To pet or not to pet? That is the question.
95% of the time, we’d love to own a dog. Pet ownership is not only great fun, it’s good for your health and mental well being.
Just check the stats. Lots of scientific studies have been done. Pet owners, by and large, live longer, happier lives than those who go through life without pets. The right pet will make you happy several times a day, every day. So, it’s a no brainer, right?
“Get a dog!” some people exclaim. “You’ll LOVE it.”
But then there’s that 5% of the time. You know, when you want to take off for a long weekend trip, or just go enjoy a day of leisure without worrying about a furry friend. There’s no doubt that pet ownership brings along with it responsibilities. Dogs need to be watered and fed and exercised and loved.
“Whatever you do, DON’T get a dog,” some people say. “It would be a BIG mistake. IT’S LIKE HAVING A CHILD THAT NEVER GROWS UP.”
Perhaps. But… they’re so much fun!
So that’s our dilemma. Should we get a dog or not? Have YOU ever camped with a pet? What do YOU think?
Not get a dog? Inconthievable! Of course you’ll get a dog. We (two full-sized adults) travel in our 16foot Airstream with two of them–one big sloppy yellow one, and a small yappy mini doxie. It’s crowded, smelly, inconvenient and we wouldn’t have it any other way. If one goes, he’ll be immediately replaced. Dogs help to connect with the people and landscapes you visit. Owning a dog makes you a better person.
Sold yet? ; ) Tip: Limit the size to 50lbs or less (for a variety of reasons) and choose a laid-back breed that isn’t a barker.
Thanks RG! I don’t disagree with anything you said. There have been several studies of pet owners, and it seems the conclusion is always that they are happier & healthier people. When we keep Baxter, I “get” the happier part… Having a dog (or dogs) around just makes you smile several times a day. They are wonderful companions.
The only reason we haven’t gotten one is the travel thing…. We’ve been unsure about the logistics of taking these long trips and also owning a dog. Maybe if we get a smaller (and non-barking! :)) one as you suggest then it would work out okay…
The under 50 lb tip is a good one. I wish I thought of that before our 105 lb black lab decided that she loves to camp. She especially likes taking the entire queen bed at night too!
Yes, we will keep weight in mind! Kristy’s parents have a yellow lab, and he’s a GREAT dog, but he would be a handful in our camper. Of course, I’m sure that’s part of the fun, too. Labs always enjoy the outdoors, so I bet yours makes a fine camping companion. We, however, will probably favor something that I can easily pick up and carry inside – 😀
We have had at one time 3 dogs and took all 3 camping. We have a Chesapeake Bay Retriever. Sidney is our dog. We also had My mother’s dog Sasha cocker spaniel. To round out the three amigo’s was my sister’s dog a beagle Hunter…..or as I like to call him “hunter bugggg”.
While Both Sasha and Hunter are no longer with us we were happy to bring them. It taking dog ya got a couple pitfalls. 3am pee outings in the pouring rain uhg!! Dogs are just messy and will always tromp in the mud. There is nothing like picking up poop nice warm poop YUCK!. They will bark at everything when you go camping…..everything and everybody. When traveling human pitstops take just a bit longer divide and conquer. you will find the dog has to sniff everything and all you want to do is peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
You will find any federal park won’t allow dog of any kind. Pulling over at any campground is not as easy as it once was some won’t allow pets. When ya go camping the dogs diet changes and they tend to not eat as well and their tummies get upset…I think you get my drift on that point.
With all that said all those pains and extra steps I would not have it any other way! Their is nothing on the face of the planet that having the fluffy ball of joy sitting in your chair dirty feet and all at the campfire. Taking them out to pee at 5:30am still buzzed from the earlier evening’s festivties and the both of you see the sun come up just the best. Are they a pain at times you betcha but , that happiness you give you is better than any inconvenience. Ya do know dogs and one step away from having kids……..unhuh ok.
But…camping with dog for me you bet with times of why did I ever bring those dogs. I do miss Hunter and Sasha but we still have Sidney. Please no Packet book dogs real men need big dogs under 50lbs. that’s it for me.
Camp on!
