17 Best Tips For Camping With Dogs
Planning to go camping with your furry friend? Then check out these helpful tips for camping with dogs that will make you and your pet happy and comfortable in the wild.
Camping season is here and it’s time to hit the outdoors with your entire family- and that includes the dog!
But even though it’s exciting to go camping with a dog, it’s not just packing your bags and going! You’ll need to know and do certain things to make sure that you and your dog are comfortable and happy.
So to help you have an amazing time while camping with a puppy, I am sharing with you the most crucial tips you need to know while tent camping with a dog.
Disclaimer* This post contains affiliate links and I might earn a small commission if you purchase through them but with no extra cost to you. This commission helps to keep the lights on here. You can read our privacy policy for more details. Thank you for supporting the Adventurous feet
Best Tips for Camping with Dogs
Here are my favorite tips for camping with dogs!
1. Choose a Dog-Friendly Campsite
We all love dogs, and that’s a fact! But even with that fact, you’d think that pups are accepted everywhere but sadly not!
Some campsites don’t allow pets and if they do, some of them don’t allow them in specific places!
So before you go to the campsite, actually way before you book, check that the campsite you want to book allows dogs and if they allow them in specific places, be sure that you’ll be ok with it otherwise it will be terrible to reach a campsite only to leave immediately because they won’t let you in with your dog!
So as a rule of thumb, make sure that you book a campsite that accepts dogs.
2. Go for a Trial Camping Trip Nearby
If it’s your first time going camping with a dog, the first thing you should do is train your dog to be comfortable in the outdoors while still behaving well!
So before you head out on that highly anticipated camping trip, you might want to try camping nearby and teach your dog how it would be!
This will not only show you how the dog might behave when you go for an actual camping trip but your dog will also become familiar with sleeping overnight at a campsite!
3. Go to a Vet and Get Your Dog Vaccinated
Before heading outdoors, you might want to take a quick visit to a vet to see if there are any up-to-date vaccines that your dog might have missed or even need.
And while you’re there, make sure that you get all the necessary medication your dog might need especially if you’re going to a remote area where vet clinics might be hard to reach!
This is actually an important tip to know when camping with your dog as it might save a life!
Pro tip* Don’t forget to carry your dog’s proof of vaccination documents as some campsites require that you have them!
4. Train or brush up On your dog’s disciplinary skills
We all want to assume that our dogs are the most well-behaved dogs in the entire world but quite honestly, it’s usually the opposite!
A few people will come out and admit that their dogs can be little monsters that terrorize everyone and everything!
But be the upper person that sees a fault when it’s there and train your dog or brush up its skills if you had trained it before!
Train your dog not to bark at strangers since they’re likely to be many if you plan to stay at a popular campsite and you don’t want to be the campsite neighbor everyone gives an eye because they can’t tame their dog!
In the same way, teach your dog to listen to you so that in case you need to put it in check while camping, one word would keep it on the ground or even make it run to you – now that’s a really good girl!
5. Keep your dog on a leash at all times
While tent camping with dogs, it’s very important to keep them on a leash at all times!
I know it might be tempting to want your dog to move freely and assume that it won’t run off but you don’t want to take such chances even if you never put it on a leash back home.
Leashing your dog will keep it safe and it will also prevent it from annoying other people at the campsite!
Yes, your dog might be cute and all but not everyone likes dogs and even if they do, they may not appreciate a random dog going through their stuff.
So be the good dog parent and keep it leashed while camping.
6. Check your dog’s Identification and update everything that needs updating
One of the best tips for camping with a dog is to make sure that your dog’s identification info is up to date! Check your dog’s collar tag and microchip to make sure that the information is up to date.
I mean anything can happen and you don’t want your dog running off without any form of information that can help people contact you.
7. Plan to do dog-friendly activities
As you plan your camping trip, make sure that you have some dog-friendly activities lined up so that your dog can have fun as well.
Some of the dog-friendly activities you can do while camping include; hiking, going to the nearby beach, jogging, and any other activity your dog might be interested in after all you know your dog more than I do.
8. Never leave your dog unattended to
Dogs are really inquisitive animals and if they see something, they will want to go closer and see what it is exactly.
Be it a wild animal it has never seen before (which can be risky for your dog), a piece of a weird-looking object on the ground, really anything can capture your dog’s attention which is not ideal in terms of the safety of the dog.
So while in the outdoors, make sure that your dog is with you all the time and this is where the leash comes in really handy too.
9. Do not leave behind a dog first aid kit
One of the common mistakes campers make is forgetting to pack a first aid kit for a dog! It might sound like a given but it’s actually not.
Just like you need to carry your own first aid kit, camping with dogs means carrying a dog first aid kit!
And don’t just carry any first aid kit. Carry the one that has all the dog’s medical essentials like this one.
10. Plan your dog’s sleeping arrangement
Imagine how terrible it would be to reach a campsite and realize that you didn’t figure out where your dog would sleep!
