we have a cavalier king charles spaniel, we got her at 8 weeks old and has been caravanning with us ever since she is 2 next month. We take her bed from home and put it under the the table where she sleeps happy, untill morning then she sup on our bed to wake us up for walkies. she loves it.
I wouldn't recommend leaving a dog in an awning overnight, far too easy to steal, and people certainly do steal them. After all, I wouldn't leave my handbag in the awning overnight, and my dogs are far more precious than that!
Plus, unless you only caravan in the warm months it would be far too cold.
Our collie sleeps under the bed once the slats are pulled across, our lurcher sleeps on the rear bunk.
I would try your pup in a soft crate in the caravan and over time hopefully you wont even need the crate.
Caravanning with dogs is the best holiday though! We are off with our two in a couple of weeks. Can't wait! they get excited when they see all the kit coming out of the loft!
No way would i leave my dogs outside can't see the point in taking them if that's what i was going to do with them. You've only got to look at the doglost website to see how many are stolen everyday.
as everyone says, if your dog is part of the family then its on holiday as well, one night we had really heavy rain pounding down, the noise on the roof scared our dog to death and he pushed between us and wouldnt move all night long three of us crushed up with dog taking all the space!
We had a terrific thunder and lightning storm a few years ago, whilst away with our two - 15 year old lab / collie cross and 7 year old Jack Russell Terrier.
We were in our old 'van so had to make up the bed at the front and all four were sound asleep until the storm kicked off at 2AM. Pitch black other than when the lightning struck, no rain and the loudest thunder we'd ever heard - brilliant.
Would have looked funny from outside though - there were all 4 of us, me, OH and dogs, all lined up at the window just watching the storm!
Our old boy is now mostly deaf so not sure he'd hear even thunder and the little guy is really too lazy to care unless someone wakes him! Still wouldn't leave them at home, though!!
------------- Best Wishes and Happy Travels,
Feecamp
We have just got a 18 month old boxer. this will be her first time away with us, we are at the moment trying to train her to crate for the caravan. only problem is when we intially go out she barks to get out. will keep with it. March is our first trip away with her in van lets hope she settles soon. ---------------------------------
I would have thought at 18 months old there may be a few problems with crate training. We are taking out 2 year old boxer for the first time at Easter along with out 11 year old cocker spanial and my mums 4 year old spanial. My OH is gonna sleep in the awning with the boxer!!!!