One of the best part of camping is the ability to take your furry friend with you! Under a watchful eye you and your dog can have a fun and amazing trip. Make sure to confirm with where you are visiting or staying that dogs are allowed. Most of the time there will be leash regulations, which could be important to know if you are planning to use a tie-out or long line. A majority of the parks I have visited have had a 6 foot leash rule in place. It is also important to bring plenty of poop bags or just reuse grocery bags! It is important to clean up after your dog. While some will say it is ‘biodegradable’ no one wants to be hiking or camping and smell or even step in your dogs crap.
Selecting The Right Tent
While many tents are marketed as one or two-person tents it is important to keep in mind that a single-person tent is practically a coffin to sleep in. For a single person alone I would recommend a four-person tent. However with your furry friend in mind you may want to opt for a six or eight person tent for a single person and their companion. Size is dependent on the amount of people, pets, and gear you are bringing. If you are bringing a crate then maybe a bigger tent such as a eight person tent to fit you, your dog, the crate, and all of the other camping gear you will need on your trip.
There are several options out there when it comes to style, brand, and quality of the tent. One fairly decent brand is Coleman. Make sure to read up on the material and water proofing to make sure it is a good and durable tent and material. The last thing you want is for your furry friend to punch a hole through your new tent with their nails. Make sure that your dogs nails are trimmed well before going tent camping to avoid this issue. You also may want to consider a tent with a screen porch. You will then have more room to dry and wipe your dog off if the weather is bad, or the ground muddy. You also will have a place to put your shoes while in the tent if your dog is known for being mischievous.
Climate and Weather Considerations
When preparing for weather conditions for your trip it is important to consider the fur and breed of your companion. I personally have 2 dogs, one is a chow mix with lots of fur who overheats easily and loves the rain and swimming. I also have a boxer mix who gets cold very easily and hates the rain and all water except what she drinks. Knowing your dog is key to keeping them comfortable. I would rather take the chow mix if it is cold or rainy, and I would rather take the boxer mix for more mild to warm climates. You should do breed specific research to ensure that your dogs is comfortable.
With that in mind there are ways to keep your dog cool when it is hot and warm when it is colder. When it is warm it is vital to have over the amount of water that you expect your dog to drink. You do not want to be in a desert or beach area with no water for your dog it is dangerous. Typically the hotter it is the more water you want to bring. You can also get cooling vest and collars that you can dip in water or chill in a cooler then put it on your dog and it will help them cool down. There are also cooling mats that you can place where your dog lays that will also help them cool down. There are also travel or kiddie pools if your dogs the type to lay in water to cool off.
When it is cold you may want to consider investing in a fleece jacket for your pooch, if it is extremely cold you can layer a fleece and a puffer on top of one of the other to better insulate your dog from that bitter cold. For your dogs bed it might prove helpful to put a thermal layer such as a hikers waffle mat cut to the size of your dogs bed to insulate them from the cold ground. You can also purchase sleeping bags for dogs,my dogs wouldn’t want to get into a sleeping bag so I would rather use a wool blanket that they themselves can snuggle up in to warm up.
For rainy or stormy conditions you will need to bring towels to wipe your dog off so they do not track mud all over the tent. Some dogs like the rain, in that case great. If your dog is afraid or hesitant when it comes to rain it may be nice to have a canopy they can sit under. Most dogs do not like thunder and lightning so make sure to keep a tight grip on their leash. Having a bigger tent for rainy days may also be helpful. If you do not want your dog getting too wet you can get doggy rain jacket, however most will not have hoods and if they do your dog will probably take the hood off.
Picking Your Sleep System
Picking the right sleep systems for you and your dog can be a little tricky and again, knowing your dog is key to knowing what will work for the both of you. Also take in consideration the weather conditions that may occur while you are on your trip as well as any behavioral issues your dog may have. No dog is perfect and that is perfectly fine.
Air mattresses might not be your friend in this case, you might could try to find a pop-proof air mattress to avoid the situation of your dog popping the mattress. And lets face it, air mattresses aren’t the cheapest for how easy they are to ruin. Instead maybe opt for a roll out camp mattress, cot, or combination of the both. You should also consider that with a roll out mattress your dog could possibly chew on it. For your sleep sytem you might want to go for something more durable and rugged rather then a air mattress.
