The Well-equipped Doggie RV

I was on an RVing with dog’s forum the other day and I saw someone posted a newbie question about RVing with dogs. The question was, "Can I use my roof-top air conditioner off the batteries while traveling because my dogs get really hot when we are in really high temperatures?" As a seasoned RVer with dogs, cats, and kids, I was taken aback by the question. It made me realize that sometimes it is important to educate new RVers in how to properly deal with dogs and cats in an RV. So, here are a few questions and answers, starting with the air conditioner issue: Question: "Can I use my roof-top air conditioner off the batteries while traveling because my dogs get really hot when we are in really high temperatures?" Answer: You need to run your generator when you are using the air conditioner whenever you are not hooked up to electricity. (There are a few people who have tricked out their RV with so much solar power and banks of batteries that they could potentially run the air conditioner off of their batteries, but this is an extreme situation.) In addition, it is always a good idea to run your generator on a full load once a month just to keep it in good shape. Question: "My cat and/or dog has ruined my blinds, do I need to get new ones?" Answer: This is an "it depends" answer. If the problem is just that the strings have been borken or frayed, you can replace these yourself or send them out to be repaired. There is a popular website for repair called The Dirty Blind Man (http://www.dirtyblindman.com/). I have heard good things about them. Or, if you want to watch a video on how to repair your own blinds here is one: (http://www.windowblindservice.com/repairvideo.html). When our clinds became old and dirty, we replaced them with conventional fabric blinds rather than those day/night blinds specifically made for RVs. In the bedroom, we spent the money to order light-blocking blinds. Wow, I can actually sleep in the morning now! Question: Can I use an ex-pen at a campground? Answer: This is totally up to each campground. Some campgrounds allow you to set up elaborate ex-pens for your dogs, while other expressly forbid it. If you do set up an ex-pen, make sure that you use something to cover the area under your steps. Lots of people use the plastic or vinyl lattice material that you can find at any hardware store. They then use bungee cords to attach it to the ex-pen. If you want to let your cat outdoors, please put them in a figure eight harness and stay outside with them. Otherwise, you are setting your cat up to be terrorized by dogs or wildlife with no way to get away. Question: My dogs really steam up the RV at times, can I use a dehumidifier? Answer: Absolutely. You can purchase a small dehumidifier from any major hardware store or Sears. We bought one and we use it during really rainy periods to keep down the moisture in the RV. This is particularly helpful if your dogs track in and out a lot during the day. Question: I would like to install a better vent fan, can I do that? Answer: It is vital to have enough air flow in your RV for your pets, in particular when you leave them without air conditioning on. You can install these types of fans yourself if the roof opening is the same size as the high end vents. However, it is really a job for an experienced handyman. Better yet, you should have your local RV shop install them. Question: My dog is old and having trouble getting in and out of the RV, what should I do? Answer: There are two good solutions to this problem: steps or a ramp. If your dog is really arthritic or old, then a ramp would be a much better solution. But, if he just needs a firmer and wider surface to step on, you can make a set of stairs for him. The ramps are available in numerous websites and at major pet stores such as PetSmart and PetCo. Question: How do I find an emergency vet while traveling?
Answer: There are a few good reference books out there which list emergency vets. You can also get online and find the closest vet. Lastly, if you have certain GPS systems, you can download a list of emergency vets. (one choice is: http://www.poi-factory.com/) Julee Meltzer is the co-author (along with her husband Jack) of "Woodall's Camping and RVing with Dogs" available at (Woodall’s Online Store)
She is also the co-author of the "RV Makeover Bible" available at http://www.desertwindspress.com