THIS IS A GUEST BLOG BY A FELLOW FT RVER – IF YOU ENJOYED THIS POST ABOUT RV LIFE WITH DOGS CHECK OUT HER BLOG – Fun Loving RV

Darth Vader and Obi One

“It has not only been an adjustment for us as humans to get used to living in an RV with a much smaller space than what we’re used to, but it’s also been an adjustment for our fur babies.  They were used to a large yard they could go in and out through their doggy door any time they wanted.  The backyard was not the ultimate grassy area, but nevertheless, it was a big yard that they could run around in.  Darth loved to lay down in the yard and sunbathe.  He loves the heat and the sun shining on his body.  Obi, on the other hand, gets hot easy but loves to be with his brother, so he suffers through the heat.  Where we lived before, the weather was scorching hot in the Spring and Summer.

Now they are confined to a smaller space within the side of the RV which is still not a grassy area, but it serves the purpose when they need to go out when I’m not ready to take them for a walk.  We put up the black mesh on the fence for a little more privacy since we face the main road and then it also helps them not to bark at every dog that walks by or so we thought the theory of the mesh was going to go.  Didn’t realize they would stand on the top step of the RV and look over the fence and see who is walking by.  The fact that dogs have a keen sense of hearing, they can hear that another dog is going by or that the maintenance cart drives by with the high pitched sound it makes and there goes the barking.  It is what it is. Least they have a little play area and an “emergency” potty area.  It actually works great when it’s late at night and I can let them out before I go to bed without getting all the gear on to take them for another walk.  So it serves its purpose. 

They rely on me for three walks a day.  Yes, THREE!  I usually take them on their longest walk around lunchtime.  They have a medium size walk around the late afternoon and then their last walk of the night around the middle of the evening. More walks than I prefer to go on, but I guess that’s the give and take of RV life with dogs.

The walks are the highlights of their day.  Not mine, although, getting out and walking is actually good for me, so I shouldn’t complain too much.

I’m sure those of you who have one or more fur babies know what I’m talking about when I say they follow my every move.  They know when it’s time to go for a walk; when it’s time for a nap; when it’s time to go to bed; when we’re going to give them a bit of our food and even when we’re going to leave them for a little bit to go out.  Privacy is not an option.

They protect me every minute of every day by letting me know who is walking in their territory or who is making a sound without their permission.  Their warnings get very tiring and me telling them to be quiet all the time probably doesn’t help.  In their eyes, they are protecting me, in my eyes, they’re being annoying with all their barking.  It wasn’t as noticeable in our house, but in the RV, it’s a little more notice of every sound.  Luckily, at night they do quiet down and we are all able to get some sleep.

Since photography is my passion, they have become my best subjects willingly or not.  Guess, it’s part of their loyalty towards me or just the price they have to pay for being my fur babies.  Whichever the case may be, I have way too many photos of them, even by my standards.

They love shopping with mom.

I have tried to bring them more places since we live in a smaller space.  I love to take them to the pet store and let them pick out their treats and maybe a toy…..maybe that’s why my human sons want to be my fur babies.  Whenever I would bring my human sons to the store, I would tell them that they are not allowed to ask for anything and to keep their hands behind their backs while in the store.  Hmmm…..maybe they are on to something.

It’s nice to be in an area where it’s dog-friendly and for the most part, dogs are acceptable to go places with us. There’s a dog beach that we love to take them to and let them experience the sand and water.  There’s also a restaurant that even lets the dogs go into the front part of the restaurant and even order from a doggy menu!

Of course, they are like human siblings where they get along at times and play together, then there are other times when they fight and compete with each other.  Darth sometimes has to show Obi who is boss and Obi is the little brother who tattles on the big brother.

Like all animals, as long as they feel they are loved, fed and not ignored it doesn’t seem to bother them that they live in a smaller space.  Although, they do notice the small space when they try to run around as they used to in our house.  In our old house, they could run in circles from the kitchen, living room, formal living room, and dining room.  They loved that, plus it was the exercise that I didn’t need to help them achieve.  Now with a smaller space, they can run up and down the hallway, which they do, but not as much.  They still have some fun in the RV.

Windows are especially important in an RV since it’s a smaller space, you feel more confined and you feel the need to have the illusion of more space.  The dogs love to look out the window and check out what’s going on.  So I make sure they are able to lay on the top of the sofa so they can look out.  That’s one of their favourite spots in the RV. As you can tell in the photo below, they also love to mess up the cover for the sofa.  A constant job going around and straightening the sofa cover.

It is a little more limited with time when we want to leave them in the RV for like half a day or need to go somewhere to a family event that they can’t go to that when they were able to go out the doggy door as they pleased.  But RV life with dogs is worth the changes.”

GUEST BLOGGER Jane Rodrigues

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Lacey Lee Elliott