Van life with a dog: freedom or stress on four wheels?
31/7/2025
Translation: Katherine Martin
Pictures: Christian Walker
If you’ve chosen the camper van life, you probably have a burning desire for freedom. But what if you take your dog along with you? Does it hold you back? I met up with married YouTubers Patricia and Simon to find out.
Ari is jittery. When I walk into the living room at Patricia’s* parents’ home in the canton of Aargau, the dog shuffles restlessly in his bed, eyes fixed firmly on me. For other dogs, being in a stationary home is totally normal. Ari, on the other hand, isn’t used to it. He and his owners usually travel around in a camper van – and any guests who do come by tend to sit at the camping table outside.
«We’re only here for a few days to see family and friends and do laundry. After that, we’re going back on the road,» says Simon (45). He and his new wife Patricia (26) have been travelling across Europe in their camper van for four years. Having visited 24 countries so far, the pair publish vlogs about their travels on social media as PatnSim. Ari’s been on the journey with them since the very beginning.
From stray to globetrotter
The four-year-old mongrel was once a Romanian street dog. After being caught as a puppy and placed with a family in Germany, Ari wasn’t doing well. Eventually, animal welfare intervened and took him to a Swiss rescue centre. While Patricia was studying for her nursing degree in 2021, she came across an ad describing the dog. «I knew right then that he was the one,» she recalls, eyes sparkling.
In a bid to find out whether Ari would be fit to travel and whether van life would be affordable, the couple took a test drive to the southernmost and northernmost points of Europe straight after Patricia’s graduation. Simon worked from the road as a relationship marketing manager, while Patricia made her living as a nutritionist and camping travel guide writer. One year on, things were clearly going to plan – and Ari was happy as Larry in his home on wheels.
Hideaways and short drives
Intros out of the way, it’s time to experience van life up close. So I join Patricia and Simon on a short camper van trip into Aargau Forest. The closer we get to the white van, which has a compass rose painted on it, the more excited Ari gets. He’s been reserved so far, but he really comes out of his shell now, wagging his tail joyfully. As soon as Patricia opens the van door, he bounds inside, making a beeline for a special spot under the bed: his very own den. Satisfied, he curls up inside.
«That’s one of the most important things when you’re on the road with a dog,» Simon says. «They need somewhere in the van to escape to, where they won’t be constantly jostled to and fro.» When the engine starts, all Ari does is briefly glance upwards. «How much time do you spend driving?» I ask, as we’re chugging along a small forest path. «No more than an hour per day,» Patricia says. «Unless it’s unavoidable. If we really do need to drive for longer, we take a break every two hours and give Ari two days’ rest afterwards.»
Travel routines and the four-legged researcher
Today, our destination’s just a stone’s throw away. It isn’t long before we’re pulling into a forest clearing. Simon switches off the engine and says, «Oh yeah, routines are important too.» He calls Ari over, puts him on a leash and takes him outside. The two of them then take a short walk to explore the area. «We always do that when we arrive somewhere,» Patricia says with a smile. «Ari immediately recognises a lot of the places we’ve been on our travels.»
No surprise there. The curious mutt examines everything he gets his paws on. It doesn’t matter whether it’s Turkish, Spanish or Montenegrin soil – Ari adores digging in it. Because of this, Patricia and Simon sometimes call him «Researcher». If you ask me, it’s a fitting nickname. When I see Ari’s tousled head, I can’t help thinking of physicist and professor Daniel Faraday from the series Lost.
He and Simon return from their mini expedition, luckily without encountering any bears, as they did in Eastern Europe. In those countries, Simon takes a stick and bear spray on their walks. «In some countries, you really need to be careful, keep your dog on a leash and not leave food outside,» he says. Speaking of food, does Ari always eat the local specialities? «No, we’ve discovered a dog food brand you can find anywhere. It’s called Acana.»
From adventure to high alert
Danger doesn’t just present itself in the form of wild animals like bears. When they were travelling through Romania last year, Ari was attacked by a livestock guardian dog. «The dog that attacked him was on a leash all day and seemed peaceful. What we didn’t know was that at night, livestock guardian dogs are let loose to chase away bears. In other words, right when we went for our evening walk,» Simon says. Ari suffered a wound to his leg, which a vet was able to stitch up the next morning. «Fortunately, we always have a dog medical kit that we got from our vet in the van,» Patricia says.
On another occasion, the couple saw a Romanian livestock guardian dog brutally kill a deer. «We’ve ruled out travelling to Romania in the near future because of that, even though it’s a wonderful country,» Patricia says. Streets dogs, on the other hand, haven’t caused them any trouble on their travels. They met peaceful strays in Turkey, Albania, Bulgaria and Hungary.
Even so, the couple says it’s important to have your dog vaccinated against rabies and stay vigilant when you’re travelling. «If we’re on a walk and we see a dog we’re unsure about, we cross the road,» Simon says. «It’s the same when we’re finding a place to park our van. If our gut is telling us «no», we leave.»
Lots of exercise and almost no alone time
As I’m saying goodbye to Patricia and Simon and we take a few steps away from the camper van, I’m curious to see what the dog will do next. He’s rarely left alone, and when he is, it’s only ever in cool temperatures, with the sun roof open. «For Ari’s sake, we usually travel north in summer and south in winter – wherever the climate’s temperate,» Patricia says.
We slowly move away from the van. When I look back, I can’t help laughing out loud. Ari’s sitting in the passenger seat, surveying the surroundings with an inquisitive eye. «He’s a great guard dog,» Simon says. «And he’s probably much happier than some dogs living in flats.» Patricia nods in agreement. «That’s right. I doubt many dogs get as much exercise, variety and time with people.»
Not every dog is suited to van life
However, Simon also points out that not every dog is made for life on the road. And not every breed either. For example, so-called listed dogs – breeds restricted or banned by the authorities due to their supposed tendency towards aggression – aren’t allowed into every country. «All that stuff has to be considered. For your pet’s sake, it’s best to try going on a camper van holiday first to see if your dog is suited to it,» he says.
Ari was born for van life. Day after day, he sets off on new expeditions in his research mobile – and his journey’s showing no signs of stopping. Adventures to the French coast and Tuscany are on the agenda next…
*In order to protect their privacy, I’ve only referred to Patricia and Simon by their first names in this article.
Have you ever travelled with pets? Tell me all about it in the comments.
Header image: Christian Walker
Darina Schweizer
Senior Editor
Darina.Schweizer@digitecgalaxus.chI like anything that has four legs or roots. The books I enjoy let me peer into the abyss of the human psyche. Unlike those wretched mountains that are forever blocking the view – especially of the sea. Lighthouses are a great place for getting some fresh air too, you know?
5 comments
later