I leave the engine running - AC blowing - and doors locked (I carry a second key).
My car's alarm and defense system complicates this - I have to stop the engine, remove the key, re-insert the key and re-start. I also have a remote start system that will allow the engine to run for 15 minutes without having a key in the ignition - only two 15 minute "cycles" allowed before the ignition key must be re-inserted. The car is too smart!!
Unfortunately, the AC automatically goes to "fresh air" and won't recirculate when using the remote start.
"FANS" alone don't keep the temperature down, so don't expect some sort of fan to be enough when the windows are up.
If you have a spare key, you can leave the engine running and the doors locked. (Or if you have a loose key you can pull out and leave the car running like I used to do...)
There is risk, of course. Other than that, peeing very fast is a necessity...
susan
What I want to know is, when are they going to start selling Comfort Zone for HUMANS????? 'Cause some days...
you will definitely have more difficulty with only one adult and 2 too young kids to send in/or leave out alone.
In your situation, my 1st choice would be to carry a few gallons jugs of water for on the road flushing, bring lunch and snack stuff for picnics. Then, if you must go inside for quick meal, park where you can see you TV/RV and use a bicycle type cable lock to leave doggie in shade of RV w/ water where you can watch from inside. Our dog is MUCH happier when he can be outside.
goodluck
2006 Chevy 1500 Z71 crewcab
2004 Jayco Jay Feather 23D
That is a tough situation......I also have 2 boys and just now am letting them go to the men's bathroom, but I stand right outside the door and look at everyone that comes and goes. As convenient as fast food is, I think you are pretty stuck with homemade stuff. Pre-make/pack it the night before. You could even get some fast food - Subway - that you could get out once you hit a rest stop. Your boys are pretty young and this would depend on their maturity, but the only other option I see, is having the boys stay in the truck with the dog with the doors locked and a cell phone, truck running. You run in and do your "business" or get fast food, then come back and take boys. Boys are much faster in the bathroom - usually anyway. That way, truck is on for most of the time. Either way, even 10 minutes on a hot day and I think the inside can reach 120. Sounds like a fun trip! Good luck and remember to come back and let us know how it goes.
Jana
Chemisd's Joe,Jana,Jarod,Jansen
GS Allie and Sammi
See you at the bridge Maddey&Maicey 2005 Rockwood 8318SS
Because he is a small breed I would suggest a airline carry on bag which can be found at any petco or petsmart. This would help with the bathroom calls, because you can bring him in there in an airline carry on bag, and just about everyplace else if he's quiet.
Dinner stops a truck cap with a 12 volt aircond which you can run thru the window (that is if your truck has the slider window in it)would do the trick for that, put him in a crate in the back with the air-cond plugged in. And your truck parked as close to the restaurant window as you can find, or actually inside your truck. I haven't heard back from anyone that has bought that one from CW, I'd want to know just how much that draws from your battery first to still allow you to start the truck when you got back!
My only advice about leaving him in the back of the pick up truck without a cap is dog theft is way way up and I would be concerned about someone stealing him. You'd almost have to padlock the crate down to the bed and then add a lock to the crate.
I use a O2cool 'battery operated' fan, dog in crate and the fan right up against the front of the crate. You can actually get them too cool with these, which is a good thing! In a crate they won't be jumping around getting even hotter, and you know that the fan will be right on them. I've been doing it this way in my SUV for years, but I am 'very' prudent about how long and how far away I go from the SUV at it only done for short stops depending on the weather.And when having a dinner I go out between courses to check on them.
Good Luck you will figure a way! Happy Travels!
The carry on bags for dogs are called Sherpa Bags and of course there are numerous off brand ones, and ones larger than what is required for the airlines that your Boston would fit in.
* This post was
edited 07/23/08 07:56am by rockhillmanor *
31 ft Four Winds
Chevy Tracker 4x4 BlueOx Aventa LX We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned,
so as to have the life that is waiting for us.
