My Interview with Pet Traveler Magazine

I was asked by “Pet Traveler” magazine to answer some questions in an interview over the internet. As I am not very bashful, I thought I would share my answers with you. They were interested in my view of traveling with humans in an RV and how I was treated as a representative dog at various dog parks and other places we visited.

We started RVing in our Winnebago Vectra Motorhome and stayed in some nice places.

Pet Traveler: “How long have you been traveling with humans in the large moving box?”

Reggie (that’s me): “Dad and Mom started moving around in 1998 when they bought this really big thing they called a Winnebago Vectra. It was about 13 big dog lengths long. My first trip was when I was 7 weeks old. Dad says we went to California from Colorado. I don’t remember that trip but he says it was good for me and that I behaved very good. We didn’t start living in the box (Dad says I should call it a motorhome) until about 2001, the year I was born. You’ll have to do the math because I’m using my computer to talk to you and I haven’t learned to do two things at once. (Like use my calculator and type to you at the same time.)

Pet Traveler: “Wow, that’s almost 8 years of traveling around in a motorhome. You must really enjoy it.?”

Reggie: “Yes, it’s fun because I get to experience so many smells and lift my leg all over the place. I own a lot of territory compared to a dog that never leaves his neighborhood.”

RVing allows us to go to beautiful places where I can walk around and smell other dogs, like the Tetons.

Pet Traveler: “When you stop moving in your motorhome, where do you go?

Reggie: “We stay in places called RV Parks. They are great places for us dogs because so many humans take their dogs with them and the humans there really like us. They sometimes have places for us to play but usually we have to find our own places.”

Pet Traveler: “Do the RV Parks make you wear leashes and be tied up all day long?”

Reggie: “Yes, I haven’t been to one yet that allows us to run around freely, but some day that may happen, especially when a dog gets elected President like I almost was. But until then we stay on a leash, except when Dad and Mom takes me out to open places nearby. Usually I spend the day in front of the RV tied to the table with a long cord. It’s not so bad though. Dad and Mom makes sure I have plenty of shade and water to drink and one of them is always inside the RV if I need anything. We have a signal worked out between us. When I jump on the step of the RV (it rocks the RV a bit) Dad and Mom knows to come out and see what I want. Sometimes I’m lonely and just want some company or sometimes I want to come in and lay down on the soft couch, and very rarely I just need to go poop! Somehow we are able to figure it out together.”

Pet Traveler: “Seems to me that they just ought to put a laptop computer outside for you to send them email and just tell them what you want to do.”

Reggie: “I’ve heard them talk about that, but I have a habit of rolling over on the keys when I get sleepy and sometimes I slobber on the keyboard, so they prefer that I use it in the motorhome where they can watch me.”

I like to lie outside the RV watching for intruders.

Pet Traveler: “Are people friendly to you in the RV Parks?”

Reggie: “Most of them are very friendly. They come up to me while I am outside and pet me. Usually they say some stupid human thing, like ‘Boy you are a sleepy head’ or ‘What a good boy you are’, but they are well meaning. And I do enjoy having my head scratched. Some try to give me treats. Mom and Dad don’t like that because I’m allergic to beef products, so I’d tell your human readers: do NOT give treats to dogs without asking their owners. (Gosh that was hard to say.). Also I’d say that not all dogs are as friendly as I am. So, approach a strange dog with caution until you are sure they won’t bite your hand off. It’s good to ask their owners if they are friendly.

Make sure your owners take you for a lot of walks. Its good for both of you and its fun to smell where other dogs have been.

Believe it or not, some people just don’t like dogs, so when we are on a walk, Dad or Mom makes sure that a human likes dogs before they let me greet them. If they don’t say hi to me or ask my name, then they keep me away from the strangers until they address me. Also, some RV Parks have special areas that say ‘No Dogs in this area.’ I guess that’s where all the humans stay that don’t like dogs. (Imagine that!) There aren’t very many parks like that though.”

