How do you keep your dog from destroying your window screens

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How do you keep your dog from destroying your window screens

Postby ae6black » Tue Dec 13, 2016 12:10 pm

I've never camped with a dog in a TD. Actually don't even have a dog at the moment but expect to have one in time for the 2017 camping season. Question, how do you keep the dog from destroying your window screens? I only have two windows in my TD and I can just see the dog hearing something on the outside and sticking his big feet through the screen or even breaking a window. How do all of you who camp with Dogs in a TD handle this sort of situation? My last two dogs, a Beagle mix and before that an Irish Setter would completely destroy any opening unless I was in there with them to calm them down. I can see situations arising where I would want to leave the Dog in the TD while I made a quick potty run or a quick check of the vehicle or something that would result in some major damage. So how do you handle it?

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Re: How do you keep your dog from destroying your window scr

Postby S. Heisley » Tue Dec 13, 2016 7:59 pm

It's almost impossible to keep a dog from destroying screens. I have awning style windows (crank open) and I simply limit how far I open the ones that the dog can get to. I have some that he can't reach and I open those more; but, even those, I limit.
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Re: How do you keep your dog from destroying your window scr

Postby tony.latham » Tue Dec 13, 2016 8:38 pm

Just tell 'em to lay down and stay. 8)

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Or put them in a proper sized dog kennel in the shade.

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That was a 9,000' so shade wasn't an issue. Now? That little furball sleeps in the rear seat of the truck at night. 9 months and no issues.

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Re: How do you keep your dog from destroying your window scr

Postby GuitarPhotog » Tue Dec 13, 2016 8:58 pm

The same way you keep them from destroying your screen door at home, with training.

The only screen I ever had destroyed by a pet was a screen door that the rabbit chewed through, and I've had dozens of dogs and countless cats over the years.

Dogs behaving badly are almost always the result of poor or non-existent training.

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Re: How do you keep your dog from destroying your window scr

Postby MadMango » Wed Dec 14, 2016 8:57 am

ae6black wrote:Actually don't even have a dog at the moment but expect to have one in time for the 2017 camping season.


Yes, training and socializing is key to having a well behaved dog that is also camping friendly. I plan on taking my dog camping in my trailer when the wife doesn't want to go. My dog is a 96lb pit-mix and veteran camper since 2009. He has no trouble hanging out in a 2P tent, and has never tried to go through the screens or tent wall. In camp I can tether him to a cooler or picnic table and he is just fine. Best part is he doesn't bark at other campers (unless they get into our area) since I think he knows it's not his normal home. He'll do a low throat-growl when racoons and opossums are creeping around at night though, just to say, "I smell/hear you.".

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If you are camping with a puppy though (under 18 months), you might want to invest in some temporary metal mesh screens that you can use to protect your window screens, like the type used for screen doors.
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Re: How do you keep your dog from destroying your window scr

Postby jstrubberg » Wed Dec 14, 2016 11:14 am

We don't ever confine the dog inside the camper unless we are there with them. Forget about screens, we've had dogs go through canvas walls and claw through the door of an RV. You're better off restraining the animal outside the camper.
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Re: How do you keep your dog from destroying your window scr

Postby S. Heisley » Wed Dec 14, 2016 3:53 pm

I guess I should clarify what I posted earlier. Yes, a dog can be taught to sit/stay and that's a good thing to do. However, screens can be another issue because of the dog's snout and eye sight, not just poor training. If your dog is fairly small or has a short snout, you may be okay. However, if your dog has a long nose/muzzle area and poor depth perception, he will try to get as close to the opening as he can when he tries to see out. This means that his face won't stop until his nose hits the screen, especially if he sees something that really excites him, like a critter. Over time, this can loosen the screen. This is especially true with those awning/crank-out windows because the screen is already left loose around the crank handle area. (Laugh if you want; but, I have depth perception issues myself and have been known to hit the window or screen with my nose. Of course, I feel foolish when that happens.} There are screen protectors that one can get for screen doors and I imagine one might find something like that for smaller windows; but, for me, I prefer to limit how far open I crank those windows that the dog can get to.

In other words, how you handle your screen situation depends on the physical qualities of your dog, its age, personality, and breed as well as the amount of training that you give your dog and even how you train your dog. While patience is very important, there isn't a one-answer-fits-all with a dog any more than there is with a child.

While we're on the subject of containing pets, most campgrounds have leash rules and a dog must either be on a leash/tether or be contained in your camper/kennel. Even with this, a dog should be taught where its boundaries are and should stay within them. There is nothing worse than having to worry about a lost dog or a loose dog in a campground when it might run in front of a car or what a loose dog might do to you or how your pet might react if it feels a threat to either your family or you, whether that threat is real or imagined. It's not only the rules, it's proper manners to keep a pet within its campsite boundaries, unless it has its leash on and is accompanied by a person. I commend you for wanting to take proper care of your pooch!
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Re: How do you keep your dog from destroying your window scr

Postby PKCSPT » Wed Dec 14, 2016 11:05 pm

Lance curls up or leans against the window on "his"side if the teardrop. Black lab great Dane mix, a Great Labradane, if you will. The screen will get pushed out, I use a piece of plastic lattice over the window to protect it. Still get lots of fresh air as well.
When my son and his wife used my tear their dog slept in their truck.
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