Share your hacks for camping with puppies or grown dogs

[TheresaD]

Ok folks... I've recently become the Mama to an adorable 5 month old pup. I plan to bring him camping with me and I'm looking for your hints and hacks for making camping with a four legged friend a pleasant experience for both of us. Our 1st gathering together will be in a couple weeks (should be interesting). What do you pack for your pup? Is there any special gear you bring for them? What do you keep in your pup's first aid kit? How do you manage their possible anxiety due to being in an unfamiliar environment or when you have to leave them in the camper to go to the bath house or another site etc.? I'm guessing others might benefit from info you might share here as well.

Here are a few of the things that I have in place for him already:

Crate - he goes to his crate on his own for quiet time and also at bed time so I want to keep that consistency for him at camp at least for now while things are so new to him.
Tie out lead for our site.
Elevated pet cot. (to help keep him off the dirt and is easier to keep clean than a dog bed.)
Dog bowls that will stay in the camper (as opposed to bringing his bowls from home)
Poop bags
Old towels
Container for dog food
Extra drinking water for him
Glow necklaces for his collar (to make him more visible at night)
Collar tag for writing his site # & my phone # on (just in case he gets away from me)

[Zach]

Congrats T! Sounds like you've thought things through. Only thing I would add is to be sure they are up to date on vaccinations and flea/tick medication. Most campgrounds do have policies that require rabies vaccinations, although I've never actually been asked to provide proof.

I like the idea of a temp tag with campsite number on it. Could defintiely come in handy.

Funny story from 2010-ish: Fred (beagle) and i had only been to a couple gatherings, and we were down at one in VA. I had left the campsite to go get a shower and Fred had escaped through the screen covering of my convertible teardrop camper. I panicked but found him down with the group begging for food as everyone gathered for the potluck. Figures that dog would find the food.

[TheresaD]

Thanks Zach! Yup. He has gotten his rabies vax as well as his other puppy shots and preventatives so he's good to go there. I'm glad you mentioned the rabies thing though. Even though I know campgrounds require it, I forgot about making a copy of his vax paperwork to keep with me (he does have a rabies tag).

I remember Fred escaping on you at a gathering I was at also. I think it was at a campground in PA. French Creek maybe? He knew where to find us though.

[chickpea]

If your dog is reactive, then windbreaks are useful to stop an explosion every time another dog walks past - or a human, come to that.

We've just ordered some two-tone ones, where the bottom section is solid and the top is mesh, we we have a view out but the boys don't.

The pack includes a gate, so we can set up a completely enclosed area where they can be off the lead - they're actually better behaved when not tied up, as they don't get so frustrated.

[TheresaD]

It's interesting that you mention windbreaks Marc ( chickpea ). Thus far I haven't found my puppy to be reactive (thank goodness), but having an enclosed area without much of a view for him at least until he gets accustomed to camping would be nice. I have some beach windbreaks that I was thinking of bringing for this first time out so that I can set up a sort of perimeter for an area that he can be in. I'm not sure how they'll work out but I'm going to give it a shot. Do you have info on the type/brand that you got?

[chickpea]

It won't help you much, I'm afraid!

I'm in the UK, and they're handmade to order.

But just to show what I mean ....

We've opted for the black/orange colourway.