Packing list: motorhome with dog (honest and short)

The shortest packing list that actually works is rarely the longest one. Anyone who has travelled with a dog knows the opposite scenario: boot boxes crammed with toys that never get unpacked, three different bowls of which exactly one ends up being used, and a dog blanket that fits better at home than on the road. This list takes the other route - it shows what really needs to come along, why it needs to come along, and what you can safely leave at home.

One important note first: this list is no substitute for an individual assessment. Age, health, destination and season all change what actually makes sense for your dog. For health questions or your dog's special needs, your vet is always the most reliable point of contact - especially before longer trips or journeys abroad.

For your dog: the basics

The absolute minimum that gets most dogs comfortably through a road trip of several weeks:

• A harness with a seatbelt attachment for the vehicle - not an ordinary everyday harness, but one approved for restraining dogs in a car or motorhome
• Their own bed or a familiar blanket that already smells of home
• Food for the whole trip plus at least two days' reserve, in case the return journey is delayed
• A water bowl, collapsible, so it also fits in your pack on hikes
• Poo bags, considerably more than planned - in new places dogs mark and relieve themselves more often than they do at home
• Vaccination record and EU pet passport, especially important when crossing borders

A sleeping and retreat spot in the motorhome

In the limited space of a motorhome, it pays to give your dog's sleeping spot special attention. A bed that is too small, or a spot right in the walkway, quickly leads to restlessness. Make sure the resting place:

• is not in direct sunlight when the vehicle is parked during the day
• is slightly raised or in a quiet corner, away from the door and the walkway
• is big enough for your dog to stretch out fully
• has a non-slip base under the blanket, so your dog doesn't slide around on winding roads

A roll-up travel mat with a non-slip underside is often more practical here than a bulky dog bed, because it stows away easily when the living area is used differently during the day.

Travel safety: more than just a belt

Safety while driving is where most first-timers cut corners - usually out of ignorance rather than carelessness. An unrestrained dog inside the vehicle becomes a projectile under emergency braking, capable of injuring both itself and the passengers. A sensible basic setup includes:

• A vehicle-approved harness with a short connector to the existing seatbelt system
• Alternatively, a transport crate of the right size, firmly anchored in the vehicle
• A partition guard or net, if your dog rides in the cargo area rather than the living area
• A non-slip mat in the footwell or on the seat, so nothing shifts while driving

Health and a small first-aid kit

A compact travel first-aid kit for your dog takes up hardly any space, but saves a great deal of stress in an emergency. Worth packing:

• Tick tweezers or a tick card, kept within easy reach rather than buried in the bottom compartment
• Some bandaging material for minor cuts or scrapes
• A cooling compress for insect stings or overheated paws after hot asphalt
• Contact details of a veterinary clinic in your destination region, ideally noted down before departure
• For ongoing medication: a sufficient supply plus some reserve for unexpected delays

If your dog is prone to motion sickness or has a pre-existing condition, talk to your vet before departure about sensible preparations specifically for longer drives.

Planning food and water on the road

Switching food mid-trip can quickly lead to stomach trouble in sensitive dogs. So wherever possible, bring enough of your dog's usual food along instead of switching to a different product at your destination. As for water: not all water you find along the way - from streams or unknown springs, for instance - is safe. Always carry enough of your own drinking water, especially on longer hikes away from campsites.

• Dry food in an airtight container, so it doesn't get damp on the road
• A second, smaller set of bowls for your daypack on outings without the motorhome
• One or two collapsible bottles with a drinking function for hikes

Occupation and rest during long drives

Long stretches of driving are often more tiring for dogs than you might think, even if they spend most of the time lying down. The constant movement of the vehicle, new noises and the restricted freedom of movement all take their toll. One or two familiar chews, or a Kong filled with a little food, help bridge long driving stages without your dog getting restless. Skip brand-new toys for the first drive, though - novelty tends to create excitement rather than calm when your dog is already having to adjust to a new environment.

