7 ways VanLife has been Challenging For Us

[@petefrost1787]

Hello to the Roodles - when our dog barked too much we put small rocks or pebbles in a pop can. Then when he barked we would shake it. The theory is that the noise breaks the dog's concentration and, in turn, stops the barking. After a few walks with can shaking he would stop barking at other people and dogs for several months. After a few walks with the can our barking dog would see the can and at times stay quiet just to avoid hearing the shaking can noise. Our other dog didn't bark and fortunately, wasn't bothered by the noise of the rocks. Just saw this video for the first time - sorry it's over a year after it was posted. Just started watching your channel a few months ago. It is fantastic. Hopefully, when the borders open again we will be able to visit some of the beautiful locations you have shown us.

[@lishayost44]

I know this video is a couple years old, but I relate to it so much! My husband and I have lived in our van for 6 months at a time a few times over the last few years and everything you said is so relatable! The routine being gone is very difficult! We ended up having a semblance of a routine, but it wasn't a very productive one, so we are kind of left feeling aimless and purposeless. It can be difficult. It's so sad because everyone not living van life is envious, but as with every lifestyle, there are challenges. As for general delivery, if you can get general delivery in a smaller town it works out a lot better because the people working at small town post offices notice everything that comes in. When you come to pick it up it is like they already know you're the one there for general delivery. General delivery may not be in every small town, but it is in a lot of them. Just look for the closest smaller town that offers general delivery, if you can. Towns that only have one zip code seem to be the best for this. The bigger post offices have no idea where your package is. One guy tried to tell us it just wasn't there, but we told him that it must be there somewhere, so he looked again and eventually found it. Don't give up! We have two cats and the fur everywhere is horrendous. One of our cats sheds like crazy. It has become a huge pet peeve of mine while in the van (pun intended?). Also, we have a litter box and sometimes they go in there just for fun to take a few pawfuls of cat litter and throw it out on the floor, on purpose, of course, just to bother me.

[@febetadefa4618]

Hello! Thanks for sharing 👍

[@bigsilverbear4187]

@ 2:11 you talk about having Carrie giving you a hand backing out in parking lots. I also drive a van. I BACK IN to parking spaces because there is nothing to hit. I drive straight out where I can see everything and everyone. I DO have a back up camera and I do use it.

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Great advice there, we to try to back in whenever we can...our backup camera has a mind of its own and works most of the time lol

[@laurakramer396]

As far as your baby barking. I have a large Chow who is protective of his Mommy and barks at everyone who comes near. I put him in a "sit/stay" and "quiet" if he starts to bark I do "NO!" and when he stops for a cpl seconds praise! Keep it up and he will stop. My dog thinks he's human and thinks everyone is here to see him!

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

That's awesome advice! We are trying this the very next time. Thank you for the help. Take care and have a good night. 😀

[@jodyk8023]

My husband and I are new subscribers, and we absolutely love your guys channel. Our dog does the same as Roodle with barking. We ended up buying a anti bark collar that had a remote so you can beep him to train or it sprays citronella oil if you need to correct his behavior. It is a very helpful tool. Hope this helps in anyway.

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Hi Jody! Thank you for subscribing to our channel. We have been very close to getting an anti bark collar. The collar can spray citronella oil? I will be checking this out. Thank you for the tip. 😀😀😀

[@posteroonie]

I don't tuck in my bedding, so I can easily put my head where my feet usually go, if that's the uphill side.

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

That's a good plan to stay flexible. We can also do that, the main problem for Carrie is when the nose of the van is downhill she feels like she will fall out. Not sure why but being tilted doesn't bother me much 😂 Take care and happy travels to you.

[@michaelbecnel63]

Thanks for the tips...................Hey Dave X10 on the cities

[@gjonesii]

Very informative video. You guys always do a great job. Strong content and beautiful photography.

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Thank you very much. We appreciate your positivity 😀

[@mckennacreative6133]

Really great info! I’m just starting to think about van life and really appreciate your real life information!!!!! Loved your walk in the redwoods. It seemed like I was alone on a hike once and I couldn’t handle thinking that I’d meet up with a bear. My fear won and I had to go back. 😩

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

We were both thinking we would see a bear! Too funny 😄

[@nhmtnguy3802]

We have used our grandchildren as mail drops. We have our address changed to theirs, then they check the mail each day and scan any envelope other than junk mail and email it to us. We can then decide what to do with the item, toss it or scan the contents and email it or if we must have the mail, they can mail it to us at some PO near our location. We pay them a monthly fee, It's a great job for a kid, and it solved our mail problem. Really enjoying your videos, keep up the good work, thanks.

