayed out, and the heat from her body goes out into the cooler areas she's spreading out onto. I wish she liked swimming but she doesn't. It's just important that we learn to recognize our own dog's signals of being overheated. When in doubt, give them a shower and find them some shade, give them a nice bowl of water to drink and some time to just chill out in the great outdoors.
Mush Mouse I agree with that 100%. Each and every stop I would make I would be checking before driving away. I am not to point any fingers at anybody as everybody situation is different. However I know for me being the kind of animal mom I am I would be sure where each animal is before leaving an area.
I did feel a bit annoyed with you. Then I realized what we are doing with our cat Juniper. She has a 5-chambered heart. She needs medication every day. Mostly she eats it in a bit of cheese but not all the time. Giving her tablets is a nightmare for all concerned. We decided that if she did not take the tablet we would risk that she would die sooner but have a happy life
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Bob cracks me up. Hes so frank about these issues no beating around the bush. I am informed and also entertained by these videos. Hope someday to meet you Bob
Sheza CraftyOne Bob always cracks me up! Even when he does his intro he's a great guy! To the point just wants to share so much great information with us
Bob is kinda funny. You know that he is a straight shooter because these are his videos, it's his word or nothing.
He’s an awesome guy for sure. So down to earth and very principled
Be a responsible owner.
Get your pet chipped and have a contact tag on them too. Both cats and dogs.
Get them fixed.
Clean up after them too.
Definitely needed to address how to prepare in case your pet went missing. #1 Microchip your pet and keep your info updated, which can be done online - It's a very small $ amount investment and most vets and shelters have the scanning devices. #2 Take some really good photos of your pet to use for posters/flyers you can leave with local vets, shelters and on community bulletin boards.
While microchips and tags have great value, realistically they will not be of much use if you spend most of your time out in the wilderness like Bob and I do. Being aware of your surroundings and cautious with your animal is the best way to protect them.
Having your phone numbers on tags / collars is immediately helpful to the person who finds your pet, but chipping is important, too.
That's actually kinda profound: "By caring well for your pet you're caring well for yourself."
RV life is about living (more) freely...and that goes for pets too. Cody is having a great life!
You're not a monster Bob. Cody is so fortunate to have a Pa like you.
Really valuable information Bob, thank you. I ALWAYS learn from your videos! A very well done video.
My dog has been attacked by "friendly" off leash dogs twice. So if your loose dog runs runs up to me and my dog he could get hurt.
I protect my dog too (she is not a fighter, and is happy to step behind me) but I'm never really angry. I carry hiking poles and I just swing them around swiftly, yelling until their owner gets there ;) I do swear though, I mean, I really yell my head off! :P It works, no one is hurt, everyone can leave happy enough : ) I haven't run into a dog yet that I felt was coming after me. But we're meeting on a trail, neither of us has territory rights ; )
yeah one of my dogs was attacked as well. I think the key to having a off leash dog is they have to be highly trained first! Sadly a large percentage of dogs off leash have had little to no training and their owners take no responsibility for the dogs behavior. More often then not they are also very large dogs who can do a lot of damage.
I used to live in a place with a lot of loose dogs. We carried what we called a mutt stick when walking our dog. If you raised the stick and yelled very few dogs would run up to you.
When I was part timing in the eastern forests I had my lovely German Shepard Heidi. All wonderful memories including sharing the bed on a cold night. Worst memory was Dog farts in a closed van.
even worse is when they do their business in the caravan
Love this information, thank you Bob! And for the variety of opinions!
Ms. Donna D has to have the absolute cutest friggin dog I have ever seen .Absolutely amazing specimen of what ever breed that is
Bob just shoots from the hip, no bullshit, love it.
Good advice. I wouldn't go anywhere without my dog. She is almost always off leash because she minds me. I can't imagine traveling without my Maddie girl. It also helps when people think you are talking to yourself which I frequently do but I just direct everything to talking to my dog. Thanks Bob for all your videos. Blessings, Teri
you are not a monster...your dog is happy and healthy
This is a very informative and excellent video. As always, thanks Bob.
I'm officially hooked on your channel. Very helpful videos. Right now I'm trying to figure out the right rig setup for taking all my furbabies with me.
Great info Yes this might be old but the info is always good to hear You way of thinking ...I agree about living free and our pets should live free also
Wonderful informative video. A life with a pet is so much fuller. I can't imagine not having a pet to love or to love me. Thanks you all for sharing,
Thanks Bob, very helpful and practical info.
