Dogs in a Trident!

Good morning to you all.

What a great group this is.

I’m new to the group as I don’t yet have any kind of campervan, hopefully that will soon be rectified.

I have been searching for some time, I was originally looking at the Topaz, which I do still really like but after considering space I think the Trident is going to be more convenient for us.

So my question to you is do any of you have any experience of having 3 dogs in a Trident? Ours are fairly big dogs. We probably won’t be doing many long trips out in the camper, probably a few overnighters, but obviously we need to accommodate the dogs both when staying out and travelling. Any advice, thoughts etc most appreciated. 

I am looking at the 1.9 model,  probably around 2005,  as it would appear that this is the bombproof option, if any of you have any experience on this I would also very much appreciate anything you can tell me.

Thank you for reading this, hopefully I can be more interactive on the site once I get my van, it’s very exciting I must say.

If you're going to have problems, it's likely to be when it's chucking it down with rain outside and you are trying to prepare to go to bed. Once the bed is down you have little floor space to accommodate two people and three dogs. If they were all just standing still it would be OK but when they are all trying to do their own thing...

So I suspect that an awning would be essential to give you enough floor space to deal with that situation and also so that you can offload stuff to store in temporarily.

It can be done - my parents used to go away for long holidays in a converted Fiat 850 van (which is tiny) and two dogs. But they traded up to a bigger van pretty quickly!

If you're certain that you want something based on a Transporter, it may be worth considering something on a LWB base van, as the extra floor area is likely to be worthwhile for you.

Hi Roopert

Thank you,

I was hoping to get away with a SWB as it will my day car as well but I will have a look at what else is about, I do prefer the transporter. 

As it seems to rain most of the time up here lately I get your point.

Hi Dave

Thank you, I’m looking at other options now. It’s such a fine balance as it will mainly be only myself using it and the occasional overnighter with the dogs. I just didn’t want a LWB but I may have to rethink.

It may help if one or more of the dogs can be persuaded to go under the front part of the bed, but that may not work if they are big dogs...

As you say, there are alternatives where the "furniture" takes up less room. E.g. the Bilbos Space, which has "pods" that you can remove - though of course you then need to store them somewhere!

Or if it's only one person and the dogs, then a twin single may be more appropriate than a "rock & roll" style bed, because you only have to deploy the bed on one side.

Unfortunately there's no real alternative to actually trying things out to see if it works for you - so it might be best to either go to a big dealer with lots of stock, or one of the major shows.

Roopert, thanks again

No there’s no way they would go under the bed…they will want to be on top of it! I’m wondering if maybe one of us slept up top and one of in the bed with the dogs..I’ve read differing comments about the weight limit on the top bunk some say no limit, some say 40kg!

Trying out is the ideal answer but not the easiest to do because of where we live, that’s why I’m trying to pick everyone’s brains really.

I will have a look at the Bilbos, the other alternative I suppose is that one of us sleep in the awning…

So long as I can cater for them whilst travelling then I think the sleeping arrangements can be sorted especially as it’s not going to be for long lengths of time.

Charlie's Cottage wrote:
I was hoping to get away with a SWB as it will my day car as well but I will have a look at what else is about, I do prefer the transporter. 

The Symbol is only 5.4 m in length, based on the MWB chassis and I think the VW Transporter based vehicles are 4.9m.
That extra bit makes all the difference! Still possible to utilise most car park spaces without a major problem!
We had a VW, (not AS) previously and find the Symbol really spacious compared to that. Some will still consider the Symbol too small, and the various layouts offered throughout the AS range can make it a bit of challenge to make decisions, but if you are travelling solo with your three dogs a side bench seat that can used as a single bed (also depends on your height because bed lengths do vary) would be ideal.
It really does depend on how you are going to use it.

Sentinel 

I think that’s compromise I’m going to have to make, I rather like the layout of the Trident for everyday use, I don’t think the symbol or the topaz layout would work so well.

It will mainly be used for me alone and the occasional trip out with me, hubby and dogs. My main consideration is that it will be ok for transporting the dogs in everyday life and now again for the odd overnighter.

Dave

Yes I know exactly where our furry friends will end up and it won’t be on the floor!  The lengths we go to make sure they are settled…happy dogs, happy life!