Author: Julie Jacobsbr
Source: ezinearticles.combr
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Nothing seems more natural for many families than to include the family animal companions in vacation plans. Unfortunately, though, not all dogs and cats travel well. Before you put your pets in the truck and hit the road, ask yourself if the trip will be more stressful than beneficial for your pets. If your dog or cat is miserable, everyones enjoyment is diminished. Dogs are often good candidates for travel. However, if yours is distressed on a short trip, you should rethink including him.

Cats generally are not good travelers, but if yours pines for you when you are away from home for long periods, you might consider including her. Make wise choices for your pets.

Do make plans ahead if you are including your pet(s)

Plan for a successful trip with your pets. Prepare them by taking some shorter trips with them in the vehicle that will pull your travel trailer or fifth wheel. Secure your dog with a restraining harness and a seat belt for his safety. Use it regularly.

Cats must travel in a carrier. A cat roaming around in a moving vehicle is a danger to everyone. (Any cat who cannot tolerate being in a pet carrier should not be on a long trip for safetys sake.) If your cat simply must travel, ask your veterinarian about a mild sedative for your sanity as well as the cats. Or you can look for a natural remedy, many are available online.

Fido and Fluffy need to have up to date health certificates and records proving that they are current on their vaccinations if you plan to drive into Canada or Mexico. Pack their meds (heartworm, something for fleas, and a months supply of any other medications they take. Add their favorite toys, food and water bowls, and their beds. The more familiar their space, the happier they are.

How to care for pet needs on the road

Give your pets a light meal and water before you leave to help prevent motion sickness. Stop about every two hours where you can walk your dogs and give them a drink. Never open the door until you have a leash on your dog. Cats can stretch in the car with doors and windows closed.

Never put your cat or dog in the travel trailer or fifth wheel alone while you are on the road. It distresses them, and is unsafe. Begin vacation planning for your pets early. Make the best choices for them, and whether they go, or stay, you can have the peace of mind that you are doing your best for them.

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Author: Erika Widmer
Source: ezinearticles.com

As you can imagine there are many things to take into consideration when towing a travel trailer. The following are towing tips to make your journey safe and hassle free once your trip begins.

Checklist

When hooking up a travel trailer try to do things in the same order each time and use a checklist.

Tow Ratings

This item is here as a reminder because at this point you should have a tow vehicle that is able to tow the weight of your trailer. You can find your vehicle’s tow ratings in the vehicle owner’s manual. It is crucial that you don’t exceed this weight. Going over the rated weight can cause handling difficulties, insufficient power in a tow vehicle and poor fuel mileage.

Weight Distribution

Load the trailer properly by storing heavy items low and forward and lightweight articles high. This will keep the trailer’s center of gravity low and will help minimize sway, wobble and swing. It will enable you to maintain more control over your trailer.

Secure The Load

Make sure everything in your trailer is put away in cabinets and whatever is not in cabinets is safely tied down so it can’t move. Checking the fridge is a good idea to make sure there is nothing that will spill or be thrown around during the trip. You wouldn’t want to get to your destination and find a fridge full of broken eggs or spilled milk. Not a fun way to start your trip.

Hitch

Check the label to make sure your trailer does not exceed the suggested maximum tongue weight and towing capacity. Inspect hitch for cracks and rust before hooking up. The hitch will have 10% of the total trailer weight if trailer is loaded properly.

Ball

Check the label and make sure you don’t exceed the suggested towing capacity. The ball should be lightly greased so trailer can turn smoothly and it should be located so the trailer sits level when attached to tow vehicle. Inspect ball for cracks and rust before hooking up.

Safety Chains

Safety chains provide added insurance that the trailer will not detach from the tow vehicle. Attach in a crisscross pattern under the trailer tongue, allowing enough slack for turns, but short enough to not drag along the ground. This prevents the tongue from dropping to the road if the trailer coupler separates from the hitch ball.

Weight Distributing Bar

By using a weight distribution hitch you are transferring some of the tongue weight to the front axle of your tow vehicle when you set the chains on the bars of the weight distribution hitch. Finding the correct link point may take a few tries. If you don’t apply enough tension on the bars, you’ll find yourself swaying, on the other hand if you put too much tension on the bars, you will be taking the weight off the back of vehicle.

Connector

Connectors need constant attention because they tend to corrode easily. Ensure the wiring is loose enough to make turns without disconnecting or touching the ground. Once you have it connected check the running lights, turning lights and brake lights to make sure they are working properly.
Brakes

Make sure the brakes are working.

