Our first night in the RV with our dog.

[Kinsa]

After visiting with my niece for a few days so our dog could become reacquainted with our family, last night my niece brought her to our camper to stay.

 

My niece and her fiance stayed for about an hour while we transferred all the "doggie stuff" from her car to our RV, then they drove away.

 

Our dog was confused. She whimpered when they drove away, and she sat and watched the road for about an hour to see if they were going to come back.

 

Eventually the boys distracted her enough that she played with them for a while before it was time for us all to go to bed for the night.

 

She wandered around a little bit during the night trying to find her spot. Eventually she decided the spot on the floor between the two tables was going to be the place.

 

Now here's something weird: she would NOT go up the two steps to my bedroom. I tried several times throughout the night to have her come to my bedroom, but she wouldn't go. She was obviously afraid of something, but I'm not sure what. So strange!

 

This morning I finally coaxed her into my bedroom, but she was still very scared to be there. What in the world do you think that's all about?

 

Anyway, today she is doing okay. She's enjoying the attention from the boys and being outdoors most of the time. She did develop some bad habits while she was with my niece - habits that we will have to try to break (like jumping up on people and getting up onto the furniture).

 

It's going to take a little while for her to fully integrate again, but I think she's going to be okay... IF she can survive the "smothering with love" from all the boys!

[theeyres]

Sound like the dog did great for the first night. You may be expecting too much too fast. Give her time to explore and get to know the fiver and accept a new family. Who knows what she may be scared off coming up to your bedroom...but just give her some time. I volunteer with a dog rescue and we say give a dog at least a couple months to adjust to the new home. Just don't force her to do it all in a few days. If she's scared, back off, and she will come around. Good luck!

[Bentspoke]

Soon you will have the opposite problem,...the dogs get depressed when we come home from a trip.

[SIBERNUT]

Make the bedroom a pleasant experience. Feed her there, lots of affection, etc. (geez, somebody should tell MW............)

[Trelawny]

We're going to start rving with our dog this winter. We bought the 5th wheel a couple years ago and have taken her in it for short trips. She does not like the RV. She likes the campgrounds and she's ok riding in the truck. But the RV - is very very scary. She jumps on the couch and there she stays. She will only eat if we hand feed her on the couch.

 

We are hoping that once we get on the road she will become acclimated it to it.

[Aeronie]

I stayed in the RV with the dog for a week in the driveway to get him used to the idea that it wasn't scary and that's another place for us to be comfortable and happy. He's fine now and even looks forward to being in the camper.

[Kinsa]

Funny that this thread got bumped back up! But since it did, I thought I'd update on how our pup is doing.

 

We are one year back into the stick-n-bricks, and she's been back with us for one year. (Actually, a little over a year, I suppose.)

 

She is fully integrated back into our family, and she loves the new house. She sits on the floor by the front window with the low windowsill and rests her head on the sill and watches what's going on in the outside world. It's her favorite place to be, where she can bark at the squirrels and watch people walk past the house all day long.

 

And she loves playing ball in the back yard with the boys. Every morning she wakes me up so I can give her a milkbone, and every night she follows me up to the bedroom and falls asleep on the floor by the foot of the bed.

 

She's definitely acclimated to having us around.

[filthy-beast]

We have three rescues, one has problem with the RV heater, if it turns on he hides behind a chair or next to the bed. Don't know what happened to him in prior life. In the S&B it took about two years before he would venture into the kitchen if the dishwasher was running and even longer to go into the laundry room.

 

Many strange sounds in an RV.

[Sharona61bio]

Time, love and nurturing are the 3 best ingredients when dealing with rescue dogs or introducing dogs to a new environment

[Kinsa]

This is a revival of an old thread,  but I'm doing it anyway. 

Last evening we had to make the difficult decision to put down our precious girl. 

For the past month she had been steadily declining.  This week saw a rapid decline.  By yesterday she was in a bad way. 

Diagnosis was a likely brain or spinal tumor.

I stayed with her to the very end.  It was the least I could do for her, after her six years of dedication to me. It was probably one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do. 

My youngest son, who will be 11 next week, is taking it the hardest.  Today we took it easy and mourned the loss of our precious girl.

Cocoa was our princess, and she is greatly missed.

[strawdog]

So very sorry for your loss.  Any of us who have had to let our pups go can relate; it's the hardest thing in the world to do, even if it's the "right" thing. We went through that last summer with our 16-1/2 year old Bailey girl, and are dealing with our 11-1/2 year old Sheltie's seizures and related agitation these days.  We just keep on doing whatever we can until that quality of life decision arrives.

We have found in the past (we've had 8 dogs in our 35 years of marriage) that it does ease the pain somewhat to rescue another dog needing a loving home.  We feel it is a fitting & loving tribute to the one we lost to save another life.  It gives the family -- adults as well as the kids -- a purpose to help keep from "dwelling" (not from remembering -- you ALWAYS remember) on your grief & loss. Heartfelt wishes for your, and your boys', healing.

Renee

[Kirk W]

11 hours ago, Kinsa said:

Last evening we had to make the difficult decision to put down our precious girl. 

I know exactly how you feel, as it has been nearly 15 years now, but we lost our dog Fancy in our third year on the road. I created a memorial to her life on our website, which tells our story of the years on the road.  Our puppy, Muffie who joined us soon after our loss has helped to heal our feelings over the years since, but she is now nearly 15 years old so we will soon be facing her departure from our lives as well. We will never forget Fancy or any of the other dogs that have been a part of our lives and we dread the inevitable time for Muffy as well.

 

[LFDR3116]

Sorry for your loss.  It can really be tough.  

 

I agree that another rescue does help heal the wounds.  We had 2 small dogs, lost one in Aug and the other the end of January not quite 6 mo later.  We were without a dog for about 6 months and it just wasn't right.  We got another in June( another rescue)  and it's been 5 years now.  They just somehow immediately brighten your day and things seem a little better.  You will know when you are ready.

[Big5er]

Kinsa, you have my most sincere condolences. I know the grief you are feeling. I have had and lost 9 furkids through my adult life. Dogs are a great judge of character. Just remember that Cocoa chose y'all to be her pack..for a reason. 

 

Dog On Loan

I'll lend you for a little time, a dog of mine God said.
For you to love while she lives and mourn when she is dead.
The years they may be six or ten or even as few as three.
But will you, 'til I call her back, take care of her for me?

She'll bring her charms to gladden you, and shall her stay be brief,
You'll have her lovely memories as solace for your grief.
I cannot promise she will stay, since all from Earth return,
But there are lessons taught down there I want this dog to learn.

I've looked the wide world over, in my search for masters true,
And from the throngs that crowd life's lanes, I have selected you.
Now will you give her your love, not think the labor vain,
Nor hate me when I come to call to take her back again?

We answered in sincerity, Dear Lord, Thy will be done.
For all the joy this dog shall bring, the risk of grief we'll run.
We'll shelter her with tenderness, and love her while we may,
And for the happiness we will know, we'll ever grateful stay.
But shall the angels call for her much sooner than we planned,
We'll know the bitter grief that comes and try to understand.

Author Unknown...

 

[Kirk W]

6 hours ago, Big5er said:

Dog On Loan

Very nice! Thanks for posting it.