Camping with Dogs – At the Campsite

Once you have done all the preparation and are at the campsite with your dog, let the fun begin. I absolutely love taking Winter camping, it is always fun to expose her to new places and is great bonding time for us. In this post I cover dog management at camp.

At Camp

“Land management agencies say your pup should be your constant companion, whether at camp or during daytime adventures.”

REI CO-OP Journal

Dog management at the campsite is essential, especially when camping with a group.

Its no joke when they say your pup will be your constant companion, most parks require dogs be on leash at all times! And on leash = with you. This is for their own safety, and the safety of wildlife in the park. You don’t want your dog wandering off and getting bitten by a snake without you knowing. Or have them come back really happy with a squirrel or other small mammal in their mouth. NEVER leave your dog unattended at the campsite!

As I mentioned in my Camping with Dogs – The Necessities blog, I bring both a leash and a 25′ lead when camping with Winter. I would say on average, 70% of the time Winter is on her leash with me. The other 30% of the time, primarily around meals, she is on her lead. Always within my eye sight. Additionally, she always has water and shade available to her.

Another consideration when camping with your pup is where they relive themselves. Dogs are lucky enough to have nature restroom. However, it is important to make sure they are not relieving themselves in the campsite! This will attract other animals, and also can cause undesired smells. Frequently take them a good distance away from the camp site and ask them to “do their business” (I trained Winter to relieve herself on command). Always make sure to bring plenty of baggies to clean up after them. 

At Night

I always do a nightly tick check for Winter! There are more details on this in my blog Ticks and Fleas, and How to Prevent.

Nighttime is probably the most difficult part of camping with dogs. There are a lot of recommendations for what to do with your pup at night. If you are car camping and your pup typically sleeps in a kennel, I recommend bringing their kennel for them to sleep in. This is not practical for other types of camping. Winter and I always co-sleep when camping. It is fairly normal for us and what is most comfortable for her. Plus, you get some extra body heat on the cold nights!

Another nighttime consideration is the nocturnal wildlife in the park. I can guarantee your dog will hear them, and will likely react. When I am camping with a group, I always chose to put my tent away from everyone else. This way, if Winter does react to rustling bushes outside the tent, it is less disruptive for others.

Additional Resources

This post is part of a series on Camping with Dogs. Click here for more articles about preparing for camping, what I pack, and dog management at camp and on hikes.

The websites where I found the most useful information about camping with dogs are the American Animal Hospital Association and REI’s co-op Journal.