sandymac1
Cullman, AL
New Member
Joined: 07/01/2008
View Profile
 Offline
|
I could search forever to find out what I am asking for help with. We have a poodle who travels with us in a Navigator that we use to pull a 28 ft Cherokee travel trailer. What I need to know is if anyone has info on keeping your pets cool when you go into a restaurant to eat and they must stay locked in the car. We cannot leave the car runing with the AC on as that is not practical and Grizzly is known to unlock doors and roll down windows trying to find where we have gone.
Any suggestions and all suggestions would be welcomed.
Thanks,
Sandy
|
skipnchar
Topeka Kansas USA
Senior Member
Joined: 12/17/2003
View Profile
|
Put him in the trailer with windows open and he should be fine for an hour or so.
2004 F-150 HD 3,050 lb. payload
Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer
We have enough YOUTH...how about a fountain of SMART
|
lostmarbles
Sacramento, CA., USA
Senior Member
Joined: 05/23/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
If you have an frig with a working freezer. Just have several blue ice frozen b4 leaving pet. Then take them out of freezer and wrap them in a towel/ blanket that they like to lay on. Presto!
|
fordsooperdootydieselsmoker
OrangeCountyCalifornia
Senior Member
Joined: 08/13/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
I agree with using the trailer, with a generator running the air conditioner if possible would be ideal. But...I know thats not always possible. Some restaurants will allow a dog into the patio dining area while you eat.
A dog has a built in cooling system, different than yours in that they can not sweat to cool down. They have two primary areas that allow them to cool off, their tongues turn bright red as blood flow increases to radiate heat thru panting and evaporation. Also the pads of their feet contain sweat glands that allow some heat to dissipate. So the two things that would do the most good are good air circulation by fans or blowers, and open windows. Then as mentioned above, iced bags that can be layed on as part of their bedding. Plenty of water is important, too.
(The following is worse case scenario, based on actual occurrences in my 30 year Law Enforcement experience in warm and sunny summertime SoCal!) Hope your dog is quiet, Police and Animal Control have been know to show up reference getting a call from a concerned citizen regarding a pet left in a vehicle. Worse case you may find your dog gone, your door forced open and a note explaining why your dog was taken to the pound! On a 80 degree day the inside temp can get up to 20 degrees hotter. If you find the dog is lethargic, cool it slowly, do not ice it down as it may go into a cardiac arrest, and/or the blood vessels can restrict, slowing the cooling process down. Again, this is not going to happen, if you are a good pet owner...and it sounds like you are!  Best of luck.
|
Campnfuls
Hilt, CA
Senior Member
Joined: 10/18/2007
View Profile
|
I was looking for something to keep my lab cool in our van when we stop to shop, etc. while traveling during warm weather and came up with the Cool Box Personal Air Cooler which is new at Camping World. It runs off either batteries (D size), AC or DC. You can put up to 4 pounds of ice in the thing for extra cool air. Mine was ordered Sunday and arrives tomorrow. I will let you know how it works out. You can check it out under the category "RV air conditioners" on the Camping World website.
* This post was
last
edited 07/02/08 02:50am by Campnfuls *
View edit history
I want to leave this earth quietly in my sleep like my grandfather and not like the hysterical, screaming passengers riding in granddad's RV just before the big crash.
|
|
|
rockhillmanor
On the Road
Senior Member
Joined: 12/06/2003
View Profile
|
The obligatory comment about leaving the dogs in the car.
Only because so many people don't have the common sense about the dangers of it. For a 'very' conscientious dog owner it can be done.
That said, people who show dogs have their dogs in crates at the show venues so there are 'numerous' products on the market to keep a dog cool in a crate which is a must have.
I have small battery operated crate fans that clip on the front of the crate. They also come with a plastic ring (similar to the little plastic blocks you freeze and put in a cooler) you freeze this ring and it inserts in front of the fan. I.E. air conditioning for your dog. To be used for short periods of time only! Enough to go in and have dinner while your dog stays cool.
Of course the windows of any vehicle should 'never' be closed when a pet is inside, no matter what you use. I also carry a large battery operated fans that I use in my suv that I place in front of the cages.And the anal of all anal's I also have a wireless gadget that I carry that tells me the temp inside my vehicles. I use the above in my MH also. Overkill? Most likely, but I haven't lost a dog to heat stroke yet.
All this allows me to go in and have some cholesterol clogging meal while on the road with the dogs.
 
I agree putting him in the TT while RV'ing would seem to be the easy answer. Because you can open the windows and vents.
* This post was
edited 07/02/08 04:50am 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.
|
BCSnob
Knoxville, MD
Senior Member
Joined: 02/23/2002
View Profile
Offline
|
Rock,
Do the fans you posted work better and/or run longer than these older ones?
Have you seen or used the Endless Breeze fan?
Mark
Mark & Renee
Jasper the Greyhound
Working Border Collies: Duncan (retired), Rae, Gyp (retired), Jody, Peg, Bette, BJ & Nell
2001 Chevy Express 2500 Cargo (rolling kennel)
2007 Nash 22M
|
bonniesoo
Pflugerville, Texas
Senior Member
Joined: 02/25/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
We bought an O2 cool fan last year at Walmart that you load ice in the compartment in the top and it blows cool air lasting for several hours. It runs off ac or batteries. I believe it was about $50. We also use 12 volt clip on fans that are about $5-6 also at Walmart. Whenever we leave the motorhome the 12 volt fans are running...just in case the electricity goes off while we are gone.
Kim & Donna Hale
2003 Itasca Horizon
2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee Toad
Mika & Suki - 2 spoiled pekingese
Hook'em Horns
|
rockhillmanor
On the Road
Senior Member
Joined: 12/06/2003
View Profile
|
BCSnob wrote:Rock,
Do the fans you posted work better and/or run longer than these older ones?
Have you seen or used the Endless Breeze fan?
Mark
Actually I think the time they run is about the same. And actually the older ones like your puts out more air than mine. They do have a thermostat which helps the battery issue.
The ice pack does make a difference on the new ones in real warm whether though.
I got real excited when I saw that one on the fantastic fan site but if I read it right it 'only' runs off the plugin to the cigarette lighter. I'm leery of that, don't want to be stranded with a dead battery. So I passed on that one. And besides that how would you get the cord to reach back into a van or MH? And more importantly for some of us, how would you run 4 or 5 of them off one cigarette lighter AND I believe many of the new vehicles don't even have one.
The o2cool fans are 'much' bigger and 'last real long on battery's' but you have to place them in front of the crates. These are my main stays for in the vehicle. I have 6 of them.
I'm jumping in on that one that was mentioned in the above post, from Camping World. It looks like a mini Swampy. Almost sounds to good to be true at that price.....but I'm buying it anyway!
http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm?skunum=37641
|
rwmmdj
Georgia
Senior Member
Joined: 12/10/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
We put ours in the TT with the windows open.
|
|
|
