Van Life With A Doggo

Ceri (To The Mountains And Back)

We're To the Mountains and Back and we've been travelling around Europe in our sprinter van conversion for the last 16 months (off and on). The star of the show is definitely our beagle Piglet who prides herself in causing mischief everywhere we go! We often get asked what it's like living in our van with a dog, and how she finds it on the road so we thought we'd share a few tips and tales with you from our travels.

Tip #1 - Only you know your dog! 
There's a whole raft of people out there that will give you every reason under the sun why van life is or isn't a good idea with a dog. Trust me when I say Piglet is her own dog! She travelled with me to work everyday since she was a pup so being on the road isn't an issue for her. She loves getting in the van and heading off; new places and smells are her idea of heaven (well, that and any kind of food!) and she's incredibly sociable with people. Only you know what your dog enjoys and what stresses them out and that's the best way to know if van life is right for your dog or not.

Tip #2 - Build space for your dog

We built a little kennel area into our van which is known as Piglet's bedroom! If i'm honest she regularly sleeps on our bed but it's really useful to have a secure space for her and she actually spends quite a bit of time in there. If it's hot this is where you'll find her, and if it's cold she has the best spot in the van as the heater points straight into her bed! It's also the perfect place to keep her toys, jumper, coat and dog towels. We went backwards and forwards on building this space for her as it takes up valuable storage room but we're really glad we did in the end.
Tip #3 - Check the regs
Currently your dog needs to have had a rabies vaccine and have a valid European Pet Passport to travel. Some countries, including Norway and the UK require your dog to be treated for tapeworm 1-5 days before entering. It's always worth checking the regulations for the country you're heading in to as well to ensure you won't have any issues. This will most likely change with Brexit at the end of 2020 so make sure you're aware of any new requirements. Currently, the most likely scenario is that all dogs will need a rabies test to travel (can take up to 4 months) and a health certificate, but nothing has been finalised as yet.

There are also some local regulations you may need to be aware of too, for example some areas in Italy require a dog to be muzzled in public areas and on public transport. Not having a muzzle with you can result in fines. Piglet was not a fan of wearing a muzzle (it makes it harder to grab stray food!) but we always carry one with us now just in case.

We use a car safety harness for Piglet whenever we are driving. The seat belt loops through this and she sits on the middle seat in our van. Most countries require your dog to be secured when driving so this is definitely one to think about as well.

Tip #4 - Adapt your travel plans 

Piglet is not a fan of the heat! She loves sunbathing as much as the next dog but she overheats quickly and is noticeably uncomfortable if she doesn't have somewhere to cool down. Our van is insulated so keeps the heat out relatively well, especially if you keep the window covers on but once the heat gets in it can be quite stuffy. We try and avoid going to extremely hot places in the heat of summer but even visiting Venice last year in June was very hot. We went from snow in the Dolomites to 35ºc in Venice in a matter of days. 


We've found the best way to stop Pigs (and ourselves) getting too hot is to explore early on in the day and in the evenings when it's cooler. In the middle of the day we stay in the van and get some work done with all the doors open (with fly nets!) to get as much air flow as possible. We never leave her alone in the van in hot weather. There's a few things you can buy including mini portable fans and dog cooling mats to help as well if your dog is really struggling. 
Tip #5 - Get a tag with your phone number!
Your dog needs to be microchipped to get a Pet Passport to travel. I cannot recommend enough making sure your dog also wears a collar with a tag containing your contact details. Piglet usually only wears a collar when we're taking her out but she wears one at all times in the van except at night. Why? Because she is a serious escape artist (she got out of a locked crate when she was a puppy, still no idea how)! Losing her is my biggest fear and we never let her off her lead as despite knowing perfect recall she's very opinionated about when she needs to listen and when she doesn't! Take, for example, Trysil Ski resort in Norway. Somehow she managed to squeeze through the tinniest gap in the side door and she bolted through the car park at great speed, straight to the ski slopes and was off! 

