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Piggy Bank · 07-23-2015, 08:59 PM

Hi everyone,
We have finally purchased our trailer, the Lil' Puppy. It's a 22 Sport 2015 we got "used" (9 months old) from a dealer across the state.

I camped as a kid in a pop up but have never had to deal with backing up, water systems or electrical systems, AC, or camping with a dog along.

And boy oh boy it's going to be a hot weekend. Around 95 and humid.

We are staying at a local state park with electric at the site, and potable water and dump station. So we will be filling the fresh tank once we arrive, and dumping Sunday morning when we depart. Hopefully we will remember all those quick lessons we got at the dealer walk through.

Anyone with checklists or pointers, please share

Also, any advice on the dog when camping? When we are at home he sleeps in a kennel in the cool comfortable lower level. We will bring his foldable kennel to use outside when we are outside too. But we are kind of nervous about the 2 of us and a 90 pound dog chilling out inside the trailer when it is too hot, or when sleeping. It's gonna be tight!

To those of you with big dogs when camping, any insights or advice?

And any advice on staying comfortable in the hot humid weather?

We are going again next weekend as well, to a place about 2 hours away on a lake. So hopefully we will get all of the hard learning over with fairly quickly.

Thanks in advance for your kind words of advice.

Piggy Bank

remphoto · 07-23-2015, 10:03 PM

Advise? Leave your dog at home for the maiden voyage as you will have enough to handle.

. Seriously, you have plenty of room for a dog in a 22 footer. We bring ours (albeit smaller breed) in our 16 footer and she does fine. Only other advice is to fill your water tank at home as you know that water is ok. Also, our trailer tows better with full water tank (which is in front) - yours may, too. Just experiment. And have fun.

kscherzi · 07-23-2015, 10:09 PM

My 75 lb short hair pointer is my buddy. He goes where ever I go (except to work). Wife and I agree he can't be in bed but sleeps on a large dog bed on my side, at home and in the trailer.

All dogs I've had love camping. Just need to take extra precautions to park in shade if driving anywhere.

Ahab · 07-24-2015, 09:06 AM

We never found bad water in a State Park. We do have an inline filter on the hose. Unless boondocking, we travel with just a few gallons in the tank. We leave the dinette converted as a bed and use sleeping bags. (ours is the early model Sport) Our two Standard poodles slept on the coach or under the bed if there was a thunder storm. We have only one now. They love camping and never presented a problem.

Nomad518 · 07-24-2015, 09:07 AM

As soon as you arrive at your campsite, connect to power and turn on your AC. This will allow your trailer to cool down while you're finishing your setup. Your dog should be fine if you keep him with you. If it's too hot for you outside, it's too hot for your dog. Don't be afraid to spend time inside your trailer in the heat of the day with the AC running. And, don't be afraid to have your dog inside with you. We have a big Golden Retriever and he goes everywhere with us. He is part of our family and traveling with our AS wouldn't be the same without him. If we're outside our trailer during the day when it's hot, we extend the awning and sit in the shade. Our dog lays down in the shade. Sometimes he will crawl under the trailer to find a spot that's cooler. Dogs are smarter than we think.

KJRitchie · 07-24-2015, 09:33 AM

I'm going out after work, taking my Tzu. She stays in the truck with the AC on until I've finished setting up. Tomorrow will be 96 but hopefully a little cooler at the lake (south Missouri). When you get to the site and hook up to shore power open a vent in the trailer and turn on the AC to max. The AC air will start to push out the hot air. Your trailer will cool down faster than mine.

Keep the fridge on max setting. Hopefully your site is in shade. I pack my beer and other drinks in a separate cooler so I don't have to keep opening the fridge so much. When using the fridge open the door grab what you want and close the door quickly. Don't stand with the fridge door open checking things out. All the cold air will dump.

If you have a table fan bring that to put outside when sitting under the awning. I see a lot of people do that around here. I'm going to try it this weekend.

You'll work out dealing with your large dog after a few trips. My dog is small so she is usually no hassle.

Kelvin

RyeL · 07-24-2015, 09:37 AM

It's obvious, but I'll say it anyway, have a big bowl of water for your dog in your trailer and outside. We have aa very fun chocolate Lab, 65 lbs, and she goes everywhere with us. I have a fleece blanket folded in quarters that is at the foot of the bed where she sleeps.

Besides the dog you said you don't have experience backing up a trailer. This is what my father taught me. For a low trailer when you can see over it, and you can modify this technique backing up a big trailer too, put your left hand at the bottom of the steering wheel and then look over your right shoulder. When you want the trailer to go left, push your hand that direction, and to the right, push it to the right, all with your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel while looking over your right shoulder through the middle of your car/truck. Without the viability looking over the trailer this will be more difficult but you'll get a sense of the technique. The biggest error you'll make at first is over correcting. It's very subtle turns of the steering wheel. Once the trailer starts to really get out of shape don't feel back to stop, go forward and straighten it out again, and start again. I highly suggest you find an empty parking lot as you leave on your trip, and practice a little bit, with your partner outside guiding you, with nothing to hit. Good for you, and good to get practice for your partner guiding you and your communication.

Last but not least, when you go to dump your tanks, dump the sewer tank/black water tank first, then the gray water tank to flush out the drain hose. Also, a rule in our trailer, any serious business we use the campground bathrooms. So we're only holding pee in the tank. My brother does the same thing in his huge diesel RV. No real big issue or reason, just seems easier to flush to me with no solid waste in the tank.

Have a great trip.

