With the model you are thinking about, check what load it will carry. With Sammies you will have lots of grooming equipment which will use up how much you can carry weight wise. Make sure there is enough storage for xpens and such.
There is a group on Yahoo where most of the members are dog show folks and they can help you.
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/RVK9/?yguid=94780231
We bought a Tioga 26Q model that has a huge lighted cargo compartment with access on three sides. We carry a large dog crate/exercise pen for our two border collies, a free standing screen room, lots of chairs and chaises, plus my electric take-apart mobility scooter and other essentials. There is a rear RV-size queen bed room and other standard features,but no slides. It is 27 feet long, bumper to bumper, fits our driveway and all campsites. Not much harder to drive,maneuver and park than a 22-24 foot rig. No need to put stuff in the shower or overhead or on the floor. Don't buy too small or too old. The modern fuel injected Ford Triton V-10 is much better than carbureted V-8's pulling grades at high altitudes.
Well, if you like the idea of a toy hauler but not the extreme length they can be (giving a Class A type of driving experience) you may want to consider a Fun Mover model 31D - it's 31'1" long and has a queen bed in the garage (on rails so it can be stored up high for toy storage).
Just a thought. I have no idea how hard these might be to find used.
The one you are looking at sounds like it would work for you, and removing couches is usually not too hard, though you might have to do some floor work (carpet or whatever) when you are done.
Also, you may wish to check out The Pet Shop, another forum on this site that is for pet owners, but it's not about topics other than vehicle selection..
thanks for all the recommendations, glad to hear all these people travelling witht their dogs too. Love reading all the posts and learning lots. keep up the good work, and keep sending us more advice.
The Itasca Sundancer is a very nice, well made rig. Since it is offered by a private party it should be easier to get the maintaince history. Do a very close inspection of the interior and exterior looking for signs of leaking. All RV's have some issues, but a leaking rig would be a "no go" for me. Likely it will need new tires, so, if you buy this one check that out carefully before you hit the road. I'm not aware of any specific concerns with this model. Recently camped near a couple with this model (don't know what year) and they had nothing but praise for the rig. We originally started looking at smaller class C's, but then, like you, decided the few extra feet gave us much more interior room. Good luck with your search and decision. I wish you years of memorable travel! Mark
Mark and Pat
09 Itasca Cambria 28B
08 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited (TOAD)
06 Jeep GC Overland 4x4 5.7 Hemi "Fun is standard, Pavement is optional" JEEP
thanks , will be sending it to for an inspection for both mechanical and RV part, cost $200 but I think it is well worth it. Yes ,we are looking forward to travelling with our dogs with more comfort.
Learned this the hard way! One thing I'd look for in any unit is a fixed main bed. We have an '06 Winnebago Aspect 29 ft. Its a great unit, expecially for 2 adults...gets a little crowded with the 2 grandsons onboard, but we manage. We've had it out for a month long trip with good results. Downside is that the main queen sized bed is on a slideout and folds up to what becomes a second esentially useless couch when slide is in. So, the bed is not available for use when you're traveling. I make do by napping on the couch when the bride takes the wheel for an hour or so, but having a full sized bed would be much more comportable. We've traveled with our mutt, who's about 45 lbs. He generally lays upfront between us when we're rolling and likes to sleep under the dinette table at night.
Question: Maybe I missed it or don't know where to look. How do I set up my signature? Also, how can I get the outlines of the US states that states you've visited can be colored in, that show in signature space? Thanks!
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