Matt
We love Lucy our camping wonder dog.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3481/3976031588_1e87e5296e.jpg
She’s a Coton, under 14 pounds, doesn’t shed, very love-able, and makes us laugh every day. The downside-
-She can’t go on trails or off road in any National Park,
-There’s a limit to how long you can leave her by herself in the trailer (maybe 4-6 hours max) no accidents so far. We left her with my wife’s parents when we went up to Olympic National Park and it was much easier without her including an all day whale watching tour she wouldn’t have been able to go on and would have been too long to leave her alone.
-If you don’t have hookups and it’s hot you have to be concerned about leaving them alone (she’s smart but can’t quite operate the generator)
-We haven’t found a park yet that won’t let you in with a small dog but some do have fees.
-She will bark when left alone but we have a citronella spray collar that keeps her quite.
-She likes hanging out in the trailer and camp and loves to hike but is anxious when we start to pack up and doesn’t like the sometimes jerky motion of towing.
-Scott
Sean,
One dog is much easier than two when it comes to finding someone to take care of the animal when you know you’ll be away and won’t be able to bring your pet. Otherwise, we bring our 10 yr. old GSP – German Short-haired Pinter with us camping pretty much every time. Most campgrounds are pet friendly. They (dogs) can also be great conversation starters.
We have 2 Italian Greyhounds and I had major concerns about having them join us on this new journey (of course, it was never an option to not have them join us…just a concern as to how they would adapt). They have been incredible. It’s funny to watch them hop out of the truck and run to the Airstream, excited to be “home.” It took them no time to adjust. In fact, I think they like it more. We are never out of their sight…which is how they like things. Most campgrounds are pet friendly (although some try to charge a fee…we try to avoid those places).
That being said, you do have to be prepared for some unpleasant things. When we started this journey, I said goodbye to my fenced in yard. This morning it was raining and cold and I had to drag myself out of bed in the early hours to take them outside. If we want to go explore an area, we have to consider how long we are gone and whether the dogs should go with us…not all places accept dogs. These are some challenges but I still love having my dogs travel with us. Also, as noted by another person above, dogs are a great way to meet other campers in the park…
so…I highly recommend a dog. I know mine make me laugh AT LEAST twice a day. 🙂
(And…as the owner of two rescue dogs, I have to throw this in there…consider a rescue organization…)
Good luck!
Shure look like a shitsue to me… even sparkie thinks so… Ya dogs are great… the little one is like a member of the family… but best be ware… if Kristie is taking a hankering to the mutt… you best start getting that college fund started for kids… because if you get a dog.. next comes….
I draw the line though at a dog you can saddle and ride around the park… and remember what goes in.. comes out.. and a lot of the time the owners don’t like to clean up after the mutt… little dogs eat bird seed… act like watchdogs , alarms, vacuum clean’rs and like ours.. become the best beer drinking friend that you can ever own… Oh and they are the best pizza lovers too…
We take ours with us everywhere… as I never know when I will be needing a friend out in the back of the truck… but you have to watch the cold noses… when they root in to get warm… akin to the X’s cold feet… ouch! thats going to leave a mark…
Only down side to the mutt is that you can’t hide… the little varmet will hunt you out and fink on ya when your trying to be hidden…
The X has trained our to deliver notes… to you… things like… you best be getting home or your friend here will have a partener in his shack tonight… or just one word… DINNER…. I have sent replies back by way of the dog.. but… no conformation that they were recieved…
… and … I used to send him out in the morning early… to go do his business and chase a few cats around… what ever… seems he always brought back a brand new news paper when he showed up at the door… (which earned him a doggie treet… by the way dont leave them out on the table…your visitors next door will eat them…didn’t have the heart to tell ’em that they were dog food… as he thought they were so good…and took a few home to the wife… 😉 😉 However, sparkie is not big enough to bring back a Sunday edition…but, were making him work out more as he is using the wii board… and hopefully we can start getting that free too… 😀 Now if we can just train him to bring back tall neck’s…:)
Thanks Matt, I appreciate the dose of reality. I can imagine what you mean about the 3AM pee breaks in the rain – LOL And I’m sure they track mud and debris inside the camper no matter how hard to try to prevent it.
I’m not sure what dog we would choose, but it will probably be one that’s small enough to be easily portable. I like the smaller dogs fine (in fact, I’m so secure in my manhood that I’ll occasionally wear pink and eat quiche too – ;-)). Baxter is a good size, because he’s small enough to pick up and carry, but big enough to be substantial.
