RVing with our dog, Carmen is so rewarding for us! We love watching her explore a new place for the first time or stick her head out of the truck on the open road. She is enjoying this RV adventure just as much as we are (if not more, actually). After a year on the road, we’ve discovered some essentials that make traveling with a dog so much easier. These are our top 10 must-have items if you’re going to be RVing with dogs.
1. Pet Hammack or Doggy Seatbelt
Now that we travel with Carmen in the car weekly, we purchased a pet hammock for the backseat. This is a great accessory because it keeps her safe in one area, off the floor, and protects our seats. If you can’t dedicate the entire backseat of your car or truck to Fido, at the very least get a doggy seatbelt for their safety.
- Size & Hammock Convertible: 56" Wide x 60" Length：It's a bit larger than other covers so it can be more effective in...
- WaterProof & Non-slip Backing: Our seat cover for dog are completely waterproof because of our new Waterproof TPU. It...
- 🐕 YOUR DOG ANYWHERE | All you need to do is pull out the strap, which also acts as a leash, and get them ready within...
- 🐕 SUITABLE FOR ALL DOGS | Whether they’re a little puppy or big enough to take up two seats - our car brace can be...
2. Poo Bags
Okay, people! I shouldn’t have to say this but we’ve seen plenty of RVers without poo bags. Not only is it rude to not pick up after your doggy, it’s bad for the environment. Seriously it is, read this article if you don’t believe me. Don’t be the most hated neighbor in the park and get yourself some poo bags. They even have cute poo bag holders that attach to the leash so you don’t forget them.
- ✅ BAG POOP BETTER: 9”x13” doggy bags keep your hands safe, and odor contained. More than enough capacity for large...
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- ✅ RELIABLE EVERY TIME: Our 9”x13” unscented doggy bags keep your hands safe, and odor contained. Every bag comes...
- ✅ PERFECT PAIRING: The "peanut butter & jelly" of dog walking! Earth Rated dog poop bag dispensers are a perfect...
3. Outdoor Leash
If we’re blessed with a large campsite (and the campground allows it) we love to sit outside and let Carmen roam. She has free range but is still safe with our 30-foot cable lead. I have to mention we never leave her outside unsupervised even with the lead on, and you shouldn’t either. They can get tangled or be a nuisance to other dogs being walked nearby. While supervised, Carmen loves exploring our campsite, people watching and sunbathing on her lead.
4. Flea and Tick Medication
While on the road, you will be exposing your pup to many new insects (and diseases caused by those insects). We recommend investing some time researching your different flea and tick prevention options so your dog is protected. We had a vet visit on the east coast to make sure Carmen was well covered in this part of the country. It should be noted to also have a conversation with your vet about heartworm protection too. A vet visit to discuss if your dog is thoroughly protected before you hit the road is a great idea!
5. Dry Skin Shampoo
You’ll also be exposing your dog to different weather elements. Carmen had a small adjustment period in those dry winter months and in the desert states. We were able to get her through it comfortably with a good dry skin shampoo.
6. Portable Water Bottle
Obviously, you’ll be out exploring with your dog during your RV adventures! Don’t forget they need to stay hydrated to keep up. We love our portable water bottle for hiking with Carmen (and she does too!).
7. Kongs
For those times that Carmen can’t come on the adventure, we make sure she has some Kongs to keep her busy. We shove a cookie in there and she’s good to go. Working for a treat is good for your dog’s brain and keeps them occupied (for a little while at least 😉 ).
- INSTINCTUAL NEEDS: The KONG Classic red rubber toy helps satisfy dogs' instinctual needs and provides mental...
- FETCH TOY: The KONG Classic's unpredictable bounce makes for exciting games of fetch and other interactive play with...
8. Treat Dispenser
We also have a Kong Automatic Treat Dispenser for those times we’ll be gone longer than a few hours. We’re able to put up to four Kongs inside at once. The dispense option releases every one hour or every two hours. We also put extra special Kongs in for these rare occasions (filled with wet food, sealed with peanut butter and frozen). These special treats keep her busy because they take a lot longer to get through. She gets so excited when she sees us bring out the automatic treat dispenser!
- Automatic dog-toy dispenser provides food-filled dog toys throughout the day
- Toys can be filled with dog's regular food; choose between a 4- or 8-hour setting
9. MarCELL Monitoring System
The MarCELL Monitoring System is the only reason we even feel comfortable leaving the RV for longer periods of time. This awesome gadget works on cellular data and will send us a text message if the temperature, electricity, or humidity go outside of our pre-set safety ranges. Campground electricity is known for going out (we’ve had three cases in a year so far) and that scared us to death. In those hot summer months, you do not want your AC going out while your dog is in the RV. MarCELL will immediately notify us if the temperature goes above a certain range and we have time to get home to get Carmen out.
- Includes 1 wireless Water SPuck (SEN-100-WR)
- Secure cellular based system
10. ID Tag and Chip
Last but definitely not least is to make sure your dog has an engraved ID tag. Ensure it is engraved with their name and your phone number (a backup phone number on there is a good idea too). Even better? Get your dog chipped. That way if they manage to get out and lose their collar, a good samaritan will hopefully get them to a vet to scan for a chip.
- These aluminum pet ID tags for cats and dogs come in 8 shapes and 9 colors, so you can create a tag that matches your...
- Recommended for cats and toy dog breeds, the small size measures approximately 1 inch in diameter, and the large size...
Well, those are our top 10 must-have items for RVing with dogs! We’ve found each and every one of these items to be extremely beneficial while RVing with our dog. Anything else you think we should add to the list? Let us know in the comments!
Last update on 2021-02-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
