Published Date: December 29, 2020
Last Updated on June 22, 2023 by Camper Front
Can dogs ride in a fifth wheel? In most RVs like a Class A, Class C, or 5th wheel, you can bring your dog in the camper portion of the RV while you are driving. But due to the coziness of an RV, it is easy to forget that it is a moving vehicle.
So, it isn’t a question of knowing whether dogs can ride in a fifth wheel, it is knowing how to safeguard your pet while the vehicle is rolling down the road.
Aside from this, you shouldn’t try to leave your dog in the back of a moving 5th-wheel or travel trailer unattended. It could get injured or become uncomfortable due to the extreme temperature level. Here are some tips to ensure a safe camping trip with your dog.
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Can Dogs Ride In a Fifth Wheel?
As I said earlier, travel trailers and RVs are just like regular moving vehicles, which can safely carry both humans and animals.
So, YES! Dogs can ride in a fifth wheel, but there are things you need to keep in mind to ensure the safety of your dogs while taking them on a camping trip in your RV.
Let’s quickly look at these things below:
How to Take Your Dog On A Camping Trip
Below are a few things to keep in mind while driving your dogs in a fifth wheel. NOTE: The tips below do not only apply to dogs alone but to pets in general.
1. Arrange A Safe Traveling Place For Your Dog
While your RV is moving from one place to another, you will need to secure a safe place for your dog to ride in. If you are towing a fifth-wheel or travel trailer, you will need to keep your dog in the truck with you, because it isn’t safe for anyone to ride in the trailer while it is being towed.
Depending on your dog’s temperament you can place your pet on the back seat, or in a crate if your dog has a high level of travel anxiety. But your dog is more likely to enjoy the ride as it shouldn’t be any different from any other time you take your dog for a ride.
But if you have a motorhome, your dog may be nervous at the start of the ride. This is because being inside a moving motorhome feels quite different from being inside a moving car. You will need to give your dog enough time to adjust.
You can place his bed near your driving seat or you can lay him on the couch. This will help to get him relaxed and less anxious during the trip.
Regardless of where you decide to keep your dog during the ride, you need to make sure he is comfortable when driving especially when you are going to be driving for long hours, and you need to create a stopping plan every few hours for bathroom breaks and water.
2. Arrange His Sleeping Area
Your dog might not be used to sleeping outside of your house. So he will need you to create a similar sleeping situation to the one at home inside the RV. If you allow your dog to sleep in your bed at home, you will need to allow the same in the RV.
If your dog uses a dog bed, you will need to bring it along with you on your trip. This will ensure that your dog is comfortable and can have a good night’s sleep, and this will enable you and the rest of your family to rest as well.
3. Bring Lots Of Food, Toys, And Water
Food and water are usually the first things on your list when packing for a trip. But you should keep your dog in mind and bring his food along as well as make sure you have some extra food.
This is important in case of emergencies like a vehicle breakdown or you end up being away longer than you should, so you are able to continue feeding your dog. You should also account for water to offer your dog when bringing water for the trip.
Your dog’s water and feeding bowl should be kept clean and accessible at all times. You should also bring along your dog’s favorite toys to ensure he has something to play with when you are relaxing in the RV.
4. Provide Mental And Physical Stimulation
Your dog may be used to frequent exercise in your backyard (if you have one). So, If you are staying at a campground your dog might not have the liberty to play around as the area may not be properly secured.
You might be lucky and camp at RV parks or campgrounds with fenced-in, off-leash areas for traveling pups. But if that isn’t available you can find a local off-leash dog park, or you can take your pup for a nice long walk or jog to give him his much-needed exercise.
With whatever medium possible, you should ensure that your dog is provided with the same amount of exercise he gets at home. Because a dog won’t know he’s out on a trip and will be expecting the same amount of mental stimulation he usually gets.
5. Choose A “Dog-Sitting” Area
This is a major factor that you should keep in mind and have a solution for before even heading out with your dog. Because you might not be able to go everywhere with your dog when you are out camping.
You may want to check out a local restaurant that doesn’t have a dog-friendly patio, or maybe take a hike in a national park that doesn’t allow dogs. You will then have to leave your dog alone for a few hours.
Fortunately, you can leave your dog in your RV while you are out as they usually have enough space for your dog to wander, this shouldn’t be harmful to your dog as most dogs are usually fine with being left behind for a couple of hours.
Your dog should also be already used to being alone while you go to work or run errands, so they should do just fine
You can Draw the blinds over the RV’s windows and can also play some soothing music to block out extra light and sound. This should be soothing to your dog and encourage him to sleep.
But if you are uncomfortable with leaving your dog alone inside your RV for a few hours, you can try engaging in only dog-friendly activities, this way you can bring your pet along with you. Better still, you can look for a local pet sitter or dog walker to keep your dog company while you are away.
6. Be Prepared For Emergencies
No one craves emergency situations but most times they occur without any warning. So it is good to be always prepared. You should have the contact of a local veterinarian handy just in case your pet suddenly gets sick or has an emergency.
You should also closely monitor your dog’s movement and make sure he wears a tag with your contact info just in case you lose him. This will enable anyone who finds him to be able to contact you.
7. Go At A Slow Pace
It takes anyone some time to adjust to a new environment and your dog isn’t exceptional. RV travel is something that will take your time to completely adjust to and get comfortable with. So before taking your dog on a long trip you should practice a few shorter trips first.
You can also set up your RV in your garage and spend a couple of hours or even spend the night in there with your dog so that he can familiarize himself with the new environment and get comfortable with it. This way, it isn’t all new to your dog when you finally hit the road.
How long it will take your dog to adjust to RV living totally depends on your dog but there are different measures you can put in place to hasten up the process. But make sure the dog isn’t forced and he gets comfortable at his own pace
Most people feel that it would be too much work to bring their dog on a trip with them but the truth is, it is actually more fun to bring your dog on vacation rather than leaving him at home.
Also, depending on the length of your trip, you are going to save lots of bucks that would go down with hiring a pet sitter.
dogs are energetic creatures and would definitely love some bit of adventure and fun exploration with their owners. Carrying out thorough research and thoughtful considerations will enable you to plan an exciting trip for yourself and your furry friend.
Conclusion
Even after getting an affirmative answer to the question can dogs ride in a fifth wheel, you still have to secure your pet properly and there are different ways to accomplish this.
Securing your dog while it is in a moving fifth wheel will help to keep your pet from sliding or falling as the vehicle encounters sways and bumps and bad road conditions. And it also keeps them safe from loose items inside the vehicle that might move or fall and possibly hit and injure your pet.
