Hello. My name is Adam, and with my dog, Danika, we will be attempting to drive from Alberta, Canada, all the way down to Panama, in a Nissan El Grande, which i am currently converting into a camper.
Any advice on traveling with a K9 would be greatly appreciated.
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Greetings & Welcome!
Climate control is going to be your biggest issue. You could still need heat in some places to stay comfortable. You want your heating and cooking powered by fuel, not electricity or battery power. I would also want cooling power… You can do a lot with shade, ventilation, and a fan, but shade isn’t always available, and just ventilation and a fan might not be enough. Compressor type air conditioners only work on shore power or a generator, and are huge energy hogs, but swamp coolers are at least as effective, and can easily be built and run on 12v or even USB power. Swamp coolers (aka evaporative coolers) aren’t quite as convenient as air conditioners, but are touted by many to be even more effective than air conditioners. In fact, in many parts of the world, what they refer to as “air conditioners” are actually swamp coolers.
Swamp coolers come in multiple varieties, the two simplest being direct and indirect. The direct type is popular in drier areas because it can add much needed moisture to the air, cooling it, and making it more comfortable and easier to breathe. In more humid areas, the indirect type is more popular because it can actually dehumidify while cooling much like compressor based air conditioners. The indirect type (like I use), can actually remove up to a gallon of water from the air an hour. In overly humid areas, I actually need to drain the excess water from mine, every 6-8 hours. An automatic overflow system could be arranged, I just don’t have one on my home made system. My swamp cooler uses under 2 amps @ 12v, and is capable of keeping inside temperatures in the 70’s or below, even when parked in direct sunlight. I seek shade whenever possible, but it isn’t always available, so having the means to beat direct sun is crucial for me, because I live and work inside my van, not just out of my van.
Finally, add a spill proof travel water bowl for your pooch, so they can get a drink whenever they want.
There is also heating/cooling clothing and accessories available for both humans and pets. 12v heating & cooling seat cushions and blankets are also available.
Cheers!
"Be the reason someone smiles today!" ~ Van_Dweller
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Awesome! Great advise.
Any knowledge on taking pets from country to country?
Greetings!
Not really, but I’d make sure they have all their shots, and look into some kind of insurance.
Cheers!
"Be the reason someone smiles today!" ~ Van_Dweller
I don’t think travelling is an easy job if you are planning with a naughty dog but yes, if she is obedient, then it’s all fine.
First of all, I would recommend you to take better care of her food because on a monthly basis there are some bad news coming about food companies recalls. Hopefully, you are aware of Hell’s Dog Food recalls. You can read this article about dog food companies’ recalls. The primary purpose of making you aware of good dog food because many food brands cause diarrhoea that is not a good situation if you are travelling with a pet.
Secondly, you must follow a proper travel-feeding schedule because improper feeding can also hurt the health of your dog.
Don’t allow your dog to ride his head outside the window while travelling. Similarly, don’t leave her in the parked vehicle even you have all security arrangements because it could be risky.
As you travelling from one country to another country, then you should bring your pet’s vaccination records like Rabies vaccination, Lyme vaccination and other medical records along with you.
Make sure your dog’s travelling kit has everything that is required for this journey like pet’s first aid kit, travel papers, food, medicine, oils, shampoo, grooming supplies etc.
Also, you must hang a microchip and collar tag in your dog’s neck for identification. Better to go with soft collars because hard ones can hurt your dog.
I would also recommend you to use waterproof seat covers to avoid wet seat issues while travelling.
I hope these pieces of advice would be helpful.
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Hi. I live full time in my van with my Pitt and my Jack Russell and so long as you follow the excellent advice above, you shouldn’t have any problems. All I would add is to put the effort into training your dog properly,and most importantly whether you live in a van or a house, exercise ! A under exercised dog in a confined space is an unhappy and destructive pain,a well exercised tired dog in a van is a happy, easy to manage, wonderful companion in basically big luxury kennel. I specialise in taking on agressive rescue dogs that no one else wants. 20 years of turning apparently dangerous dogs into loving travel companions and best friends has taught me a lot and completely changed my life ! Always happy to pass on any knowledge where understanding and training your dog is concerned. Remember rule No.1 exercise, exercise, exercise ! Good luck in your new challenges. Jon
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Hi - I was wondering if you could please link to the type of swamp cooler (or any similar) you have? I too will be traveling with pets like OP and the one you described sounds perfect. Thanks!