I never really thought about the federal parks restricting pet access. A couple of years ago we met some friends in Yellowstone who had brought their dog along for the trip. In hindsight, they may have been in violation of the law. Oops…
Scott, Lucy looks like a great travel companion. I like the name too – reminds me of Lucille Ball!
I think the 4-6 hours in the trailer would be the biggest issue for us. Really, we’re not often gone that long. But there would’ve been a few times this year when we exceeded the 4 hour limit (New York City… and also Cedar Point theme park). There’s the rub!
By the way, I finally got a 55-200mm lens for my Nikon. Now if only I had some wildlife to photograph! So far my best shot has been of a butterfly…
Thanks 4Galvs, I agree with you about the conversation starters. It’s pretty rare that we see a dog in a campground that we don’t end up speaking with the owner! That’s another thing about dogs, they seem to get the owners out of the RV, which fosters the social aspect of camping.
Thanks Lani, Italian Greyhounds are beautiful! We know someone with a greyhound rescue dog here in town (the greyhound was the racing type). They seem like gentle spirits and are surprisingly docile (considering how fast they can run).
You guys are an ideal case study. If you can pull off having a couple of dogs in a long term Airstream adventure, then it clearly can be done!
GMAs, it sounds like you have a good travel buddy, not to mention combination alarm system and vacuum – LOL I guess that’s the counter argument to dogs tracking in mud is that they will also eagerly clean up any spilled food!
I’m not sure if pet ownership would necessarily lead to kids… I guess anything’s possible. But if we get a dog and start having kids, we’ll outgrow our Airstream pretty fast! Kristy might finally get that 30-footer she’s had her eyes on.
I hope you are enjoying the Albuquerque balloon fiesta. I wish I had owned my Sony EX1 when we were out there! It’s one of the most visually appealing events you’ll ever shoot.
Sean – There’s no regulation in Federal parks that prevents you from having a pet in your campsite and in paved areas. Grand Canyon lets you take your dog along the entire rim trail. BLM lets you have your pet off road at the national monuments we visited and Lucy had a blast in the red rock at Escalante Utah. The main restriction at National Parks is that you can’t take them into unpaved areas. Here’s the policy at Yellowstone which is basically the same one we found at all 14 parks we visited this summer –
http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/pets.htm
Congrats on the new lens. I’m sure you will have a lot of fun with it.
We have a 7 yr old Shih Tzu who LOVES to RV. He doesn’t shed. And, we keep him in a short puppy cut (he actually looks like Baxter). We keep a towel by the door to get the grass/dirt off his paws if it happens to be wet. Otherwise, he is pretty clean. We walk him in the AM and before bed so we haven’t had the early morning walking in the rain issue. He goes to bed when we go to bed and wakes up when we get up. He has his own chair and enjoys sitting around the fire with us at night. And, he is a go-go puppy! He LOVES that whenever we stop somewhere it is a new adventure with new sights and smells to explore. We did encounter the “no pets” on trails at one National Park. But truthfully, we were grateful. The trail was all sharp loose rocks that he could have hurt himself on and major drop-offs so it really wasn’t safe for him to be up there. We have never been turned away from a park because of our dog. We find most, private, state and national parks to be very pet-friendly.
Having a smaller dog is a must and most Shih Tzu’s don’t bark much which is a plus. Our dog will sit calmly with us at our campsite and doesn’t bark when people or other dogs walk by. We can’t imagine not having him with us. We aren’t away from our rig for extended periods of time but we feel comfortable leaving him for up to 4 hours especially if he as all tired out from a hike or a swim (yes, he loves to swim). Remember, a tired dog is a happy dog!! And, the RV-lifestyle is so active that he is VERY, VERY happy.
Oh Bugger! We hate that you have broached this question! We have wrestled for years trying to decide. We are both dog lovers and have shared our lives with them since we were children. Man & Dog is a natural alliance. HOWEVER! We just want to travel, discover, explore and not worry about “other” responsibilities at this time in our lives. Having a sailboat and a house to worry about is enough!
Sigh ….. We don’t know. We wish we didn’t torment ourselves with the question constantly though. 🙁
Good luck with you decision.