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Great mail plan! That works well for Amazon orders as well. We appreciate you taking the time to comment. Take care and have a good night.

[@rositagarcia805]

Hi Dave & Kary & roddle, great video. Can't wait to see your next one.

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Thank you so much! Take care and happy travels.

[@johntatman9168]

Hi guys. I obedience trained my first dog for competition 50 yrs ago. Since then I have trained dogs for just about every type of competition. I say that only to let you I do have some experience. That said, the best way to do this is with the help of a "good" trainer. Trying to explain this any other way would take reems of paper and you might still not fully understand the concepts and timing. Without fully understanding the proper timing when correcting a behavior you can inadvertently make the problem worse and totally confuse the dog. Two sessions with a competitant trainer should be all you need. Also only one of you can be the designated handler. Once Ruddle learns what is expected of him he will listen to either of you but in the beginning only one will work due to every persons differences in commands, timing and consistency. Trying to do this without help will undoubtedly end in frustration for you and Ruddle. Good luck! If you ever get into south western Ohio, south eastern Indiana or Nothern KY I would be happy to meet you and help you get this resolved..

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Definitely good sound advice. People are even referring to your comment. It totally makes sense having one handler also. Soon as we get a chance will try to hook up with a trainer. We really appreciate all your good advice. Take care and have a good night.

[@LoOnTheGo]

Great video. So true! So important.

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Thank you 😀

[@JelloVibez]

Buy an E collar and watch a lot of videos on how to properly use it. And i guarantee you will be able to stop your dogs barking problem.

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Thank you for the advice! We have had a couple of people recommend this now. We appreciate your help and just maybe trying this..like you suggested after plenty of research. Take care and happy travels.

[@brewilly8577]

Awesome content!

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Thank you. 😀

[@shelleyhoke7385]

I have Dobermans and as a breed they tend to be annoyingly vocal. My experience with the squirt bottle is that Dobes love to be hosed so this is not a deterrent. Wolves nip the lips of their pups and I have a friend who trained her dogs by giving a quick pinch. I don't move that fast. Easiest solution is a shock collar. They have adjustable settings and you can try them on yourself. I'm amazed that they pay attention. Good dog!

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

I've seen people have great success with those collars. Some reason I want to try the collar on myself 😆 Take care and thank you for the info.

[@Scrambler85]

The collars are great on smart dogs and torture on the not so intelligent ones. My Airdale mix was 2 years old when I adopted him. He thought he was a Alpha wolf. I only had to shock him once. He immediately associated the beep with my voice and a week later we had a 14 year partnership.

[@DreamingOutloudRVing]

Thank you for sharing! These are good points!

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Thank you for watching, take care and stay safe. 😀

[@nbragtop]

Great video, thank you.

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Thank you for watching! Take care and have a good night.

[@colin7360]

The both of you look like you’re losing weight over the past few months. Keep it up!! It’s inspirational. Great couple!! Love your videos.

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Thank you 😀

[@lifeisanadventure266]

Good video thanks

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Thank you. Happy travels to you. Love your profile name 😀

[@discoveringlockenest8420]

Great info! I would say if ANYONE can “hone in” on the perfect VANLIFE travels it’s you guys. We have seen tons of van lifers but you are so much more practical and realistic! Thanks for sharing!

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Thank you so much! I was a bit worried about doing this video because I love this lifestyle so much but a few things need to be shared. 😀

[@LifeWithMikeandMJ]

Subbed to your channel. Found you on Lovehut4life

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

We love Lovehut4life! Thank you so much for subscribing to our channel. We hope you will enjoy. Take care and happy travels.😀

[@SMITHYSKONTIKI]

Hope your well Dave life it's self is a challenge lol

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

All is good it seems like our tiny living also comes with tiny problems compared to most people. 😀

[@mimitravels710]

Great tips!

[@mrjake2132]

I agree with John Tatman, find a "good" dog trainer. But how do you know if they are "good"? I find that reward based training and lots of practice or repetition work best. Reward with treats or a ball. Teach him "quiet" or "chill" then treat him when he is "chilled". But don't bribe, reward for behavior you working towards. But first you have to stop throwing the ball for him when he barks or demands it. You've basically taught him to bark to get what he wants. i.e. ... He barks to make the person go away, then you drive off, he thinks he did it, but you are just moving on. Spray bottle tactic works but because he loves water, he might think it's a game.