Pucka1378 wrote: But, we are moving from CA to VA and me and the boys and dog are going on an adventure for 2-3 weeks! Stopping and seeing the sites etc. I am going as far north as I can for most of the trip.
This may be a stupid question, but why not have the dog travel with DH when he makes the trip from CA to VA? Much easier (overall) for everyone involved. You'll already have your hands full with 2 small children and adding the special requirements of a brachycephalic (snub-nosed) dog in the heat of summer will really limit what you can see/do during the trip.
Sally and the agile Aussies
2007 Sunseeker 3100LTD
Pucka1378 wrote: But, we are moving from CA to VA and me and the boys and dog are going on an adventure for 2-3 weeks! Stopping and seeing the sites etc. I am going as far north as I can for most of the trip.
This may be a stupid question, but why not have the dog travel with DH when he makes the trip from CA to VA? Much easier (overall) for everyone involved. You'll already have your hands full with 2 small children and adding the special requirements of a brachycephalic (snub-nosed) dog in the heat of summer will really limit what you can see/do during the trip.
Well the short answer is that DH likes the dog but is not a fan of taking care of the dog LOL I will broach the subject with him and see what he says. He may just keel over and die. LOL
I am afraid there is no safe, healthy way for you, the boys and dog to travel because of the distance and the age of the children. Is there a Granny or friend who could make the trip with you who could share driving and child care duties? Driving with young children is not easy under the best of conditions.
Good luck with your move.
OOOOoooohhhh.... I like Rock's idear! Sherpa bag will let you carry him into rest stops. You need to train him to be quiet, of course, so he's not noticed.
If you could find someone to go with you, that would be nicest.
Food is not a problem, especially fast food. What I do when traveling with my crew is either grab something in the "travel plaza" (gas station) store when I run in to download, or just do a drive through. Course you want to pee and wash hands before eating, and I always do that, then run out, jump in the car, and go through the drive through. Then I'm in the car with them, a/c on as needed, and can eat at my leisure.
Consider also your route and the different times of day you'll be in different places and at different altitudes. If you get off early that first day (4 am is a good time) then you should be able to lunch in Flagstaff. Flagstaff is much cooler than, say, Kingman. There's a rest stop headed west on 40 just west of Flagstaff, not sure about the other direction but you could look it up. Very pleasant up there. I usually stop and run my lot in Williams, which again is up at altitude in the trees and should not be a problem temp-wise.
The other stops if you do that, as far as the early ones in CA, shouldn't be too horrible if you're coming through really early, it will help a lot. So... play with times, consider different start times (leaving the night before and staying in Barstow might work...), look at your route and the distance per day/hours per day/stops per day you'll be dealing with and gauge what your best plan is.
If time is not an issue and you aren't so cramped for funds that you have to minimize your overnights, you could easily go to a "really early start" schedule, travel until say noon every day, and then check in and hit the pool for the afternoon. Again, this will minimize stops where temps are an issue for you.
LadyRVer wrote: Not any real good solutions... I have left my spaniel (for bathroom break only) in the car with the a/c and engine running, with doors locked. On my new truck, I don't think I can leave the engine running and lock the door. Never have left dog in car while going inside to eat. Use drive-thru's and eat in car/truck or use a portable picnic table and set up in the shade. Possible dog crate in back of truck for this situation only with a cover to keep him/her out from sun? I understand the pet owner can be ticketed and pet taken if left in vehicle in hot weather in some states. This evening just heard on news a police dog died in a police car as engine quit and a/c did, too. Sad. Crating in the back end of p/u would be the only solution I can come up with. Hopefully someone will have a better one for you.
You can lock your doors and leave the motor running: Press the door lock switch when you exit the vehicle (locks all but the driver door) then use a spare key to manually lock the driver door from the outside. Works like a champ!
D. Brown
Winston-Salem, NC.
2004 Damon Daybreak 3270F
Life's a race. Keep your motor runnin and burn rubber every now and then!
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