GBlack
Evansville, Indiana
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Joined: 08/10/2006
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Hi, We're debating getting (or renting) a popup. We have a 18 lb toy poodle who (very occassionally) may be left in the trailer (with A/C) for 3-4 hours while we sightsee.
How safe is it to keep dogs alone in a popup? I'm speaking in terms of them staying in, and unwanted folks staying out? I've owned a 5th wheel before and understand the need to keep the A/C on, ask neighbors to watch for power outages, etc. So I'm speaking mostly in terms of keeping the dog in, and keeping others out. We'd only leave her alone at a CG, never anywhere else.
Thanks!
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FXSTOHIO
Ohio
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Joined: 01/27/2009
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The Coleman popup we once had there would be no way to secure it to keep a dog or cat in all they need to do is get up on the bed and they will find a gab and they will try and fit through it to get out. In my option its Murphy’s law with cats and dogs in a popup.
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RicJones
So. Cal.
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Get one of those folding crates to put her in.
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JoeGood988
S.Dakota
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Joined: 03/04/2005
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Many campgrounds, if you read the rules, state no dog may be left unattended for any period of time inside a trailer or outside. Hardly anyone ever reads the campground rules from front to back anyway and dogs are left inside a unit. As soon as the people leave, the dog barks and howls unending. A real treat hearing someone's dog barking nonstop...."My little Buffy never barks." Yea right Lady. Never assume just because one campground you stayed in didn't have a rule, the next one will....I'm seeing more and more campgrounds charging a fee for every dog...$5 average....to cover picking up poop that people don't want to pick up...a few make it hard on others.
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kokosfriend
Nashville, TN
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Joined: 09/06/2004
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A crate for the dog would be the best thing. Leave TV and a fan on to keep noise around.
Barb
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chrisnpat
Gurnee,Il
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Joined: 06/11/2004
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We used to leave our 20lb cocker in a crate inside the popup, and not much longer than an hour or two.
Life is what happens to you, while you are busy making other plans. "John Lennon"
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coug
Eastern Washington
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Joined: 06/16/2006
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I second the crate if you cannot take them with you. I have labs and I would not trust them for a second alone in my TT or my old popup. They like to have fun and will create their own if left alone. The best option is to take your pet with you, I know many campgrounds have a rule that you cannot leave pets alone. I have crates in my truck and the dogs just jump right in because they know we are off to have some fun.
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CatandJim
Tulsa, as in Oklahoma
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Joined: 08/23/2004
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JoeGood988 wrote:Many campgrounds, if you read the rules.................................... etc., etc.
Here we go again... there usually is someone who feels compelled to chime in and say "every dog barks while their owners are gone" along with "the rules say you can't leave a dog unattended" and then add to it "owners don't pick up after their dog".
It's almost but not quite amusing to me to read such responses when:
1. They clearly cannot know that every dog barks when their owners are gone. Perhaps they have heard a few but please let's not assume every dog barks when left alone, it is simply untrue.
How do we know our dogs don't bark excessively while we are gone? We have tested them by leaving (driving away) and then walking back to our trailer. Unless we knock on the door, make a lot of noise outside or call their name, they stay quiet. We have also asked our neighbors when we get back if there was any problem with our dogs and the VAST majority of the time their answer is "What dogs?" . That sums it up. Oh yea, I was told once that they heard a bark or two when someone knocked on the door to our trailer and another time a child two sites down kicked his soccer ball into our window which caused some excitement inside while we were gone.
2. Many of us camp in places like state parks and COE campgrounds where the only rule about leaving dogs unattended is for leaving them outside not inside. If we ever came across a rule that stated we could not leave our dogs inside our RV while we are gone we would stay elsewhere.
3. I would also dare to say (not going out on a limb here) that the VAST majority of people on this forum pick up after their dogs. I know we do, 100% of the time when camping. But again if someone has a chip on their shoulder if they see someone fail to do it then every dog owner does or does not ____
Oh sure... not every dog is quiet, not every owner responsible BUT not every dog barks without reason and not every owner is irresponsible either. Please resist painting every pet owner with such a broad stroke, thanks!
_________________________
Now back to the original topic, we used to have a pop up, our two Lhasa Apsos (around 20 pounds each) would stay in ours while were gone fishing or hiking for a few hours with no problems... but then again they are quiet, content dogs that wouldn't try to escape. We also would leave a radio playing and a fan going so they wouldn't be able to hear noises outside so easily and want to investigate. If we had a dog that might look for an escape route or that would become bored easily I would seriously consider crate training them for their own safety if you are going to be camping in a pop up.
As far as keeping others out, we didn't have any trouble with that in the 16 months we owned our pop up.
Good luck, enjoy your camping adventures with your dog! 
Cat
(Jim just reads the forum once in a while)
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skipnchar
Topeka Kansas USA
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Just be advised that many campgrounds have rules prohibiting leaving dogs unattended in RVs of ANY kind let along a pop up. Why not leave him home if you can't be with him?
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GBlack
Evansville, Indiana
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Thanks to those of you who actually answered my question. As to others, I didn't need a sermon about CG rules or barking dogs. I have camped before and actually read the rules. I was asking about HOW SECURE A POPUP WOULD BE for leaving a toy poodle for a few hours.
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