#41. Camping with Your 4-Legged Friend(s)

I use to camp as a child with my family, I was child #6 of ten children & vacations could be expensive so my family needed an alternative. My father did body work on vehicles & sandblasting, so he decided he would build a camper. When my youngest brothers (twins)were 6 months old we took the camper out for the first time & went camping. My mother really enjoyed it, so we went as often as we could throughout the summer. We took our dog Sam along & I even took my pet raccoon along a couple times when I was about 15 years old. As a teenager my sister Pam & I wanted to sleep in a tent & not in the camper, so my parents got us a tent. As a young adult I use to say “I’m done zipping in & out of my bedroom” meaning no more tent camping for me. Then I got a house & got dogs & I didn’t want to leave them, so I bought a tent. I now use one of the tents you can set up in a couple minutes like this one https://amzn.to/4d8AxP5 I have camped alone with me & my dogs, so I set up my tent alone & with this tent it only takes about 2 minutes. The photo below is of that type of tent, think it is a 6 man tent, which to me is a joke, not enough room for 4 people let alone 6.

If you have never camped with a pet I recommend you help them get use to a tent before you actually go camping with them. A tent can be a strange thing to some dogs & you don’t want to find out that they are terrified when you are out camping. I have set up my tent in my backyard or even set it up in my basement. I also used mini tents to help them get used to the whole tent idea & going inside it .

I would toss treats that were high value & have a strong smell such as dried beef liver: https://amzn.to/3Yq5kAX or wild salmon https://amzn.to/4iKVj8O (I only feed wild caught not farm raised fish due to the conditions of farm raised fish-antibiotics & crowded conditions). Don’t force your pet into the tent, you want them to feel safe & comfortable, you can also go in the tent & call them in & reward them with treats or love. Don’t force them to stay, let them come & go.

I set up a tent in my backyard the first time with my dog Sydney as she was fearful of anything new. She had little experience of new things in her first 3 years of life. I mentioned in an early post that she was abused by her former owner (he admitted it), so it took some time for her to adjust & feel safe, but she loved camping once we started to camp. The photo below is Sydney in my basement in her princess tent. I also have a blowup dog bed, my dogs want to sleep with me so I no longer take the blowup air mattress, but if you don’t want to share your bed you might want to get one of these. https://amzn.to/42Vutoh An inflatable one takes up less room in the vehicle & allows more room for other needed items. My dog Echo is scared of bonfires, so I work on desensitizing him to them at home when I use the fire-pit in my yard.

There are some things to check into before you go camping, some campgrounds have very strict rules about pets & camping, so I suggest you read them online or call before you go. I have seen some that have breed restrictions & not always the breeds you might expect(still sad). Some have ridiculous rules about barking, I won’t get into it, but 4 times barking in a weekend didn’t warrant 3 official people talking to me about it. I won’t return to that campground. Most have leash length rules & some are more strict than others. I recommend the wire type tie of cables that are 15 or maybe 20 feet & it is a color that shows up easier in the dark like these: https://amzn.to/3Yr12cw https://amzn.to/3GAhRM0 . Many places have rules that you can’t tie to a tree & they get tangled if tied to the picnic table or try & steal any food up there. Tie out stakes likes is: https://amzn.to/3Z0s3Ue Or a very simple one like this https://amzn.to/4k4ZBJb Last on doesn’t come with a stake to help twist it into the ground, so I recommend you take something with you, often the ground is very hard. You can pour some water into the initial hole & add more as you screw it in. I have done this to remove a stake while camping.

Some camping spots are grassy (more sun) & some are in the trees & don’t get sun so a lot of dirt. I took my dog’s elevated dog bed as Hunter doesn’t like to lay in dirt https://amzn.to/42WfYRj I also have a couple fold-able straw type material blankets https://amzn.to/3Sj9p6g I have one outside the tent & one inside to keep tent cleaner. These can be sprayed down when I get home to clean.

I recommend you make a checklist of things to bring for your pet(s). I recommend a few things I call ‘must haves’.

1. treat pouch so you’re ready to reward good behavior.

2. Proof of current rabies vaccination(if required in the state where you live & is required if your pet crosses most state-lines in US.

3. A clicker if you use one for marking wanted behaviors.

4. Your pets dishes for eating & water.

5. Water from your home (same stuff your pet is use to).

6. Your pets food (I measure out each meal in baggies & mark who for & what meal)

7. First aid kit https://amzn.to/42VMuCT Post #17 goes into details of first aid kit needs.

8. Toys & chews for your pet so not bored while you relax around your site or bonfire. New things & familiar things from home help a pet that is new to camping.

9. Tie out cable & tie out stakes (never used a cloth tie-out leash as they can chew it when your not looking).

10. Dodo bags (lots to clean up after them)

Be sure your pet has a microchip & an id tag on their collar, a tracking device is not a bad idea unless your pet never wanders from you. https://amzn.to/4jBPKL1 For cats https://amzn.to/4iMCfa2 A tag is a very good thing to have on a pet’s collar https://amzn.to/42CSWzZ I use one that is silent silicone & weaves thru his collar: https://amzn.to/3EK8Saw for my dog Hunter & Echo’s is part of his collar. I recommend only your cells # on tag, no need for their name as all the finder needs is to know who to call. If it is hot out when you camp be sure your pets have plenty of shade & water, maybe even a cooling collar/bandana to wear around their neck. https://amzn.to/4d8tN3S Be sure you have a portable water bowl when you are out hiking or exploring, silicone collapsible bowls can attach to your backpack so with you when your out exploring with your dog. https://amzn.to/4cZlnvy

On occasion I see people who camp with their cats, but in a camper not a tent. A cat should be introduced to camping at a young age, so it is use to all the sounds & things that are part of camping. A cat is safer in a motor-home where you can monitor the door opening easier. A cat need to be comfortable going out on a tie out & always monitor it so it doesn’t get tangled up on anything. There will be dogs at campgrounds so if you take a cat I suggest a house or something your cat can hide in where any passing dog can’t see the cat in the house/box. I recommend a tracking device for cats (link in previous paragraph) just in case it gets out, id on collar . I also recommend that cats be micro-chipped so reuniting is more likely.

If your dog isn’t use to hiking or much exercise introduce it slowly, I recommend you pay close attention to your pet & be sure he or she isn’t overheating or getting tired before you are. Take breaks & let your dog enjoy all of the smells of nature around him/her. Please never leave your dogs at your campsite unattended, other than to run to the restroom if they aren’t allowed in there. This is usually a rule at most campgrounds. I have found that in the US pets are not allowed on hiking trails in National Parks, so if you are visiting one you may need to find a place to board your dog for the day. All the National Forests I have looked into allow dogs as do most Forest Preserves, but again check before you travel there to see that the rules are.

I recommend you use something to help prevent fleas & ticks, as most campgrounds have some type of wildlife often deer in the woods & raccoons ECT… I prefer natural methods, but if you feel safer with a chemical product I suggest Frontline Plus https://amzn.to/4iJqalZ as it was the only one my Integrative Vet said was safer for my seizure dog. I go into a variety of methods on this topic in post # 19 Flea & Tick prevention.

I hope you are considering camping with your dogs, if you’re not a camper, I understand. I will write a post in the summer about traveling with your dogs, as I do that as well.

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