While exploring New Zealand by RV is an increasingly popular lifestyle, there’s also a huge community of motorhome and caravan owners adventuring with their pets. MCD editor Lisa Potter discovers just how much joy these furry friends add to travelling.
It was a random Friday afternoon when Motorhomes, Caravans & Destinations idly reached out to the Motorhoming with Pets in NZ Facebook community, looking to connect with people who RV with their pets, in search of some photos and advice on the topic.
The results were instant and within hours we were inundated with a full inbox of fantastic photos and information. From cats and dogs to rabbits and birds, it turns out that travelling with pets is definitely a popular choice. So this month, we’re kicking off what will be a regular segment around sharing people’s experience of RV and van life with pets on board.
A travelling tribe
It’s a full caravan when on the road with two children and three border collies. However, odds are these are three of the best-trained collie dogs you are likely to meet, as owners Brent and Tarah Spyve own Shine Canine and Shine Pets – their business specialising in dog training and dog care. Having recently travelled the South Island for six months together, dog training and agility training (for the dogs!) were regular parts of their travel timetable. Tarah recommends shade covers for vehicles (all year round, not just summer), always having travel water bowls on hand, as well as waterproof mats and bedding and, of course, plenty of chew toys!
Robyn & Rose
Rose recently enjoyed a month in the South Island with regular beach swims and posing for photos in popular tourist spots. Robyn Gray shares some of her travel tips, which include not feeding Rose breakfast on drive days, feeding her extra on big running days, and having good stores of treats and kibble. She says Rose loves sniffing new ground wherever they travel and encourages her adult parents to bike so she can run, and they can all explore new places together.
Paula & Georgie
Cavachon puppy (nine months old) Georgie loves travelling in her seven-metre Coaster. Paula Jamieson shares her top three tips for travelling with a young dog: have a lead hanging by the door ready to go, have a doggie drawer with everything you need (including treats and towels for wet feet), and she says having tinted windows the dog can see out of but others can’t see in is a godsend.
Leanne, Gremlin & Sammy
These tiny dogs may only be 11 inches high but that doesn’t stop owner Leeanne Jerry travelling around the North Island with them in their 1989 Hino Rainbow. Gremlin (11) is a purebred papillon and Sammy (9) is his son and is a mixed phaelen. Leanne says her boys are always buckled in with a safety harness, with Gremlin preferring the front seat and Sammy’s special spot on the warm motor cover between Gremlin and Leeanne. While the dog’s favourite destination is zoomies on the beach, Leanne travels with a roll-up fence to keep her dog secure while on campsites. Her top three pieces of advice for travelling with pets are:
- Always travel with a collapsible bucket to wash the dogs in and microfibre towels to dry them.
- Choose food dishes with lids so they don’t have to be emptied every time.
- Keep your dogs on harnesses when out and about, especially small dogs, so you can get them out of harm’s way in a hurry.
Paul & Freddie Mercury
French bulldog Freddie is the perfect travelling companion for Paul van Weerden, and the pair have extensively toured New Zealand, including four inter-island ferry trips. “As long as he has water and food, he snores away for most of the journey. In fact, I picked a Frenchie, as they are a small dog, don’t need a lot of exercise, and love sleeping.” When parked up, Freddie is generally on a long lead attached to the bus. Paul says Freddie’s worst trait is that he is so handsome, people naturally gravitate towards him, which means they have both met heaps of awesome people on their travels – ‘but I do have to remind people sometimes that there are two of us’.
MacLeod’s Travels
The MacLeods are a family of four, along with two dogs who travel full time in their caravan, a Jayco Starcraft towed by their Isuzu D-Max. It’s a full house with Riley, a wire-haired Jack Russell Maltese cross, and Abbie, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel. Tracey says that after four years on the road, the dogs travel really well and they have a number of tips around ensuring successful journeys.
“We make sure they have a really decent walk before we go and have had some water. We don’t feed them before travelling to help prevent travel sickness. Riley would get anxious/overexcited when we started but I make natural remedies for pets to help with this so it’s not a problem now.”
She says that getting pets used to travelling is best done slow and steady – with short trips and calm behaviour before embarking on longer journeys. As full-time travellers, Tracey’s top three tips for travelling with dogs are:
- Respect other people’s spaces. Make sure your pets aren’t toileting next to others, especially male dogs – don’t let them pee against things that belong to others, near water, or where people may touch, and always pick up after them.
- Have good-quality collars that won’t slip off, consider temporary fencing for around your site if you have room to give your pet some freedom.
- Enjoy it. “Our dogs love exploring new places and meeting new people,” says Tracey. “It’s amazing having your whole family on this journey.”
Loki on the road
Weighing in around 45kg, Loki the beardie loves adventures and sleeping in different locations every night, especially wild off-road adventures like in Arthur’s Pass, Nelson Lakes, or Mavora Lakes in Te Anau. Owners Robynne Harvey and Royce Heine travel extensively and also have their own pet-friendly property for fellow RVers. Karstaway Haven is five minutes from Takaka township and offers a pet-friendly 50-acre haven, including native bush and gardens, as well as campsites for self-contained vehicles. Robynne shares her top three tips for travelling with pets:
- We use a pool noodle on the window in the back seat of the ute where Loki sits, so he can comfortably rest his head on the open window.
- Loki takes his own water, water bowl, balls, and ball thrower in the ute with him so that we can have a quick stop and a good run for half an hour, followed by a drink of water before we set off again.
- Loki loves Cafe Society and has eaten in the gardens of cafes all over the South Island, greeting other patrons and receiving much attention.
Lisa & Leo
Originally from Taupō, Lisa Flanagan and her Doodle Leo love meeting new people (and dogs) on their travels. The pair recently started living full-time on the road and plan to spend a year or two travelling the South Island. “Leo has a beautiful nature and wants to say hi to everyone at campgrounds. It’s pretty neat to see so many people smile just looking at him.”
We’d love you to share travel photos with your pets, as well as personal experience and advice. Just email editor@nzmcd.co.nz and be in with a chance to win an awesome pet prize pack.
