Advice about dog in the Truck

Get a dog that doesn't shed or shed's very little. Google has a list of them.

 

Get one that loves to chew and is incontinent.

 

I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. I thank you for that one sir!

 

I carried a Beagle-Border Collie mix for a few years. She shed like a shedding machine, but you can collect the fur by putting on dishwashing rubber gloves and using your hand to ssweep up the fur. It's more effective than any tool since tools are too big to get into crevices and they cost money or are not as effective as rubber.

Make sure the dog is potty trained before the truck as you cannot stop the truck on a moment's notice any & everywhere you might need to. My dog was medium sized or under, about 20 lbs. Many companies have weight limits from 20-50 pounds and require a deposit which may be non-refundable.Dogs are much less likely to have potty accidents in the truck IF YOU PAY ATTENTION and you stop every couple of hours. There are less places to sneak off than when at home. Mine never had an accident in the truck.

The dog is never, NEVER out of the truck without a leash. Not because your dog is a careless undisciplined hound but because you never know when a rabbit or skunk will trigger your dog's instinct to chase and run across traffic. Worst case scenario your dog is almost killed by a vehicle. Since my dog was a mix of sight hound and scent hound there was always the possibility she would bolt. She was big enough to jump in and out of the truck.

Carry a pump-up garden sprayer of water for emergency doggie bath time.Her feet would get dirty walking through dewy grass and across dirt parking lots. Dogs also like to roll in stinky stuff, so the leash can prevent that and the garden sprayer can remedy that.

A couch-potato or lapdog is the easiest breed so tiny and giant are happy to lay on the bunk and stare at you all day.I've seen a JB Hunt driver with 2 greyhounds. Greyhounds need one sprint a day and otherwise make truck drivers look like Olympic athletes.

It's the best security system in the world and great company. But, breakdowns and layovers are a hassle. Anything that forces both of you to stay out of the truck (home). Not every shop and hotel allows pets.

Here's a link to making a shower for dog/driver from a pump-up garden sprayer.

 

Sheep are much better for OTR than a dog. Too bad you can’t teach sheep how to cook.

 

the best dog ever is the Schipperkie. They are little black terrier sized dogs with cute foxy faces and no tails. They were bred down from belgium sheep dogs to hunt rats on barges. They are faster than a cat. Then they noticed that these dogs were great guard dogs and they became guard dogs for royalty. Smart little ####ers, they can be almost human with the right attention. As a species they would guard the open gate rather than run off through it. Great for traveling too.

 

They can't bark either, they're mute. Great dogs.

 

I disagree. When the dog is just a pup, sure...but train it well and the leash becomes unnecessary. The day I retired the leash was the day we were in the yard and I called my dog over, grabbed his head, and aimed him at a bunny. I told him to "go get it" ...and off he went. When the bunny went around the side of the neighbor's and out of my sight, I called to my dog. He stopped dead in his tracks and looked back at me. I said "come here" and he did. Figured he's pretty well trained if I can call him off a hot pursuit of a bunny from 250' away. He also wouldn't go in the road...that was another thing I was persistent with as a pup on the leash, as well as walking beside me.

Most of the time he was in the truck, I'd let him out when I fueled, and he'd take care of his business in a nearby grassy area while I took care of the truck. If he started over to one area and I wanted him in a different one, all I had to do was call his name, say "over here" and point where I wanted...got compliments several times about how he listens better than someone's kids. When he saw me hanging up the pumps, he's make his way back, so it really didn't cost me any extra time...and with a 100# dog sitting in the jump seat, I never had to worry about stuff going missing while I was paying for my fuel. Even at hotels, we'd walk inside and through the halls without the leash. I'd carry it, but it wasn't clipped to his collar. A good dog doesn't need it.

 

Forgot to mention they'd also keep you warm in the winter so lots of fuel savings there huh ?