New Puppy!! (w/picture) Suggestions??

[Chaz]

Yup, I'm about to be a proud poppa again.    He is an Australian Blue Heeler. It will be at least 3 weeks before I can go and get him.
  I had a female, Tilli, for 17 1/2 years. She was my Dad's absolute pride and joy!!! They were the BEST of buddies!! Totally a scene from a Norman Rockwell painting. I could just tell you so many cool and cute stories about them. She was MY dog,  but HIS grandchild!!!   lololol  She would beg to go home with him at night. But anyway..............

  But this thread isn't just about my new bundle of joy,  I was curious about those of you who travel with "four legged and furry children". How do you do it? What do you do? what are the drawbacks? (of which I'm sure there are many, ie. campgrounds, etc.)
  I like Australian Blue Heelers because they are so smart. (Honestly, I could just about "talk" to Tilli.) So if this little fellow turns out to be the "norm", I should be able to train him to do whatever.
I wonder if Ceasar (The "Dog Whisperer") has any info on puppies? (By the way, GREAT show on National Geographic Channel on Friday nights.)

  So, what am I in for???
    Chaz
 

[bobofthenorth]

We got nuestra gatito jorgito specifically to have company when we go on the road fulltime starting this fall.  Previous cats we have been owned by have not been the best travellers but we reasoned that we would get George accustomed to travel from an early age.  He has just turned one and has already logged probably 3000 miles.  He's getting better.  He doesn't yowl like some cats do when they travel.  He doesn't turn green like his predecessor did.  His tummy still gets a little upset so we cut back his rations on travel days.  We probably would have had a dog if the pound had any cute dogs the day Marilyn went looking for a pet.  As it turned out the first cat she brought home was deathly ill and ended up dying within a month but while we were doctoring him we met George who had been impounded by the local vet.  So things worked out well for George.  I would have serious difficulty picking up dog $hit so I'm not all that torn up by not having a dog.  I tell people that my favorite kind of dog is somebody elses.

I think the important thing is to get the pet accustomed to your lifestyle, whatever that may be.  In our case that means that Jorgito is strictly an indoors cat.  It means that he is getting used to being on a leash.  I even take him for walks.  That started out as taking him for a drag but now he sort of leads.  He is much happier when he thinks he is going home but he does lead and the exercise is good for him. 

I also believe that a travelling animal needs to be extra healthy.  The stress of travel will make them more susceptible to disease and travel will expose them to everything that is out there.  That means you need to make sure that all the necessary shots are up to date and I believe it also means that you shouldn't let your pet get grossly out of shape.  Some pets seem to naturally regulate their diet but we have all seen plenty of pets that are grossly obese.  This is no healthier for a pet than it is for a human.  We have jorgito on a strict diet.  He thinks he is starving to death but his coat is sleek, his eyes are bright, he has energy to burn and he has grown to full body size.  He's just not getting fat.  He'd like to get fat, no doubt about that but I don't think we are harming him by controlling his intake and I think we are in fact doing him a great favour.

As far as bus mods to accomodate the cat - the private $hit house is all he has so far.  His scratching post is going out there the minute we become fulltime.  His favorite spot to sleep is under the couch but there isn't room there for his little cat bed so he sleeps on the rug.  He likes to have a window open enough so he can smell the outdoors and listen to the birds so I try to make sure he has my ticket window open in the evening so he has somewhere to go in the morning.  He also likes to look out the front windows so we leave a corner of the window cover open at night so he can look out in the morning.

[Chaz]

Sounds pretty good.
I got Tilli because they are athletic dogs. (some might read "hyper"  ) They are fantastic frisbee dogs and I know they need their exercise. So frisbee is an excellent way for them to burn it off and me to just enjoy.
  Tilli also rode on the back of my Harley, so I familiar about "breaking them in". 

 

[JackConrad]

Chaz,
    Congratulations on your new family member.
   We had 2 Blue Heeler's, but we used our working cattle. They loved to run all day. If not working cattle, they would spend hours chasing dragon flies. When we started traveling, they could not get near as much exercise as they were used to. They did not seem happy traveling, so we gave them to a friend that has a ranch. They are now back to working cattle and chasing dragon flies. I agree about them be one of the smartest dogs and "how bout that cattle dog smile"?  Ours were adults before we tried traveling with them. Had we started with them as puppies, I am sure it would have been different.
  We do travel with 2 Bengal (1/6th Asian leopard) cats. We have never had a minutes problem traveling with them. If we haven't traveled for a couple months the male will sometimes howl for a while (maybe 30-45 minutes) when we first start out, but no problem after that. We have never had either one get sick while traveling. Both these cats started traveling when they were 8 months old.
  Because our cats are semi exotic, we carry all the papers and a current vets exam and history of all their vaccinations.  Jack

[skihor]

