Camping with Dogs

The most common pet by far to take on a camping trip is the beloved dog, They are not called man’s best friend for no reason. More camping destinations and camp grounds are catering for dogs these days, as more people are wishing to take their pooch on camping, caravan and outdoor expeditions. Much of what is described below is relatively basic common knowledge and straight foreword for pet owners, and is thus more of a check list. Particularly for those taking their dog camping for the first time, there are some basic considerations to plan for.

Camping Locations Where Dogs are Banned

This is the big question for any one camping and/or travelling with dogs. Basically, the only real answer is to do some research before reaching your intended destination. More privately owned camp sites, such as those found on Hipcamp, are allowing pets. However, some do not. Certainly though, in Australia at least, dogs are not allowed in any State or Federal National Park. So plan your trip before hand and contact the intended destinations directly for confirmation.

Water For Your Dog While Camping

Your dog requires water more than people do, as they can not perspire to aid in body cooling. Dogs can only cool themselves by panting, and thus often dribble everywhere. Pack a large enough water bowl so your dog has plenty of access to water, at least enough to last most of a day, and freshen up as required. Ensure that the dog water bowl can not be readily tipped over, potentially then denying your dog a drink.

Becoming popular are the collapsible silicone dog water bowls. These are great, for example, when travelling with your pooch and pulling over to have a revival break. They are simply ‘popped’ out, filled with water, and packed away once used. Make sure that you plan to have enough water for everyone and all purposes, and that there is definitely plenty for your dog or dogs. Plan to have at least a couple of litres per dog on hot days for larger breeds.

Plan to have excess water in case of emergencies and unexpected situations. A surplus is far preferable than becoming dehydrated. Remember, you as a person can identify dehydration in people, in a dog it is far less obvious. For more information on water while camping and during emergences, read our article on ‘Water Survival’

Food For Your Dog While Camping

This of course is a personal choice and very much dependent on your particular circumstances. Some people prefer to pack canned dog food for ease of packing and rubbish disposal. Canned dog food is of course non-perishable. Dry dog biscuits are relatively non-perishable, however consider storing a bag of biscuits in a suitably sized storage container, preferably air-tight, to maintain freshness, keep certain pests out and contain any spills.

Perishable dog food will of course need refrigeration or on ice. Ensure you pack a separate dog food bowl that can be easily cleaned and transported, stainless steel being the most durable.

Let your dog carry some of the load with a dog backpack. Ensure however that they don't carry more than 20% of their body weight.
Recommended dog camping gear below.

Dog Camp Bedding

It is always highly recommended so as to gain the most out of a camping trip to have the best possible mattress and hence have the best possible sleep. There is nothing worse when trying to have a relaxing camping trip to suffer poor sleep.

The same is exactly true for your pet dog. There are plenty of available pet beds on the market today, even purpose camp dog bed stretchers. Stretchers are a great option, as they can be folded up like a camping chair, keeping your pooch dry and off the cold ground. Some are padded for comfort, and throwing on an old folded up blanket will certainly make them happy.

Dog Shelter at a Campsite

Some campers choose to contain their dog in a portable cage or pen. These are readily available to purchase, and some are usually able to be packed flat for ease of storage and transport. Make sure your dog or dogs have plenty of room to turn around and have a comfortable dry bed to lay on.

Try and choose a shady place to set up the cage / pen, and aim to cover it with a tarp or cover of some description to provide efficient shade. Make sure there is plenty of ventilation and breeze, especially in the warmer months. If it is raining make sure the cover is water proof and rain and/or run-off can not enter. Keep your dog cool and hydrated with plenty of water.

Becoming more popular these days are permanent dog compartments on the back of utes / trucks. They are made of steel or aluminium and tend to be relatively constricting in size and heat up quite a lot in the sun. These can be disastrous if a dog is left in them for too long. Your dog may be comfortable to sleep in these compartments over night, but may be extremely dangerous if a dog is locked in them during a hot day. Alternatively, if it is cold, make sure they have a warm blanket to lay on.

