questions about dogs

Young dogs have a tendency to chew anything within reach. Wires behind the seat can cause real head aches for you if the pup chews on those. Not to mention the dog hair that will clog the air vents and get all over your clothes, your bed, the floor, and the upholstery. If the dog needs to go potty and you do not take it out you will be cleaning up the mess. Lets hope it was not in your bed! A car sick dog may vomit in your truck as well.

Then there are the temperature issues. Apu's cost around 7500 for a cheap one and as a company driver you may or may not have 1 installed on your truck. Contrary to popular belief, a dog on the truck will not permit you to violate anti idling laws to keep the pooch comfortable while your in the truck stop eating or checking in at a customer.

The previous post by D-man is also a very good point. Dogs can be destructive and many companies prohibit them due to the cost of repairing the interior not to mention trying to get rid of the smell from a "wet dog."

Lest you think I am anti animal let me assure you I am not. I have 3 miniature dachsunds at HOME. This is where they belong. They have a temperature controlled environment, a nice yard to run and play with each other, as well as a routine they are used to. I have taken the oldest dachsund with us (I run team with my wife and she missed the dog)for a few weeks in the past and let me tell you it was truly a hassle. While I enjoy the dog I simply do not have time for him while working. This caused accidents in the truck, lots of dog hair in the bed, on the seats, and on our clothes. The dog hated being left in the truck alone when we had to check in at a customer, use the restroom, or get something to eat for ourselves. He would climb up on the steering wheel and sit on the horn (Volvos have the air horn in the steering wheel rather than a lanyard) and blow the horn until we came back. This got a few other sleeping drivers upset as well as a couple customers.

Trucking is a tough "lifestyle." Be kind to your pets and leave them at home. Do not subject them to the hours of solitude cooped up in a moving truck for most of the day. It is not humane.

 

Swift doesnt allow pets anymore but I snuck my dog on anyway. I didnt have any of the problems suggested above. She is a red nose pit but rarely barks. (She's got a pretty threatening growl tho and isnt afraid to use it) I had mechanics inside the truck looking at something and never even knew she was in the bed behind the curtin. No one ever knew I had her. I bath her often so there was no smell and that's probably why you didn't see dog hair anywhere. I love her to death, she is like my kid and lemme tell you no one bothers me or the truck when she is in it.
I hate having to sneak tho.

Someone wondered about a water dish. Fred Meyer has plastic water bowls especially for travel. The water doesnt spill out no matter what. I used to give her bottled water out of the cooler. I will say that all there was for her to do was lay on the bed. I took her out every day, but one or two hours outside the truck a day really isn't much. I dont' really think its good for her to be on the truck continuously. But she wants to be with me and I love having her...

 

Just don't get caught
As far as being stuck in the truck
My dog sleeps 20 hours a day, whats the difference if its in the truck or the couch at home

 

Dogs are pack animals and highly socialized. They need regular attention and exercise. Normally this is why pet owners have more than 1 dog. They play together and keep each other company.

As for sleeping 20 hours a day you may want to take that dog to the vet. That does not sound normal. Our dogs are very active and play the majority of the day. When we are home with them they do sleep with us in the bed (dachsunds love to burrow and actually sleep under the covers with the wife) and sleep around 7 hours before they are up and ready to go out. They do take naps once in a while during the day but no where near 20 hours.

 

My little guy is fine
Sleeping LOL
Your right about the pack animal part
But allot of that has been breed out
Just watch animal planet, they only work when they have to
The rest of the time they sleep and conserve energy

 

I drive with my 2 15-20 lb dogs....have had one since I started driving almost 6 years ago. Adopted the 2nd one a year ago and she adjusted quickly. It depends on the dog, and the amount of time you are able/willing to spend with the dog. There is very little, if any hair in my truck or on my clothes. My dogs don't have a "doggy" odor. And neither dog has ever gone to the bathroom in my truck. Part of it is their breed- they are Basenjis (and NO I would NOT reccomend this breed for an inexperienced owner- do some research and you'll find out why). But I have met plenty of other drivers with pets who keep their trucks clean and odor-free with relative ease.

Personally, I always appreciate the fact that my dogs "force" me to get up off my butt, and go outside with them. It's a good way to wake up before I start my driving shift, and it's a good way to finish out the shift so I can lay down without having cramped up muscles from sitting. They also provide an excuse to stop & walk around a couple times during my driving shift, to help stay awake and alert.