Rye

KJRitchie · 07-24-2015, 09:54 AM

Usually, at a site without water hook ups I'll run several bowls of water down the toilet before heading to the dump station so there is more to flush. I have a couple of Coleman collapsible 5 gal water containers and a 3 gal container which I bring to such sites. I can then go to the campground water spigots and get more water if needed. I purchased a small water pump and run it off my trailer batteries or a jump start battery so I can pump the water in the tank rather then lifting the water up to a funnel which never seems to stay in place on the filler.

Kelvin

splintair · 07-24-2015, 10:56 AM

Take pictures, take notes and make sure you have plenty of water out for your pup.

texasvette · 07-24-2015, 11:14 AM

We just came back from a campout and the weather was very bright and sunny with temps up to 103. Two yorkies and we were in a teardrop with air conditioning. Do things early in the morning or in the evening.Try to find a shady spot. Be prepared to keep dog inside for sure and what they said, water, water, water. I envy you though, we don't have an AS (yet).

CLKIESER · 07-24-2015, 11:17 AM

Take the dog! You will have fur-ever memories of it along on your maiden voyage. I have two that go with me everywhere they are allowed to go. I love their company, and I LOVE their early warning system if I'm camping alone (yes, they bark). My only worry on hot days if I have to leave them is what would happen if the power went out or my AC malfunctioned. I leave a battery operated fan running on the floor that would provide relief for a while. We usually don't go away from camp for long if they are in the MH.

Good advice above on backing up with your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel. I don't think of it as turning the wheel, rather I 'point' the bottom of the steering wheel in the direction I want the back of the trailer to go. When I learned, I took my horse trailer to a church parking lot that was empty, and practiced backing it up, getting to know the corrections. Within 1/2 hour, I was able to back it into a parking spot between the lines from a right angle.

Always use your mirrors when backing up. Every time I look over my shoulder, I mess up. FEATHER LIGHT corrections are key, it takes very little to crank the trailer too far. Yes, if you get cranked up, stop, pull forward, and try again. Don't get impatient with yourself.

Most of all, have a great time, and always look at it as an adventure!

m.hony · 07-24-2015, 11:19 AM

Advice?
Go have fun!
How's that for advice-

HAschner · 07-24-2015, 11:48 AM

On the refrigerator topic: When we are camping on hot weather or on the road I group food items by meal as much as possible and even put the items for each meal into a plastic grocery store bag. That way I can open grab and shut the door in a couple of seconds.

tjdonahoe · 07-24-2015, 12:30 PM

Take your dog, mine stays under the trailer when out side,it is evidently cooler under there with a breeze....

Peggy Wilson · 07-24-2015, 12:32 PM

We camp with two dogs. They have their own bag, and I ALWAYS have Benadryl for emergencies such as bee stings and snake bites. We saved a dog in CA from a rattle snake bite using Benadryl.

trigal · 07-24-2015, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texasvette

We just came back from a campout and the weather was very bright and sunny with temps up to 103. Two yorkies and we were in a teardrop with air conditioning. Do things early in the morning or in the evening.Try to find a shady spot. Be prepared to keep dog inside for sure and what they said, water, water, water. I envy you though, we don't have an AS (yet).

Get that AS Texasvette! You will love! Traded teardrop, took delivery 25ft FC. It's the best!

68 TWind · 07-24-2015, 03:24 PM

Take a big box fan or a pedestal fan for a breeze under the awning (and extension chord). We camped last week and it was hot and very humid in middle Tennessee but with the fan it was bearable to sit outside.
Couple of more tips, first is to start a check list on your computer. Add to or take away items before each trip. My wife prints out our list before every long trip and we go over with a high lighter to check off items to take or things go do. Amazing how many times we would have forgotten something without the list. Over time you can hone it to suit your needs. Second, get a thermometer for the fridge. Oh, one last tip, is to duplicate all the little kitchen items and gadgets that you use every day at home in the trailer. Knives, skillets, wine glasses, etc. That way they are always with you and it saves time and makes camper life go much smoother.

Final comment on water tank. We only carry about 5 gallons in our fresh tank for flushing the toilet if we stop for lunch. Water is 8 lbs/gallon so 30 gallons is another 240 lbs to tow. No need to fill your tank at the campground either as you will be using "city water". We do use a filter on the inlet and generally drink bottled water.

basecamper · 07-24-2015, 06:09 PM

We used to worry when we needed to be away all day, if the weather was very hot....worried what would happen to our cat if the power went out or if the air conditioner broke down. We discovered Temperature Alert. It's a device (with battery back-up) that monitors temperature and power every 15 minutes. You can check the temperature and power status any time through the Temperature Alert app on your mobile phone. You can also set an upper temperature limit, and if the temperature reaches that point, you will be notified by a phone call/email to your mobile phone. Also, if the power goes out, you will be notified in the same way. Using ATT cellular service, it costs $21 a month....and you can pause service for the months you don't need it. It gives peace of mind during those hot months.

NavyCorpsman · 07-24-2015, 08:43 PM

Well, I think it's easier to cool off on a hot day than it is to stay warm on a cold day....Our dogs LOVE ice water when it gets crazy hot. A dogs normal temp runs apprx 102F, factor in the fur coat and hat it doesn't take long to have a hot dog. (Pun intended, or is that bun intended?) You can tell when they get overheated...They cant hold their licker.....

CJ Winch · 07-25-2015, 11:19 AM

Take plastic liter bottles and fill 2/3's with water, freeze them. Put them around your dog's bed or inside his kennel to keep him cool - he can also lick the condensation! We've traveled all over the country with our 110lb malamute - he did fine. That's the reason we have a trailer - so our pets can come with us!