My RV Dog Story by Alicia Whittle

SIZE DOESN’T MATTER (THAT IS, FOR YOUR RV DOG)
BY ALICIA WHITTLE
So far in our RV travels, I have come across quite a few different size dogs. When we decided to get another dog, after we bought our RV, it came as a surprise to both of us. We had sworn that Raven was going to be our last dog and we would give up the responsibility of a pet. Well, never say “never.” My heart started going out to pets being put up for adoption because of so many home foreclosures. People were giving up their pets because they were moving or just couldn’t afford their animals anymore. Both my husband and I are softies when it comes to dogs, thus began the search. He wanted a Chihuahua, I wanted something bigger. Our last dog was part Border Collie, so we compromised and looked at the rescue list of Border Collies. We adopted Mailey, who looks more like a Lab than a Border Collie. Of course, some friends thought we were nuts to own a 45-lb. dog in a 38-foot 5th wheel.

Mostly, I have seen small to tiny dogs in the RV parks, Chihuahuas, Dachshunds, Boston Terriers, and other small breeds. We didn’t want a barker, so our choice was Mailey. She only barks if someone comes to the door or she gets excited about seeing a squirrel from inside, which made us much more comfortable. We didn’t want to get thrown out of an RV park. I guess the tough part of owning a larger dog can be getting around inside your RV, especially on a cold or rainy day. You may find her in the kitchen eating while you are trying to open up the fridge, or trying to play bounce in the living room when you are sorting photos on the floor. By the way, that doesn’t work so well. I guess the hard part for us is when other owners don’t leash their dogs. I gather some parks are not so strict. Mailey will play with any dog, any size, but you can’t always be sure the other dog is friendly. Of course, Mailey thinks she can play with ducks and squirrels, too. I think one of the neatest dogs I saw was a Great Pyrenees named Esa. This dog was huge, but one of the gentlest dogs I have come across. The owners had an RV a tad smaller than ours so I could imagine their inside dilemma around some of the tighter places inside.

Our dog sleeps at the foot of our bed. Of course, being the smaller person in our household, I have the side of the bed with the 6-inch narrow space to climb out of at night, if needed. Of course, it is dark, and with the dog being black, I’m trying not to step on paws, tail, or a nose. That’s the hard part. My husband has the luxury of leaping out of bed if there is a noise or door knock without smooshing a sweet black and white face in the dark. Mailey took over our living room sofa, for which I had to be sure was covered. From her perch on the sofa, she watches people and other critters go by when we are not at home. Not sure what other dogs do, when their owners are gone, but I think I actually saw one or two sit with their paws on the steering wheel of Class A’s and C’s trying to reach the ignition. Give or take, a dog can be a great stress reliever for a family on the road, keep you in shape with all those long walks, and just be the most loyal companion, no matter what its size or shape. So don’t let anyone tell you that your dog is too big or you shouldn’t have one while traveling. They are just as excited to sniff out that new blade of grass in another part of the country no matter what their size.