Navigating RV life with five dogs and a cat

Traveling with five dogs was pretty wild. I assumed people would keep their distance since I had so many, and they are all Pitbulls and Pit-mixes. But weirdly, the opposite happened—people were drawn to us. Strangers constantly tried to approach, pet the dogs, or say hi. That was challenging for me because a couple of my girls are reactive, and if they get too excited, they sometimes redirect that energy onto each other. I had to stay hyper-aware and cautious at all times.

I went out of my way to park away from crowds, but somehow, people still ended up next to us. We’d boondock off the beaten path, take potty breaks when no one was around, and choose less populated spots whenever possible. But no matter how much space I tried to create, people always found a way to get close.

Temperature was another major factor. Coming from New Hampshire, we had to leave during the winter because it was too cold to live in the RV full-time. We traveled to warmer states, but sometimes the heat was intense. I used rechargeable fans to keep air circulating, kept the RV fans running, and, if needed, started the generator or kept the engine running for AC. But once the sun hit its peak, leaving the RV for errands became a challenge. I had to plan everything around the coolest parts of the day—early mornings or late nights.

A lot of travelers say, Oh, my van is my home. My RV is my home. The dogs are comfortable in there. But in my experience, at the end of the day, it’s still a vehicle. It gets unbearably hot in extreme temperatures and freezing in the cold. I never left my dogs alone in the RV during extreme weather. Running the generator for AC helped, but it was loud and smelled awful, so I avoided it whenever possible. Still, if I had no other choice, I’d use it.

Occasionally, we stayed at campgrounds or state parks, which was a nice change because we could plug in instead of relying on the generator. But naturally, campgrounds meant more people, too.

Luckily, my girls adjusted to RV life pretty quickly—and so did my cat! I was worried about how Dweezil would handle such a small space, constantly being on the move with the dogs, but she did fantastic. At first, I kept her in her crate while I drove, but I quickly realized she’d prefer to find her own spot in the RV. She took comfort under the couch, coming out occasionally to use her litter box or eat. She also loved hiding under the driver’s and passenger’s seats. Sometimes, I’d be driving and suddenly feel her little paws grabbing at my ankles.

Despite the challenges, traveling with my crew was an unforgettable experience. It wasn’t always easy—between managing my reactive dogs, dealing with unpredictable temperatures, and navigating life on the road, there were plenty of obstacles. But at the end of the day, the adventure was worth it. My dogs adapted, Dweezil found her place, and I learned how to make it all work. It wasn’t perfect, but it was ours. And looking back, I wouldn’t trade those memories for anything.