And a critical note to consider, as with any time when having a dog in a car, is to never leave a dog in a car unattended during the day in the sun with no ventilation. Cars can heat up to excessive temperatures, allowing in a lot of sunlight, which builds up due to the glass and metal construction. On a sunny day, at 20 degrees Celsius or 68 Fahrenheit, a sealed car can reach 60 degrees or 140 Fahrenheit in thirty minutes.

That is like a furnace and will kill your dog! Even with the windows down slightly, to stop a thief stealing from you for example, a dog will still agonisingly perish on a hot day within an hour (RSPCA). If you do this, you are a criminal and don’t be surprised if a passer-by smashes your car window to save your dog. In some States in Australia, people can be fines up to $50,000 dollars and/or charged with animal cruelty. Even at night with high temperatures a dog can suffer or die. Shockingly, it is a very common problem.

Ultimately however, there are tents available just for your dog. Keep in mind that as with all tents, they can heat up during the day in warmer locations, and definitely choose a good quality dog tent that will keep your dog dry in case it rains. The preferred option for many though is to simply set up a bed in the tent you are camping in. Dogs are pack animals and do prefer to sleep with their family.

Ticks & Snakes

It must be recognised that both children and dogs are more susceptible to being attacked by offending critters than adults. Dogs may have absolutely no sense of the threats that can be encounted in the wild. Dogs, just as children, can be overtly inquisitive to a snake and eager to inspect further. However, to a snake, an approaching dog, and indeed any person, will be considered a direct threat.

Always remember that it is far more difficult to administer snake bit first aid to dogs than it is to people. Recognise also that younger smaller snakes are more dangerous than larger more mature snakes. For vital information that could save a life, read our article on ‘Snake Bite First Aid’.

Before arriving at a particular camping destination, undertake some research to identify if paralysis ticks can be a threat. These parasites can cause serious health risks to both humans and dogs. If a person gets attacked and infected by a tick, it does become alarmingly noticeable very soon. To a dog though, an attached tick is not as obvious. Basically, any bush or outdoor environment can pose a threat by ticks.

For the safety of your dog, remember to constantly check your pet for ticks. As dogs have fur, ticks will hardly ever be immediately noticeable. To check for ticks on your dog, it is vital to feel every single square inch of your dogs skin. They feel quite obvious when you do find them, and feel like very hard little attachments. They usually appear dark in colour. Ticks will bury their head just under the skin, firmly digging into to suck the blood. Ticks are particularly fond of ears and where ever the skin can fold, such as groin and arm pits.

Recognise though that ticks are notoriously difficult to remove. The biggest mistake often made when attempting to pull a tick out is to dislodge the head, leaving it remaining in the skin, creating an opportunity for infection. Never try and scratch or pinch it out, as it will try and dig in further, while injecting more toxins into the bloodstream. Use only fine-tipped forceps tweezers, and ensure that you pull out the tick by grabbing on to its head.

One of the best methods to remove ticks, both from animal and human, is the wart freeze-off spray. It kills ticks instantly by freezing them solid, inhibiting the tick from injecting further toxins, and allows for easier removal with fine-tipped forceps tweezers. Otherwise, have on, at least the tweezers.

Signs that a dog is poisoned by paralysis ticks are lethargy, wobbly legs, usually starting with the hind legs, an inability to stand when the toxins continue to build up in the blood stream, vomiting, difficulty breathing, and if left untreated, tragically death. If any of these signs become apparent it is imperative to get your dog to a vet as soon as possible, otherwise they will probably die!

Treatment will be expensive, an infected dog will probably require anti-venom, hospitalisation and placed on intravenous fluids. Therefore, prevention is far preferable than the cure. Always remember that quite often dogs can be attacked by more than one tick, and sometimes there can be dozens. More on the topic of the threats whilst camping is detailed in Oz Survival Aid’s article on ‘Camping Hazards’.

Containing Your Dog While Camping

Keep your dog on a leash or rope if they have the potential to disturb other people and wildlife. Pack a rope where the rope length can be adjusted to suit the circumstances, and a strong peg or purpose designed dog rope corkscrew spike to anchor the rope. The corkscrew spike should be relatively simple to screw into the ground, where as a standard peg may need to be hammered into the ground with a mallet. Make sure your dog can not pull out the peg nor get tangled around anything.