N & M
My vote….get a dog! You’ll never regret it!! We camp in our RV for extended trips…usually eight weeks at a time…with our two bichon frises and one elderly lab/newfy mix. It’s a handful. At times. We do have to limit our excursions to four hours or less. But we wouldn’t have it any other way! The kids left home and we now have our furkids who bring us joy each and every single day!! You can see my furkids at http://bermudabluez.blogspot.com
Love your site! Good luck with your decision!! We have never had a problem at a campsite…and found that most of them allow pets with no problem at all!
But if we get a dog and start having kids, we’ll outgrow our Airstream pretty fast! Kristy might finally get that 30-footer she’s had her eyes on.
ahhh yes but seemore should be able to pull a 30-34 foot airstream.. just think of the room
Glad you got the lense… wildlife… ahhh head to the beach … lots of uses for those kinds of lenses … just make sure you keep the viewing screen for your eyes only…
Ya it was fun… dog and X liked it pretty good.. now off to the north before the snow flys… wish you were here.. lots of adventures and camera shots.. and a good use for that lense… although some natives still subscribe to the no photos please native american folk saying… but, out of sight out of mind … and a lot of them like getting pictures taken… like going to the ball…
As to mud puppy… well we have never had that problem.. seem the dog watches the people do the doormat wipe… and thus get the hint… if not.. they make these things with handles on them so you can pick up dog… use a towel and wipe ’em down… quickly… more often it is I that gets yelled at for tracking in the dirt and mud… and dog just sits on the couch and grins…
by the way… you need to teach the dog how to talk to you… and when you say a key word… like damm.. it barks… or growls.. at you… and when I say “right” it barks in agreement… (otherwise it doesn’t get any beer that night) …. that way both get good training on what not to do… so the X says… and yep she trained it to be that way… when I say damm… and I trained it to bark when I say “right” … its ok though as I tried to train it to snuggle in with her under the covers…and then on command (snap your fingers) pass gass… and then whimper…early in the morning.. so she can take it out for its pudding… at o’dark thirty… after all its her dog… hmmmm… Lots of fun… you need to get one…. but, don’t get mad when they side with the other half… seems that they have that touch… we don’t…
by the way the movie… amelia is coming out …. you can see what I mean about airborne shots that were difficult to get…
oh and don’t get one of them finikie french dogs that don’t like pizza… or a taco dog… that gets all nervious and goes all over everything… just get a nice little foot warmer…
…. get the 30/31 footer now .. lots on the market… and say its for the dog… avoid the rush…
We travel with 2 dogs (& 5 kids) you wouldnt believe how small a 30’er can be in the rain with everyone in there, no slides either….anyway.
Our dogs ALWAYS go with us. We have a 3 year old Yellow Lab named Bailey & a 3 year old English Bulldog named Bernie. They travel great and absolutely LOVE to travel. When they see us pull up front with the camper they cant contain themselves. All we have to say is “get in the truck” and they are bounding out the door, jumping off the porch and pacing around truck waiting for us to let them in.
Bailey started camping with us the day after we got her at 12 weeks old. We picked her up at the breeder on a friday, the next day we picked up our camper at the dealer & headed off to Killens SP in DE.
They arent small dogs, both are about 80lbs. Sometimes they join the kids on their beds, other times they enjoy the cool tile floor. Yes they make messes to clean up after and bark sometimes (mostly Bailey) but the companionship is awesome. And they friends we have made just because of the dogs attracting conversations are priceless. Bernie the Bulldog never fails to be a popular dog. Though often in the summer he has to stay in the AC because of his difficulty breathing.
Bernie also has his own campfire chair that he adopted for himself from us. Bailey loves to sun herself.
We have found that more State & National Parks prohibit rather then allow dogs.
We love it and wouldnt change it.
Thanks Scott, it’s good to know Yellowstone policy. We will probably head out West next summer and Yellowstone will be on the agenda for sure.
I seem to recall my friend’s dog (a Cairn Terrier, like Toto in Wizard of Oz) got in a little trouble in Yellowstone. The campground has lots of whistle pigs and I’m afraid one of them fell prey to the dog. Oh well, that’s life in the wild.