As a life long dog owner, I learned a long time ago that to be the best person I can be is to try to be as good as my dogs think I am.
Great video Bob!! Thx for what you do. I really needed this information.
Bob, your dog is so loyal to you - he's your little shadow in life!!
Thanks for this. It is my biggest concern. Keeping them in a van or camper and not having air conditioning. Especially if it stopped working if i were to go somewhere . i. Love this discussion. Such good points
What Tamra said about training her cat to come to her by a certain signal (a sound, a sound used only for this feeding time) and a certain food (they love). It works especially if you pick a certain time of day also! There are dogs that wander & dogs that stay pretty close to home! You mostly stay where you CAN let Cody wander, where you hardly EVER see other people. I live (& others that have the "keep them under control" in areas that are restricted & I will get a ticket for letting them wander! Two different circumstances, two entirely different very necessary answers! LOL Judie
Good information Bob. Thank you for sharing.
Nothing here about planning ahead for if they do get lost. Collar, tags, microchip, etc. If someone finds your pet in a remote area, how do they find YOU?
GLORIA3610205@gmail.com
Sage advice but you can’t reason with most pet owners.
My dog has worn a GPS on her collar since I found out she could jump a 4' fence without even touching it (that was before her arthritis, but she could probably still scale it in 5 seconds flat) and she's also a runner. I just ordered the new Whistle 3 for my cats, as I'm planning to go full-time in an RV next month and haven't had the time (or the heart) to rehome them. Technically they're fosters but I guess that makes me a foster fail story, lol. I bought harnesses for them too, which they're not too thrilled about.
Shilodog Smith good point,
There is only so much you can cover in a 20 minute video
Thank you so much for this! I was getting discouraged from my dreams of traveling for fear of what would become of my cat.
Deborah Peacock your kitty can travel with you. Please feel free to check out Athena’s blog at realRVliving.com
Mush Mouse I have tried to check that website and I do not see a Blog?
The black cat is absolutely gorgeous
One thing that worries me about taking my dog to the desert camping areas , snakes . I live on the west side of Washington State and we have no poisonous snakes here.
I see Bobs dog Cody running around out there & Im curious if he has Ever had an encounter with one.
I know my dog Big Joe would investigate something like that & probably get bitten.
I so enjoy your videos. They and you encourage me even though I have vision problems that are severe and I can no longer drive. Thank you for sharing like you do.
%100 with you Bob! That's me and my dog Pippa♡
Great info. Love seeing information about cats! Must have missed this the first go-around. Thanks Bob!
You have been so helpful with this subject. Having a Honda pilot and a 60lb pitbull is a tight fit. I totally agree with off lease thoughts.
It is unconscionable to let cats loose in a van life/nomadic living situation. Cats are not wired that way.
Chipped and a name collar is essential.
Blood Stained Sinner, I agree about the chipping and id on collar, but that wouldn't remotely make it responsible to risk letting a cat loose in a mobile living situation. RUclips videos showing cats loose in such circumstances encourages others to think it is a reasonable choice. I think it is irresponsible and cruel in the extreme.
By loose I’m assuming you mean outside? Athena was a leash trained indoor cat before we hit the road and is a leash trained indoor cat on the road.
Mush Mouse, yes, by loose I meant off leash and outside.
Carol I would not do that! I agree. I would be scared all the time. That would not be the risk I would like to take for me and any cat of mine. Maybe some type of outdoor enclosure yes but not off leash outside
Doggy on the my far left looks like a stuffed animal! Cute pups and kitties :)
That's an adorable video!
Thank you for making this!!!
Great video and info... We travel with our dog and cat last summer it worked just fine..
Ancient India had a solution for heat: straw in water.... So use fabric, soak it down then ring it out, cover the dog crate or hang it over the open windows of your rig... inside will become IMMEDIATELY cooler. If you get some containers with water in them and leave the ends of the fabric in it, as it dries it will wick the water upwards keeping the fabric wet. The constant evaporation really cools the area inside the fabric. So, figure out how to create an area curtained off by the fabric... even over the open windows will help cool the whole rig.... to keep water use down, just cover the dog crate or a smaller area... OF COURSE you need to create a canopy of it if you are not just covering windows. So... think of it like making a tent out of fabric, however small... and that would do it.... Covering windows in a rig will help just not as much.
I just watched the Horror story that you made in Jan 2018. I have a service dog so she has to come with me. I noticed that there are mainly big dogs running off leash. I will guard her with my life.