Will chased after her on skis (it's definitely funnier to look back on it than it was at the time!), I ran frantically around the car park and ski resort with dog treats and toys in hand. 45 minutes later we got a phone call from a Norwegian lady saying "I think I have your dog". You have no idea the relief! Piglet was obviously delighted with herself having had the most fun in weeks (she was found head in a bin behind a restaurant!!) and I didn't know whether to kill her or never let her out of my sight again! Needless to say it was a pretty traumatic 45 minutes for us but it could definitely have been a lot worse if both our phone numbers weren't on her collar (with international dialling code).

We love having Piglet on the road with us, and that was definitely part of the attraction of van life for us. There are times when it changes the way we travel or we don't visit  places because they don't allow dogs but there's plenty of things we can all do together. Most importantly, she seems really happy in the van! She loves exploring new places and there's a few park-ups we've found close to designated dog parks that are completely fenced in. These are the perfect place for her to have a run around and stretch her legs so we head to these places as much as we can. We've also found people are a lot more sociable when you have a dog. We've met a lot of people on the road through Piglet the only problem is there's often a major language barrier!

If you want to see more of our travels make sure you check out our instagram @tothemountainsnback and for more info on travelling with dogs, as well as our other van life guides visit our website www.tothemountainsandback.com


By Ceri - To The Mountains And Back


*Blogs are opinion based by each writer*

Van Life Business Features:

by Nichole - Tiny Ventures • 14 Jan, 2023
Welcome to a brand new blog series, where we feature creative Van Lifers and small business owners who make and create things ON or FOR the road! First up lets get to know the story behind Tiny Ventures...
How To Reduce Weight In A Van Build

How To Reduce Weight In A Van Build

by Jade - VLB • 10 May, 2021
Weight is one of the most important yet overlooked factors of a van build out. Below I share my top tips on ways to consider reducing those kilograms!
Bathroom In A Camper - YES OR NO?

Bathroom In A Camper - YES OR NO?

by Jade - VLB • 21 Apr, 2021
When it comes to choosing your toilet, we would highly recommend the Simploo Composting Loo , not only is it a more ecological choice compared with chemical loo's, it actually looks like a household toilet thanks to the sleek modern finish.
Where To Fill Up You Camper Van Water Tanks

Where To Fill Up Your Water Tanks

by Jade - VLB • 17 Jul, 2020
Are you wondering where to fill up your water when living the full time van life? Below I share my top tips! My first pointer here would be to have a water tank that is over 70L to ensure you aren't having to fill up too often (especially if you are planning to be off grid for a few days at a time) You'll still need to preserve your water as much as you can, so try not to keep that tap running unnecessarily and invest in a stop/start shower head, if you have a shower set up in your rig. The most obvious one is to fill up at friends and families, in between adventures or before setting off, this is probably the easiest way to obtain water! Keep a long water hose in your van, so if you spot a tap on your travels you are well prepared! On the road look out for these at fuel stations and services, not all of them have taps so I personally like to do a little dance when I find one (this is optional) A not so obvious one (and one that is probably best to use in a low water emergency) is a jet wash or screen water fill up point in fuel stations, you just need to make sure there are no chemicals or soap added to these! Oh and be prepared for some funny looks from people if you do try this method - if in doubt just smile and pout! Make friends! This is super easy in van life because the community spirit is so SO strong! There is a whole host of support out there both at park ups or online, so if you are stuck just ask around! I found that country pub owners were particularly friendly and kind enough to let us use their outdoor taps, they often have these for doggos, so after a spot of lunch take the opportunity to ask - the worst they can say is no! Lastly there is the option of a campsite, you could make use of the paid facilities and fill up your water, lots of people we know plan to do this once every few weeks for a night or 2!
Travel The Nordics

Travel The Nordics (The Indie Projects)

by Jade - VLB • 29 Jun, 2020
Vanlife Legends Bee & Theo from The Indie Projects have just released an inspiring guide book, all about their experience of travelling through the breathtaking Nordics! This book Travel The Nordics literally couldn’t have come out at a better time for me! I have just purchased a new van, ready to build out in the coming months, and Norway / Northern Lights being TOP of my travel bucket list! Reading this book has completely solidified the fact that I just have to go, and now even better I can feel fully prepared with the practical advice of The Indie Projects! I CANNOT wait to get on the road and experience all of the amazing sights that Bee & Theo share in this book, but this time with my very own eyes!