Some people assume that they will just wing it but it’s not possible when camping with dogs! Proper arrangement needs to be made prior as dogs also need to be comfortable or else they will bark the entire night.
Will your dog sleep with you in your sleeping bag or you’ll carry a separate dog bed? This is something you need to figure out before you leave home and if you choose to go with a dog bed, this is the one I recommend taking.
11. Give your dog some outdoor training
One of the other tips for tent camping with a dog is to give it some outdoor training or brush up on the ones it already has. Train your dog the “leave it” command in case your dog encounters danger or wildlife.
12. Check your dogs for ticks and fleas and treat them
As a dog parent, you probably already know that it’s sometimes inevitable for dogs to miss having ticks or fleas. So before your go in the outdoors, make sure that you treat your dogs against ticks and fleas.
Actually, even after your camping trip, make sure that you still check it to see that it didn’t pick them up during the trip and if it did, make sure that you treat them asap.
13. Keep your dog cool or warm depending on when you go camping
Dogs are just like us, they like to stay comfortable, and extreme heat or coldness affects them, the only difference is that they might not say it but will rather behave in an agitated way.
So if you’re going camping with a puppy when it’s hot, make sure that you keep your dog cool and hydrated by offering shade and lots of water.
However, if you’re going camping in the cold months, you’ll need to carry a number of items to keep your dog warm say a warm scarf or even a dog blanket like this one.
14. Pick up after your dog
This should really be obvious but you know, sometimes people think that since it’s in the outdoors, they don’t need to pick up after their dogs but I completely disagree!
Imagine if you were walking at a campsite and stepped in dog poop! That’s the pain another person would feel if they stepped in your dog’s poop.
So make dog poop picking easy, carry this dog Poop Bag which you can put on your dog’s leash so that you go with it everywhere.
Remember that leaving no trace is one of the major etiquettes for exploring the outdoors.
15. Carry all the necessary essentials for your dog
As you pack the camping essentials for the whole family, make sure that you also include those for your dog! I mean imagine reaching the campsite and realizing that you didn’t bring a major item for your dog!
So to make sure that you don’t forget any of the essentials, here are the dog camping essentials you should take!
- Dog First Aid kit: This dog first aid kit has all the items for first medical attention to your dog.
- A leash: This leash is perfect for casual walks and hikes
- Dog poop bag: Always pick up after your dog by taking this dog poop bag.
- Dog bed: Make sure you carry a comfortable bed for your dog like this one.
- Collapsible dog bowl: Make mealtimes fun for your dog by carrying this collapsible dog bowl. And the best part is that it can be used for both drinks and food.
- Dog backpack for hiking: If you plan to go hiking with your dog, then make sure that you don’t leave this dog hiking backpack.
- Microfiber Dog towel: After a fun day at the beach or at the lake, you’d want to dry your dog and it’s always better to have a separate dog towel from yours. So take this microfibre dog towel for your dog as it’s lightweight and very absorbent.
- Food and water: Pack enough food and water for your dog
- A proper dog tent camping tent: You can check out this post to know the best dog camping tent to buy.
You can also check out my complete dog gear camping list to find out everything you need while camping with a dog.
16. Bring Familiar Items
One of the best tips for camping with a dog is to bring items he/she is familiar with.
This can be their favorite blanket, bed, or chew toys. The idea is to recreate a sense of familiarity in the unfamiliar camping environment.
For instance, if your dog has a special blanket they sleep with every night, bring it along for the trip. The same goes for their favorite toy.
These items can provide a sense of security and comfort for your dog, helping them adapt more easily to the new surroundings.
17. Take Care of Your Dog’s Paws
Paws Care is crucial when camping with dogs. The outdoors exposes your pet’s paws to various terrains that could potentially cause injury.
Rough surfaces, sharp rocks, hot sand, or icy paths can lead to cuts, burns, or frostbite.
To protect your dog, consider using protective booties designed for different weather conditions and terrains.
Additionally, you should do regular paw inspections to make sure everything looks good. Look for injuries, foreign objects, and signs of irritation.
After a day of activity, cleaning their paws and applying pet-safe balm can help soothe and heal any minor abrasions.
Final Thoughts on the best tips for camping with dogs
There you have it, dog parents, those were the best tips for camping with dogs especially if it’s your first time. The rule of thumb here is to make sure that you prepare your dog for the trip, keep it where you can see it at all times while at the campsite, and make sure that you pack all the dog camping essentials to make the trip easier.
Have you gone camping with your dog before? How was the entire experience? Did you enjoy it or now you’ll be leaving it at home? Let me know in the comments below and if you have any questions about camping with a dog, still let me know below.
More posts to help you enjoy the outdoors
- Best tips for backpackers
- Big mistakes to avoid while hiking
- Essential items to pack for a hiking trip
- Things to know before going camping for the first time
- The best kitchen camping cooking gear to pack
- Easy camping breakfast meal ideas for your next camping trip
Was this post on the best tips for camping with dogs helpful? Then please consider sharing it with others