Leaving your furry friend behind when planning a camping trip is never fun and may not be needed if you follow these tips. As long as you follow the proper rules and know what you are getting yourself into so you can be properly prepared, you will have a great time camping with your dog. I love to bring my dog along when I can!
Dog Camping Gear
Having the proper gear on your trip is the best way to camp with your dog and keep both of you happy. This is the list I use to make sure I have everything I need for my dog on our trip.
- Retractable leash (my favorite for walks/hikes)
- Long leash or rope (If your dog needs to be on a leash it gives them more freedom around the campsite)
- Harnes(can be more comfortable if the dog is on a leash for long periods of time)
- Proper amounts of food and water for the dog
- Water and Food bowl (I like collapsable bowls for camping because it saves space)
- Bark Collar (only if I know there will be people around)
- Poop Bags
- Dog toys
- Dog bed
- Towel (great to dry off the dog and wipe off dirt with)
- Dog brush
- Booties(protects your dog’s paws)
- Dog jacket
A lot of this gear is situational and can vary depending on you and your dog’s preferences along with the location. Even though I don’t bring everything on this list for every trip I go through and make sure I have everything I need. Having the proper gear can make a camping trip with your dog less stressful and more fun.
Know the Camp Site
When picking your campsite you should try to figure out exactly how big your campsite is, how close it is to others, and the campsite’s pet policies. Knowing these things can help you make a knowledgeable decision on whether or not to bring your dog.
Having a large campsite far away from others is ideal for bring your dog’s camping. This makes it easier to let them off-leash if properly trained and if they do bark it will be harder for others to hear. Even if you have a very well-trained dog the extra space will give your dog more freedom to enjoy the trip even more.
It is a must to know the pet policies before bringing your dog camping. This is because not all campsites allow dogs or they may have strict rules. Following these rules are very important because if not campsites will ban dogs.
Most campsite rules will be about where and when you should have your dog on a leash. Most areas will have signs telling you where you may let your dog run free or where you need to leash them. Cleaning up your dog’s poop around the campsite and trails is also very important. It will keep campsites cleaner and give dog owners a good reputation wish is needed if you want to take your dog camping.
Know Your Dog
Before going anywhere with your dog you should know exactly how they may act or what they will do in different situations. Knowing if your dog is a barker, doesn’t like other dogs or people, runs away, or other characteristics can help you prepare better to enjoy your trip and keep you and your dog safe.
You should not be taking an untrained dog camping as it can be stressful and unsafe for you and the dog since you will be in the outdoors which is less of a controlled environment. An untrained dog can be very unpredictable when camping because there are so many different things going on they may have never seen before. Training your dog and acclimating them to the outdoors(like hiking/walking) before their first camp trip will make it a more enjoyable experience for everyone.
Barking
In the outdoors, there are many stimulants that may cause your dog to start barking, but there are ways to limit and stop their barking. These tips will give you many different options to stop or limit your dog from barking when camping with your dogs.
- A bark collar is one great way to stop dogs from barking. It doesn’t work for all dogs but for some, it stops barking by slightly shocking them each time the dog barks. You should test this method at home before you try it camping, but if it works well at your house it will work well when camping.
- Stay close to your dog so you can quickly react when they begin barking. If your dogs listen to commands well but still barks it can be very simple to calm them down if you are nearby.
Running Away
Dogs running away and wondering is another very common thing that may go wrong when out camping with your dog. There are a few ways to stop this and keep you from worrying about where your dog is all the time.
- Having a long leash is my favorite way of keeping track of my dog. This works great because with a long leash your dog can still have some free-range around the main part of your camp but they can run off when you aren’t looking.
- Keep your dog in a tent or a dog crate if you are away. This is what I like to do because my dog only runs away if I’m not around. When I need to quickly do something I always put my dog in my tent until I am back. Although, you should never keep your dog in a tent for any long period of time as it can get very hot.
Dislikes other dogs or people
If your dog doesn’t like other dogs or people it can be very easy or very hard to camp with your dog depending on where you end up going.
- The easiest way to camp with a de-social dog is to find a very large or excluded campsite. This will make it so there is a very small chance of anyone or another dog running into your dog at your campsite.
- Another way is to keep your dog on a leash. Having a long leash can make it more enjoyable for your dog but sometimes that may not be a possibility. This will allow you to control your dog very quickly if any conflict occurs between another person or dog.
After Trip Tips
Giving your dog a proper shower after any trip is very important. It will keep them clean and is a great time to check for ticks and fleas. Fleas and ticks can be common for dogs after hikes or camping trips so it is crucial that you thoroughly check your dog after each trip.
Cleaning all your dog’s gear after a long trip is very important to stay clean. It will limit the amount of dirt and other things that may be tracked into your house after a trip. It will also help your dog’s gear last longer if you clean it and take good care of it.