Camping with Dog in Teardrop/Truck

[stevo_pct]

We have a small teardrop camper pulled by an F150. When it's just me camping, the dog sleeps with me in the trailer, but when it's my girlfriend and I, there is not much room for the dog. He's a 65 lb lab-pit mix.

I put him in the back seat of the cab to sleep, but he has a short coat (no undercoat) and gets cold pretty easy. Summer is fine but in the shoulder seasons or high altitude it's not uncommon to get below freezing at night. Any ideas about keeping him warm in this situation? I'm guessing most people sleep with their dogs in the teardrop but it's just not workable. He moves around a lot and takes up a lot of space.

I bought a warm jacket for him, so I think that helps. I always put a couple blankets with him on his dog bed and cover him up when he goes to sleep, but the blankets come off in the middle of the night and he can't get them back on top of him if he gets cold.

I'm thinking maybe a portable battery plugged into an electric blanket might help. Or maybe he's fine with a puffy dog jacket and his dog bed.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[WOODY2]

A cheap sleeping bag folded back over itself?

 

[chet6.7]

"TETON Sports Mammoth Queen-Size Double Sleeping Bag the 0 degree version", over a pet carrier, with foam under the carrier. Put hand warmers under the dogs bedding.
I would not be comfortable with a cheap chinese electric blanket while I was away in a trailer. Those things do malfunction.

 

[Buddha.]

We have a little heated dog bed for the little dog, 120v. Of course he’ll burrow into a mound of blankets if he’s cold also.
For truck use 12v heated pad with a dedicated battery would work. Dog will sleep on it off it wants to warm up.
I’m sure there’s some good brands out there.

 

[RDinNHand AZ]

The problem with our Jack Russell is getting warmth on top of him. He hates the coat we bought him and is cold to the touch even when sleeping on a 12V warming pad. I guess chet6.7 may have the best thought (but a bit loudly stated) LOL. They do make heated enclosures for really small dogs but those guys can be in the teardrop. We have this problem in the winter, here in NH, when we go for hours having to leave him in the car.

 

[Grendel Kahn]

We have a tear drop queen sized bed and fit 2 adults and 1 7 y/o and our 90lb mastiff shepard. We usually push him down so he is at our feet and he usually stays there unless I go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. I get back to trailer and open door and he is lying in my spot with his head on my pillow.

 

[stevo_pct]

I typically don't travel with a pet carrier as he's starting to get pretty big and doesn't like to sleep in a pet carrier. But I agree, a pet carrier with a sleeping bag over it would probably keep him warm enough.

I'm skeptical about using an electric blanket plugged into a portable battery if I'm not present in the case of a malfunction, fire, etc. I was also wondering if it would be good enough for keeping him warm if he's sleeping on the blanket instead of having it over him (although I'm sure it'll help a ton).

Maybe I'll just use an old sleeping bag and he's going to have to figure out how to burrow under it when it gets cold. A few times when I've gone out to get him in the morning, I have found him on top of his blankets shivering (not badly - it wasn't that cold out). But he's pretty young, as he gets older maybe he'll figure out how to burrow.

 

[chet6.7]

The problem with our Jack Russell is getting warmth on top of him. He hates the coat we bought him and is cold to the touch even when sleeping on a 12V warming pad. I guess chet6.7 may have the best thought (but a bit loudly stated) LOL. They do make heated enclosures for really small dogs but those guys can be in the teardrop. We have this problem in the winter, here in NH, when we go for hours having to leave him in the car.

I copied the quoted text from Amazon, the bold font carried over to my posted text.

 

[1000arms]

Make a "fort" in the back seat of your F-150. Use blankets/comforters/sleeping-bags. Hang vertical walls from the seats, stretch a roof over the seat-tops, and insulate the sleeping-floor. Hang an easy to nose through door (perhaps part of the roof material).

Figure out how to keep the sides/roof/floor/door of the "fort" in place without any choking hazards.

Consider some additional "stuffing" that your dog can burrow in to (or under).

Some materials grab hair/fur and make it difficult to burrow if the material isn't held in place.

Put a remote thermometer inside the "fort" and monitor it from the teardop trailer.

Put a baby camera (with night vision) in the "fort" and keep an eye on your dog.

 

[chet6.7]

The Teton bag is huge, I suspect you could figure out a way to suspend the open bag from the back seat head rests forming a tunnel of sorts, ect.
Regulating the heat output of the blanket and having a way for the pet to get off of the blanket if it is too hot, plus the fire issue is why I don't use them when not monitored. I use a remote thermometer to keep tabs on the temp. I buy a large box of chem hand warmers at Costco, a bunch of those under the bedding helps.
I believe a pet should be secured when under way in case of an accident, just something to think about if you haven't.