Camping Tips if You Have a Pet?

[HenrySmith]

[SIZE=16pt]I haven’t ever camped with a pet before but I read its very common. What would be your tips for those people who would like to camp with dog?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=16pt]Thanks

[/SIZE]

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Mornin’ Henry, first... welcome to WTW.

My first and most important tip is to never let your dog be a nuisance to other campers or yourself. That means the dog is not running free, not barking, not left alone in camp, and not aggressive to people or other animals.

Is there something more specific you’re interested in?

 

[buckland]

Use a gamma lid bucket to carry measured dog food. Water bowl. Have an extra leash. I have a non gps collar radio disk goes to a receiver in a pocket and then blue tooth’s to iPhone. In a trip if she gets away I can track her up to a mile or two depending on terrain. Carry some kind of vet pill to calm them if going on ferry or for any scary day. Pliers for quills. Deskunk combo of your choice(Dawn and baking soda). Booties if hot desert or near zero temps. Chew bone for stress. Brush. Tick puller. If in buggy area some non toxic bug repellent for belly and ears. If in camper a small bed (safe spot). We have a 30 ft lead with clips to attach to truck for in site use. A few toys. A float vest if boating.

 

[ski3pin]

Mornin’ Henry, first... welcome to WTW.

My first and most important tip is to never let your dog be a nuisance to other campers or yourself. That means the dog is not running free, not barking, not left alone in camp, and not aggressive to people or other animals.

Is there something more specific you’re interested in?

Or a nuisance (impact or threat) to the wild creatures that live in the area you are visiting.

 

[teledork]

Rattlesnake vaccination and carry Benadryl (also useful for insect, scorpion etc bites)

A way to pick up poop and carry it with you or in your vehicle if there is no place to dispose of it at that moment - like a double bag or a container with a lid or if you are hiking a pack with an outside pocket (SO sick of seeing people leave little plastic bags in the parking lot or along the trail!!!!!!)

Supervise - voice control or leash - the life you save may be your dog's (bear, deer, big cats, other dogs, things they should not eat)
But make sure they still get some unleashed zoomie time in an appropriate location.

 

[Smokecreek1]

#1 to me is that your dog responds to any voice command that you give "Now", not after another sniff or what ever but now! I was lucky when I worked for the BLM because they let us bring our dogs to the field with us as long as they were trained on basic field commands, were friendly and had an idea of what they could and could not do in that big world of new and exciting smells! How does a dog learn how to do this -training! There is nothing worse than an untrained dog out in the woods for both their owner and the dog for allot of the reasons mentioned above.! Get a good dog, learn what it responds to, train it to your needs (protection, hunting, companionship-what ever) and go to the woods and have some fun!

Smoke

 

[ski3pin]

#1 to me is that your dog responds to any voice command that you give "Now",

Smoke

Smoke, you hit that nail on the head! I believe dog owners need a license to be able to take their pet off their property and must annually pass an obedience test.

Over the years I have worked with amazing dog handlers and their dogs - avalanche, search, cadaver - and am well aware how incredible dogs can be and how well they respond to training. To see a untrained, undisciplined dog, I see a sad waste of talent and a sadly ignorant owner.

 

[searching for nowhere]

All good comments. I'll add, have an outdoor rug for your dog to lay on instead of the dirt. Keeps your vehicle a lot cleaner.

 

[buckland]

Lots of poop bags. And for all the above stuff a dedicated dog box.
Ps... what are people thinking? I’ve seen the bags along trails in parking lots.... I mean give me a break.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Welcome to the site.
Our last dog was over 20 years ago.
He was pound dog to us so someone else trained him.

He was total voice command also a snap of the fingers
brought him right back to you.

Maybe just me but I don't appreciate a dog out of the
owners control.

Frank

 

[buckland]

I agree whole heartedly Frank.... My three dogs over 60 years ... none was trained as a shepherd/bird/cattle dog... they were perfectly behaved until a rabbit or deer came in... bam gone. I have decided as I don't do pedigree dogs... rescues I get what I get and most can be brought to great behavior... my current three year old ... a cattle dog mix with shepherd. ( and DNA says a bit of Korean hunting dog) .. gets a whiff and she is electric. She came a long way from the abuse she suffered before getting to me...someone hit her nose and fractured it... bent... ( don't get me started).... it took a year for her to calm, walk, follow commands... still there are triggers whereby she freaks... memories... I know she is not an off leash dog when traveling.... we are lucky we live rural... remote...have a 5 acre meadow with electric underground fence...she knows the boundaries and loves to run within it (19 squirrels to date have paid the price of entry).
We have 40 acres of woods we walk/snowshoe daily on a lead... she'd love to be off lead but we happen on coyote, fox, deer, skunk porcupine, etc...... and at this time would love to know how to stop her from bolting. So.... she is on a lead ...happy but I wish I could have her off leash
I have a problem with folks who walk their dogs off leash on public land trails... It assumes those they encounter feel okay with that and I have a number of friend who have been bitten and are quite anxious of 'loose dogs' regardless of their owners confidence that they can control them... They are put on the defensive. I believe if it says dogs should be on leash at all times then so be it. Rule breakers just plain bother me in public places. It seems so blatantly inconsiderate. But then again I am happily an ole codger.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

As an adult the only dogs I've owned were Australian Shepard's.
Both great dogs very smart.