Tires

Checking tires tends to get overlooked when towing a trailer. You should do a thorough check before leaving on a trip by measuring the tire pressure and a quick check whenever you fill up for gas which can be done by feeling each tire with your hand. Recommended pressures are indicated on the tire sidewalls. Also be sure the tow vehicle’s tires are properly inflated. Please remember that with multiple axles and tandem wheels it is sometimes hard to tell if you have a flat just by looking at the tires because of the many wheels supporting the weight. You can usually check this by putting your hand over all the tires, the one that is hottest is the one losing air. The best way to be safe on the road is to measure the tires. Overloading and underinflation are the most common causes of tire failure.

Wheel Bearings

The bearings should be kept in good repair. If the bearings are not working correctly, the internal rollers are not moving freely. If the bearings are not properly greased, they can get so hot that they will actually weld themselves to spindle assembly. A total failure of wheel bearings will cause the wheel to stop turning which may cause an accident. In order to prevent this the wheel bearings should be checked at least once a year.

Commercial Weight Scale

The best way to know the actual weights of your tow vehicle, trailer and tongue weight is to use a public commercial weight scale. In order to be sure you are not overloaded you must weigh the vehicle and trailer fully loaded. It may take over half an hour to determine your weights but the time you spend doing this will save you time and money with unexpected repairs to your tow vehicle or trailer and possible breakdowns during your trip. Make sure you write these numbers down and keep them as a reference in the future.

Towing Mirrors

Towing a trailer creates many blind spots. Make sure you have adequate mirrors that give you the visibility you need for safe towing. Adjust your mirrors so you can see at least 200 feet (60m) behind the vehicle once the trailer is hooked up. If you have limited visibility you have two options; 1. install extended mirrors that replace your current mirrors, 2. attached a small mirror to your existing side-view mirror. This will enable you to see rear and side approaching traffic and be safe on the road.

E. Widmer is an entrepreneur and an avid rv’er. To read more information about travel trailers please click here: http://www.travel-trailer-gurus.com

Author: David S. Brooks
Source: articledashboard.com

The prestigious Pontiac Pot Belly Pig parade was approaching and the wife and I decided to take Rosebud out for her first trial. The Pontiac Pot Belly Pig is the pig contest, the equivalent of Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show-quite prestigious and very competitive. Pig farmers around the world bring their best boars to stack 'em up against the competition. We Rosebud all fattened pigs in-chow, washed, waxed and ready. It's a long drive from Coeur d'Alene, ID Pontiac, MI and we wanted Rosebud is presented for your big day well rested and ready to claw. So, to make the perfect trip, we decided to invest in a few pet travel products designed to make the trip comfortable, clean and easy. I had already discovered the Pet Step II while recuperating from a herniated disc. During my convalescence, I came across an advertisement for the Phase II Pet fabulous fat fantasy appears in a newspaper Lovers pig pig. A far cry from his days as a stuffed piglet, Rosebud now tips the scales at nearly 200 fun-pound of love. I had resigned from his elevation on the Ford Escape when it hit the 140 mark and I slipped that freaking disc. The Pet Step II is the single greatest pet invention since Snausages. It is a lightweight, heavy-duty ramp that folds into a stable track for Rosebud. I just connect it to my bumper and diaper their way up the ramp and the Escape safely. The ramp folds up small enough to toss in the back so you can leave the same way. The Pet Step II also makes it easy for Rosebud to climb to our caravan and boat. Now, I know what you're thinking, a pig is a filthy animal. The truth is that pigs are cleaner than dogs. You'll never see a pig greet his friends with a smell or a lama in the back, that's for sure. Anyway, slobber, claws and accidents can do some serious damage to the interior of your trip. To prepare for the trip, I checked around and found some amazing seat covers made just for pet travel. Rosebud now sits like a queen to plant in your comfortable padded and cushioned throne. The seat covers are made of super-resistant materials that do not tear or shred. Also covered with an impermeable layer that leaves traces of mud, slime neglected, and even worse. In addition, the fibers catch and contain the hair shedding and other problems. Thus, Rosebud stays cozy and my exhaust is kept clean. For extra measure, I hang some of those Christmas trees of my special mirror to cover the smell. But the trip was smooth and Rosebud took home the award for best performance. She beat the sow, Daisy D., who has 3 consecutive victory. We could not be more proud of our little Rosebud. And we could not have done it without the help of these pet travel products that made our trip a pleasure.