One great thing about traveling in an RV is that you can take your pets with you. After all, what could be better than seeing this beautiful country with Fido by your side?
That said, if you plan to go on an RV trip with your pet in the summer, you’ll want to keep some things in mind and take some steps before you hit the road.
Here are our top tips on how to keep dogs cool in the summer.
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Traveling with Pets in Summer
The first thing you’ll have to do to keep dogs cool in the summer is figure out how to get your pet from point A to point B. Below are some ways to keep your furry friend safe as you drive to your campsite in hot weather.
Where Should Pets Ride?
First, it’s important to note that pets should never, ever ride in a fifth wheel or travel trailer while towing. Just like humans, dogs, cats, and other pets should ride in tow vehicles where they can stay cool and enjoy a relatively smooth ride.
If you are driving a motorhome, it is perfectly okay for your pet to ride in the motorhome with you, but you will want to make sure they are able to stay cool wherever they are riding. Keep in mind, the cab air conditioning probably will not reach a pet who is riding in the living area of the RV. Instead, you might need to run the generator in order to run the rooftop A/C.
Keeping Your Pup Hydrated
Hydration is important, especially in the hot summer months. In order to make sure your pup (or kitty) stays hydrated during your summer RV getaway, make sure to give them water at regular intervals or make water available in the vehicle. Pouring a bowl of water each time you make a bathroom stop is a good way to ensure your pet stays hydrated during your travel day.
Car Safety for Pets
Pets should never be left alone in a vehicle. This is especially true during the summer and is one of the top dog safety rules in hot weather.
Even with a window cracked, a vehicle’s interior will reach unsafe temperatures very quickly during the summer months, so it’s very important that you either get your pet out of the car and take them with you or leave someone in the vehicle so it can be left running.
Leaving Pets in the Camper in Hot Weather
If you can’t leave a pet in a vehicle during the hot months, you might think it stands to reason that you shouldn’t leave them in the camper alone during the summer.
Fortunately, this isn’t entirely accurate. It’s perfectly okay to leave a pet alone in your RV. That said, to ensure you keep dogs cool in the summer, you will need to have a way to keep the rig cool and comfortable, along with a way to monitor the temperature of the rig while you’re out.
Maintaining a Cool Temperature
First, let’s discuss maintaining a cool temperature in your rig while you’re away. Obviously, the best way to do this is to leave your A/C running. This works well in an RV park with electric hookups, but what if you’re boondocking?
Well, things get a little bit trickier in the case of boondocking. If you don’t have an excellent solar setup, running the air conditioner all day probably isn’t going to happen. That said, you probably aren’t going to boondock in a super hot location. If you are in a place that doesn’t reach temperatures above 75 degrees (°F) or so, it is possible to keep the camper relatively cool by parking in the shade, opening the windows, and running fans to pull air through the RV.
Still, you should closely monitor the temperature and make sure your pup can’t climb out the window and get lost in the wilderness!
Monitoring the Situation
Even with the air conditioner running in an RV park, things can go wrong that can cause your RV to get really hot really quickly, and when you’re boondocking without A/C, it’s even easier for things to get toasty. Therefore, you must find a way to monitor the temperature of your RV from afar.
The tricky thing? Generally speaking, an A/C failure is going to be due to the power going out, meaning any monitoring system that plugs in will not work, nor will a monitor that relies on a plug-in Wi-Fi router. We recommend a battery-powered cellular pet temperature monitor with its own cellular data subscription plan. Alternatively, you could choose to use a battery-powered Wi-Fi temperature monitor connected to a battery-powered hotspot, which should continue to work even during a power outage.
Of course, if you’re boondocking in a place that does not have cell service, things become even trickier. In this case, you will be running off of RV battery power, so a power outage is less of a concern as long as you ensure your batteries are fully charged before heading out. In cases like these, a Wi-Fi temperature monitor using a Starlink connection run using your RV battery and a pure sine wave inverter might be your best bet.
If you do a combination of boondocking and camping in campgrounds with hookups, we recommend using a Wi-Fi temperature monitor and having both a battery-powered hotspot and a Starlink setup to choose from, depending on the situation.
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Taking Pets Out in Hot Weather
Of course, you won’t always want to leave your pets in the RV. You brought them so you could spend time with them, after all. So what do you need to know about how to keep dogs cool in the summer when you’re out and about?
Choosing the Right Environment
First and foremost, you will want to ensure you’re choosing the right environment for your dog. Obviously, it is important that dogs are allowed to visit the same places you do. Additionally, you’ll want to be sure your dog can handle the situation, so if your pup is afraid of crowds, a crowded destination may not be ideal.
Lastly, you will want to consider the heat and how it will affect the destination. If the spot has a lot of paved walking paths, it is likely those paths will be too hot for your pup’s feet. Hot sand can also be a problem for dogs.
Keeping Cool
On the hottest days, it’s important that you find ways to cool down during your outdoor adventures. Finding shady spots to hang out is crucial. It also helps to find a place to be indoors during the afternoon, opting to keep your outdoor fun to the morning and afternoon hours.
