Enny Sulivan
Dog Friendly Travel Trailers – We no longer run RVs full time, and as part of that transition we downsized from a Class A diesel camper to a Class B truck. As you may have noticed by now, our lives often revolve around dogs. Here are our thoughts on how to choose the right campervan for you.
We have a dog. The ideas below are of course just ideas, so you can find an RV with a floor plan and features that suit you.
Dog Friendly Travel Trailers
First, we had to decide on the big picture. When it came to equipment size, we knew we wanted “a small parking lot for a grocery store or gas station.” We knew we didn’t want a small camper frame for a number of reasons, but tall stairs also seemed like a bad idea for a medium-sized dog.
Search Rv Rentals
We’ve been looking at the B+/Small C size range for a while and seriously considered the LTV Unity with Murphy bed. We’ve ruled out the C-Class entirely because it’s still mostly in the “must tow a car” size range, and we’ve ruled out smaller bed units because there doesn’t seem to be much room to move around with the bed down. On the other hand, we decided the 19-foot-long Reverend was too small and spartan to enjoy, especially when it came to seating. We finally decided to look at a truck that was about 21 feet long. It’s a truck that’s long enough to have plenty of space inside, but short enough to get just a bit out of a single parking space. In reality, we often park across the two spaces, but it is better not to do so.
Because we really value sleeping comfort, we felt we didn’t want a floor plan with a pull-back sofa that could be converted into a bed. There was no way to make all these pillows have a smooth surface. I also didn’t like the idea of having to stock up on a bed or make it every night. For a long time we thought we’d pick the Travato 59G with the Murphy bed corner. It actually had a nice floor plan with room to store things under the bed and use the back door. The 2019 model even got the details figured out, including the exclusion of propane refrigerators, which I (Tommy) liked.
After reading other people’s experiences with the 59G, we were convinced that a corner bed was not for us. It was too tall for our dogs to jump on on their own and too heavy for our dogs to lift on a regular basis. (I’ve already had to fold Lily, who weighs over 65 pounds, to get her into the tall Jeep. That’s enough.) If you only have a lap-sized pet, it’s going to look very different. In our case, even though we always let our dogs sleep on the floor, they can gather underneath and slide off the long bed, resulting in a lot of tails. And with their latest addition, they now have three dogs ranging from 50-65 pounds. They take up a lot of space and at least one of them is more or less certain to be in it.
Taking all of the above into account, we ended up wanting a floor plan with two twin beds and a center aisle, even if it meant the back door opens into a comical stool.
Tips For A Successful Rv Trip With Your Dog
Most double bed vans convert into one large bed by keeping the table top in the center, but I doubt we could do that. We like our nightly routine to be short and simple, as is our check-in/check-out process.
I plan to leave the bed in place during the day and cover it with a day cover of sorts, and at night I’ll leave the day cover on the floor doubling as a dog bed.
After looking at the reviews I chose the Travato 59K and then the 2019 and later models because of the extra features that made them standard. Newer models are better suited for dogs. Starting from May 2020, running boards will have loops to attach a leash. We decided to let someone else take over and shop for our lightly used pads the first year prices fell.
To save money and because I no longer work full time, I decided to skip the Volta Lithium system. Lithium doesn’t mean the air conditioner won’t turn on if you leave your dog unattended in the park. I will be adding lithium batteries as a DIY project later if needed for this use case. In general use, I expect it to be more portable than the A-Class, so I suspect I’ll spend most of my money driving it. We have solar power for essentials and a generator to use when needed if parking will be long.
Minnesota Pet Friendly Rv Rentals
To let you know how much we enjoyed 59K, one of the biggest downsides seemed to be that there was no hot water connected to the outdoor shower, so dogs with muddy baths ended up taking cold showers. This isn’t a big compromise.
We found 59,000 used products that included a few options we really liked (heated lockers and skylights). A tank heater (“hot drain” in Winnebago parlance) helps in the winter, and the Travato 2019 fresh water piping is already installed inside the refrigerator to prevent freezing. Awning windows can be opened even in heavy rain and can be safely closed even when slightly open. Likewise, the Travato ceiling fan is waterproof and can work even in the rain. After a short 1,300 mile road trip, we now have a truck and the dogs are slowly getting used to it. Through our experience, we are beginning to get answers to some of our open questions.
I’m not sure how the door will work, but as long as the dogs use the door and behave when it’s open, I think it’ll be fine.
Delta is still learning to wait and will slip away like a weasel if you try to force it out. But he is persevering and making great progress.
Airstreams, Dog Friendly Glamping And More
We were a little concerned that the dogs might have to “step out” in the driveway, but it seems like they can all turn around in that space if necessary. They can also pass each other, and if they are standing or lying down in the hallway we can walk around them or over them.
At least so far, our dogs don’t jump up on the bed in the driveway. One of the beds ends up in a kitchen cabinet, so there’s no suitable place to jump into. The other beds are clean and the dogs can climb up there and easily cross the hallway to get to the bed of their choice.
Our Travato has a vinyl floor that is uncomfortably slippery for your dog. The second Lily ran through the side door and almost slipped over the kitchen cabinet. We found an $8 hardware store mop that was discreet, just the right size, and easy to trim when needed. We covered the ground with them, and the dogs seemed much happier.
Our A-Class had a prominent exhaust system in the corner of the rear seat, and the alternator cleaner was located in front of the driver’s seat. I was always worried that my dog would burn his ears if I walked him right after driving, but Moses’ favorite place was near the generator burner.
Discover The Best Dog Friendly Rv Campgrounds Near Crow Agency, Montana
In the Travato, both seats are on the driver’s side, away from areas where dogs are likely to be. It would be inaccessible to dogs as I doubt they would crawl under the truck as there is much less space. But Mushi will be upset because he lost his room downstairs.
Lily tends to lie down between the two front seats when we drive. This is also where she rode her Class A, and in her Jeep she usually had at least some parked in the center console. She is a popular dog and she wants to be close to us.
When there are no human passengers, Lily often jumps into the passenger seat to see what’s going on. (And about a quarter of the time, the seatbelt reminder is activated.) In Class A, she would sometimes ride on the laps of passengers with a total weight of over 65 pounds until she put her sniffer out the window next to her. Due to the shape of the truck cab and the smaller seats, I don’t think it would be any more acceptable.
Delta is very happy to sit on the rear bench seat and have a view in all directions. I am satisfied with the 59K because it has a wide field of view.
Pet Friendly Camper Rentals + 10 Places To Travel With Your Pet In 2023
Vogue, um… Vogue doesn’t like riding in cars. He hates riding in our Jeep and going off-road. He runs to hide on the floor, in the seat, or under the gas and brake pedals. We are working on it. At least the trucks are on average