There are several options out there when it comes to travel dog beds for your dog. They make everything from cots to sleeping bags for your pooch. What you bring mostly depends on climate. For both colder and warmer climates you are going to want to insulate the bottom of your dogs bed or sleeping area from the ground. To do this you can either get a closed cell sleeping pad and cut or fold it to the size of your dogs bed or alternatively you could get a dog cot which will elevate your dog off of the ground therefor insulating them a little better this is especially good for warm climates because it allows for air to circulate under your dog. On top of this you can use your regular dogs bed, which could be comforting because it is what they know. Or if it is inconvenient to bring your dogs bed you can use a dog sleep mat, a foam mattress topper folded, or if its really hot just a thick blanket. If it is cold you should add a blanket on top of the bed arrangement.
Leashes, Kennels, and Containment
Keeping and eye on and containing your dog is vital to your trip and your furry friend as a whole. I want to stress that unless your dog is 100% recall trained around people and animals you need to have your dog on some sort of leash. As mentioned most campground and parks have a leash rule. A majority of them being to keep your dog on a 6 foot leash at all times. Some parks may have designated off leash areas as well, so keep a eye on the rules and regulations of wherever you may be going.
First, lets talk leashes. Having 2 leashes per dog is preferred, in case something happens to one of the leashes you have a back up. I would also suggest this for collars and/or harnesses. A 6 foot leash is what I usually use, preferably a rope lead for added durability in case you get your lead snagged on a sharp edge such as a rock. A long line, if permitted, can also be a great way to safely let your dogs explore the great outdoors with a little more freedom to sniff around and do their business.
Containing your pup at camp can sometimes be a pain. I recommend having a pulley system tie out which connects to two trees. You can use a 6 ft line on the pulley line to abide by leash law and still give your dog plenty of room to explore and be with you. Bonus points if it has an bungee at the end to prevent shock if your dog tries to bolt at something in nature or ever other campers. Make sure that your tie out is away from your tent to avoid any tangles around your tent which could really damage your tent.
At night you could keep the dog out in the tent with you, provided they have a bed or some place to sleep. Alternatively you could bring a kennel to put in your tent which could be idea if you have a destructive dog. I prefer a folding kennel, depending on the size of your dog it could be easier to get into the tent plus you can transport it much easier. Just be careful not to snag the tent with the edges of the crate.
Enrichment
Keeping your dog entertained and enriched is important especially for those of us who have destructive dogs. Bring plenty of toys, chews, and take them on plenty of walks to get that energy out of them so they can settle easier at camp. If your dog likes o swim and there is the opportunity where you are that is also great enrichment. Alternatively you can take your fuzzy friend on hikes, my dogs love hiking and it is one of our favorite things to do together, just keep in mind this will tucker you both out.
Food and Water
And finally, the most important thing to remember when packing for your pooch is that you bring more than enough nutritionally dense food and water. Make sure to pack a food and water dish. If you are off grid it may be smart to bring at least 2x the water you are expecting your dogs to drink. Though it is pretty heavy cargo to bring such an amount of water it may prove life saving if you get stranded or lost.
Food storage is fairly simple. You can get air tight kibble containers in various sizes, the size you get depends on your dog. If you give your dog raw or refrigerated food then you should invest in a cooler to keep everything cool in. I recommend filling tupperware with water and freezing it instead of buying ice for a cooler because if it melts it wont potentially ruin your food or pool at the bottom of the cooler.
To carry water you will need to get some sort of water containment system, I have a 5 gallon collapsible water dispenser that has a spigot on the lid and it works fairly well for shorter trips and very well for campsites with hookups or water access. In some places for longer stays off grid it might be helpful to invest in a water filter so that if you run out of water you are covered, or if you can’t bring that much water for whatever reason you can filter the water and it will be safe for the both of you.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, camping with your dog is a memorable trip best experienced being prepared. Take good care of your companion and they will take good care of you in several ways. Check out my blog Your Fat Nomad for more on tents and other things such as body positivity through hiking and the great outdoors.
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