Living the RV Life: My 5 Tips for Dog Owners On the Road

Camping, traveling, and living life in the mountains where fences don’t exist might not seem like ideal settings for a dog to live life off leash. Personally, my dog Zeppelin needs wide open spaces to run and live his pup life to the fullest! Zeppelin is a Whippet/Catahoula leopard dog mix, so he has lots of energy to run on! Recently, we introduced Zeppelin to his new younger brother, our Newfie named Hendrix! Together, we travel around in our RV often, which gives us the opportunity to provide our pups the most amazing backyards all over the Pacific Northwest.

Throughout my travels as a pet parent, I’ve come to understand and appreciate many truths about living life untethered on the road with Zep (which I can now lean on for future adventures with Hendrix, too!). Outlined below are five of the most important tips for pet parents who are dedicated to living life on the road (or in rural areas). Through following these tips, not only have I become a more reliable traveler, but I’ve been able to provide a better life for my dogs.

1. Find a Spacious, Dog-Friendly Campsite

Try camping on BLM land (government-preserved-and-developed land that “ensures natural, cultural, and historic resources are maintained for present and future use.”) or find secluded/private camping spots so that you won't have to worry about other dogs, kids, or vehicles being a danger or distraction to your dog. It can be stressful to be at a campground where you are packed in like sardines where your dog isn’t able to enjoy themselves off-leash. There are apps such as Hipcamp and The Dyrt where you can find camping spots that fit your needs

2. The Halo Collar is Man’s Second Best Friend

The Halo Collar represents your dog’s personal “halo” of protection. Its features make it easy to be a dog parent who leads an adventurous lifestyle, plus, it offers me peace of mind like no other tech-forward dog accessory I’ve come across.

The Halo Collar’s “Natural Guidance” feature serves as an invisible and movable dog fence by using customizable prevention feedback at preset locations, allowing you to decide exactly where your pup can and cannot roam while on the road or out in nature. Wireless fencing can also be set up for inside the house, so I can still benefit from The Halo Collar once I’m back from exploring. Being able to instantly set up an invisible dog fence wherever you are is a complete game changer; plus, the whistle function helps me rest assured that Zeppelin will always find his way back to me.

If this wasn’t already perfect enough, The Halo Collar comes with Cesar Millan's expert training to teach you everything you need to know in 21 days for the ultimate boundary training and bonding experience with your best friend! I recommend practicing using The Halo Collar and all of its features before adventuring with your pup so you’re both completely used to it. I’ve included more info on The Halo Collar at the end of this post—and if it isn’t already obvious, I highly recommend considering it for every next adventure!

3. Consider Pet Insurance

Coming from someone who’s scoured the totality of pet insurance pros and cons articles on the internet, I’ve landed on this reasoning for getting it: I never want to have to decide between my pup and my bank account. Sure, some plans are more expensive than others, but ultimately, there is a plan available for most people, ranging to suit all different lifestyles. For my lifestyle, Zeppelin and I are always on the road in search of the next great adventure. As most things go, every adventure has its peaks and valleys—one of those valleys being the uncertainty of the area we land in at any given time. Of course, I do plenty of research on the areas we travel to, but there’s only so much one can do to protect their pet. We take Zeppelin on the road to be as free as nature intended, and with that freedom comes some threats. I never want to have to choose between an exorbitant vet fee and another adventure with Zep, so I choose Pet Insurance for a little extra comfort.

4. “Ruff” Rides Happen, Get Your Dog a Seatbelt

Like The Halo Collar, this tip is another no-brainer. It boggles my mind how many pet owners are still out there driving with their dog on their lap or roaming around the car. Really, I’m not partial to any specific brand for this one—as long as they’re strapped in and ready for every twist, turn, and (god forbid) accident, I’m happy. How would you react if you saw a child roaming around the car? How about sitting on their parent’s lap as they’re driving on the highway?

Allowing our pets to roam freely around the car has been normalized for too long. It’s time we buckle our pups up for their own safety. Don’t worry, they’ll still be able to look adorable with their head sticking out the window. I’ve said it before, and hopefully I won’t have to say it again: please, get your dog a seatbelt.

5. Monitor Their Diet Even More-So On The Road

Road trips and adventures are the perfect times for variety in your dog’s day-to-day life, but not as much for variety in their diet. In a different environment, it’s best to use their diet as a source of normalcy—something they can rely on day-in and day-out. Plus, road time and belly-issue time do not go well together (yes, I’m speaking from experience).

So, while you may be thinking about buying some new treats or meals for the next adventure, I urge you to reconsider and stick with the tummy-tested ones you’ve been feeding your pup for a while.

As Promised, More About The Halo Collar Features

Download The Halo Collar App

The app will be your hub for everything involved with The Halo Collar. You can create up to 20 wireless fences, access training, view your dog’s real-time safety status, and manage each dog’s custom preferences at home or on-the-go.

The Halo Collar app also tracks daily, weekly, and monthly activity and charts how much time your dog spends active vs resting, and how many preventions they receive and where, so you always know about your dog’s safety, activity and training progress.

This is where you can find everything you need for the best training experience in one place. You can manage your dog’s custom feedback settings, access your 21-Day Program from Cesar Millan, and opt in to premium lessons to master all kinds of training techniques.

All Pups Love The Flexible Comfort Fit

You can choose a replaceable strap in Small, Medium, or Large. The Halo Collar’s custom strap with clasp and no-slip grip can be easily adjusted or swapped out for a larger size as your dog grows.

Enjoy Customized Feedback

Every pup is unique, so it’s best to customize their travel/training experience. With a wide range of sound, vibration, and optional static prompts to choose from, you can customize your dog’s feedback to perfectly match their learning style.

Light Up For Safety At Night

Set your dog’s profile color and matching Halo LED, which signals collar mode changes and lights up for nighttime-visibility.

Specialized Training from Cesar Millan

Halo takes a more holistic approach to boundary training that’s more effective than any other. Following Cesar Millan’s guidance, you’ll learn to master the Halo system in 4 steps.

You have access to lessons, exclusive live-streams, and VIP Q&As with training experts are at your fingertips for all of your training needs.

What Are Halo Beacons?

Bluetooth-enabled Halo Beacons are used to initially train your pup, and, later on, to keep them away from certain areas and create portable safe-zones. You can use Beacons anywhere. Indoor Beacons, Indoor USB Beacons, and outdoor Beacons give you more flexibility everywhere, whether your pup is inside your home, in your yard, or on-the-go.

Plus, Beacons offer multiple functions. Set any Beacon to “Keep Away” or “Ignore Fences,” depending on whether you want to keep your pup away from an area or to create a safe zone where they won’t receive Fence feedback.

The beauty in all of this is that you have the option to customize the settings. You can change the range of each Beacon, decide when you want your Beacon to send you notifications, or temporarily mute any Beacon in the Halo app.

Time to Upgrade From Old Fences

Unlike in-ground fences The Halo Collar enables you to have 20 GPS enabled fences to protect your dog versus one.

Whether I'm just chilling in my backyard-for-the-day or I'm out on an adventure with Zeppelin and Hendrix, The Halo Collar is my best friend’s new best friend. There is nothing that makes me happier in this life than seeing my dog run free! I 100% recommend it for all pet parents!

To recap, while on the road, all responsible pet parents should try their best to research a spacious campground/rest site, invest in The Halo Collar once and for all, consider pet insurance for some added peace of mind, get your dog a seatbelt, and keep them to a steady diet while on the road. There you have it. Use these 5 tips for every adventure you and your pups go on for the absolute best times imaginable!