If you choose to leave your dog unattended for any reason, please ensure that they will not bark and annoy other campers, who may then report the nuisance to camp ground authorities or managers. Or worst still, give you grief when you return. There may be other campers willing to keep a look out over your pooch, but if the dog is going to bark, in general do not leave it unattended.

Once again, make sure your dog has shade, cool temperatures and plenty of water. And, most importantly, if your dog is well exercised and cared for, it is less likely to be a nuisance to others.

Protecting the Environment when Camping with Dogs

Dogs, regardless of size, do have the potential to cause damage to the natural environment and the wildlife. Many dogs become overly excited and very disobedient when wildlife are noticed. Their natural instincts take over and their desire to take chase over-rides any semblance of training they have received convincing you that they wouldn’t harm a fly.

All dogs are decadence’s of wolves, which are hunting pack carnivores. If you have a dog not securely tethered, and worse if there are are two or more dogs, than whether on a walk or a camping stay, and a group of ‘prey’ start running away, chances are you are in trouble. It would take an incredibly well trained dog to not take chase.

If there is a creek in the camping vicinity, consider whether letting your pooch go for a swim. This will depend on the size and flow of the creek. Other campers may be using this water course as a source of water for drinking and cleaning, especially if this is a small water hole and/or for users just down stream. For additional information on this topic, check out our article on ‘Hygiene and Health Protection’.

Dogs Going to the Toilet when Campings

Quite simply, the biggest consideration to be more than aware of is your dogs faeces! It should be no surprise that dogs do crap. Some dog owners seem oblivious to this very basic biological necessity, and do not feel obliged to pick up after their dog. Even if no one else is in the vicinity, other visitors may arrive later and inadvertently step on your dog sh!t!. Pack pooch poo bags, and plenty of them, and pick up your dogs crap immediately.

Bag it up, tie the bag to reduce odour escape, and dispose of it appropriately. Consider taking ‘kitty litter’, sawdust or lime to sprinkle over your dogs poo before bagging it to make the process more ‘appealing’. Sometimes it can be difficult to pick it all up, so if there are any ‘remains’, cover the offending spot with grass, dirt, sand or what ever to reduce flies, smell and people accidentally stepping on it. This is another good reason to pack lime.

Many camping locations do not have waste facilities, so be prepared to take all your rubbish with you when you leave, including your dog’s waste. For some good advice on how to deal with the art of crapping in the bush, have a read of our article on ‘Bush Toilet Etiquette’, which is just as applicable to dogs.

Some dogs just seem to love ‘marking their (so called) territory’, and seem determined to urinate on everything including other peoples vehicles, all their camping gear and even on other campers themselves. If you want to see fellow happy campers turn into an angry mob, armed with pitch-forks, just let your dog urinate on their favourite camp chair.

Take your dog for a walk to an appropriate location to relieve itself, and of course praise it when it does so. Certainly do not let it urinate or deficate near water sources, where it could potentially contaminate after rain for example. And certainly DO NOT let your dog wonder throught a camp site to ‘do its business’ on camping facilities and other peoples camp gear.

Conclusion

Keep a constant watch on your dog/s during a camping excursion, as this is a different environment to the home with additional potential complications. This is why it is important to have your dog micro-chipped, or at a minimum a collar with a name tag with your phone number, in case your pet gets lost. Just remember that any dog has the potential to bite people, especially children, or at the least seem intimidating to some.

Always do some research before hand to determine if dogs are welcome at your intended camping destination. If possible, contact them directly for confirmation, and ask if ticks and snakes are a problem. Always clean up after your dog, and prepare to take away all waste when you leave. Take with you plenty of water, and pack suitable bedding and shelter so your pooch can enjoy the experience as well.

Leave your dog at home, with friends or at a dog kennel if unsure your dog will be welcome or safe. Other people camping may not be as appreciative of dogs as you are. Planning before hand is the key. Many people go camping to enjoy and appreciate the natural landscape, so please be respectful of the natural environment and other campers.