Our dog just went on his first bus trip over Labor Day weekend. Usually we just left him with my folks but it was time for him to go along. He is two years old now. My wife got a back pack, (made for this purpose), to put "Squirt" in. We bought him some "Doggles" to wear, and hit the freeway. He was nervous at first as his "Home" was rocking and rolling down the road. after a couple of hours it was fine. He's really stressed if we leave him in the bus alone, but in time he'll get used to that. Usually if we take the bus somewhere we have the bikes along and he can ride along. HE REALLY DIGS ridin' on the Harley. Mostly on my wifes bike, but sometimes with me. Pretty much anywhere you have to keep them on a leash. That's ok with me because if he sees a rabbit, bird, etc... he wants to chase it. As far as places/trails etc.. that don't allow pets, all you have to do is quote the "American Disabillity Act of 1992" IF your pet is a service animal you can NOT be denied access with your pet. You do NOT have to produce any documentation to support that. We just tell anyone he warns of an upcoming seizure, END OF DISCUSSION.
As far as stopping for a rest I need as much or more stopping as the dog does. Be a responsible owner and pick up after your pet. 
The cat, on the other hand, goes on alert when he hears the bay door open. If he hears the Master disconnect switch he's GONE. He hates the bus. When we moved out here from Oregon we had to drug him. I just have a safe place for him to hang out while we're gone. My nephew feeds/waters him for a few $$$.

Don & Sheila

[jackhartjr]

Chaz, way back in my limited memory I remember reading about a bus nut that had cut an access hole so the dog or cat could go down in the bays.
Jack

[Chaz]

Actually Jack, I have that!!  The PO had cut a trap door down into the middle bay for the kids to go down in while they were cruisin. I know some folks are not a big fan of that idea, but he had the whole thing foamed up and paneled. They have 4" thick foam mattresses in there and a TV/VCR frenched into the wall. It is quite cool. But that space will now house my Harley.
I don't want to give up that door and thought that may come in useful. Most people have "crates" that their animal becomes very comfortable with and they like to stay in them. I may try that for his sleeping quarters.
  One of my main hopes is that he has good "control"!     Tilli had excellent "control" and could stand a full day if she had to. (and did!!!  My bad!!!!  )
 
  Thanx for the thought!
        chaz

[JohnEd]

Chaz,

Please do not hear me knocking your choosen breed, I am not.  Heelers get mixed reviews as pets.  I read a piece a couple years ago that Heelers are not considered pets in their native Austrailia but are considered a no-nonsense cattle dog that has domestication issues.  That was the supposed Aussie position/posture.  That article said that "on the ranch" the Heelers stayed off to themselves and usually had dens under some outbuilding and accompanied the rancher only when he sadled up.  If you read the AKC temperment description you have to read between the lines as they are loath to come out and be critical of any breed.  Better safe than sorry as having to part with a pet is serious sadness.  I lost 4 dogs in one year, two that were both over 14 were taken by cancer and a third was put down by the breeder due to a serious latent birth defect and a car got the fourth.  Talk about tears.  Currently have two Manchester Terriers that RULE the roost and have already cornered a burgular "till help arrived".  Socialize your puppy early and often.  The rule is that they meet 100 people before they are 12 weeks old and I know a breeder that advertises that he has pups and invites people to bring their kids and pets over to meet and greet.  Getting other dogs and bitches to interact with your pup will serve to minimize his agressive tendancies to other animals.

I visit a dog park many times during the week and being around other breeds gives you a feel for their common temperments.  For instance....you will NEVER find a Min Pin at a park.  In four years I saw two of those and one was half Mexican Ch. and the other "looked" min but was too large and didn't have papers.  The AKC says "may tend to be agressive" about Mins.  Heelers are a popular breed here in Orygun but i don't think I have met 3 in all the years I have gone to the parks.