This great place has a lot of room to explore. It's in Nevada and was one of the first places we visited.

Pet Traveler: “Is there anything humans should know about bringing dogs along in their motorhome?”

Reggie: “Yes. I meet a lot of dogs who complain to me that their owners don’t bring enough food for them and then they have to eat unfamiliar food and they sometimes get sick. Also, sometimes owners forget to keep the water bowl full. (We like to drink both inside and outside, so you’ll probably want to bring two water bowls!) Also, some owners leave their dogs in the motorhome alone for long periods without having the windows open and it gets real hot inside. No wonder they bark. RV Parks don’t like barking dogs. Also, if it’s real hot outside and you get left behind very long with the air conditioner on, someone needs to check on you if the power goes off, or you’ll quickly cook!”

Pet Traveler: “Did you have to train specially to travel in a motorhome?”

Reggie: “Well sort of. Dad and Mom taught me that I should never leave the motorhome when the door is open unless they invite me to and one of them has my leash in their hand. They say ‘release’ and only then do I jump out. That’s because Mom or Dad can see outside the motorhome and will only let me out if there are no dangers (like cars, or vicious dogs or humans, or rain, or snow or, well you know what I mean). Also, I was taught not to pickup and eat things I find along the side of the trail or road because they might be poison or bad for me. It’s hard to resist a good aged piece of meat or candy, but Dad and Mom know best about those things.”

Pet Traveler: “Is there anything else you’d like to tell our readers?”

Reggie: “Yes. Tell the humans that us dogs like to visit with their own kind. Take us to dog parks and let us visit. There are dog parks all over the country and usually not far from an RV Park. Dad’s website (http://www.barksentry.com) has a map of a lot of them and another place (http://www.dogfriendly.com) lists a lot more dog parks and other dog friendly places. Also, please take us for walks a lot. We get bored and we don’t like to pee and poop in our own yard. All RV parks get mad when you poop and their owner doesn’t pick it up. Humans don’t like to step in dog poop for some reason. Ask the RV owners where dogs are allowed to poop. Almost all RV Parks have a special place for that, and it smells real good too!”

One rule: always wait at gates to see if it's ok to go under it. It might be dangerous on the other side.

“Dad also reminds me (he’s reading your questions over my shoulder as we speak.) that humans should make sure that our shots are current (ouch, I hate visits to the Vet) and if you travel much use some medication like REVOLUTION to keep the pesky heartworms, and fleas off of us. Also, make sure they check for ticks a lot because strange places have strange insects that you are not always aware of, especially if you are in the forest or in the bushes a lot”

Lots of places have strange insects. Get your owners to check you for them.

Pet Traveler: “So, humans need to bring a lot of plastic poop bags?”

Reggie: “Yes, but some RV Parks provide plastic bags for you. You have to ask. Dad and Mom use all their left-over bags from shopping at Walmart. There’s nothing better than walking proudly in front of your owner, with him or her carrying that little blue or white bag full of your poop. Makes you real proud to be a dog!”

Sometimes I want to come inside and sleep on the nice soft couch.

Pet Traveler: “Well, our time is up and you have been very helpful. A last question. Would you recommend traveling in one of those motorhomes to all our dog readers?”

Reggie: “Oh yes. It’s lots of fun, you get to meet so many other dogs and humans, the smells are great, and it beats just laying around the backyard all day. The view out the window is always changing when you are moving. Just make sure your humans know to prepare for you when they are packing. Bring your food bowl, a water dish or two (and make sure you have water while you are moving), plenty of your favorite food, towels for your feet (when it rains or snows), a brush to get out those stickers you’ll run into, tweezers (to take off ticks that you’ll see in strange places), your familiar toys, your leash and tie-out leash and definitely most of all, plenty of treats.”

Well, I hope you enjoyed my interview and I’m hoping to see you on the road.

Sometimes when I'm sleeping, I'm dreaming of running free. Dad says my legs actually move as I sleep.

Arf,

Reggie