Yeah, I am pleased with the lens, if only I had some wildlife to shoot! We usually have a lot of deer in our area, but since acquiring the 55-200mm it appears that all animals have migrated elsewhere.
We are going to Jamaica next week (attending a wedding) so I will bring the new camera toys on the trip.
Beth, we really like Shih Tzus! They seem like fun dogs… a good size, they don’t shed (big plus), and they don’t seem to bark too much, though I suppose that depends on the dog in question.
We’ve been told that Baxter’s a Pekeapoo, but no one’s ever done a DNA analysis, if you know what I mean! Whatever mix of doggie DNA he’s got, it all worked out nicely. His temperament is ideal.
After thinking about it a bit, the 4 hour limit really wouldn’t pose much of a problem for us. It’s a pretty rare occasion that we’re gone from the camper for any longer.
Restless, it is a tough call! I know what you mean about taking on additional responsibilities. We’ve had some people tell us, “You guys have got a good situation right now — don’t muck it up!” Ha ha…
But like I said, people seem to get so much enjoyment and companionship from their pets. I think that in the end, maybe the additional responsibilities and obligations are part of the enjoyment — it’s satisfying to take care of another living being, especially a furry one! They offer affection without judgment, which is more than we can say for many people. 😀
Thanks bichonpawz, Ladybug & Chloe look like a great pair of “furkids!” The bichons seem to be a nice size for camping. I know they don’t shed either, which is one of Kristy’s preferences. I will read more about the breed…
Yeah, GMAs, lately I have been on a still photo kick. To date I have precious little to show for it, mind you… But I have picked up a couple of good lenses. There’s the 55-200mm I mentioned, and also a 35mm f1.8 which is wonderful in low light situations. I also have a super wide 10-20mm that sees occasional duty!
Since you are probably out there shooting your home movies with whatever Arriflex happens to be lying around, I don’t know how often you “wade in the shallow end of the pool” (where I swim daily, ha ha) — but there’s been a lot of interest lately in the indie film making community in the latest digital SLRs — like the Canon 5D Mark 2 & the Nikon D300S & D90 — that shoot HD video at 24 fps (actually the Canon shoots 30 fps). They’ve only been on the market for a year or so…. Give ’em another 5 years and Nikon & Canon will have all the kinks worked out, so we can use our still lenses to shoot top notch video.
I have seen the trailers for Amelia — it looks great! Great cast too… We will definitely plan to see it, and I will report back with a detailed critique of your work — FINALLY, a chance to turn the tables on you! 😀
I like your description of the dog being a “foot warmer” — that’s just the right size for us…
CplofHDs, 5 kids and 2 dogs in a 30-footer — you’re my heroes! I’m sure it can get crowded on rainy days, but that’s one reason we camp, right? It definitely brings us closer to our loved ones (whether they like it or not, ha ha). When people ask us about RVs and marriage, we joke that RV travel will definitely strengthen your marriage, assuming it doesn’t end it. 😉
Kristy’s parents have a yellow lab — they are wonderful, intelligent dogs. I have always had a fondness for English Bulldogs too. While we’ve never owned one, I had friends who have owned the breed They seem to be quite intelligent too, and really good with families & kids. They also are unusually entertaining dogs, for some reason! I’m sure Bernie is a popular one in the campground.
Sean…
While we have used both for progressive stills… I like the D300 forth gen camera the best… but not to say the D90 is not good.. however, I am sure it will be phased out with the D300 in the next gen. Like wine the gens of cameras always seem to get better and better each time… Now not to say you can’t use a cheaper camera.. as we have said before the spotters use a cannon D10 (soon to be replaced by the D11) Most can’t tell the difference in either camera or compaird to nikon.. as they are not looking for the same stuff…
As to shooting my home movies… well we like the XL-H1A/S… it is the workhorse now of any shoot… but while I am wad’n in the shallow end of the pool.. one can find the older XL-H1 or A used fairly easy.. saw one on craigs list for less than $3,000 used.
The last few vids you shot were not bad either… so as you probably have found out by now… in the hands of the trained person it really doesn’t matter which camera you have…it is the person behind it that makes it perform and not necessarly the cameras cost or its features.
