Who has a dog/dogs and who hasn't?

I have a vague memory that CC research said that a very high proportion of their members travelled with pet dog/s and one probable reason is that motorhome's/caravans are a good alternative to trying to find other types of holiday accommodation that will accept dogs.

Given that situation it surprises me that motorhome and caravan manufacturers appear to give no thought whatsoever to providing facilities for dogs. Of course as dogs don't travel in caravans, there's not really any special facilities needed, though a kennel somewhere in the build might be handy. However motorhomes are a different thing and a loose dog in one, no matter how small, or well trained, is a risk. Not only that but motorhomes aren't the biggest spaces and a dog or two can easily occupy the whole floor, making movement inside difficult.

It seems to me that motorhome interior designers have a blind spot as far as such things are concerned. Their attitude seems to be to cram as much furniture in as possible and any empty space is anathema to them.

It can be done though. Our old Innovation (see Avatar - 4.8m SWB Transit) had a 2ft deep 'boot' between the rear wheel arches, between which we fitted a removable custom-made Barjo dof crate. The dogs could be removed from the rear of the van and had access to the interior via another  door. They travelled safely in the crate and used it as a kennel at night and during the day, when pitched. The crate had space on top for storage of folding chairs and any amount of gubbins. Removing the crate left a space for golf trolley, mobility scooter, stuff for the dump, furniture, even bikes etc. Lest you think that the tininess of the van and 2ft used for dogs meant we were short of facilities we had more storage than we needed in roof lockers, kitchen cabinets and a wardrobe. Added to that was a fridge, 3 burner hob and sink and a proper swivel C200 Thetford loo, with 4 belted seats that became 2 berths. Just think what could be done with a 5.4m or 6m van if we got all that in a 4.8m one.

So how many ASOF members travel with dogs and how many don't? Maybe we could get A/S to address the issue seriously and by doing so design a vehicle that has more potential uses

Dogs don't drive motorhomes and more importantly, dogs don't buy motorhomes.
A motorhome specifically designed to allow dog accommodation would not appeal to non-dog owning people [surprise!, surprise! they do exist], but a motorhome which is not specifically designed around dogs may appeal to both dog owners & non dog owners.

As a manufacturer, which would you make?

Frank

Very many AS owners travel with dogs and don't seem to need any special arrangements. I just wish dog owners would keep their dogs on leads on campsites and rally fields as they tend to make a bee line for our cats that are on leads and don't have the scope to escape!!!! One of our friends who scooped up her cat to protect it from a dog on a rally was scratched terribly by the terrified cat - blood all over the place. The dog owner departed the rally rapidly without the need for prompting!

Ah but my point is that dogs is only one of the capabilities that such a design can facilitate.

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So they don't have to be dog specific. They could have an alternative set of optional features that fit in the relevant space, like cupboards, chests of drawers, bike supports, racks for climbing gear, golf bags, model aircraft, all sorts of alternatives.

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steamdrivenandy wrote:
Given that situation it surprises me that motorhome and caravan manufacturers appear to give no thought whatsoever to providing facilities for dogs.

steamdrivenandy wrote:
So they don't have to be dog specific.

Make your mind up.

Frank

Peter Brown wrote:Very many AS owners travel with dogs and don't seem to need any special arrangements.  I just wish dog owners would keep their dogs on leads on campsites and rally fields as they tend to make a bee line for our cats that are on leads and don't have the scope to escape!!!!  One of our friends who scooped up her cat to protect  it from a dog on a rally was scratched terribly by the terrified cat - blood all over the place.  The dog owner departed the rally rapidly without the need for prompting!

Oh and such a van can provide a safe haven for cats as well  

I know lots of people travel with dogs with no special facilities but I'm afraid I wouldn't trust even the best trained dog not to react instinctively and jump at, say the driver, at moments of stress etc and in so doing risk a potential accident. And if they're unrestrained and the worst happens, 25kg of dog flying around at that sort of speed as the vehicle decelerates almost instantly can cause itself and others some tremendous damage. Remember those horrific TV ads about belting up kids etc.

steamdrivenandy wrote: 25kg of dog flying around at that sort of speed as the vehicle decelerates almost instantly can cause itself and others some tremendous damage. Remember those horrific TV ads about belting up kids etc.

And some people travel with 80kg people unbelted in the back!

