RVing with Pets
Doggie duffles protects pets on the RV road
by Christy Powers

Traveling with pets will be much more enjoyable if you have all the essentials. Pack a doggie duffle and check the list before putting it on board for each trip. Any soft sided bag with a few pockets, a long shoulder strap and shorter handles for hand carrying is perfect for shoving under a seat. Naturally, the dog's health records will go into one of the pockets.

Higgins is packed and ready to hit the road. His doggie duffle contains what he will need whether it is for a weekend or a month in the RV. Photo Christy Powers

In one pocket, have a piece of paper or index card with a list of everything that needs to be included in this bag for a trip. 3X5 index cards come in handy for this purpose and so do many other uses including grocery and to-do lists. Have a stack of them and don’t forget to put a pen in that pocket as well. You will constantly be adding to this list as you go along.

Most important item – clean up bags. Fold top sandwich bags work great if you feed a good food and the residue is not too large. Boxes of 100 are inexpensive and take up very little space.

Leashes are a must. The flexible extension leashes are great where there is space for the dogs to move around a bit after a long drive. For more confined spaces, have a 4 to 6 foot leash for each pet. I make 6 foot leashes from webbing and snaps available at hardware stores. Chew proof tie outs are a necessity whether you are parked for the night or a week. They come in a variety of lengths from six feet to 20 feet. Different sizes work for different circumstances so it is helpful to have several lengths.

Keep grooming supplies together in some sort of case or bag so they are handy at home but are ready to go into the duffle before hitting the road. A good slicker brush, steel comb, nail clippers, tweezers for taking out  stickers and other unwanted objects and a pair of scissors plus a vial of styptic powder are the basics. Don't forget the dog's tooth brush and paste. A men’s toiletries bag, preferably with a carrying handle, works well.

Two terry towels for wiping wet and dirty feet should be in the duffle. The smaller hand towel size dries quickly and when one is dirty, you have a dry, clean spare.

FOR EMERGENCIES, like when your dog rolls in dead fish or some other ghastly smelly thing, no rinse shampoo is a life saver. Hopefully you will not need it but just in case. Something new that I wish I would have invented is pet wipes. Made by 3M, these are similar to people wipes except they are bigger, tougher and have aloe and vitamin E to clean and moisturize. The paper dispenser holds eight wipes so they are easy to pack in the duffle.

Another handy item is the Absorb-A-Towel. This is a brand name but these are cloths –a combination between a sponge and a chamois. You get them wet, squeeze them out, and they pull moisture out of a wet dog. When damp, they pull an amazing amount of dust and dirt off of your dog without having a bath. They also are super for washing the RV and windows. Ask for them at a pet store or check pet supply catalogs. A similar product is sold at auto supply stores.

Send your questions or comments to Christy Powers at cpwrather@earthlink.net.

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