Hey Bob I did the beet harvest w my dog w no problems. Brought her w me to pile site and walked her on my breaks (and had lunch together). There were also lots of people w dogs and available to help out.
Great video Bob! Thanks so much. Regarding the dog off leash - I support your decision. I think that if we use common sense we might all get by.
I don't go camping, but I go hiking with my 2 cats for almost 9 years (they are indoor cats & only go out with me). They are leash-trained (8m flexible leashes), but I trained them to follow me off-leash as well...so most of the time they are off-leash. They follow just like well-trained dogs. We never had problems, nor did they ever run away. I decided to give them freedom too, instead of leashing them all the time. Because with a leash, they can't climb trees freely, nor can run & play. Without that, it wouldn't make much sense to take them in nature.
But there is not much risk for them anyway, because I pay attention all times & they are very well trained, stay always close/follow me & listen all times. Also we have no dangerous wild predators in our nature areas, no mountain lions, coyotes, wolves or similar. Only wild prey, which we occasionally meet, but they always run off. I think we have foxes too, but I never seen one in my whole life, they are really shy. Depending on area, there are people with off-leash dogs (having dogs on leash all the time is totally uncommon where I live). Some listen, most don't. But I handle the situation & we never had any incidents (we surely met more than 200 off-leash dogs on our 9 years of hiking).
So, I don't think you are bad for giving your dog freedom. As long as he is well-trained & stays close.
I disagree with the woman saying, that cats generally spook so easily & run away, so that they have to be forced to be on leash all the time. If they are trained well & strongly bonded with the owner, they won't do that. My cats come to me & stay without even trying to run off, regardless of what is happening. Thunder, Storm, barking & jumping dogs, strangers, loud children, Firework, Construction Noise etc. I trained them to stay calm in this situations & trust me that I will protect them.
Thanks Bob Wells . Great tips on keeping our fur babies cool. That would be my most concerning thing when travelling. Although I have pretty much been doing most of the ideas you shared the kiddy pool with the water and towels is a great idea . A blow up from the dollar stores would be a smart option as apposed to hard plastic because of space and they are really cheap so having a few replacements would be a way to go. Small one or two rings and they would be handy when you are using a bucket of water for a sponge bath to catch splashes 💦 ☝️
love your video , always learn something , how cool is that......
We're choosing RV Life because we love being with our pets and we love to travel. Now they can go along with us! 🐶🐱🐦🐤🐦
Great video. Thank you🐾
I've been Traveling With Tabitha (A cat). Surprisingly, she obeys voice commands. Before Tabitha, my other cat got out one dark night. A bunch of other campers helped catch the cat.
Great cat name! 🐱
I'm surprized the discussion about pets running off and leashing didn't include a mention of wireless fence units. The shock collars are adjustable and can be very mild - and emit warning beeps so the pet can avoid being shocked - when trained to it. They're low power and send a radio signal to the collar with an adjustable perimeter - seems the the perfect solution to me (Tamara's pretty cute - how yuuu dooin...)
for my little dog when it got crazy hot last summer I put a wet washcloth under his harness so if he got up it was on his back , worked like a charm
You made the right choice animals as well as humans need FREEDOM.
thanks for uploading this!
Black walnut hull is fantastic for deworming dogs and cats. Break open 1 capsule and sprinkle over wet food. Do it every 2 days for 10 days. It kills the parasites immediately, and keeps hatch outs dead. I wont ever pay a vet fir worm issues, this works so much better
AWSOME INFO...TY BOB
Good info! I am hoping my cat is going to transition easily to a life on the road.
Travel in shoulder seasons is always best for everyone for sure.
Hey Bob it’s been proven that those ice chest fans make it worse by raising the humidity at the temperature goes higher!!! Thank you for all you doo.
Appreciated this info so much. 🙏
Very helpful
I agree with the letting your dog live unleashed. As someone who is getting ready to start this life with a dog, your videos are amazing and informative. Thank you!
We recently buried a friends dog. Leash is a good idea.
Rattlesnake bites are usually fatal and if they attack another camp good chance they’ll get shot.
Can’t reason with a dog owner is why their are leash laws.
Someone sets off fireworks dogs bolt.
Blood Stained Sinner My risk area is more clif, river, bear area. All of which I take into account. I guess it's more of case by case. I know my dog stays within my camp and even out hiking she doesn't like to wander off. If I couldn't trust my dog to listen to my commands then there is a whole different story. Again case by case.