The first time we tried the cats in the van they were unrestrained. Within 200 yds one was under the brake pedal so moved on the leads that lkept them away from the cab area. After several 'accidents' for years now they have each travelled in their own box wedged between pillows etc on the bed.

boxerman wrote:

steamdrivenandy wrote:
Given that situation it surprises me that motorhome and caravan manufacturers appear to give no thought whatsoever to providing facilities for dogs.

steamdrivenandy wrote:
So they don't have to be dog specific.

Make your mind up.

Frank

The point is that if I recall it was something like 60% of people who used CC sites took dogs with them, or it might've been 'pets' with them, I can't remember, but it was a big number. All I'm trying to ascertain is how many ASOF members take pets with them when using their vans. So far nobody has said whether they do or don't.

OK, good on yer, Pete takes two cats and they're boxed and restrained.

I'll start the numbers then - 0 pets.

None.
When we did have a dog, she went in the kennels or was looked after by a family member when we went away.

Frank

No dogs or cats here.

Used to have a keeshond who loved our previous vans but he sadly is no more! Cats have a cat sitter so no travelling pets for us either.

No dogs, but 1 cat who travels in her own box, specifically designed for transporting cats.  Wouldn't think that a MH specifiically designed with travelling dogs in mind would be that appealing to sufficient potential buyers.  A while ago an all-electric caravan (I think it was a caravan, not a MH) was designed, and didn't take off.  I know it's not the same thing at all, but it is something out of the ordinary all the same.

I guess it really depends on whether the pet facilities are also usable for other things. I've seen a Sussex Campers van where they've built in crates that would be fine for small dogs and cats but can't be used for anything else, though I s'pose they could be viewed as aerated cupboards. 

In our case the space, when the dog crate was removed, could be used for lots of stuff.

The point is that designers just don't like to see space in a motorhome, they get an overwhelming urge to fill it with something. If you like, think about the 'garages' under any number of transverse bed vans. Those spaces are popular. People store all sorts of gear in there. Trouble is there's rarely a way through from the inside of the van to the 'garage' and usually the floor is nearly a foot below the internal floor of the hab. area. That hardly makes a hospitable area for dogs to travel.

However offer a false floor for the garage, to bring it level to the hab. floor and a bulkhead door into the van interior and you have a great kennel area. The problem is the designers don't think it through.

The Elddis Accordo 125 has an enormous underbed space accessible from a rear 'boot' door and the bed hinges back as well. Great! But the removable bulkhead between that space and the van interior has to be in place when the bed is hinged down for use 'cos the front bedframe uses it as a support. That means that if you wish to put pets under the bed at night they're sealed in by the bulkhead. Hardly ideal. A bit more thought about the arrangement could have allowed that bulkhead to be opened when the bed was in place.

No pets here, cat will not go in the van!!
mike
vwt4

Hi, im very envious of Peter ,we would have loved to have taken our cat with us ,but like Mike she wouldn't go near the van and absolutely hated the trips to the vets in the car!  On a more sombre note I once had the misfortune to come across an accident on the A38 just outside of Plymouth ,the M/H had apparently driven into the back of a stationary lorry in a layby at some speed ! Both people in the front were seriously injured, they both tragically died later in hospital. Later I read in the Plymouth herald that a small dog had got trapped under the brake pedal  causing the awful accident, so you really do need to keep any animals restrained in any vehicle just to be on the safe side!    Rgards       Paul

A neighbour of ours was killed when the car she was driving at speed overturned on the A66. Her baby and young daughter survived uninjured in restraints. Their small terrier escaped and was lost on the moors for weeks, eventually being found by a hill farmer as she sniffed around for food. I do wonder if the dog had anything to do with the accident.

I take a cat with me everywhere i go, wish I didn't have to but it's trapped in the exhaust system.

No dogs here, but as an aside a couple of years ago we were looking at Poppit Campers products at a show and one of the vans there was a custom made job to safely house a lady's 2 (or 3?) dogs.
So there are options available.

We have a Border Terrier that wears a harness that when we are motoring clips into a seat belt holder. He sits or lies on one of the bench seats. At the camp sites we stay at usually CC i would say that 60% of those staying have a dog quite often 2 dogs.

We have a springer who travels with us whenever we go away. He doesn't need any special facilities in the van.

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We don't have pets, although a large spider seems to have adopted us and moved in behind our offside mirror, don't know if that counts?

We take a couple of bird feeders along with us in the motorhome and set them up on the pitch; they usually attract some of the local avian wildlife, which keeps us amused.

cheers
Roger

rogerblack wrote:We don't have pets, although a large spider seems to have adopted us and moved in behind our offside mirror, don't know if that counts?

cheers
Roger

That's surely not Boris?