# taking a retriever puppy on holiday in campervan



## shaunandbrit (May 9, 2005)

we are thinking of getting a retriever puppy in november, we had a retriever for 12 years but before we had a campervan so we have no experience of campervaning with a dog, any advice please? particularly regarding retrievers.


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## carolgavin (May 9, 2005)

Golden, labrador or curly coated??????


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## 96088 (Aug 22, 2005)

Many campsites will charge you extra for a dog. several sites now appear to be treating dogs as an opportunity for their very own stealth tax :x 

We recently were charged £4 extra for our 2 dogs at a tinpot site just outside Buxton and we only overnighted there


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## Steamdrivenandy (Jun 18, 2007)

If you can I suggest you get the puppy used to living/sleeping in a crate. Our beardies happily pop in and out of their crates all day and view them as their safe houses.
Make sure the crate is big enough for the dog and small enough to fit somewhere in the van where it can be secured safely.
That way your dog is safe and so are you.  
Andy
PS also get some means of ensuring the dog is under control on site. We use a folding puppy pen which secures the area under our awning and can also secure one of the doorways on our Khyam Motordome when we erect it. We've also got a groundstake to tie them too but so far haven't been able to source the lines that fix to it.
HTH


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

I'd recommend one of these, both for travelling and when you leave pup in the van. Haven't used ours for a long time now, but indispensible at the puppy stage.
http://www.ekmpowershop3.com/ekmps/shops/doghaus/dogbag-medium-27-p.asp

Just download and look at the video before you go away and try to collapse the bag into its small backpack; mind you, the puzzle will keep you "entertained" for a while. It's easy when you know how!

Dave


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

DABurleigh said:


> I'd recommend one of these, both for travelling and when you leave pup in the van. Haven't used ours for a long time now, but indispensible at the puppy stage.
> http://www.ekmpowershop3.com/ekmps/shops/doghaus/dogbag-medium-27-p.asp
> Dave


Thanks for this Dave. We saw one of these cages on a campsite, but never with the owner around to ask where it came from.

It will be ideal for our new pup when we get her.










Cheers

Dave (Another one!)


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

I think they warn that it's not chew proof. But ours was into anything wooden at the time so it solved the problem instantly 

Dave


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## Steamdrivenandy (Jun 18, 2007)

We tried one of they dog bags but unfortunately we found that they weren't very stable and with a beardie inside they tended to roll about all over the place.
We sold it on ebay and got a proper crate instead.
That's just reminded me, we have two well used crates which are fine but we also have a slightly smaller one which is in A1 condition which we really should advertise on fleabay.

Andy


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Andy,

Well as the tent velcros to the carpet (even without using the corner rings/ties), I wonder just what gymnastics your beardie got up to! 

Dave


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## Steamdrivenandy (Jun 18, 2007)

Alas no carpet in an Innovation!!

But seriously

they actually turned the dog bag over on our level lawn at our previous house. That's why we decided to get serious and buy metal crates in future.

Andy


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Steamdrivenandy said:


> That's just reminded me, we have two well used crates which are fine but we also have a slightly smaller one which is in A1 condition which we really should advertise on fleabay.
> Andy


How big is the small one Andy?

PM me some brief details, plus a piccie if you can, and we may be able to do business without the fleabay commission.

Dave


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## Mikemoss (Sep 5, 2005)

There's some really good advice here about keeping your puppy safe in the motorhome. All I would add is that I'm yet to find a dog that doesn't take to the motorhoming life like a duck to water. Our succession of border collies, including current Mk4 called Roxy, have all absolutely loved their trips out, and the last two developed the wonderful trick of literally digging me out of my sleeping back in the morning so we could go and explore.

Sue and I have found we much prefer the informality of club CLs and CSs when touring with a dog. In most cases 'under control' rather than 'on a lead at all times' is the accepted practice, although it's well worth while getting your puppy used to being on one of those long tethers (we call ours the whirlygig) so they don't have to be in a crate all the time.

Sure you'll have many years of joy and delight touring with your new pup - and so will he or she!


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## shaunandbrit (May 9, 2005)

thanks for the tips, our golden retriever elsa was very old when we started motorhoming so we left her with relatives when we went on our travels, she died in january this year and although we thought we wouldnt have another dog this summer everywhere we stayed in our camper we seemed to bump into people walking their dogs and particularley golden retrievers we started to miss her and thought if we have another it would be nice to take it away with us.cant decide if to go for another female or a male? The breeder told us the males are more affectionatte,shaun doesnt want a male because he says it will be humping everything!!! any advice?

Brit


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## 96088 (Aug 22, 2005)

shaunandbrit said:


> The breeder told us the males are more affectionatte,shaun doesnt want a male because he says it will be humping everything!!! any advice?Brit


Nuts off 8O and it will be ok.


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## 106986 (Sep 12, 2007)

We have a beautiful golden retriever called Poppy. She's just over a year old and is more white in colour than golden. She is very affectionate and has an excellent pedigree. We are hoping to bread from her next year. We also have an old springer spaniel too.

We are new to motorhoming so cannot offer any advice re taking dogs away with you. But we have had many years of caravanning and the dogs loved it. We always had them tied up to one of those corkcrew in the ground things either in the awning at night or outside during the day.
We have bought 2 car dog harnesses so that we can tie them to the rear seatbelts in the back of our motorhome.


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## Walmer (Mar 4, 2006)

HI Brit

I'm so glad you are thinking of getting a pup. In our experience, females are more affectionate and content to stay close to the van.

We were in the same boat as you 5 years ago, and we got another pup. Prepare yourself for a culture shock after an elderly dog!! But it will be worth it.


Good Luck

Hilary


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

She's lovely; then again, I'm biased 

We went for a bitch rather than a dog (whose build I probably preferred, just for a change from our previous golden bitch) simply because we felt she would be more under voice control off the lead, rather than being led by pheromones 

Dave


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## Steamdrivenandy (Jun 18, 2007)

As you can see ours aren't retrievers but the black one is a boy and the fawn one a bitch. Jack is all gung ho muscle and testosterone and Rosie is sweet, light and gentle. Both will chase anything that moves, but one goes like a tank and the other like a ballet dancer!!! :wink: 

Andy


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