Are you going camping with your dog? What equipment should you have when traveling in a camper van with your dog? Between safety, comfort and organization, certain equipment is essential for your dog to travel peacefully. Discover all the essentials to have to guarantee a comfortable road trip.

Living in a motorhome with a dog is a unique experience! But to ensure everything goes smoothly, a little preparation is essential. Unlike a house or apartment, space is limited, weather conditions can be extreme, and travel requires specific equipment. Road safety , a dog bed , food storage , temperature control … What are the must-haves for a motorhome trip with your dog? What equipment should you bring for your dog's safety and comfort that fits in such a confined space? Elodie and Nana share their tips and tricks for equipping yourself properly and traveling in the best possible conditions in a motorhome with your dog.

Summary

Dog comfort on board: material focus

Unlike cars, motorhomes aren't really ideal for our dogs' safety while we're driving. Some travelers install carriers under their beds, but that wasn't possible in our case. If we had three seats in the front, we could have used a seatbelt for her, but we don't. So, Nana is free to move between the front and back of the motorhome while we're driving. Most of the time, she's at the passenger's feet or behind the driver's seat in her basket. She knows perfectly well that she's not allowed to bother the driver under any circumstances, and she doesn't even try.

In terms of comfort , Nana has everything she had at home. A basket , a few toys (3 to be exact, due to lack of space), two large stainless steel bowls (she always has water available, even when we're driving because she always drinks a lot), a supply of kibble and treats despite the space it takes up (on average 13kg of stock), a first aid kit …

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We sometimes take her basket outside when we are resting. After all, we ourselves sometimes dream of being able to put the mattress of our bed outside to fully enjoy. But I have never seen her lie down on her basket when she is outside. She does not realize how lucky she is.

Ultimately, the truly essential items for traveling with a dog in a campervan are essential for us, but not really for Nana. These include: seat covers , a brush , a leash (I'll talk more about this when I discuss campervan safety), and a towel that's always within reach.

To keep a campervan clean with a dog , there's no magic bullet, sorry ^^ The best advice: give up on having a clean campervan!! Honestly, it's best not to stress about it; it's a lost cause. There's sand and hair everywhere, but that's just how it is. The key is to protect the seats well (we have plastic seat covers) and remove all the carpets and rugs. After that, a quick sweep now and then does the trick. But let's just say it's best not to be too fussy or allergic to dust…

Space in a camper van and in a 30m3 is a bit of a challenge. Everyone has to find a place to stand and how to move around so as not to disturb others. This requires a little time to adapt, for us humans as well as for the dog.

At first, Nana was never in the right place and we spent our time asking her to move but without her knowing where to put herself. Now, I don't even need to talk anymore. She adapts. If we go to the front, she goes to the back and vice versa. Her basket was never in the right place either. We chose to take it with us for its comfort but we have to admit that it takes up a lot of space. But we found our routine: behind the driver's seat when we drive and in the hallway for the night.

As for the space taken up by all the equipment…we often amuse ourselves by telling Nana that there is more stuff for her than for us in this camper van. We estimate that 30% of the volume is taken up by Nana's things (carrier, stock of kibble, bowls, accessories, basket, treats, etc.). This is not insignificant.

Temperature variations in a camper van: how to manage them?

Extreme temperatures , both hot and cold, are a real issue when living in a motorhome and it was our biggest fear before we left.

As for the cold: it's still the easiest situation to manage. It was never very warm in our house before we went on our trip, so she was used to it, and Nana isn't the type to get cold easily. During the day, a little sunshine and the campervan warms up quickly. At night, when the temperature drops below 0 degrees Celsius outside , we have her sleep with us in the bed. Our heater unfortunately doesn't work, but we manage without it. The lowest temperature we experienced during this trip was -14°C outside. The water bowl inside froze during the night, but the three of us in bed were actually quite warm.

As for the heat: we have air conditioning when we're driving, and it's very welcome. However, we have nothing when the engine is off. We have fans, but Nana hates having a blast of air on her nose (…) so they're ineffective for her.

What makes the campervan really hot during the day is when the windshield is exposed to the sun. So we always make sure it's positioned away from the sun, and with the reinforced sunshades , the temperature inside regulates itself quite well. When all the conditions are right so she doesn't get too hot, we leave Nana inside with the skylights open and a water bowl available , but never for very long. When it gets really too hot, we take turns so she's not alone. That is, one of us goes for a walk while the other stays with Nana, and then we switch. We've also left her alone outside the van so she can be cool and in the shade, but only if there's absolutely no one around who might bother her. We don't do this just anywhere.

Still, for the moment, in 7 months of travel, we have never found ourselves faced with a really complicated situation to manage in terms of temperature. We have always found a solution.

 

Dog safety in a camper van

Nana has always been the type to explore her territory, but never out of sight. For her well-being, and ours too, we generally look for secluded spots, which means she's mostly free to do as she pleases. For us, the definition of a good spot is one where she can live her life without us needing to keep an eye on her. That's actually the case right now as I write these words, on a beach in Mexico, completely alone. She always comes back to settle near us on her own when she feels she's explored enough.

By the way, regarding parking, everything is so easy here! We haven't had a single refusal of camping or parking because of the dog, so zero worries on that side.

Musher and Sophie: “For your motorhome trip with your dog, I've got you covered! Here are the top 5 best motorhome spots to discover with your dog to find the best places for a great motorhome trip with your furry friend!”

However, when we have neighbors or it's dangerous to let her roam free, we have an 8m long leash , adjustable to 3m (for supermarket parking lots, for example). It's a good old climbing rope that we also use on some walks if she needs to be on a leash but we don't really want to tie her up.

When we are settled, Nana has the annoying tendency to go three times around the table that we put outside to eat or around the only big rock in the area when she is on a leash, so we often end up untying her but keeping an eye on her.

It must be admitted that Nana is not at all credible as a guard dog! Nothing in her gaze, her attitudes or her wagging tail is designed to dissuade people from approaching! On the contrary, she attracts everyone.

On the other hand, she adapts her behavior according to ours. And she HATES being woken up in the middle of the night! In these cases yes, she can have a deterrent bark (barking only ^^). She loves humans too much to be really aggressive. However, when her owners sleep or nap, it's as if she takes over, whether in the camper or not.

For example, if we eat at a picnic table, she will watch people pass by, say hello and see if there is a way to get a scratch. If we decide to lie down on these same benches and the same people pass by again, she will tend to bark instead.

At night, if she hears an unusual noise, she will alert us. When we are at a sleeping spot with average security, we leave the windshield clear so she can see outside and keep watch.

She did the same at home. If we were in a happy mood when someone knocked on the door, no barking from her. Anyone who came to bother us had the right to hear her beautiful voice. By the way, it's very surprising. Nana has always had an extremely hoarse bark. To hear her and without seeing her, you could think that there was a German shepherd inside the camper (practical ^^)

Wow, what an experience! It makes you want to travel to the other side of the world with Musher! Traveling by campervan with a dog is a unique adventure, full of discoveries and special moments with your furry friend, and that's exactly what Elodie understood! Of course, it requires some adjustments and good organization, but the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. The feeling of freedom, sharing, and exploration—life on the road is an unforgettable experience for both you and your dog. So, ready to take your next campervan trip with your dog? 🚐🐕

Follow Nicolas, Elodie, and Nana's entire journey on their Instagram account: un_voyage_de_woof