I've found a lot of nice rest areas; a couple with extensive areas to walk & hike, that I'd never have seen if it weren't for the dogs. Did you know there's a huge hiking trail that runs behind the rest areas on top of Donner Pass? Or that there's a trail, and a series of rest areas that run alongside the river on I-70 in Colorado? Or that in Utah, between Green River and the I 15 junction, the rest areas in the middle of that national park area have tons of scenic beauty and lots of room to go hike and climb?

Even if it's nothing spectacular, there are a lot of rest areas with huge grassy areas. I put my 2 dogs on an extended leash setup, which gives them 50 feet of leash per dog. I get in the middle of a grassy area and throw sticks, toys, whatever it takes to get them riled up, playing, wrestling and running around with me and each other. They get this, OR a decent walk, at least 1-2 times per day. And when they're in the truck....they sleep, or they sit on the floor next to me and get absentminded ear rubs and lovin's while I drive. Compare this to the average suburban dog who sits alone in the backyard or in the house all day long while the owners are at work....my dogs never lack in attention. Dogs are social creatures, and thrive when they have companionship.

Plus, I've met some of my greatest truckin' friends because of my dogs. Maybe I'm not as social as some folks- but I have never been inclined to spend time in a driver's lounge, or sitting around the table in the truckstop. Left to my own devices, I'm an introvert who would finish my driving shift, curl up in bed with a book, eat a cold sandwich and go to sleep. Because of my dogs, I get out and I meet other drivers with their dogs. I met one of my best driver friends this way.

As far as the guy wanting to GET a dog....I *do* agree with the folks who say to wait a little while. At least make SURE you have someone at home who can care for the dog until you get settled. If you're not a driver yet, you'll have to undergo orientation & training with whatever company you hire on with, and you won't be able to bring Fido.

I'd stick with a medium-to-small breed, shorthaired....a lot of companies that DO allow pets have WEIGHT LIMITS; so you'll run into more problems changing companies, if you have a 60 lb Husky or something. Even places without weight limits have "breed restrictions"....so rule out the Pits and Rottweilers. And I would *highly* reccomend adopting an adult dog instead of getting a puppy. I've got 15 years experience with training dogs at a competition level (Obedience, Agility, Schutzhund, etc) and even I don't think I'd want to attempt housebreaking in a truck. Kind of hard to keep an eye on the pup and pull over at a moment's notice when he starts to squat, and I personally wouldn't tolerate wet newspaper or "piddle pads" on my floors in this enclosed space!

If you have a specific *breed* in mind, there is a Breed Rescue group for virtually every breed you can think of. You CAN find well-behaved, housebroken adult dogs who are up for adoption....and you can find out before hand whether they get carsick or have seperation anxiety or other issues. I am a volunteer with Basenji Rescue & can help guide anyone to the rescue group of their choice, if anyone is interested.

In 6 years I have only once come across a shipper who wouldn't allow my dog on the premises. Keeping a collapsible crate handy, in the bunk, prevents this from being a problem....if you know you're going somewhere he isn't allowed, walk him beforehand and keep him in the crate while you're loading. Having the crate is a good idea anyway, in case you need to fly in an emergency, or if you stay in a hotel and want to go have dinner.

And rarely have I found anti-idle rules to be a major problem. Idle Aire is available in most states where they really enforce it. Then again, we're team and we haven't had to sit, for too long, in places like California where they really enforce the idle laws. I guess if I was going solo all over again, I'd try to find a company that had APU's on their truck.

 

Oh yeah. Water dish idea. I don't bother with anything fancy....I get the set of the 3 plastic Rubbermaid "Take-Along" bowls (the ones that are probably about 4-5 inches deep). And I get a small-to-medium sized, square plastic storage bin. The one I have now is about 10-12 inches deep.

The bin should be big enough so that the bowl fits in nicely, without a lot of room on the top and bottom. Most of the bins are rectangular, so I fill the extra "side space" with a couple of their toys, and their empty food bowls (they eat 2 meals per day). The plastic storage bin catches any water slosh, and catches the spill if the bowls tip over. Works like a charm.

Just remember to replace the plastic water dish regularly. I toss the old one out and bring out a new one every 2 weeks....I wash them every couple of days BUT plastic tends to break down over time and can harbor bacteria. The set of 3 plastic bowls costs around $3 at wal mart.

Also, I would reccomend giving only bottled water- you don't have to get fancy, but I keep 2 gallons of spring water (69 cents a bottle at Wal Mart) on the truck at all times. Different areas of the country treat their water differently and it can cause digestive upset if you're constantly giving them tap water to drink.