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

You totally nailed it. I am working my way to Johns comment right now. Thank you for the sound advice. Take care and have a good night.

[@lyndasmith6801]

Wow, what great tips! Super helpful. I too am not fond of driving in big cities. So many cars going fast! You presented some important things to think about. Things that would be great to consider when contemplating this lifestyle. I think the routine tip would be hard. Seems like it would take some conscious effort. So good to know. Thanks for sharing yourselves and these great tips! Cant wait to see where you travel to next!

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

We love the back roads that's for sure 😀 This video was hard for me to want to make because I love this lifestyle so much. Somethings are best shared and we are happy you liked it.

[@dustyfeller]

For cell signal, I assume you've also tried using a MIMO antenna, right? Like a Netgear 6000450?

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Hi Paul. No we have not tried those but will definitely check that out. Thank you for sharing a useful tip. 😀

[@dustyfeller]

one adVANture at a time I should have added that since the day I got that Netgear MIMO antenna, I’ve hardly plugged in my Weboost at all. I might use the Weboost if I want to upload something and there is only a “one bar” signal. Other than that type of condition, using the MIMO antenna has been vastly better than the Weboost. And it’s cheap! It won’t be money wasted no matter what, so it’s worth a try. That crazy 6 hour day you described is what prompted me to mention all of this.

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

+Paul Burns that would be awesome to find a reliable source. If you get a chance could you do a speed test. We get good download speeds but the upload speed is what kills us.

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

+Paul Burns we would need upload speeds of 5mbps to upload videos and not have to wait for hours.

[@dustyfeller]

one adVANture at a time I’m throttled right now on my Jetpack. But first off, I just gained a whole new appreciation for the size of the files you guys are creating! One video would use up my entire data plan for the month! Sorry-now I understand better!

[@TerryX2Explore]

I'm with you Dave! I hate driving in or even going to cities! Mail and Amazon is one of our main concerns so advice in that area is certainly appreciated. Luckily, I love doing jigsaw puzzles! LOL Thanks for all the *real* tips! Love your van! Wow, 5 hours, but those beautiful videos are worth it! 😁

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

One thing we have learned about Amazon. If we are sending a package general delivery to a post office..we include the words ”P.O. Box” in the address and Amazon automatically sends it USPS. So that means no extra cost if picking up hour package. Take care and have a good night.

[@robertlutz2244]

@@oneadVANtureatatime Great tip! thanks!

[@Scrambler85]

Another thumbs up video and your concerns are the same ones I have. Always looking forward to the next video 👍

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Thank you 😎 I am thinking about minimizing some of our recovery gear. Wish you were here to help.

[@Scrambler85]

@@oneadVANtureatatime that would be my pleasure. Waiting for the delivery of the van is torture, lol.

[@838nd31]

👍 HAPPY TRAILS

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Thank you 😀

[@cuddlemymicky]

You might try a thunder shirt, in addition to train for roodle. Petsmart carries them.

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Ok all have to check out the ”thunder shirt” We appreciate your help. Take care and have a good night.

[@laurakramer396]

Thunder Shirt is usually for seperation anxiety.

[@bishokhan8926]

Do y’all have weboost in your van? I would love to have your review on its speeds in rural areas

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Yes we do!! We are still undecided about the WeBoost. On the west coast it works great. On the east coast in heavily forested areas it did not work. I guess we have cell reception 90% of the time so I would have to say its working. We have managed to knock it off the roof once (gone, nowhere to be seen) ordered a new part and cable. Overall, we are very happy with it. I think it is one of those things you dont realize its working until you dont have it. I will say it was quite expensive initially and the antenna could be a bit stronger. I think we are going to do a video about this in the near future. I hope this helps a little. What info would you like to know specifically? We can work on including that info in our video.

[@bishokhan8926]

one adVANture at a time oh thank you for responding! Basically if it’s reliable at all to have good speeds let’s say around a National park or if your boondocking in the middle of nowhere. We work remotely so wanna see if it’s as reliable at maybe getting 20mb down and 10mb upload? Stats like that perhaps? And what did you end up doing in the east coast when it didn’t work?

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

honestly I dont think it is going to work for you. Example: We are in a city (Crescent City, CA)WITHOUT the Weboost on we are getting 3 bars of Verizon LTE......this is the speed test results Download 11.15 Mbps----Upload 150.39 Kbps (pathetic!!) With WeBoost ON Download-- 27.32 Mbps----- Upload--158.34 Kbps (still pathetic!!!) We have to go to Libraries to upload our videos...... and I am really happy if I find a upload speed of 10 MB. I will keep a closer eye on this and do some journaling.

