Just like a lot of people, I love being able to take my dog with me everywhere, including camping! All camping trips require pre-planning, and especially when you are taking your 4-legged best friend. In this post cover things I consider before I go camping with Winter and what I did to prepare for her first camping trip.
Before You Go
Check the regulations at the park where you plan to camp. Every park has their own rules! You need to be sure they allow dogs in the campgrounds and daytime activity areas, like hiking trails. Additionally, check the weather and know your dogs limits. Remember they are much more susceptible to heat related injuries than we are!
I always research the nearest 24 hour veterinary clinic to the area we will be camping. There are urgent cares on every corner for us to go to, veterinary clinics are a bit more sparse. Read my Camping with Dogs – The Necessities blog to check out my packing list for Winter!
First Camping Trip Jitters
Has your dog been in a tent before? If not, I highly recommend getting them into one before you take them camping. Some dogs are really confident and will go into tight spaces without hesitation. Not everyone will be comfortable with tents.
You don’t want to be that person, disrupting the campsite with a nervous dog at night when everyone is trying to sleep. Some pre-trip exposure to camping gear is a must, especially if this is your dogs the first time camping.
I broke out all of my camping gear the weekend before Winters first camping trip and set everything up. It was pretty comical seeing a two-person tent in my tiny apartment living room. Additionally, it was difficult to set up with a curious dog walking all over everything. When I got it up, Winter was encouraged to go freely in and out of the tent and sniff everything.
This process went seamlessly for us, and I actually had to drag her out of the tent to break it down.
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.
Well done article.
Thank you!
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