Our TOP VanLife Underrated Destinations

by Laura & Carly (Rainbows On The Road) • 21 Jun, 2020
Laura, Carly, their daughter Agnes and Roy The Dog make Rainbows On The Road - an Adventurous family who have travelled far and wide in their super unique home on wheels! They have absolutely nailed alternative living, and they are a great inspiration to us and many others! Let's find out their TOP underrated travel destinations below in the blog they have written for us all to enjoy!
Interview With Van Life Straya

Interview With Van Life Straya

by Jade - VLB • 31 May, 2020
The awesome Claire & Luke from Van Life Straya have just completed self converting a Sprinter Panel Van into their very own FULL TIME home! We have throughly enjoyed watching this fun couple during their van build. Australia is near to our own hearts, so we have definitely been following this one extra closely! Let's dig a little deeper...
Interview With Driving Dee Dee

Interview With Driving Dee Dee

by Jade - VLB • 19 May, 2020
We really enjoy watching your travels on Instagram - but life is certainly different right now, and you are currently in Spain on lockdown due to the Covid-19! How are you adjusting to this? Were you unable to stay in the van over there? Yes, we're currently in the south of Spain near Almeria and have been here for around 9 weeks now. We decided to rent an AirBnB about two months ago to wait out the lockdown rather than staying in the van as it felt safer and gave us peace of mind – as well as not having to worry about emptying the toilet and having access to long hot showers every day! We spent the first week of lockdown in the van but because the rules were so strict here with heavy fines (up to 2000 euros!) being threatened to anyone out of the house without a valid reason – and rules against having more than one person in a vehicle - we were constantly looking over our shoulder and felt really on edge all the time. On top of that all caravan parks and the majority of aires or motorhome service points closed too so finding water and grey and black drop-off points was really tricky. It's not quite how we imagined spending the Spring months, that's for sure, but we've tried to stay positive throughout it all and will just have to adapt our route plan accordingly, as and when things start to resume some normality and country borders begin to open again. Lockdown restrictions have eased slightly now, so we are leaving the AirBnB to move back into DeeDee this week and drive to an animal sanctuary near Valencia who have offered us to park on their land whilst we volunteer with them to build their new rescue centre. That should keep us entertained for the rest of lockdown (hopefully!).
Interview With Adventures In A Camper

Interview With Adventures In A Camper

by Jade - VLB • 14 May, 2020
What inspired you to get a van? April's parents bought a caravan a few years ago, and after using it for a year or two we decided having a fixed base for weekend trips didn't work for us. To go on a weekend trip meant that we would have to book Friday's and Monday's off of work as we would spend Friday driving to our campsite and setting up and Monday packing up and driving home (you can't really go anywhere with a caravan hooked up to you). We'd pick a campsite in a central location to the places we wanted to visit, then we would spend the weekend traveling anywhere from 2 to 3 hours each day from our base location and then return at night. A camper van gave us the freedom to spend more time exploring as our home would be with us all the time - and it also meant that a weekend trip was literally a weekend trip, so no extra time off work, meaning more trips!
The Dixie Tribe

Interview With The Dixie Tribe

by Jade - VLB • 07 May, 2020
How did you first get in to van life? For a long time, we had really wanted to travel, and we had come close to moving to Canada for a year to live and work. But we kinda realised we would just be doing there, what we were doing here....working and not actually having quality time together as a family. We wanted to be able to travel full time and enjoy every experience together. We almost came close to buying a house too, but the seller pulled out, and we realised that we didn't want to be tied into a huge mortgage. Van living just really offered us what we were looking for. Minimal living and full-time travel. So we went for it! We purchased a 2005 LDV Convoy and converted her into a tiny home on wheels over nine months and then travelled full-time across Europe for five months.
More posts
Share by: