10 Things I Learned RVing Across the Country with a Dog

3. Happen upon New Adventures 

Find out what activities are going on near where you are staying. We did this a few ways. You can also buy a local paper or do an Internet search. But, when I was walking Seymour, people tend to talk to us more than if I was walking alone. So, I would ask them if they knew what we were going on in the area. We once ended up at an Abraham Lincoln street festival where many people were dressed like the President and there was free cake and drinks, music and art booths. Seymour was happy to get a few pets from some children, a chance to check out some new smells, and a nice bowl of water from a friendly vendor. We had the most fun finding these local festivals that cost very little money.

4. Plan for Your Safety

Having a dog means walking him regularly, day and night. New sites, smells and trees, with a dose of some new people fawning over him, are Seymour’s favorite parts of traveling. Sometimes we would be driving in the evening and Seymour would start whining to go out. I would take a flashlight, my cell phone and a bottle of wasp spray. Why wasp spray? I was told that it would spray 10 to 12 feet so in case someone was coming at you, you could spray and have a chance to run. I haven’t needed to use it but I feel safer having it at night. I also kept it by my bed in the camper – just in case.

Having a 7-pound dog is probably not much of a deterrent but if someone doesn’t see him and only hears him, he can sound pretty fierce. Maybe a bumper sticker that says “Beware of my Bull Dog” would also work.

5. Don’t Think You Can’t Go to Tourist Attractions because You Have a Dog

Yes, there are some places that won’t allow pets. Some state parks had walking trails with a “No Dogs” sign. I don’t know why they just couldn’t say “Pick up after your dogs”. I wish the USA was as pet friendly as Europe, but it is getting a little better. We couldn’t do the NASA tour but I was allowed to take Seymour on the Duck Tour in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Sometimes a place that usually says “no pets allowed” is more lenient when tourism is down. So, when in doubt, ask. I was also able to take Seymour on the ferry to New Orleans. There was no one around to ask, so I just put him in his carrier on the boat. Even though he peeked out the top, no one said anything.

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