# Dogs in camper vans/day vans?



## Pix (25 August 2011)

Does anybody here take their dog out for the day/overnight trips in a small camper van or "day van"?

I'm quite tempted to get a small SWB camper. A small model so that it can be used for day to day use, but also for days out/weekend trips with friends and one overly large mutant GSD. The ready converted types I've seen really stretch the bank, and frankly I don't see how a large dog could be transported safely in one? There doesn't seem to be any room for a travel crate for a large dog, and he's a wriggly begger in a harness. 

Just wondering if anyone had found a solution for bigger dogs in campers, or if I'm better going down the self conversion route and building in an integrated 'crate' space- under the bed for example.


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## CorvusCorax (25 August 2011)

Tonnes of people rock up to dog shows in caravans and camper vans, you could hang around the parking area and ask? 
Would he sit up front in a harness?
We get quite a few people here who bring dogs in campervans, whether one agrees with it or not, their dogs travel loose.
I do recall an hilarious journey to the beach along our notorious switchbacks with me, two greyhounds and my GSD (trying not to throw up) lurching all over the place in the back, while pots and pans fell on our heads....


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## Pix (26 August 2011)

LOL!

That would be.... er, what I'm afraid of?  He's a great lad but prone to 'OMG I R GOING A NU PLACE!' excitement in the car. Even once calmed down he's straining at his harness to get to the front seat. At 28" at the shoulder if he does sit buckled into the front seat I can't soddin see around him at junctions etc. It's like an eclipse of the left hand side 

Secured crate is the way to go with him I think, just can't find an interior spec of small camper that allows floor space for one of the right size, hence considering the self conversion (figure it might go below the sleeping area, not much else I would need in there as can use portable/camping versions of stoves etc). 

Will head to the nearest dog show/sporting event and peer inside any camper window I find for ideas


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## Bosworth (26 August 2011)

I take my lurchers away with us in the camper, we have a Vw Transporter conversion, so has standard 3 seats with seatbelts in the back. And plenty of room for a crate, however ours travel with their seat belts on on the back seat.  Once we are where we are going we have an awning that attaches to the camper and that gives us plenty of space for them to meander around and have their beds during the day. At night one has a bed on the passenger seat, and one has a bed on top of the cooker block ( it is has table top that covers the cooker, and the bed goes on top of that. Invariably we wake up tho with them acting as hot water bottles. Sleeping in a small camper could well be the problem with a large dog unless you do get an awning and crate him in there at night. Purpose designed awnings are not expensive - drive away ones are about £150 for a decent sized one. Mine love the camper, self pack ages before we go.  I also take a secure in the ground tie line for them so they cannot run round the camp sites,


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## cremedemonthe (26 August 2011)

We have a VW long nose Camper and use it with our 3 dogs in, we travel with 2 in a cage in the middle on the floor and one in a car harness on the back seat. They love it and are safer in the middle of the vehicle than being in the rear where there could be problems in the event of a rear end shunt.
We have a built in awning which acts as a sun shade when very hot and pitched up for them.


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## Naryafluffy (26 August 2011)

I have one of these, it's got straps so it can be secured when travelling and just folds down, so could be kind of squashed into a smaller area than a crate, but not sure what the back of these camper vans are like so not sure if this would be any use.
http://www.doghaus.co.uk/dogbag-medium-27-p.asp
I have the medium size and I get 2 dogs in it, I've also got a pet tube for in the back seat of my car, but not sure how useful it would be (my dogs love the pet-tube, free to move about in the back seat whilst not able to annoy me.


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## Pix (26 August 2011)

Cheers guys, looks like there's more options and details to work out than I first thought  Think I'll have another look at some layouts with dog bags/pet tubes in mind as opposed to a wire crate.

And awnings!


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## blackcob (26 August 2011)

Try keeping an eye on Musher's Exchange: http://www.facebook.com/groups/180211798663413/

Husky bods take their dog vans very seriously.  There's often secondhand crates, vans with living areas, awnings/living fittings etc.


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