What you can safely leave at home

Just as important as the question of what needs to come along is the question of what doesn't. Experience shows that the following items usually sit unused in the motorhome's cupboard:

• Several different toys "to choose from" - one or two familiar favourites are perfectly sufficient
• A second, new bed in addition to the familiar blanket
• Oversized supplies of treats that ultimately just cost weight and space
• Specialist gear for activities your dog doesn't do at home either

In practice, less luggage usually also means less stress packing and unpacking at every new pitch - an advantage that becomes very noticeable over a trip lasting several weeks.

Summer and winter packing lists: the differences

The basics stay the same all year round, but a small seasonal addition is worthwhile. In summer, a cooling mat for hot afternoons, a sunshade for the window by the sleeping spot and extra drinking water for long hikes all make sense. Paws are sensitive to hot asphalt, so in this season it's worth looking into paw balm - or at least getting into the habit of briefly checking the ground with your hand before setting off.

In winter or at higher altitudes the focus shifts: a warmer blanket or a dog coat for short-nosed or short-haired breeds, non-slip boots or paw protection for ice and road salt, and a towel within easy reach for wet paws after every walk in the snow. Road salt can irritate paw pads - after walks on gritted paths, it's worth giving the paws a quick wipe before your dog lies down in the living area.

• Summer: cooling mat, sunshade for the window, extra drinking water, paw balm
• Winter: warmer blanket or coat, non-slip mat, towel for wet paws, paw protection against road salt

After the trip: cleaning and care in the motorhome

An often underestimated part of the packing list concerns not the journey itself, but the time afterwards. Dog hair, sand from the beach and mud from forest tracks accumulate in the motorhome over the course of a trip, especially around the sleeping spot and in the footwell. A small, handy handheld vacuum and a low-lint towel reserved exclusively for the dog make daily cleaning considerably easier and prevent a major cleaning project from piling up by the end of the trip.

• A compact handheld vacuum or a lint brush for upholstery and blankets
• A separate towel just for the dog, within easy reach every day
• Wet wipes for a quick paw clean right as you climb in
• A small laundry bag for used dog blankets, kept separate from your own laundry

These small habits cost hardly any time, but make a noticeable difference to how pleasant the living area feels over a trip of several weeks - for you, and for the next renter if the vehicle isn't your own.

Sort out the legal side before the trip

Rules on leash requirements, permitted dog beaches, the number of dogs per pitch or special entry requirements for trips abroad vary widely from region to region and country to country. This list cannot answer such detailed questions across the board. So find out in good time before departure - locally, or directly from the operator of the pitch or campsite - which rules actually apply. It saves unpleasant surprises on arrival.

Common mistakes when packing with a dog

From many conversations with experienced motorhome travellers with dogs, the same pitfalls come up again and again. The most common: stowing everything at the very bottom of the largest storage compartment, so that bowl, leash and poo bags have to be laboriously dug out at the first stop. It's far more practical to have a dedicated, clearly labelled bag just for the dog, within easy reach right next to the driver's door.

The second common mistake is thinking about food too late. If you only realise at your destination that your dog's usual food isn't available anywhere there, you quickly face a problem that a little forward planning would easily have avoided. The third mistake concerns the first-aid kit: it often gets packed, but stowed so deep that it isn't quickly accessible in an emergency. A small, separate bag kept in plain sight reliably solves this problem too.

The packing list as a tick-off checklist

To sum up, here are the key points once more for a quick check before departure:

• Harness with seatbelt attachment and suitable restraint in the vehicle
• Their own bed or familiar blanket in a fixed sleeping spot
• Food for the entire trip plus reserve, in the usual brand
• Collapsible water bowl and plenty of your own drinking water
• Plenty of poo bags
• Vaccination record and EU pet passport
• Small first-aid kit with tick tweezers and bandaging material
• One or two familiar chews or toys

The right motorhome instead of improvisation

A motorhome with a well-thought-out layout automatically makes many of these points easier - enough space for a fixed resting spot, anchor points for crates for a safe drive, and storage that doesn't need laborious rearranging first. On Pfotentour you'll find a selection of dog-friendly motorhomes from various hosts that make this packing list particularly easy to put into practice - from a first short trial trip to a tour lasting several weeks.