By Dr. Sue Nielsen
The scenic roads along the North Shore of Minnesota offer breathtaking views of Lake Superior. State parks along the coastline that provide opportunities for hiking and stunning vistas. You can also explore charming towns with local cuisine and moose-themed gifts. In the Spring, the weather is cool and comfortable, a welcome change from the scorching temperatures in Florida during the summer. It’s a dog-friendly vacation!
We rented an RV from a website called OUTDOORSY, which is similar to Airbnb for campers. This was our first RV trip, and Javi, our 2-year-old Chihuahua, came along for the adventure.
Despite his previous experiences hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and doing a 2-day walking tour of Savannah’s Historic District without getting tired, he seemed a bit nervous about the 32-foot RV we had rented.
All the comforts of home were available, but it was still a moving vehicle and we could tell it made him a bit uneasy. Javi preferred to be next to us while driving and didn’t like being left alone. We quickly learned how to create a comfortable space for him inside the camper during our short absences.
RV campgrounds and state parks were filled with other dogs, as people who enjoy this type of vacation also bring their furry companions along. Javi, who is usually protective at home, quickly started to see the RV as his “home” and became protective of it. We had to stay vigilant to keep him comfortable on the hiking trails, but other dog owners were respectful of our space and kept their dogs separated.
During our vacation, it rained on many nights, which was great for sleeping but not ideal for hiking. Thankfully, the RV had a shower with a detachable wand, making it easy to rinse off Javi’s paws and underbelly after muddy walks to see the numerous waterfalls on the North Shore.
As the vacation days blurred together, Javi adjusted to our new daily routine of sleeping in a bit and hiking a lot more! He was remarkably resilient and when the hiking went on a little too long for him, he’d stop and give us a look – we knew what he wanted. Luckily, we had an Outward Hound backpack, and he was content to get a lift for the remainder of the hike. Easy to do with a 7-pound dog! The backpack doubled as our water holder for all three of us.
We enjoy bringing Javi along on our adventures whenever we can rather than leaving him with a pet sitter. He is part of our pack, and surely, if at all possible, he’s with us. Would we go on an RV trip again? No. All three of us found it a little more cumbersome than expected despite having a high-tech RV. I would not discourage anyone from giving it a try. It was well worth the adventure together. It’s checked off the bucket list.
Recommendations for traveling with your dog:
- Do your research and make sure your destination is dog friendly
- Plan your trip with your dog’s activity capabilities in mind – make sure your dog’s fitness is up to the adventure ahead.
- Be sure to bring your dogs vaccination records
- If you must leave your dog along, try practicing with increasing intervals of time, first just a few minutes and then work your way up to an hour or so.
- Pack some of your dog’s favorite things for their comfort & familiarity
- Have water with you on long outdoor excursions
- Have your dog always wear their dog ID tags and collar in case of separation