The one thing I'd suggest? Don't camp in the driveway - you're still "home". Since you live in the country, your dogs' "sphere of protection" is probably pretty large, 100' or more????
You need to get them to a campground - so they can learn that the camping "sphere of protection" only needs to be about 5-10'. Stuff happening 2 sites away is nothing to bother barking about. And socializing them to strange dogs and people is always a good idea!
As long as you can make your dogs shut up on command, and assuming you will be with them all the time....I would think most folks understand the occasional bark, as long as it doesn't continue.
I wouldn't worry too much. It sounds as if you are very consientious about your pets behavior. As long as they're not barking loudly for long periods of time, don't fret about it.
Ours like to bark too. The goofy poodle has to bark in anyone in black for some unknown reason. However, when we tell him to stop he does. Most people don't get upset about it.
Julie
_____________________________________________________________________
A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving. ~ Lao Tzu
All of you are the type of pet owners I can accept in a CG. But as I travel the western states in the summer I run into people that bring multiple dogs or huge dogs. and fail to control the barking. I'm a pet owner and he travels with us.
Now here is where I will offend some one, this is just my experience and not total fact, the worst offenders are pet owners from Utah, California and Colorado. so how do all of you approach these type of pet owners.
07 Dodge Mega Cab DRW,6spd auto, Exhaust break, 8'bed conversion (Best mistake I've made)
33' Teton Home Experience 3 slides, its not a trailer its a home
5500 watt generator
and a great Co-piolet
rvert10 wrote: All of you are the type of pet owners I can accept in a CG. But as I travel the western states in the summer I run into people that bring multiple dogs or huge dogs. and fail to control the barking. I'm a pet owner and he travels with us.
Now here is where I will offend some one, this is just my experience and not total fact, the worst offenders are pet owners from Utah, California and Colorado. so how do all of you approach these type of pet owners.
You have to approach them outright. It is their behavior that may cause you to lose the ability to travel with your pets where and when you want. We have confronted numerous folks about leaving dog poop. Dogs must be cleaned up after. We have been told to "mind our own business" and "but its a small dog, no one will see it". As a dog lover, It IS my business if you threaten my ability to return to that campground, as to the second, well, I saw it, and others will too. Barking? as long as it isn't a day long affair. A woof now and then is reasonable. But eventually you will be parked next to someone who has a different idea of reasonable. We always ask to be in a "pet area" or near the pet run. Any non-dog owner nearby should have figured that there may be an occasional annoyance.
We use the tape recorder and it is only one tool in our arsenal. Since we live somewhat "in the country" also our dogs were conditioned to protect and defend our home.
When we got the rv we weren't sure how they would respond, turned out that once we took our first rv trip and they were out of their environment, they were different dogs. When they did start to bark at who knows what an instant reprimand was all that was needed.
When we go out we do leave the recorder going still, we close off the blinds and leave the radio or tv on. We have never had a complaint, we do ask our neighbors and all have said "not a peep" so we're satisfied with that.
We now have a new Lab puppy and she barked from day one, I said this isn't going to work in a cg. I asked for advice here and got lots of it but what worked for me was a spray bottle with 1 tbl. of cider vinegar and 8 oz. of water, it took two sprays right at her and she hasn't barked since. Even when someone comes to the door, she's alert and on guard, but no bark. Worked for us in training her not to bark.
I still have the spray bottle handy, but I haven't had to use it in some time.
Well this Californians experience has been........Positive, in regards to dog ownership and behavior of our dogs while camping. So I don't know where a few of you are coming from in regards to the behavior of our dogs. I just chalk it up to the popular pastime of California bashing...
Now to the original posters question. I doubt too many folks will be disturbed by a little bit of barking, as long as they stop when told and are not aggressive. Of course their are those that complain about kids being too loud, so who knows what you may encounter.
Your best bet is to load them into the daily driver and take them for a ride, se how they like it / react. You might be surprised. Our Wienerdogs LOVE!!!! to travel. So much so that when I go to work, they watch me 'til they can't see the truck. When we're camping, and want to go somewhere (but without them) we have to take the truck - or at least move it so they can't see it.
Other than that, no barking during travels and only if we leave them alone and can't justify it iin their eyes.
What really helps is to give them a blanket their already familiar with and a chew toy.
I have to chime in on the California bashing. Please don't they're nice folks just like the rest of us, only they live in a better climate than I do - so I'm jealous.
* This post was
edited 02/27/08 10:16am by loveshack1 *
If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?
Just a quick comment about California... it's 70 degrees out today, sunny and beautiful right now, just like a spring day here...oh, and we've been camping year round, new years, and president day weekend so far this year, so bash away if it makes you feel better after coming in from shoveling snow all morning.....
And to the original post... I think people expect some dog barking, heck I expect some kid screaming and yelling, so it's a give and take, everything in moderation..
I'm not bashing Californians. I include Utah and Colorado as far as those RVers with pets that are discourteous. Please re-read my post, ITS an observation not a fact.
so if you don't fit the category be proud of who you are as good RVers and representatives of your state. The worst of the three is my state Utah.
* This post was
edited 02/27/08 04:40pm by rvert10 *
Please return to the topic which is "How much is too much?" which is explained in the opening line of "We are planning a cross country trip with our three dogs in the near future, I have been reading with great trepidation many posts complaining bitterly about barking dogs. which has absolutely nothing to do with one state vs another.
Offline
