Newbie w/dog prepping for the road

[ScottyBoii]

I've been looking around the site for a few hours now soaking in all the info i can get, I just felt I should go right to the source. In a few months hopefully I'll be leaving Florida and heading out for at least 3 months to tramp around.

The only issue I've run into during planning is my dog. i know it can be done with a dog but what about things like train hopping? How do you do that one...And I'm assuming food won't be so bad as there are animal shelters in most states. i don't plan on going much further than nola for the winter. I just want a taste of the road before i leave for a year or so non stop. Any tips or redirection to another thread would be much appreciated.

 

[flashinglights]

If your dog isn't well trained enough to be quiet, then forget about train hopping. Also, you can forget about riding busses or half your hitchhiking rides, regardless.

If you don't have enough money to afford his food/medicine, then forget about keeping him healthy. If you don't have the nads to carry enough water for him, he's gonna be thirsty.

Animal shelters exist mostly to kill off society's unwanted animals, not to take care of stray humans and their pets. But...you can foodstamp dog food by using cooked rice and ground beef mixed together.

If I come off like a dick, it's because most of the dogs I see on the road are not being taken care of properly, and it pisses me off. Actually seeing proper dog food or a full water dish next to a dog in a camp is super rare. If you're going to take your dog with you, don't be that thoughtless asshole.

 

[ScottyBoii]

No I thank you for the honesty. Everything you listed is exactly the reason I was hesitant about bringing her. I want to make sure I'm fully equipped for the responsibility of having a dog with me.

 

[flashinglights]

Glad to hear it.

Oh yeah, lots of dogs with worms specifically, bring deworming medicine unless you trust in force feeding tobacco as a remedy.

 

[bryanpaul]

it's just a matter of getting used to it if you ask me............ in my opinion it's easier if the dog is a puppy and grows up on the road...then theyre used to it and it's easier to train them to be in those kinda situations.....it's a matter of CONSTANTLY being aware of the dog and your surroundings...you dont get no breaks...every minute you gotta be thinkin about the dog, but that just becomes second nature ....... i would say if it's yer first time out and the dog has a place to chill, just let em chill...then when you get a feel for the situations you'll be finding yourself in you can decide whether you think you would want to travel with it

 

[Puckett]

i have always traveled with a dog. i never had a problem with her being on the road but she did grow up traveling. i always had atleast 10lbs of food because i never wanted her to go without and when she got bigger she carried 5lbs and i carried 5lbs. always make sure you have enough food and water. on the worm thing i gave my dog tabacco and she started eating my smokes after that. she never got sick and never got worms. i always felt safer with her because i knew she had my back. if you have a well behaved dog then dont worry. and if your flying a sign people will kick down dog food. sometimes more than you can carry. be safe and good luck.

 

[ScottyBoii]

thanks for all the help guys. She grew up on the road with me but i almost always had a vehicle. I'm going to go tramping for a few months alone to get the hang of it first to see if it's plausible for me to take her a good distance one day.

 

[CXR1037]

Don't take your dog on trains, that shit is immoral and sooner or later it just begs for disaster (I can imagine the possibilities: trying to climb a gondola ladder with the dog when the train slacks up and your or you dog ends up getting chewed up, or hopping strings in the departure yard because you can't catch on the fly and your dog tries jumping a knuckle right as the train slacks up, or your dog barking while you're in a 48 as the bull is looking for you, or your dog's ear getting fucked up because you've been in a loud, rattling boxcar for three crew changes, or your dog getting freaked out because you're going through some epic tunnel and it's pitch black for minutes on end, or your dog suffering from malnutrition, or your dog stepping on broken glass left behind by some drunken oogle son of a bitch, or your dog getting hit by a train or a car, or your dog getting stolen, or your dog dehydrating and dying because you're on the Sunset Route headed to Nola in the summer time and you run out of water, or your dog freezing because you're going to Chicago on the Hi-Line and there's no room for him/her in your sleeping bag.)

Yeah fuck that. I recall riding trains this year with a girl who had a dog and the whole time the thing was shaking and miserable and she just laughed and kept saying, "I THINK SHE LIKES IT SHE'S SMILING." I wanted to throw her off the train and take the dog with me and give it a nice warm home but that's not the way it works out.

I guess what I'm trying to say is: you get to choose to travel, the dog really doesn't and it can't tell you otherwise.

 

[bryanpaul]

Don't take your dog on trains..............

def. agree with all this to an extent.... just wanted to share a trick we used to do on trains cuz theyre LOUD AS FUCK and the dog needs earplugs as much as you(more) we would tie a bandana snugly around her head to pull her ears down and over the ear holes.......

 

[CXR1037]

Word. Also, I've seen that they sell (ridiculous looking) doggie ear muffs. If I had to take a dog with me I'd definitely buy some of those.

