Cleo is a 2 year old black lab that has been an adventure dog since she was a puppy. She was camping and going on road trips long before we got our van. She loved tent camping and car camping and we knew she would adjust well to van life, but it was even easier than we expected.
She has been involved with our van through the whole process. She was there when we got the van, when we built it, and there for the trips. There are times we can’t keep her out of it.
Our daily routine
On the average day, we wake up and take her on a short walk outside the van so she can do her business. After that we feed her and figure out our plan for the day. We try to get in two activities for her a day, usually one in the morning and one later in the day. This can be anything from going on a hike or swim, playing fetch, or going to the dog park. We also try to find places throughout the day that we can park and let her be outside. At night we will walk her before we go to a place to sleep unless it’s a campsite, then we will walk her there. She sleeps in bed with us at night and when it’s cold she will sleep right up against us.
We do a lot of activities to keep her entertained and active throughout the day. Hiking and swimming are the two activities she enjoys the most. Without doing activities she will get restless and want to get out of the van. Since we are always active this isn’t an issue for us. We make sure she doesn’t overdo it and drinks plenty of water, especially when it is hot out. Rest is important with an active lifestyle.
The difficulties of having a dog in a van
The most difficult part about having a dog in a van is the mess they create, especially after swimming or getting dirty. It can also be difficult when the weather is bad and she can’t spend much time outside. On bad weather days she will lay in bed and look out the windows or sit in the driver seat.
So in short, yes she absolutely loves van life.