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

+Bisho Khan let us know if you find a better option! Uploading our videos is one of our major headaches.

[@nitay8248]

I don’t like driving in big cities!!😳

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

I know right. It never gets any easier.

[@milacy3]

We love your videos! The filming and pictures are awesome! In regards to your leveling there is an app called TRUMA....that could be very helpful. It has leveling settings. We have an 84 VW vanagon we are hoping to use it on. Happy trails to you both and Roodle!

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

I am not telling Carrie about this app! She will not be happy until we are perfectly level! 😂😂😂 Take care and thank you for the information. 😀

[@freedomdove]

I would try to find one of those dog trainers who can help teach him to stop doing that, or who can teach you to train him.

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Definitely! We just need to stay in one place long enough 😀

[@freedomdove]

Yeah, that's problematic. Lol. If you do find yourself in one place for a little while, you could always use mobile dog trainers. I'm not sure how long the training takes, but you could ask. www.barkbusters.com/ thedogwizard.com/ dogtrainingmobile.com/ I guess you could just try to do it yourself with something like this: www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Smart-Bluetooth-Training-Collar/dp/B01K73MUTI

[@SemiRetiredBob]

Hey Roodle, train your hoomans better. Teach them to give you a treat before they open the window to talk.... then bark once in awhile anyway to let them know your still in charge.

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

It's tough being Roodle and having to deal with not the brightest parents. 😀🐶 We will throw him a treat next time. Either way that's a win for Roodle. 😂

[@mrjake2132]

Oh and great video. Looking forward to your mail video. Do you know of any build vans for sale?

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

I don't 🧐 They seem to sell very fast. If we do find one all send you a link for sure. Happy hunting 😀

[@davidyule3605]

Thank you for the tips. I love to drive, even in cities, but I do wish I had someone to help me back up in tough situations. You're making me think twice about getting a dog. You two have one of the best channels there is!

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Bring your dog with you 😀 The pros outway the cons by a landslide. Maybe we should do that video. Take care and have a good night.

[@davidyule3605]

one adVANture at a time first I have to get a dog.

[@lifeisshort-makeitsweet869]

I always look for a spot I can pull through so when I am ready to leave I don't have to backup.

[@davidyule3605]

Life Is Short-Make It Sweet Yes. Also, when I do have to park in a parking spot, I try to back in, so when I leave, I can pull straight out.

[@robertplutz8221]

@@lifeisshort-makeitsweet869 Absolutely

[@jacquelinejensen5360]

This is really good information, thank you! I'm a city girl so I have spent a lot of time driving in cities but I drive a Toyota Corolla right now. I am very nervous about driving a van/RV in a city when I make the move to nomadic life. Thanks for all the great tips.

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Very welcome, I am guessing you won't have much trouble driving a van in the city with your experience. A backup camera is nice to have. Good luck with your future nomadic lifestyle, I hope you love it as much as we do 😀

[@stone8654]

How to control Roodles uncontrollable barking give him catnip 😋 I thought you two still have your homebase. Didn't you two go back home a few weeks after visiting CHROME? Have a Awesome Day! -Stone

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Carrie did say the word ” home” in a video and it was confusing lol She was talking about the USA as home 😂 Yep no home base or storage...all or nothing 😀 Have a good night Stone.

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Catnip! Great tip will that help my driving in cities anxiety? If it doesn't work for Roodle all try it 😂

[@blessedbeyond2118]

Detroit will make you think twice about having a drivers license this is one thing I do not look forward to about traveling...I am one that will look for the back roads...I can't with road rage people ..just be safe and pray a lot that is what i do :) Blessings

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Yes, everyone is always in such a hurry. The back roads are a win win for us as well. 😀 Take care and have a good night.

[@Mary-yu3sn]

stop barking, first most important "do not say anything ,use spray bottle "squirt him once" just so he feels it,,,,it is like an insult...should take about 7-8 times of people talking to you in window, if he catches on..

[@oneadVANtureatatime]

Great tip! Carrie did this today....from your advice 😀We have already noticed an improvement! Thank you very much. 😀😀😀

[@Mary-yu3sn]

@@oneadVANtureatatime Great!! no problem,it is very nice you tried and let me know ,so thank you and thanks for sharing your Video's ...cheer's