We are all lucky as humans that dogs and cats are willing to be our friends. The only time I never had a dog is when I was in the navy.
I used to hang out with my aunts dogs as a teenager. a Dalmatian and an Alsatian and a half Alsatian Labrador.
really enjoyed it, lot of fun times painting their kennels and hinting with them and other stuff. they were good times really.
my dog comes first too Bob, makes me happy if shes happy
What do you do when you have to go places like the gym, shopping, doctor, etc... where your pet cant go in with you? What do you do, please
Stardust I usually plan these things for early in the day. Athena just waits in the RV while I do my thing. There are a lot of ways you could handle this though. The great thing about being a traveler is learning how to think outside the box. Best wishes to you
What I do is make.sure that if I need to.go shopping or other errands..I make sure I take them.out and allow.them.to exercise ..then they just sleep.for.up to.2 hours ..if it's hot I turn on engine and use air conditioning.lock the door..with spare key
Re. freedom of dog, I totally agree with you. Not sure I could do, cuz I’m afraid some critter might stalk him.
The temp inside a vehicle can rise 40 degrees in an hour on a sunny day. It’s a greenhouse. At 80 degrees outside, inside your van is over 100, even 120. Just something us Arizona and other warm states need to be aware of. Children and pets have died in cars with temps in the high 60’s outside on sunny days. I get you need to leave your animals sometimes, but you need to think it through. Their lives are literally in your hands as they can’t decide for themselves. Most of the time it would be cooler for them outside with shade and water available to them, maybe you could take turns watching each other’s animals when taking trips to Mexico ect... besides, if for some reason you didn’t make it back that day, someone would already be watching out for them and could help until your able to get back. Emergencies happen and sometimes people have complications from even mild procedures.
heidi gibbons excellent points.
I can tell you from experience that I know my vehicle (40’ motor home) runs 10-15 degrees warmer than the ambient daytime temperature.
I think it’s critical to make sure that you know the temperature your fur baby is exposed to and there are numerous ways to handle this issue. In addition to having someone watch them, you can remotely monitor the temperature or you can just plug in at an RV Park or a generator when there is a risk that the indoor temperature will be too high or low while you are away.
Good information!
"Living an unleashed life." I like that sentiment.
Thanks Mr. Bob. I'm on the very merge of this new world😯.
I take my dog to trails where I can let him off leash in order to enjoy his true nature; however I trained him to heal on leash training so he behaves on the lead.
You Monster you :P
You just keep on, Keeping on!
You're the best 😊
The ideas with the sheet for the only works for one of my cats. The other one forget . He ripped it off very fast. Plus when he tries to escape he takes the other one with him. I’ve ended up getting a pet pin and keeping his claws cut down. So far he isn’t escaped.
complyvoluntarily nope can’t beat them you just wait for them to grow out of it. If ever. He’s a challenge to keep safely indoors. I don’t think that I cat who has no street smarts need be let outdoors. That’s just me, but it’s not really fair to them.
All cats are different. We are just trying to give you a few ideas. There is only so much you can put in a 20 minute video. You are welcome to ask questions at RealRVLiving.com when we go live in March
Mush Mouse can't wait! I have so many travel with cat questions!
The dog in this video is SO cute! I would love to a have a dog like this one. What kind is it?
I have a dog doesn't bark my worst fear is listening to everybodies dogs barking, and people yelling at them all the time. My dog also in hardly ever on a leash but he is trained to come when called not matter what. I always clean up after him and don't allow him to chase anything but squirrels. Working so far.
Honestly I don’t think you need to worry about that unless you plan to spend a lot of time in RV parks or campgrounds. I almost never hear barking or yelling when I’m just out on public lands. Best wishes to you
If people can afford it, I recommend pet insurance. It can be relatively affordable but vet bills can be thousands of dollars if something serious goes wrong.
One can also use a spray bottle and use it when you find your dog panting.
i understand about the leash portion. i had a doxie that i didn't have to leash b/c she never left my side and when she did wander a bit, sh returned when called. my current min pin, she can't go w/o a leash b/c she runs and does not returned when called. so i also think it is based on training/discipline and personality.
Wow this is really old footage. Tamra's been in a Skoolie since last summer.
Bubba Warbucks What’s a Skoolie?
School bus that has been converted into an RV.
Hi Bubba!! ;)
Tamra, at this time, doesn't have any pets, either!
Bubba Warbucks Just about to say the same..lol
I wish I could keep my dog off leash. He’s had a lot of issues that caused fear and anxiety. So I have to keep him close by or he’ll run and may not come back.