We were at a seminar.. where the students were given small sony vid cameras… we also took the same camera out and did some shooting on the back lot… when we got back and reviewed them a lot of the shots they took were jump’y and looked like home movies… yet they were amazed at the same shots we took of the same subject (tourist) wondering how it could be that we used the same camera… ahhh… lets not tell ’em that the vid starts in the mind and works up to screen… as I said.. it comes from years of being behind the camera… and like flying a plane.. a student is rough while the professional that has lots of hours.. is smooth as … well… you get my drift… but, you have to keep in practice.. like a writer , singer or other in the industry… practice makes perfict.. well almost… but, I will say one thing… you can’t learn it from a book no matter how good you are… it takes real time adventures …. even when I am looking at others work… its not the subject that I am looking at but rather the individules tech’nk of how he shot it… subjects are a dime a dozen… getting the shot correct and showing it flowingly ..is the hard part. (something you started learning on your adventures in travels.. hmmm)
Indeed the vid equipment is getting smaller, better and cheaper all the time…
I recently watched a showing where the young producer shot the whole thing using a D300… it was great.. With todays digital cameras and equipment makes movie making some years back look like the stone age and keystone cops… 🙂
Ok be looking for your comments ..when it comes out… as even I learn from my viewers…too… ;’) 😉
Well got to go get the dog off the treadmill… I think he has run his mile about now… 😀 If I leave him on it longer… he gets really miffed and will pass gas on your side of the bed .. later…
Oh ya the dog and I were supposed to be on a walk… guess what… 😀
GMAs, I am a camera addict. I really enjoy getting new cameras a little too much. It’s an expensive indulgence, but there are worse addictions to have.
If I were picking a new DSLR at the moment, I’d probably go for a D300S (mainly because I have several Nikon DX lenses). Nikon has added a 720P video mode to the camera, and it has a microphone input — so it’s really attractive as a Swiss Army Knife still & video device. One of the great upsides of the DSLRs is stealth. When traveling, you can take them places you might not be able to take a larger video camera like a Sony EX1.
It’s been about a year since we got the EX1, and I am still loving it. I suspect it will be our primary camera for a long time to come. It shoots full raster 1080P to cards (no tape!), has incredible lowlight performance, uncompressed audio capture, and is pretty much a joy to use. What a camera!
But you are right: in the end, it’s the operator and not the camera that matters. We shot that recent “football tailgating” video on a relatively cheap Panasonic TS1 point-and-shoot camera that also does 720P video. Sure, the overall image quality isn’t up to Sony EX1 standards, and the image stabilization is crap — but it produces amazingly good video for the cost and size. Put it on a tripod and it gets even better.
I am thinking about setting up a separate forum to talk video stuff…because I could go on all day about it. Stay tuned on this front!
Do you really put your dog on a treadmill? Ha! If he likes it, then that is a genius idea.
Try this.. instead of a tripod… use a single expanding single stilt under the camera to support it like a tripod… I have found a lot of news photos taken that way… which really gives the tripod stability but still allows hand held for directional control.
Indeed the nikon 300 will get the 1080 probably next year… they also are playing around with the image sensor. A lot of them suddely showed up losing some of their low light stuff but the picking up the asa3200 setting. I think they will get caught up about the time we go to 2400p. (next gen) which will then make a lot of 1080 stuff cheap on the used market as the pros head for new stuff.
