At some point, you have to shower. You have to work out. Ya gotta go to the doctor. Groceries need purchased and a little wine night with no children is required. So what do I do with my dogs when it’s hot and they need to stay in the van? Even if it’s not warm outside, how do I keep them safe when I’m gone for awhile? Let’s go over all of it.
My Podcast Episode All About Van Life with Dogs | ft. Lee Asher...
Before we start the list of things I do every single time I leave the van without the girls (and some other key tips), start here:
Insulate your van. Like really insulate it. You know how you open the door to your car on a hot day after shopping and it’s BAKING in there? You want your van to be the opposite. On a hot day, I can get into my van to escape the heat. It’s drastically cooler in the van after doing the following things than it is outside. It might seem like an exhaustive list but it becomes second nature by week two. Spend five minutes running through these things anytime you leave and have eace of mind that your babies are safe.
BEFORE LEAVING WHEN HOT...
Step 1: Try to park in shade
You may not be used to parking in random sections of the lot, like the far corner or all the way to the side. But that’s usually where the trees are and parking in the shade brings the temperature way, way down in the van. If I know I’m going to be awhile at the gym, I always try to find the most shaded area possible. There will be many times where this isn’t even an option but make it a habit to start scanning the entire parking lot as soon as you pull in.
Step 2: Insulated window covers
I didn’t have window covers for almost a year and a half. I tied a blanket up to block my back windows from weirdos and from heat… Do not do that. I finally got Vanmade Gear window covers and it made SUCH a difference. Not only are they basically “black out” curtains which allows me to sleep in a little easier, but they block out heat & cold weather much better. Heat baking into the van through the windows is brutal and these will help tremendously with that. Also when it’s cold, they keep the cold air from coming right through. No matter the weather, they are extremely useful.
Step 3: Vent fan on
Getting some circulation gives the inside of the van a really nice breeze. Stagnant, hot air makes it harder to breathe and just super stuffy. The vent fan going is key to creating some nice movement. I recommend this vent fan over the one that I have. Mine is loud af and this one is much quieter. It also comes with the rain cover so you can still use it while it’s raining. Put that mother on high & enjoy the breeze.
Step 4: Windows cracked
In order to get the circulation from the vent fan, you have to have the windows cracked. You can get these ventvisors to protect from the rain and make it not as noticeable that the windows are open slightly. I tend to crack mine about 4 inches though which will be lower than those cover. Regardless, the windows open are a must to get air flow and probably one of the most critical (and easiest) steps.
Step 5: Block heat from the front
If heat can come in through your back windows, it is surely coming in through your windshield too. Make sure you have something to block the heat upfront too. You have several options here: an easy, inexpensive windshield cover (this one is for the Ford Transit but you can search whatever vehicle you have), include a pocket door in your build which works like a charm if I do say so myself or get a really thick curtain with a nice material that keeps it in the front. I’ve seen most people with the curtain have a windshield cover as well as a double safety measure.
Step 6: Cold water left out
This is usually the most annoying one for me because it requires the most effort (which is still very minimal). Plus it’s obvious. Leave water out and in an accessible spot. The end.
Last: Stay in your van for 15 minutes
If there is any doubt left, stay in your van for about 15 minutes and see for yourself if it’s getting too hot. What are your dogs doing after that amount of time? If they are panting heavily, it’s probably too hot. Get used to showing up to appointments or scheduled meetings early so you have time to do all of these things and potentially sit there for a few extra minutes to make sure the kids will be okay.
LISTEN TO MY PODCAST ALL ABOUT SOLO FEMALE VAN LIFE
A FEW THINGS TO HELP:
You can throw this cooling pad down before you go. Although you might not be able to feel how cool it is, your dogs can! I don’t understand the science either but most dogs love these things. You can put this on the floor where they lay or in their crate to help with the hot weather. There’s a gel inside that absorbs body heat.
Ella loves this cooling vest but I actually wouldn’t recommend it if the dog is staying in the van. This is more for when they’ll be outside and it’s hot. You’re hiking, camping, etc. A little off the main topic here but I still wanted to share.
This little fan is pretty powerful and would add some great ventilation if you aim it slightly towards your dog when you leave. It’s 12v so it’s compatible with most electrical setups and won’t pull too much. I wouldn’t blow it right in the dogs face obviously but just keeping it on and low to the ground is perfect.
LISTEN TO MY PODCAST ALL ABOUT SOLO FEMALE VAN LIFE
OTHER TIPS:
- Run errands during optimal parts of the day
East thing to do: do your errands in the morning and at night when it’s not as hot.
