Pros and Cons to Van Life with a Dog
Living on the road can be challenging with a dog, or with any pet for that matter. However it can also be an incredibly rewarding experience. The decision to bring a pet into your van needs to be taken seriously. After all, there are many things go into taking care of a dog while living conventionally. So if you’re planning on living in a van with a dog, you really have to think about how you can do it in a way that's fulfilling and rewarding for yourself and your furbaby.
The first step is to weigh the pros and cons:
Con #1: Limitations
The places you can go will be limited. Expect to not be allowed to take your dog to certain places - like restaurants, most national parks, gyms, grocery stores, etc. By extension, the activities that you can do will be narrowed down as well. For example, if you haven't trained your dog to be off-leash, then camping out might not be a good idea. Or perhaps there’s a national park you’ve been super excited about but you can’t bring in your dog or have to leave him/her in the van while you do the hike alone. Sunny and I specifically got a dog after visiting all the National Parks in our first year of van life so we didn’t have any limitation. If you’re starting van life off with a dog, then be prepared to research each parks’ pet rules.
Con #2: Shedding & Space
Shedding is a major issue for pet owners on the road. Living in a tiny space means that you have to clean up dog hair more often than usual, unless you don't mind it. The good thing is tiny vans are quick and easy to clean so it won't take you long to get rid of but expect to get some flying fur in your mouth during those glorious drives with the windows down.
Another thing you’ll want to consider is the size of your dog. Small dogs obviously won’t take up much room however if you have a large fur baby then ample space is needed for their comfort. Questions to ask yourself is if you’ll be crate training? If so, where will the crate go? Do they have room to spread their legs inside the van? Where will they be sleeping? Where will their “safe space” be when driving? Also, where will you store their food?
Don’t panic if you have two large dogs and would love to live van life with them. We’ve seen it done plenty of times and people make it work!
Con #3: Specific Training Needed
You’ll want to train your dog to not leave the van when the door is open but only when you allow the dog to leave the van. The reason is, you’ll want to avoid the dog from escaping every time you open the door. Practicing good off-the-leash behavior and recall is a must for any van life dog.
Pro #1: Companionship
If you're doing van life on your own, your furbaby can be the perfect partner. It's no secret that life on the road can sometimes be overwhelming so it helps if you have a companion with you to add an extra element of joy to your daily life or on outdoor adventures.
Pro #2: Dogs Force You to Go Out
It's not ideal for dogs to be cooped up in a small space most of the time. So you’re going to be forced to go out for multiple walks a day. Just remember, van life is about experiencing the great outdoors to the fullest. Having “man's best friend” with you just ensures that you won't become a hermit.
Pro #3: Social Interaction
Dogs can be great ice-breakers! When you are on the road, you will definitely meet people who also live van life with dogs. If you're one who finds starting conversations challenging, just show off your dog! Who wouldn't want to talk about dogs, right?
Pro #4: Security
The final pro is security. Having a pet dog can be a great form of home security. They can sense another person who may be coming near your van. It’s nice going to sleep each night with a guard dog who will alert you if someone is near.
