Hello! Waiting for the arrival of our first ever travel trailer....lots of questions to come!!!!

Discussion in 'Welcome to Campground Reviews' started by Brenda Hickernell, Jan 14, 2016.

  1. Brenda Hickernell

    Brenda Hickernell
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    Looking forward to a whole new experience for us....at the ages of 65 and 66 we finally decided to see if we can pull ourselves away from our home and see more of the mid-Atlantic area.....have a few concerns that I'm hoping we can get answers to from all of you....mostly about our pets. Reading up on lots of the policies concerning dogs (and understand all the reasons for them, too)...our main worry is the amount we have so we're hoping to get input from other campers about places that welcome well-behaved, multiple dogs.
     
  2. RLM

    RLM
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    May I respectfully suggest that it is not a "pulling away from" your home, but as you said a new adventure. Most CGs understand and employ a customer friendly pet policy. Many of the CG reviews that you read on this site may include comments from your fellow RVing pet owners.
     
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  3. NYDutch

    NYDutch
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    Welcome to the forum! Unfortunately, with five dogs the number of parks that will accept you will be limited. With your biggest dog at 38 lbs, at least you probably won't run into the "aggressive breed" restrictions, also often forced by insurance carriers.
     
  4. Texasrvers

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    It's been a while ago, but we used to have 4 dachshunds (which were in the 8-12 lb range) and never had a problem finding a place to stay, but most of our travels were in Texas or out west. Maybe this is a bit more of a concern on the east coast. Just be sure to contact the RV park and ask about their pet policy so there are no surprises. And may I add that I think it is great that you want to have your pets with you rather than leaving them at home in a kennel. It may make finding a place a little more difficult, but for us it would be worth the hassle.
     
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  5. Brenda Hickernell

    Brenda Hickernell
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    thanks for the quick reply.....I absolutely intend to let the park know of our amount so we have no surprises upon check-in......that being said, friends of ours who RV a lot said that federal campgrounds have no limit; but still, I'd find out in advance.
     
  6. Jack B

    Jack B
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    If your travel trailer doesn't take up the entire pad (parking spot) or there is a gravel area in front of your TT then there might be room for a portable fenced enclosure. You've probably seen them, they are fence panels that are hooked together. I winter at a park in Texas that allows them. The folks still walk their dogs for their health, but they also spend a lot of time in their pen. The family a few spaces down from us has five min-dachshunds all romping about their pen.
    A suggestion from my own experience: do NOT use the reel-type retractable leash when walking your dogs around the parks where you are staying. You just don't have the instant control that you need. There are many distractions and many dogs of dubious personalities. You should stick to a simple 5ft leash, so that if you need to pull your dog away immediately your first tug gets a result instead of watching a 20ft leash play out. There is no way to reel your dog back from danger.
    As you approach dogs being walked, always ask if their dog likes other dogs. Most people will always tell you if you should steer clear. That's when you need that 5ft lead. Control!
    Good luck and welcome to RVPR.
    Oh, don't forget to bring your dogs' health records. We've been to Vets from Nebraska to Texas and we're from Illinois!
     
  7. Ellistea

    Ellistea
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    I am going to echo what Jack B said. No retractable leashes! In some jurisdictions, they are actually illegal and I can see why. Unfortunately, since we RVers are from all over, we may live in a state/county/parish/city that allows them, only to come into a place that does not. So far, I've actually seen some "pet policy" information on some RV websites that include information about the leashes. Not only do you not have control, those retractables can snap very easily. I had a cat who was attacked by a perfectly nice dog (I'm assuming he was - his owner said he was) who snapped his leash and ran from his owner right after my terrorized cat. Plus my small dog (12 pound jack-chi) has had the same problem with larger dogs, although to be honest, she can snarl as only a small dog can. Sorry to be on a rant, I just think they should be banned everywhere. I mainly think that you should get a big pen, keep it shaded with plenty of water, and give them plenty of exercise - and as long as the park owners are aware and say yes, you all will have a great time. But make sure you have a real old-fashioned 6-foot leash for each! (sorry, had to get that last one in). :)
     
  8. FosterImposters

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    Three cheers for NEVER investing in retractable leashes! We have witnesses just too many near disasters because of that *%!$ retractable part. We traveled for years with one of "those" dogs (a rescued rottie) who was a love bug. Always walked her on a real leash, but I've lost count of the times some poor soul, walking a tiny, feisty beast, on a retractable, got themselves all tangled up with us. (Small dogs have no fear.) Thank God, my rottie was patient. She would sit on my feet and just look at me, until the brouhaha passed...
     
