You know if you’re a “dog person” or not. So do dogs, usually. They’re often as interested in having you pet them as you are in doing it.

But it’s one thing to know a dog you like a lot, another to have a dog in your stationary home full-time, and still quite another to hit the road with Rover—full-time or even for just a few weeks at a time.

Is traveling with a dog a bad thing? Far from it—especially if you’re otherwise traveling alone. More than 60 percent of RVers take a dog along, according to the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association. Dogs are great company, and they’re loyal, loving creatures. And they definitely increase your security. But don’t fool yourself: Dogs are a big responsibility for any RVer.

Before you go RVing with a dog, answer some questions.

If you haven’t had a dog:

1. Do you like dogs enough to have one with you 24/7? To feed it, pet it, groom it?
2. Can you afford a dog? Even on the road, dogs need vet examinations, shots, maybe routine medicine, and healthy food, not table scraps. It’s not unusual for a dog to cost $100 a month or more. Over its lifetime, Money magazine reported, a dog will cost about $14,500 to almost $16,000. That would pay for a lot of RV repairs.
3. Are you willing to train your dog or have it trained? An unruly dog can be a legal and social liability.
4. Can you tolerate the messiness of a dog—the fur it sheds, the unpleasant odor of a dog in need of a bath (ah, thank goodness for the otdoor shower!), the slobber, and the teething (and chewing) that a puppy goes through?
5. Are you willing to exercise a dog daily? Many dogs need exercise more than once a day. Are you willing to play with it? You may have to take extra time on fueling and provision stops to walk the dog—although the walk will do you good, too.
6. Are you willing to make the effort to find dog-friendly RV parks, some of which charge an extra fee for dogs?
7. Are you willing to kennel your dog or pay for and allow a dog sitter into your RV if you plan to travel without your pet—say, to visit friends or go tent camping for several days? (You can install a keypad security system that accepts a temporary visitor password.)

If You Already Have an RV:

8. Do the RV parks you’re accustomed to using allow dogs and have facilities for dog play?
9. Is your RV accessible to dogs? Could a small dog get up the steps? Could a big dog fit comfortably through the doorways?
10. If your RV is a trailer, are you willing to have your dog ride with you in your tow vehicle, properly restrained? After all, dogs are as unsafe in a moving trailer and a moving vehicle as a person would be.
11. Do you have means to keep your RV cool if you’re not there? You must have or add a rain-hooded exhaust fan with a thermostat and opening windows to maintain the temperature at or below 76 degrees.
12. Does your RV have room for your dog to be comfortable under all conditions, even if you can’t open the slide-outs when you’re parked overnight? RVing with a dog may require you to compromise on the size of dog you buy.
13. If you don’t allow a dog to use furniture, is there enough floor space for him to rest comfortably on a dog bed or blanket and for you not to think he’s in the way? Does it have room for water and food bowls?

One Last Question

14. Are you willing to take and give unconditional love? Dogs give it. You should return the favor.

Photo Credits: Andre Boeni (flickr.com)