- Try crating your dog
If you’re nervous about leaving them in the van with free range, try crating them. Work this into the build if you know you’ll want one.
- When hiking, write on the back of your hand "2 dogs in Ford transit (license plate number)" in case of emergency
It might sound silly at first but I get so nervous if I ever do a hike or longer-ish trip for any reason without my dogs (which is very rare. If something were to happen to me, who is going to make sure my dogs are okay?
Write on the back of your hand something like “2 dogs in Ford Transit: insert license plate number Call ____” so if something does happen, they know where your dogs are and who to call.
- Set a timer on your phone
I’d like to think no one would forget about their dogs but we can all lose track of time here and there. Set a timer on your phone for the length of time you’re comfortable leaving the pups.
- Put a sign in the window if your dog is visible that they are safe (include your phone number)
If the dogs are visible to anyone going by, you might consider putting a little sign up with your phone number on it. A person with good intentions might call authorities if they think it’s too hot and don’t know that you’ve taken appropriate measures to make sure they are alright.
- When cold, make sure plenty of blankets are accessible
When it’s cold, there’s a lot less steps to take. Make sure they are cozy with blankets, windows have insulated covers & windows aren’t cracked. I still tend to crack the vent fan so there’s some fresh air coming in. But make sure they are nice & toasty and will be okay before leaving.
- Simply find places & hike where they are allowed
You know the easiest thing to do? Take your dogs everywhere you possibly can. I sit on patios more than I do indoors. I find hikes that allow dogs. I go to parks where I can have them with me. Leaving them is inevitable but do everything you can with them!
Please take this subject seriously and ONLY leave your van if you feel like your pets are safe. It will take time to gauge how long you can be gone, how hot is too hot, etc. I started out never leaving for longer than 15 minutes. Now I can leave the pups for 2-3 hours (rarely happens but I can) and know that they will be okay. Your dogs’ safety is so important and sitting in your van for 5 minutes to make sure you did all of these things is worth it every time.
I have a 5,000 BTU that runs on my “coach” battery and only uses about 500 watts. Additionally I have fans and black out windows. In Florida, without monitoring the dogs, I would never leave them for more than a half hour. If you have a hotspot, you can run Furbo which will upload to the cloud so you can see with your phone; you can use a camera like Wyze Cam Pan which will run on the internet in the van and upload so you can see them with your phone; and of course, Waggle which has its own cell signal.
I am more concerned that my dogs will try to jump down from the bed. It is a pretty high spot and what I envisioned blocking it is not working. I am sure I will find something though.
Hi Kelly – just bought my van and it is being built. Just retired from 25 years of nursing. My dog and I will be heading out soon! This is an old post, however I know my dog can jump – both up and down – was wondering if you found any suggestions to keep them in the bed area? I have a 2 year old blue heeler. thanks
SUCH a great idea to put the info on your hand in case you go hiking without them. I would have never thought of something so genius. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Does anyone know of a gadget that monitors internal temperature of the vehicle and could transmit that info to your phone or something?
Simplisafe has this I think!
Yes – it’s called Waggle.
Totally agree that shade belongs in the number one spot on this list. I do that by default just in my car. When I bring my dog I normally leave the car running with the A/C or heat on (my truck has keyless ignition so I can keep it running and take the keys and lock it) and normally never leave her more than 15 minutes (the time it would take to pick up an order at take out restaurant, ship a package, grab a few things at a store, etc)
Not all vehicles with keyless ignition will stay running if you walk away with the key fob. If the fob gets beyond a certain distance from the vehicle many of the recent models will turn the engine off. I have observed this at a local full-service car wash/service center — the employees frequently end up having to push a vehicle from one area to another after the owner took the fob and walked inside to pay for the services and wait. This happened to my own vehicle the first time I took it there.
I remember that Lee said that he will only park where he can see his bus through the window for example, if he’s working out he will park right outside of the gym so he can see the dogs through a window. My favorite tip of yours is the cooling gel pad but I still wonder because I know when I see dogs in a car I freak out and then people bash the windows and call 911 so it’s still a little confusing how to make it cool enough inside for them on very hot days. I find that most people scope out the shady spots right away and they’re taken
People can have good intentions, or just be crazy. Last summer I was grabbing my take out (with my dog on a leash) and in the time it took me to load up the dog and start to walk around my SUV to get in, someone stopped me to chastise me about “leaving my dog in a hot car”. I was like, I literally just put her in there. So I’m very careful about when and where I leave my bestie in the car.