# Boxer puppy & new camper & France?



## grizzlyj (Oct 14, 2008)

Hi all

First off, would anyone know how long from the earliest date a puppy can be collected could the datatag, jabs and passport etc be completed to allow a few weeks holiday over the Channel? From what I've read maybe four or five months was the case, but I don't know if the jabs are ok for a puppy?

Secondly and slightly more unanswerable, how stupid is taking the wife and I's first dog abroad in a 6m camper?

We don't yet have a puppy but would both really like a boxer. I had two as a kid but neither of us have looked after a dog ourselves as adults. As a kid there were miles of fields to take the boxer over, where I now live has a big ish garden for ball chasing and general bonkersness but long walks would still be required I would think?

Having spent the morning reading old posts I would think there is enough room under the dinette when driving, and the footwells overnight, but how does a recomended 2 hours of exercise fit in with getting to far away places? Four hour driving days maybe?

We don't yet have the camper either, looking at one hopefully next week slightly smaller than our current truck (no room in the cab for a dog) that we've used quite a lot so we're not newbies to campervanning, but definitely are with a smaller van plus hound!

I know the sensible thing is a smaller dog, but this is a heart and not just a head decision!

Help!!!!


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

Hey up.

First part ask a vet they will know..

Second part if the dog is house trained not stupid at all, they automatically become part of your family, If the dog is not house trained it could get a bit smelly :lol: :lol: :lol: .

Good luck with your new addition when you get it and I hope it gives you years of pleasure like our fat dog, as wobbley as she has now become. our stock answer when her back legs go a bit, ("Well I'm 84 yer know") in human years which puts it into perspective for the old gal.

ray.


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## suedew (May 10, 2005)

Jason, when you say no room in the cab for a dog, do you mean when stationary? Despite the numbers i see otherwise it is illegal to have a dog in the front of a MOVING vehicle, even if belted in. My german shepherd was most upset when relegated to the back of my car.
Admittedly this was a few years ago so perhaps things have changed.
Can't answer any of your questions though, but wish you luck with your boxer nice dogs.

sue


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## Lesleykh (Apr 13, 2009)

I don't know about the jabs and pet passport side of things, but I can comment on travelling in a small van with a dog - and a biggish dog at that.

We spent a year in a panel van conversion with Charlie, our collie/springer cross. As it turned out it was the last year of his life, but I am absolutely sure that he had a fab time travelling with us on our big trip round Europe (see blog below for details). 

He slept under the table, which is situated behind the driver's chair, and travelled in the same spot, but with the table stored. He had a chest harness which slotted into the seat beat slot. Well, I say he travelled there, but he soon discovered that he could get on the single seat and look out of the window. No amount of telling him not to stopped him and we gave up in the end. If we stopped suddenly and he fell off he'd land on his large dog cushion, but he had surprisingly good balance for an old boy. He looked funny sitting there and many a Romanian peasant, mistaking us for a local bus, shook a fist at us when we wouldn't stop to pick them up but had a dog sitting in the passenger seat!

Our current dog, a large ridgeback/greyhound cross, sits in exactly the same place and is happy to sleep under the table. There's not masses of space, but we manage fine.

As to exercise, she gets tons of it. Hours walking with us on beaches, up hills and over fields. Our only problem with her is when the couch potato greyhound side kicks in and she thinks she can lounge on our bed. 

One problem we had with Charlie (the collie x) was having to keep him on a long lead when outside the van (he had an unfortunate, unpredictable temperament). You need a really strong lead, and it gets tangled round table and awning legs. We will have to rethink this with Pommie (the ridgeback x) as she will chew through anything made of rope within a couple of minutes. I'm thinking of some sort of long chain for her, but don't want it to scratch the van and hurt her, or our, legs, so I might thread a chain through a long equestrian lead. I'm still working on that one, but you might have the same problem with a lively puppy as you only need to turn your back for a moment and they'll be up to something you hadn't foreseen.

Have fun with travelling with a dog. Loads of people on here do it successfully. You'll have plenty of time for intense puppy training too.

Lesley


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Lesley on the very rare occasions when we have the hound tied outside 

we have a strong, thick rope with rotating lead clips on either side that just fits around the back wheel which in our case is in front of the garage

We clip him on a short lead to that, if you used a short chain it shouldn't come in contact with the van at all but I guess it depends how long you need it to be

We once had a boxer many yrs ago, she was adorable and totally mad

shadow travels in a harness on the floor behind the front seats, we remove the table so he has plenty of space and can reach his water bowl 

His favourite sleeping spot is stretched out in the cab when the seats are rotated and pulled forward

We walk him and he likes to run with the bike, doesn't seem to mind travelling at all, on occasional long hauls we stop frequently to let him stretch his legs

Aldra


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## rugbyken (Jan 16, 2006)

We took our setter away at 11 months in those days you had to wait six months for a blood test after the rabies jab no longer req so I would have thought ok after 6 months when it's had the rabies protection, 
Our Molly sleeps in the foot wells or on the driving seat with a mat on it, her travel bed is between the bench seats with a chest harness restrained back on a lead more to stop her getting under my feet while driving but also acting as a seatbelt for her, 
When parked up we have a purpose bought cable fixed between two screw in ground anchors which we clip a lead on giving her an oblong about 6 mts by 3 mts,
Exercise wise she loves the motorhome she gets a piddle & poo walk first thing in the morning and last thing at night then everytime we stop 3/4 times a day if travelling more exercise she loves having full time attention from both of us ,


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## Jamsieboy (Jan 14, 2011)

Until earlier this year we travelled in a 6m van with two Boxers. Two sisters.
At times it was a bit tight, especially if we did not have the awning with us.
Boxers need a lot of exercise as I am sure you know but are wonderful dogs.


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## grizzlyj (Oct 14, 2008)

Thank you all for your experiences, reassurance and advice. I'm sure it will end up OK and a great deal of fun, maybe just oooop north rather than France this summer 



suedew said:


> Jason, when you say no room in the cab for a dog, do you mean when stationary? Despite the numbers i see otherwise it is illegal to have a dog in the front of a MOVING vehicle, even if belted in. My german shepherd was most upset when relegated to the back of my car.
> Admittedly this was a few years ago so perhaps things have changed.
> Can't answer any of your questions though, but wish you luck with your boxer nice dogs.
> 
> sue


Hiya

I was only referring to our current camper which has a cab seperate to the living area and so no room for a dog in footwells etc whilst travelling even if we wanted to which we don't


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## scrinchy (Jul 17, 2007)

we have just acquired our pup- collie sort - we'll see what he turns into! Hes about 14weeks (rescue pup). Our vet has said he can have his rabies jab anytime - its then 3 weeks til he can travel on his passport- you used to have to wait for 6 months but they changed that. We're waiting a bit for that and his chip, he was a bit of a wuss with his vaccinations and the needle for the chip is bigger the vet says.
I asked specifically about having the rabies at the same time as his jabs and she didnt see any reason why not

we have had him out in the van a couple of times and he loves it. Even had a day at the seaside! We did though take him out in the car everyday often twice a day while he was having his jabs so he was well used to driving.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Yes, a pup can be vaccinated against rabies as soon as the maternal antibodies have dropped at about 8 weeks or so.

As to travelling with a boxer it all depends on how much time you are going to put into the training of your new dog.

I would recommend puppy classes as a must followed by further training classes that are run by an APDT trainer. They teach you how to train your dog. A well trained dog will stay put when you tell it and move out of the way when you tell it etc.

Boxers are no problem to train with reward based methods but they do need the owner to be committed to the task


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