If it is extremely hot outside, it might not be good for your or your dog to spend the whole day outdoors, no matter where you are.
Protecting Doggy Feet
Want to visit a spot that may have some hot ground? If your dog will wear them, dog shoes can be a great option for protecting puppy feet on hot pavement. That said, you’ll want to practice before you go to be sure the shoes work for your pup. Additionally, it’s unlikely your dog will want to wear them all day, so you will want to plan accordingly.
Staying Hydrated While Walking
Of course, everyone in your party will need to stay hydrated while spending time outside in the hot sunshine. This includes your dog, cat, or any other pet you bring along for the adventure.
Pack a portable dog bowl and plenty of water to share with your furry friend. Stop often in shady spots to give your pet water breaks.
Being Prepared for Emergencies
Of course, even if you take all the right steps for keeping dogs cool in the summer, things can still go wrong. For this reason, it is incredibly important that you prepare for emergencies by learning where the nearest emergency vet is and keeping all of your pet’s medical paperwork on hand.
Hopefully you won’t need any of it, but if you do, you’ll be glad you were ready!
Good Summer RV Destinations for Pets
As mentioned above, choosing your destination wisely when traveling with a pet is important. An outdoor destination that welcomes pets is a good idea, as it means your furry friend can join you on your adventures. It’s also good to choose places that don’t get too hot in the summer so you can keep Fido safe and worry less about keeping dogs cool in the summer.
Some good picks include the following:
Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park is the perfect summertime destination, one of the country’s most beautiful places, and the summer temps rarely exceed 75 degrees (°F). We especially love that dogs are allowed on 100 miles of trails and 45 miles of carriage roads in this gorgeous park!
Find a pet-friendly RV near Acadia National Park!
Cannon Beach, Oregon
Cannon Beach, an iconic beach on the Oregon coast, is an absolutely magical place that is 100% pet-friendly. The entire stretch of beach welcomes furry friends with open arms, meaning you can enjoy running through waves or playing fetch with your doggo while admiring Haystack Rock.
The nearby Ecola State Park welcomes leashed dogs to hike, and Four Paws on the Beach is an adorable pet boutique in town.
Find a pet-friendly RV near Cannon Beach!
Shenandoah National Park
One of the most pet-friendly national parks out there, Shenandoah is another excellent summer vacation destination for dogs. This amazing park features nearly 500 miles of pup-friendly hiking trails, and all in-park campgrounds allow dogs to stay. You and your furry friend will surely enjoy taking in the gorgeous views together!
Find a pet-friendly RV near Shenandoah National Park!
Durango, Colorado
Durango is one of the most fun little towns in the country for outdoor enthusiasts. Here you can take your dog paddling on the Animas River, pay a visit to the five-acre Durango Dog Park, dine at one of the many pet-friendly eateries in town, or hike with your pet.
It’s likely too hot to boondock in Durango during the summer, so head to Outdoorsy Bayfield for a lovely RV site with full hookups to keep you and your doggie (or kitty) friend nice and cool.
Find a pet-friendly RV near Durango!
Indiana Dunes National Park
Yet another dog-friendly national park, Indiana Dunes is the place to go if your pet likes to swim. Here you and your furry buddy can go on a hike and end up on a lovely beach where you can go for a swim. Just know that not all beaches are open to dogs during the summer, so you will want to ask a ranger to find out where your pup can swim.
Find a pet-friendly RV near Indiana Dunes National Park!
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
Very few places on earth are as beautiful as Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and the summer is the ideal time to visit this spectacular place. Here, you and your dog can go on shaded hikes, play in waterfalls, and enjoy amazing views of the Great Lakes.
We highly recommend checking out Mackinac Island, where you can rent a bike with a pet carrier. You’ll also want to visit the pet-friendly beaches of Pictured Rocks National Seashore and try a hike at Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park.
Find a pet-friendly RV in the Upper Peninsula!
New River Gorge National Park
New River Gorge is the newest of the US national parks and is just as amazing as the rest. Here, dogs are allowed on all in-park trails, so you can have all kinds of fun adventures together. We highly recommend the Endless Wall Trail for some seriously spectacular views that you and your pup won’t soon forget.
Find a pet-friendly RV near New River Gorge National Park!
Provincetown, Massachusetts
Finally, there is Provincetown. This place is easily one of the most dog-friendly vacation destinations in the country. Here, all town-run beaches allow dogs to run and play from 6:00 AM until 9:00 AM, and from 6:00 PM until 9:00 PM during the summer, providing plenty of fun for everyone.
On top of that, you’ll find plenty of restaurants, galleries, and even whale-watching tours in town that welcome your pets, making it easy to get out and explore with your dog in tow.
Note: While the beaches run by Provincetown are pet-friendly, the beautiful nearby beaches that are part of Cape Cod National Seashore are not always open to dogs.
Find a pet-friendly RV near Provincetown!
As you can see, there is much to know about ways to keep dogs cool in the summer. Now that you’ve done your research, you should be able to stock up on the right gear and go RVing with your pet during the summer months without any worry whatsoever!
