We are getting a chocolate labrador puppy in a couple of weeks and plan to go on our first trip 10th April to the lakes for a few days. The puppy will be about 10 and half weeks old. Is this too young to take the puppy away? This is all new to us as we have never had a dog. Were is the best place for a puppy to sleep when we are caravanning? We have a large crate for home but it won`t fit in the caravan. Thanks for any replies.
Best thing is to use a dog cage, you can use this in the house/car/caravan. The dog quickly accepts this as a safe place and also prevents it from chewing everything in site, which most labs love to do.
Enjoy!!!!
------------- Tomorrow never comes, yesterday never leaves and it is always today
If the crate is too big ( I would advise against the pup sleeping in the awning) for the caravan then until he is old enough too walk on the ground itself ( due to vaccinations etc) then I would advise against going.
We didn't go away in our trailer tent until Flash ( Black Lab) was slightly over 12 weeks old.
Also there isn't as much to chew in a TT than a caravan.
Is the pup fully housetrained? We were lucky as Flash was fully housetrained within a week.
Chocolate Labs can be known to take longer to train than the black or yellow labs.
You will have a bit of a problem with toileting/walking your pup as they must not walk/play on ground where other possibly unvaccinated dogs have been until your pup's vaccinations are fully effective. (about16 weeks) Most folk just keep their new pup in their own back garden to play until that time. On a campsite other dogs could have walked anywhere. You could put a plastic groundsheet down and keep him on that, but would have to be prepared to scoop and wash up every poo/wee with disinfectant. My old boy is a brown flatcoat retriever who is 15 now, and still loves caravanning. He has always slept in the back of the estate or 4x4 car at night on a fluffy bed cushion. He knows we will not go anywhere without him and feels safe. Perhaps a dog crate in the car would work?
Be very aware that dogs chew - we took our red setter -left him in the van 10 minutes - new windows, new curtsin track, new door blah blah blah. Cost me a small fortune to put it right. Either a lockable crate or Leave in the kennels. Check with your vet re vaccinations - I cant quite remember.
we at different times have taken our dogs away black labs both there at the same age as yours, and we had no problem, if you have a awning and put a windbreak, up all the way round makes it a saft area, for toilet and play,and to keep out other dogs, he will soon get use to it, now my eldest dog is 6 and baby she is nearly 2, both love the caravan and respect it no chewing,or problems never used a cage but my son does in the tent for his boxers,
A tip i found from a friend while away in the van, from a early age when they wee or poo, praise them and give the motion a name, we use quick quic!!! as they preform that duty keep saying the name to them, you may look a prat doing it!!but worth it as they get older they have learnt when that word is said its time for them to go out and go toilet especially if you want to go out,!!! tired them out so much chasing around the windbreak area ,and we even went to the club in evening and they slept no problem,
Thanks for all your replies and answers. I think we are just going to see what the vet says regarding vaccinations. I know the breeder we are getting the pup from is giving her first vaccination at six weeks so hopefully the next ones will be due at 9 weeks so we would be okay to take the pup. We have been researching regarding crates and it looks like the one we have bought is too large and the pup is likely to use one area for sleeping and one area for toileting purposes, so we are going to invest in a smaller one which may fit in the caravan. There is no way we be letting the pup loose on its own in the caravan until it is trained not to chew(hopefully).
Your going to have some sleepless nights ahead of you,its like having a new baby.
I would definately start using the crate straight away if you are planning to put your pup in it in the caravan,other wise you will get one very upset whining bundle in a strange cage and unfirmiliar surroundings of the caravan.
It only took a week to house train my lab,try and be on the ball as soon as the pup wakes up take him/her out on the grass. i did the same as ian and jane,i said to mine every time "lets go and have a wee wee" and as soon as the business is done lots of praise.This performance was even done at 3 in the morning but it paid off.
We started off using a crate but as ours out grew it we didn"t bother getting a larger one now we not only have the cat sharing our bed but also a 5 stone lab it can be quite a squash some nights(the morale of this story - buy the bigger crate)
We took a 9 week old pup with us whilst camping in a folding camper (Conway) - we bought one of these as it fitted in the walkway of the camper, is light weight, folds flat, easy to erect etc.. - you can even get them use to it at home first. Take some home comforts with you like the dog blanket or some of your old clothing that the dog can sleep on.
I have no connection with this company and i think we got ours from e-bay anyway.
We took outr puppy when he was 8 weeks - we got him on the Thursday and took him caravanning on the Friday! He was fine, the only thing he chewed was the ends of my hair each morning to wake me up. And he's a collie, they chew EVERYTHING. We were probably abit naughty but we walked him before his 2nd injections and let him run about the fields, but he's a picture of health! We never had him in a cage as personally I don't agree with them but that's only my opinion, He slept under our bed along with our other dog.
our dog is 7 and we have taken her caravanning since she was 10 weeks old and have had no bother you must start as you mean to go on when we are away misty out gsd never leaves the pitch and she is never tied up when she was a puppy everytime she venture off our pitch she was told to come back you have to watch her like a hawk at first but they soon learn bet of luck anne
Make sure you have a few trial runs to get her used to travelling in the car - otherwise she could do a wee sicky and then it would put her off car travel. Take her on a few short trips first - say just 1/2 mile or down to the shop and back so she gets used to the motion. I would back up too what the others have said - public areas where un-vaccinated dogs may have been can be very dangerous before her vaccinations have taken effect and built up an immunity. Also, take loads of kitchen rolls! She will love it tho, all dogs seem to love camping and caravanning.
Pam
------------- Sometimes You're the windscreen; sometimes the fly
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Caravanning with a puppy