Was at the park early this summer and this guy rode up on a bicycle pulling s small trailer.  On the trailer he had a 90+pound Pit Bull Terrier.  That dog had massive scars all over his muzzle and shredded ears and a set of testicles the size of a tennis ball.  It walked stiff legged and froze and stared when it stopped.  That posturing flags serious agression and you didn't have to be a canine officianado to understand that the chill you felt when you looked at that critter meant danger.  The guy looked like he and the dog were well matched and he had a 12 inch sheath knife hanging from his belt.  Cocker Spaniels and poodles and terriers and Dachshounds were running to and fro chasing each other and balls as is the norm.  Nobody had a care in the world except maybe half the owners that were scrambling to get their pet collected and held.  I walked over to this guy, greeted him cordially and commented on the powerfull look of his Pit.  He replied that "yeah and he don't take no $#!% from noth'in".  So the tone was set.  I told the guy that there were new rules at the park and that maybe he had not been informed.  He scoffed and said "what rules, I pay taxes and can take my dog anywhere I want".  I gave my most sincere assurance that I had served many years in the miletary to protect his freedoms and I took no issue with his prerogative and asked that he trust in my sincerity on that.  I then went on to explain that we, those of us that frequent the park regularly, no longer hold the animal responsible for their actions but rather we were now holding the owner responsible.  To his blank look I added "what that means to you is that if your Pit kills my 20 pound terrier for no good reason, I will cut off one of you F'n arms and I will choose which arm.  That is not a threat and I will sign a contract with you to that effect."  He said " you are out of your F'n mind, you old $#!%".  I got up real close and said " thats my point my young friend, you think you are the only LUNITIC running around on the loose out here and that isn't true."  A friends 12 pound Jack Russel , at that point came up next to the Pit and while standing on his rear legs put a friendly front paw on the Pit's shoulder while wagging his stumpy tail happily.  The Idiot lunged for his Pit and throttled it by the neck with a loud "NO!".  He then turned to me and said "you crazy sh1t, you can't do that to a Pit". and left with his dog in close tow.  A firend there said "Thank God, John.   That dog has gotten loose three times and in every case it has killed a dog and the last was a Golden in its own back yard and the Pit ran through the fence to get at him.  After he killed it he chewed the legs off of the carcass".  Mom and Dad came home from shopping to find their "Baby".   Well this is a horror story and be sure I go to the park for the joy of seeing my pets romp and interact with everyone elses and it is a very nice thing to do for our "kids" and ourselves.  Early socialization is important to allow the maximum reasonable freedom.  They call me the "old softy" now with a grin but my real name is "Merlin's Daddy".

"Never, and I mean NEVER, trust a man that DOES NOT like dogs"  is what I tell the young girls at the park.  To date, every one has answered "ow, for sure" or something like that.  I didn't asy doesn't have one, please note.

I envy you your all-to-short puppy period.  Mine will, in all probably, out live me and the wife.

John

[FloridaCliff]

Chaz,

I have a heeler as one of my three outside dogs.

She is a really good dog and is known as mine by the kids.

Jack had me cracking up as mine also chases dragon flies in the pasture.  "Don't land in my field"

She does the same with Turkey Vultures and Egrets. 

She will chase my son around on his four wheeler and jump in the stock tank to cool off.

I think they are a great dog and probably the smartest breed I have owned.

Loyal to a fault.

Best of luck

Cliff

[Chaz]

Thanx John................................................................(wow )  lol
  That is a neat rule of thumb about meeting 100 people. I can see how that would really be the ticket. I appreciate that insight and I'm actually going to try to achieve that!! (hell, I made Hero Member, didn't I!?!?) lol
  I took Tilli EVERYWHERE with me. She was well known around here. I guess I did something like that rule of thumb without knowing it. And she was with Dad cuisin around whenever she wasn't with me. He is going to be soooo surprised!!!!  I can't wait!!!

  Damn Cliff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I knew I liked ya for some dumb reason!!!!!    LOLOLOLOLOLOL  (even tho I am a "Yankme"!    BUT, at least I'm not a "Damn Yankee". I understand those are the one's that come down and don't go home!!! LOLOLOLOLOLOL
  I too am pretty loyal to the breed. When I wanted to get a dog before I had gotten Tilli, I researched a bit and Heelers are what I came up with. Smarts and athletic ability were at the top of the list. And i like the size. But I prefer the shorter end of the spectrum.

    Do you ever take yours with you or are they strictly outside?

    Thanx guys!!!!!!
        Chaz       
           (startin to look for Cigars!  )

[skihor]

Since we live full time in our bus I had to do something about letting the dog and cat out. I cut a "pet door" into the face of the second step. (I had to use some angle iron to stiffen the sides as cutting the hole made the step weak). That leads to the spare tire compartment. It just so happens that the spare tire is the same height as the bottom of the door, so the dog and cat have something to walk on to clear the door. I have the bumper proped open with a short 2X4 against the spare. No litter box and if the dog needs to go he does. REMEMBER TO LOCK THE DOOR IF TRAVELING!!!

Don & Sheila

[Chaz]

That's interesting Don. I'm not familiar with your bus, but it sounds like a cool idea.

[skihor]

1967 MCI 5A. the smallest pet door just barely fit.

Don & Sheila

[Cary and Don]

We travel with a 80lb Belgian Malinois, the breed the military and police department are using.  He was passed over because he was just too "mellow".

He loves to travel with us.  He started at about nine months.  He will sit outside the bus all day watching the world go by.  He sleeps on the top step inside.  We go on fequent walks and kong chasing trips.

The most important things to keep your dog in a rv park or campground is to clean up after it with the little doggie bag, make sure he is social and, most important, NO BARKING.  Barking will get you thrown out ASAP. So start early, with telling him "no" about barking.  If something comes too close to us at night, our dog will become alert, maybe a low growl, but no barking.

Don and Cary
GMC4107

[JackConrad]

Jack had me cracking up as mine also chases dragon flies in the pasture.  "Don't land in my field"

Yeah, and the amazing thing is that occasionaly I would see him get one out of the air 4-5' off the ground!