  9. BankShot

    BankShot
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    At the risk of starting a fire here I have to say that in our years of RVing we have always used a retractable leash for our 7 lb ChiPini. When we are in an area where we know there aren't other dogs around we will let her have the entire leash length to explore on. However when we stay in RV parks and campgrounds, etc. we give her about 6 feet of leash and the lock the leash in place so she can't wander off on an open leash. Also the leashes we do use are not the cheapie ones you buy in Dollar Tree or at a Tarjay, etc. we buy a good solid one with a secure and strong locking mechanism. We've never had a failure with a quality retractable leash. The main thing here is that any dog being walked should be on a leash that is controllable at all times. Even then there are still going to be problems. It really doesn't matter what type leash you are using when a 90 lb Rottsy comes running at you from out of another space. When that happens, and it has, I simply reach down and scoop up our little 7 lb "Rottsy meal" and yell loudly and sternly to the oncoming dog to stop and get outta here. So far that has worked, I haven't as yet had to find out if I am still able to outrun a big old playful Rottsy coming at us like an express train. We usually check out the areas we walk in and try to determine what, if any, types of dogs are in it. That at least lets us know whether to walk or not walk thru that particular area. We face the same situations at our local park and playground every time we go there so we do get in a lot of practice prior to going on our trips. That park is also home to about a hundred or so geese and talk about being mean and nasty, those suckers will come at you with their neck straight out and making a loud hissing sound as they come. One bit my co-pilot on the inside of her thigh one time. Fortunately I always carry a nice hefty 1-1/4" piece of heavy Oak about 28" long. I stepped up and gave that damn goose a smack upside his head that knocked him over. That goose is still there but has never again come at us while walking. Sorry, got off on a bunny trail for a minute. I also carry that same stick some of the times when we take our walks in RV parks if I know there are large dogs around. One couple asked me one time what the sitck was for. My answer? For Muggers. They just got this funny look on their faces and walked on. Okay, I'll end this on that note...............

    Safe walking to all, BankShot
     
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  10. NYDutch

    NYDutch
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    My take on park leash regs is that when it says "6 foot leash" they really mean a leash that's 6 feet long, not just 6 feet sometimes, and 10 or 15 feet other times. I've seen too many close encounters over the years when a dog owner couldn't reign in their extended leashed dog fast enough, or even at all sometimes when a determined larger dog was pulling against them. I saw one close call just yesterday while out walking. A small Yorkie on a fully extended leash was well off the roadway in the grass, when suddenly he spied something on the other side of the road and took off at full speed after it. Only a car driver's quick reaction saved the pooch from disaster. Had the dog been on the required 6 foot leash, the situation never would have occurred.
     
  11. BankShot

    BankShot
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    I agree 100% with what NYDutch just stated above. If the park has a specific 5 or 6 foot leash law then of course we obey it and lock the leash lead at that distance. In fact the greater majority of the time we keep it at that distance whether the park has a distance length or not. It's just common sense when there are so many different breeds and temperaments of dogs normally in a park. My major point is that we feel that it shouldn't be dictated by the park as to what type leash we use as long as we are in compliance with the required maximum length of that leash.................

    BankShot
     
  12. Texasrvers

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    We don't have any dogs now, but we have had quite a few in the past. However, it was so long ago I don't think they even made retractable leashes back then, so we never dealt with anything except the standard kind. However, my own personal opinion is that if the leash is kept to the specified length, it should not not matter what kind it is. Where the problem comes in is that it is probably too much of a temptation to let that leash out just a little further because there aren't any other dogs around, and just a little further because the dog can't quite reach that tree and you (the collective you, not you personally) are too lazy to walk over, and just a little further because--you get the picture. Pretty soon that 6 ft leash is out to 15 ft., and you are no longer in compliance. If the leash won't extend more than 6 ft, then the temptation to let it out just a bit is removed.
     
  13. NYDutch

    NYDutch
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    As long as an extendable leash is kept locked at 6 feet when that's what the park rules call for, I have no problem with what kind of leash it is.
     
  14. BankShot

    BankShot
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    Once again I agree with what Texasrvers has stated other than to add that when you do use a retractable leash as we do, there is a certain amount of discipline involved for the owner of the dog. As he said there are temptations to extend the leash under the certain circumstances stated, so one does have to use and maintain that discipline all the time and not just some of the time. When our dog sees something she wants to check out (aka smell) I/we never let the leash out to allow her to do so. I/we either walk over with her and let her have a minute or two to "get her fix" or she will just have to stay with us at the leash length it is locked at. Did I break my own rule early on? Absolutely I did but once I learned not to let her do her own thing "just this one time", all has gone along just fine for us. I call it common sense but unfortunately there are those that walk amongst us who have no clue as to what that is when it comes to dog walking.....................

    PS: Great thread by the way. I have enjoyed following it and contributing to it................

    BankShot
     
  15. Jack B

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    Unfortunately, unlike bait casting reels, there is no way to adjust for drag. It would be expensive, but would help a lot.
    Here is what happened to us: as my wife and I were making our laps around our "winter" park, an older and somewhat frail looking lady was coming toward us with two giant schnauzers on retractable leashes. The dogs started barking and lunging toward us even 20 feet away. I could hear the ratchet in the reel clicking as the line pulled by the locking button. The lady was powerless to reel them in or, for that matter, to stop them. My wife fell backwards and broke her wrist. It required surgery. The dogs were stopped short of us. This hasn't been our best winter, but still, no ice, snow, or blizzards in the Hill Country.
     

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