Used to travel with my cat and she loved it.
I wouldn’t say Athena loves traveling but she does accept it. What she really loves is the amount of time I can spend with her these days. In fact she can get a bit peeved if I leave her alone all day like I used to when I worked in an office
My Beagle Beagle will be leashed. Her nose will cause her to get into trouble because she becomes deaf when her snout engages. 🐕
Thank you
good video
Bob, what kind of dog do you have?; he is so gorgeous and well behaved. To the woman who lost her cat...Im sorry that you lost your cat. :'( What gorgeous pets y'all have there! Next time, let us know the names of your pets besides Cody! Little dog on the woman's lap looks just like a teddy bear!
They now sell Gel Rugs for pets to lay on and makes them cooler in hot weather and warm in cold weather
Very nice Bob
What about taking your pets to Mexico for vet care?
I love the way Bob is about things. we made the same decision for our cat, we were actually pretty sure that he would have a greatly reduced lifespan but in HIS case it was worth it because of his personality, we knew he did not want to be trapped indoors. well that was 12 years ago and he is still alive!!!! not only alive but in VERY good health. despite the fact that he is neutered he has somehow become the top cat in the neighborhood and all others stay away knowing he will kick there ass in a heartbeat. we have a pitbull behind us and other dogs on each side plus a busy road near by and he always still comes home in one piece. cats are good with heat as well, they come from an arid and very hot climate and they do well with it. we get up to 112-118 in the summer here and he chooses to go out in it all day long even though he can come in any time he wants.Not all cats are that way but ours is and I am glad we gave him the choice.
AsTheWheelsTurn
I #
Yeah. I had a cat that was very smart. Always came home. Very territorial for our yard, he knew the property lines better than the city did, lol.
But off our property he got along, he was a Manx, which are very dog-like cats, very mellow, loving.
We are a family of 5 choosing to travel in our SUV along with our tent. We have found a friend to take our pup, but have not found anyone who is able to keep our cat. I'm curious to know how to woman traveling in the Rio handled the litter box situation.
Old video but new for my. Question on the subject:
Have you encountered problems with the public freaking out about pets left inside your RVs. Talking about the trend to bust windows to get them out. How do you address that Situation?
Not the same thing and I don't know how to address this...people are way too eager to rescue an animal that is not needing a rescue.
I had a woman call the cops on my van that the windows were down, fan was on , water was visible because my Beagle was howling. The weather was in the 60's. I had gone into a grocery store for 3 small bags of groceries.
Well, yeah Lady, you are standing, walking around her house !! What do you expect her to do ??
I got back to the van just as she was giving dispatch my tag #.
I guess dispatch asked if I was back at van since she said yes and hung up.
Breaking windows out of an RV ?? That sounds criminal 😳 !! Did John Q Citizen do that or Law enforcement ?
My dog is raw fed, so that is one obstacle I haven't figured out how to resolve if I live on the road full time. I would need a freezer for her raw meat, she consumes 1 pound a day. Anyone else feed their dog raw and live on the road?
Where I live, when it gets up to 80 degrees and hotter, I would not leave my pet in a vehicle for even 15 minutes to run into the store. A closed up vehicle in 80 degrees can become an oven very quickly, especially in the sun. Leaving windows cracked invites theft (and is inadequate anyway) and leaving the motor/ac running is risky as the pet can hit the shift and put it into drive. I don't understand how you are able to run errands in the heat with a pet.
PrairieNightMoon you must have missed the part where we talk about not staying in hot places. 😎
Knowing your vehicle is.critical. I know for a fact that my vehicle will be 10-15 degrees warmer than the outdoor temperature anytime after midday. Your vehicle may be different
This is just one of the things a traveler has to manage. We get used to following good weather, doing errands early in the day, and knowing how to manage if it does get too hot.
Mush Mouse, I guess I'm just used to my Texas weather where it's hot 24 hours a day except for a few weeks around New Years. I've heard you all chase 70 degrees but in summer it gets pretty hot even in the north. I guess we all just do what we have to do to manage. Thanks for explaining how you do it. All the van/RV pets on you tube seem to do well.
PrairieNightMoon I really appreciate your concern for animals in vehicles! Not much makes me angrier than seeing an animal or child mistreated or neglected and leaving either in a car can create a crisis in very short order.
It’s important that humans traveling with animals be very conscious of how weather can affect their companions.