Problem is ifyou have a separate forum… will you have time to do both? bet not… But, I have always said that if you present a forum on taking pictures to the RV groups .. it will be standing room only.. as I constantly run into groups that are interested in improving their travel videos. Might be a good market their bud… You have all the right stuff… couple of courses.. and shazamm at the rallys…
Well just between you and I.. yep I do put the dog on the treadmill… set it so he can run with the band sensor on his neck… so now when he runs faster the mill cranks it up.. slows down and so does it… put a doggie treat bowl at the end.. and watch him run… but, it seems like he is only godd for about a mile and then runs out of poop… If we go longer than that he get to where he is tired and really gets into a deep sleep… and yep then passes gass… phew… for a little dog he sure is a gass factory…
He will go to the end of the bed and somehow gets under the covers… ike a go’fer he manages to get up to where you are… and then falls asleep… but his gas is a better wake up call than the alarm clock…
I one night had a extra helping of beens and beer… good combo for gas production… that night when he slithered up and got rested… I let ’em have it… don’t do this… as they don’t like that and thing your… ahhhhh… vitals are some attacking monster or something… again .. don’t do this… or your wife will be laughing at your waking funny for the next few days… and the dog will be grin’n…
Our dog is about the same size as a shit-sue… but, more mutt and terrier… in looks.. short hair… white with brown spots… X brought him home from a fundraiser at the local dog pound… at first he was hard getting used to… but now is like a kid in the family… rides shotgun in the pu… and car… too small to drive though… X keeps dressing him up in people looking cloths.. she thinks is cute… like last October 31 she made him look like a pirate from the south… poor dog… and a raindeer at Christmas… no wonder he has a identiy crisis… He will sit and watch football games with you .. and eat pizza and drink beer… when someone starts yelling on the tube.. he starts acting strange… but knows one team from the other .. of course when I get involved with game and cheering… he thinks its his too… by spin’n around and yep’n… when its quiet he looks attentive at the screen.. and one time growled when we went damm as the other team made a touchdown… I think the X is jellous of the tike… because he always wants to sit between us… and we havn’t suscribed to a news paper in years now that we have him.. he always manages to head out at home when he hears the paper boy deliver.. and bring home the early edition .. somehow… so that when your having breakfast.. he is nose’n you with the paper in his mouth.. of course he gets a doggie treat then too when he drops it…
another good breed of dog is the Cory (sp) nice dog size.. know several who have ’em and they are good pets too… but stay away from the t-cup small dogs… they are too nervious and shake like a earthquake when you even look at ’em… We know of one Chwawa.. that if you snap you fingers to get ’em to come.. they will pea all over everything suddenly… pooo..
Just remember .. its a dog and not a person… or they will hook ya big time…
GMAs, we are headed to Jamaica later this week. There’s no better excuse to buy a camera than a big trip, but I am limiting myself to the little Panasonic TS1. It is waterproof, so we should get some fun water video. I will also bring the Canon HV20 and Nikon D40. The Sony EX1 will stay home where it’s safe and dry.
It seems that Canon is a little ahead of Nikon in the video DSLR wars. I too am expecting Nikon to return volley with a 1080P video DSLR. Maybe in a few months they will unveil a D90S?
With regard to a sister filmmaking forum, if we do it we’d have to strictly limit its scope. You are undoubtedly correct that it would consume a lot of time. As things currently exist, I have enough trouble keeping one website afloat! 🙂 The problem with a blog is that you must constantly stoke the coals to keep the fire burning. I’m thinking that a filmmaking forum would invoke more user participation and community, so we could all partake in stoking those coals. Also, we would make sure it complements our existing RV content! I agree with you that RV rally seminars and the like would be quite popular.
I think that putting your dog on the treadmill is a brilliant idea! As Beth says above, a tired dog is a happy dog. Of course a treadmill wouldn’t replace a nice outdoor walk, but it would make a great support (not to mention would be useful on rainy days). We have a nice treadmill at home (I really miss it when we go Airstreaming).
I know what you mean about the little dogs being gas factories. It’s funny how the small ones tend to be the most, errr, powerful in this regard. I think some breeds are more likely than others to pass gas. There may be some dietary changes you can make that would help reduce the potency, but there’s probably only so much you can do. Oh well, this too shall pass… 🙂
MUST.GET. DOG.
I thought you already had one – I guess it was Mom and Dad’s that I have seen in pics. Now that I say that, I remember that I started to think that since you never mentioned him!! I mean, how could you do all of the blogging/video you do and never mention the dog if you have one? Basically, it would be impossible 🙂
See…the reason for that is they become such a huge part of you! They are truly a member of the family!!
I have 4…not the Crazy Cat Lady but the Crazy Dog Lady! HA!
I obviously don’t recommend that for everyone…for me, it’s the ultimate life. Of course, I rarely leave my house and they are my reason for getting up in the morning and going to bed each night with a smile on my face!