 

[chaosfactorxx]

I've had my dog for about 10 months now, I rescued him from Florida in January. I agree with everyone else. Make sure your dog comes first. Personally, I always make sure I have at least 10 lbs of dog food and a full jug of water. I was lucky with him because he's usually pretty quiet. He's only been on one train and I'll admit I was nervous because he's usually pretty mouthy (I take this as him being protective) but he was actually really good. I love having a dog on the road because it makes me feel safer. I trust his instincts and roll with them. Definatly make sure your dog has all it's shot and whatnot, there's a lot of shit out there that could fuck your dog up. But also, cops like to fuck with you via your dog not "having shots" so you'll avoid a lot of hassle. Since I've had my dog, my personal rule is not to hop by myself since I know I won't safely be able to get both me and him on the train. Call me a pussy or whatever, but I'd rather have that then a dead dog/me! Just don't be stupid and you should be alright.

 

[Jimmy Beans]

because he's usually pretty quiet. Because he's usually pretty mouthy (I take this as him being protective)

(confused)

 

[Kim Chee]

I haven't taken a dog on the road, but have thought about it: At first it seems like it might be nice to have some company. Then I think about all of the times I can't go into a business/bus/etc. because I have an animal with me, all of the added responsibility food/water/vet/supervision (hey, I thought I shedded responsibility when I left home), wondering what's going on with my dog when I'm cool chillin' in the gulag or wondering how I'm going to safely get on that choo choo with a dog that doesn't know shit but to follow me and bark at strangers. I have enough on my hands taking care of myself.

 

[kurbster]

The important thing is whether or not you love your dog. Responsibility and all that. You know, maybe you could start hitching with him, and then bring him back home if it doesn't work out? If you don't mind a little backtracking, that is.

 

[Earth]

Yeah, and not only that - know your dogs limits - and by that - I mean YOUR DOG, not by the so called standards of the breed....
I have a pitbull mix, and at first she was a ball of fire when I would walk her*
(*I did not own her at first, someone else did who was doing dog rescue - and she was keeping Loki locked in a cage most of the time which I felt was not only ethically wrong, but a viloation of nature - but thats another story...)
I figured I could take her hiking anywhere - until she got used to her new freedom*
(*once she was rescued by me and never crated again....)
Anyway - I soon found out real fast that my dog can't take any level of heat at all. Even with a constant supply of clean drinking water, she conks right out.
Also - because her fur (??) is more like the hair on our skin, sunburn - along with exposure from the cold - is a real concern.
In the winter, I bundle her up with a sweatshirt, a coat and real good boots so she stays warm and happy.

What angers me is my dog originally was going to be adopted out to some kid HERE and in the end - for whatever reason it did not happen. Funny thing, come to find out after reading a few lines going back and forth between the two parties, turns out the girl who wanted Loki wasn't really that into it after all - like, so when traveling with a dog gets old - you dump it??

I'm personally against anyone traveling / squating with a dog for all the reasons already listed on this thread.
Plus, what happens to the dog when you get arrested???
(and don't think you won't, because eventually you will)
Think traveling / squating is glamerous??
It's not always the case.......
The dog has a right to a good life, and for my dog - that's having a home where it is safe, sound, and happy......
(and don't get me wrong, I do a lot of outside stuff with my dog - I just know her limits - and won't push her beyond them)

 

[chaosfactorxx]

chaosfactorxx said: ↑

because he's usually pretty quiet. Because he's usually pretty mouthy (I take this as him being protective)

(confused)​

A bit drunk when i wrote it...He's usually pretty quiet, but he CAN get mouthy is what i meant...yikes.

 

[L.C.]

I think you should be sure you can take care of yourself on the road first. I have seen a lot of newbies with less than a year under their belt pick up dogs just for the attention because they don't know how to approach people or break the ice, and just mistake the dogs attention from strangers for their own. Often times the dog ends up in a shelter, stolen, lost ,or fucked up. The dog thing is getting just as trendy as traveling. It's a choice that takes real thought and commitment. It isn't something that you think would be cool to have like a band patch. Think about the dog, not yourself. If you choose to take your dog use the search feature to find info for stuff like what to carry or getting service dog tags. Remember your dog could turn into the next horror story passed around the campfire.

 

[chaosfactorxx]

I think you should be sure you can take care of yourself on the road first.

I agree. I waited to start looking for a dog until I'd been on the road for a year. I knew i had to learn how to take care of myself first. Cause if you can't take care of yourself, you can't take care of your dog. Also, if you really treat your dog like shit (not feeding enough, beating it, which i'm not saying you would, ect.) Some kids might tax your dog and you definatly don't want that.

 

[Jawline]

Definitely make sure you can take care of yourself before you bring out your dog, like everybody's said. It takes some getting used to traveling with a dog, you need to learn how to put it first, and keep it safe, and then you gotta learn that you can't do alot of shit like going to shows, going into resturaunts, stores, etc.

I got my dog young, so he's pretty well behaved, he wont bark at people or dogs, unless he's playing. He doesn't pull, or chase shit. Your dog can be your best bud on the road if you treat them right and know how to take care of them.

 

[DisgustinDustin]

Dogs are a hassle... Agreed that you should take care of yourself first..agreed that you left home to escape responsibility, so why bring a huge heap of it with you...I wouldn't choose to take a dog with me...