The second,Fred was such a kick. As said before he was total voice control.
We would take him CX skiing and he would stay right at my side.

Dog owners that let their dogs run loose bother me.
It's not the dogs fault but we seem to take it out on them.

On our walk there is one household that let their 2 "grubby" little yappy dogs
run loose.They roam a good distance from home and come running up to you
and bark and growl.

One morning the owner was out,I made a comment to him about his dogs bothering people
and all I got was a "so what". I didn't pursue it any further it wasn't worth a confrontation.

The concern though isn't getting bitten but the dogs,it's getting under foot and being tripped up.
What don't people understand about a "leash law".

Well enough of my soap box.
I am not a dog hater just keep your not under control dog and while I am at it child away from me.

Frank

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Oh the plastic bags are great but you can't just pick up the poop
and leave the bag there and pick it up on your return.

Sorry it doesn't work that way."Pack it in pack it out".IMO
Frank

 

[buckland]

Frank I am with you 100%! Leave no trace. Nor dog poo. Civil such a good word.

 

[Smokecreek1]

my last three dogs have been a, aus shep/lab mix, border collie/lab mix , and a very very active border collie and aust/cattle dog mix-so that makes me herder man (2 strays, one pup). All the dogs were/are smart, friendly, trust worthy field dogs and I forgot to mention in my first post answered to hand signals (once I figured out that is what they were waiting for me to do). Sometimes Me thinks they are to smart for their own good but I would never have another type (even if I know they are smarter than me). By the way, over the years I have learned balls of any kind and letting them watch./stalk fire hearth living lizards and any creeping tree creatures make great baby sitters to keep your header dog from getting to bored between field walks (and nothing is worse than a bored herding dog) .

Smoke

 

[buckland]

There is a farm nearby and the women there have a dog daycare. They asked if my dog could come for free as she herds all the fat dogs to run.... she comes home exhausted 2 times a week. A tired dog is generally a happy dog (and owner)

 

[Machinebuilder]

I've been thinking about this.

1. When traveling with pets, add time. Just like a small child they will need to stop and get out of the vehicle.

2. for a dog, long lasting chew toys that they like will make the travel easier. Unfortunately what works for mine is cow hoofs, the odor can get a bit thick in the truck.

3. Keep a copy of your vet records with you. You don't know when they might be asked for.

4. I prefer remote dispersed camping, this works out good for my dogs because they get to run while I am waking up and getting ready for the day. then they are more willing to relax in the truck while i am driving. In campgrounds etc they have to stay on a leash or tie out.

5. If I stop around other people I do my best to make sure my dogs do not become a nuisence. I did have a host tell me my dog ws making too much noise one afternoon. There was a couple boys playing and Gabby really wanted to join in. I had to get her so she couldn't see them.

My dogs are German Shorthaired Pointers, They are willing to run/hunt for many miles every day. They also tend to stay fairly close and come back to check on me. I am lucky to live where they are rarely on a leash. I do have Dogtra Pathfinder GPS tracking collars for them, so If needed or in a place away from home I can always know where they are. I learned that Sox is an incredible scavenger. While in AZ, he found an elk leg from a hunter in one spot and a couple winter kill carcasses. they don't understand that they can't keep their trophys.

 

[craig333]

Riley is pretty good at voice control, unless there is a an RC vehicle nearby. He chases and howls at those. Won't touch them. When he is off leash I still carry a leash with me just in case. I don't have to keep him occupied when we're traveling. He's happy to spend hours with his head out the window covering my truck with drool.

I run into far more people who ask if they may pet my dog than the other way around. Of course if helps that labs look non threatening.

Vet records are a very good idea. I keep a copy in the camper.

 

[DavidGraves]

Everyone will think I am an old grump.

Dogs (and cats) are predators.

Predator pee is a major deterrent to wild animal behavior...

If you are visiting an actual wild area you might consider leaving Fido home.

Campgrounds, parks etc are already contaminated so anything goes.

David Graves

 

[JaSAn]

I travel alone with a beagle. One thing that hasn't been mentioned is what to do if you have to leave your pet in the vehicle for a little bit.

I have a sign on my dash saying: CONCERN FOR MY DOG? CALL (123)-456-7890
I also have water easily visible, an exhaust fan in the rear sliding window, and a remote temperature sensor.
Never have the sun shining on your pet. I try to keep the rear of my truck into the sun, shading the whole cab.