I have a Golden Retriever – Duke is my Service Dog. He goes everywhere I go…is my link to the outside world and my independence. Goldens are almost PERFECT DOGS IN EVERYWAY…except the hair. If you are fastidious, and I think you might be, I cannot in good conscious recommend one. They would be the perfect Road Dog, but the hair would probably drive you insane. I am NOT fastidious (to say the least, sadly!) and it drives me crazy sometimes. But I wouldn’t trade him for the world. Seriously. But they LOVE people, truly social dogs, they love water, activity and will pretty much do whatever you do – and be perfectly content!
My other 3 are Boston Terriers. And I can tell you, they are simply Perfect Dogs!
Short hair, compact (about 25 pounds on average – some bigger, some smaller), sturdy, fun-loving, always want to be involved in whatever you are doing, and have personalities and a sense of humor to rival most people. And I don’t say that lightly! OH, and they are always perfectly “dressed”…tuxedo style!
Their nickname is the American Gentleman – and would be a perfect compliment to the American icon that is the Airstream! They are “Big Dogs in Little Bodies”. They have a Big Dog mentality and body type, but compact enough to not take up too much room. (Well, like most dogs, when they sleep they take up as much room as they physically can and THEN SOME…but that’s just another one of those things that makes you love them and gives you one of the millions of chuckles that you are missing out on everyday!)
There would be a couple of things that you may have to think about – due to their “smush faces”, they don’t handle heat well. Now I live in Austin – so obviously it’s not a major issue. And there are Bostons that sadly live outside…makes me crazy but I digress! Anyway, it’s just something you have to keep in mind. If it’s 110 degrees outside, taking your Boston on a 5 mile hike is HIGHLY DISCOURAGED! But then hell, I don’t think it’s really encouraged for people either – HA!
And if you are going to expose them to snow and/or super cold temps, you may want to get a sweatshirt since as I mentioned, they have short hair. They can get cold. 2 of my 3 sleep under a blanket, all the time, and the one that doesn’t is a rare bird. Long story why, but simply put she is a Puppy Mill Rescue and lived the first 3 years of her life in a cage in an outside barn in Nebraska and didn’t know what a blanket was – or grass, or a bowl for her food or toys or a soft bed or any of the things that as human beings we should give them 🙁 They do adapt to whatever life they have, and while she finally learned how to eat out of a bowl (after more than a year, and still scoops it out onto the floor sometimes!), she never wants a blanket.
Those are things that are pretty basic with any dog – but Bracycephalic dogs (aka smush faces!) are more susceptible because dogs don’t sweat…they regulate their body temp by panting, and the air passing over their tongue and through their long snout is their major coping mechanism in heat. Since they have no snout to speak of, they can get heat stroke if exposed to extreme heat with increased activity.
These are just a couple of examples of course…though I have done a ton of research on dogs, and while I now work with Boston Terrier Rescue, I used to work with All Breed Rescue. There is the Perfect Breed out there for everyone…including an American Breed (mix, mutt, Heinz 57, etc.)
But whatever the “Perfect Dog” for you is, find it and GET ONE! It won’t take long for you to wonder how you ever lived without him/her…and for you to wonder what took you so long! Your lives will be happier and filled with even more joy, laughter and love than it aready is…though that is kind of hard to believe, just seeing the short snapshots that we do 🙂 But it will – I PROMISE!
I have been busy, so haven’t been on for about 10 days…I see you went on a NON-Airstream Trip! WHAT FUN YOUR LIVES ARE!
Can’t wait to hear more about this trip…off to watch the video now 🙂 But this “Dog Post’ had my name written all over it!
DARNIT! Just noticed THIS was supposed to have a video as well…but it’s not there either! Thought it was just one of your blog posts 🙁
BTW, when looking for your Vimeo to see if these two missing videos are there…it pulled up my history, and one of the searches that I had was this couple – they are an Airstream couple with a BOSTON TERRIER, too! I knew I had seen it before, but forgot to mention it above. Just to give you some idea of what it might be like 🙂
http://vimeo.com/channels/47225
Thanks Brenda! Video is restored. I think when we upgraded our WordPress software we must’ve introduced some conflict with our theme. In other words, I’ll have to be more vigilant in the future.
Did I ever tell you that my parents have Boston Terriers? Those were my dogs growing up! They are excellent dogs, very loyal and intelligent.
I will write more once I’m feeling better. We just got back from Jamaica and I am not feeling so great! I love to travel abroad, but seem to contract a weird illness everywhere I go… 🙁