What about dog fights - My big fear is a attack from a Pit bull or the likes.
Lisa Bilek Why do you single out pit bulls? They are gregarious and fun loving. They love their people to the ends of the earth. Any non socialised dog off leash could come upon your dog and attack it.
For me any big dog with agility and muscles can be a problem for me and my dogs. If a dachshund dog were to run at me I would have no issues, because he would not be able to kill or maul me and my dogs.
pit bulls do not warn you before they attack like other dogs do.
I just had a neighbors dog who is about 25 pounds, a pointy snout, long hair collie type dog who stood there, not snarling, not baring teeth. Very quiet then he attacked my dog. Only the dog whisperer would know the signs of pending attack.
I would rather be eaten by a mountain lion than live a tethered stifling life... thank you Bob!
I have pet insurance. $75/mo and a $500 deductible. It’s great peace of mind knowing my dog is covered because you never know when they can be sick or injured. You can also get well care benefits that cover routine exams and shots but l choose to pay for that myself.
My insurance covers vet care all over the world. When her tail was injured in Nevada when l was traveling the insurance paid for it without a problem even though my domicile was in California at that time
Hehe so random "they lost her, that's not helpful to anyone but that's my sad story"
I do feel concerns for pets on the loose as some people may hit or kick them - or even poison them if they don't like the dog pooping on their lawn. Out in the wild, of course there are other potential dangers, like rattlesnakes & water moccasins, & alligators - but their instincts & sense of smell would pick up on mammals, like wild cats, fishers, badgers or bears a mile away. That doesn't mean a Coyote, eagle, wolf or bear wouldn't want to kill a dog - for a meal, to protect their young, or during mating season, or just to not feel threatened.
There are also instincts that make some dogs find themselves in trouble since feeling a threat - they may get aggressive, thus getting more than they bargained for. I've seen dogs mouths & faces full of porcupine quills, though, & have known dogs to go after skunks. My 1st dog got sprayed when I was just a kid of about 11 yrs old. I took him home & bathed him in tomato juice.The other time my dog stayed a respectful distance & barked her head off until I ran a block in the wee hours to see what she was barking at like that. It was a big ol' skunk.
Once I got there, she began to act like she wanted to run at it.I told her to STAY & NO...STAY & told her - that's a skunk! She listened to me & I could see it registered with her - in my tone - it's OK, let's just leave it alone. It was touch & go though...then I was able to get her to sit - that's when I could quickly put her on the leash.Whew! Disaster averted! Once leashed, the skunk was relieved & felt safe so strolled away & crawled under my neighbor's shed. I sure miss her. Abigail was a great dog.
Dog's don't sweat. They pant.
When we get back from a long walk in summer, I have a couple stinky wieners!
Whenever I see a dog panting, I want to give it a bowl of fresh water right away. Too often I've seen dog owners not even noticing it as a symptom of physical stress - as they're playing with them, or out walking or running with their dogs.If they're panting - they need water to quench their thirst & to help cool them off. I love dogs.
When my dog has been running around and cutting up with another dog, as soon as she can, she flops down on the sand (or grass or whatever) on her belly. Legs all splayed out, and the heat from her body goes out into the cooler areas she's spreading out onto. I wish she liked swimming but she doesn't. It's just important that we learn to recognize our own dog's signals of being overheated. When in doubt, give them a shower and find them some shade, give them a nice bowl of water to drink and some time to just chill out in the great outdoors.
Dogs don’t pant only bc they’re hot, no some pant bc of excitement and are not thirsty. I think most pet owners know their pet❤️. Great video😊
Caravan Caroline just lost her cat recently in Blythe, California. I feel for anyone who loses their little family member.
If the cat was chipped or had a contact collar on she’d have her cat back.
She said it was chipped.
Number one rule in our home is the rig does not move until I have eyes on the kitty. Ever. Period.
Mush Mouse I agree with that 100%. Each and every stop I would make I would be checking before driving away. I am not to point any fingers at anybody as everybody situation is different. However I know for me being the kind of animal mom I am I would be sure where each animal is before leaving an area.
It’s our number one safety rule followed by kitty is not allowed near the driver seat when the vehicle is in motion. 😸
I did feel a bit annoyed with you. Then I realized what we are doing with our cat Juniper. She has a 5-chambered heart. She needs medication every day. Mostly she eats it in a bit of cheese but not all the time. Giving her tablets is a nightmare for all concerned. We decided that if she did not take the tablet we would risk that she would die sooner but have a happy life