 Barked: Sun Feb 20, '11 1:02pm PST |
 | |  | | I'm the type who leaves my car at the trailhead or parking lot (if allowed) and backpack to my spot, usually in areas where camping wherever you want is allowed. (several miles from the car.)
I will most likely be doing some of that and some car camping with Conker this spring/summer, starting out with the car camping just in case he freaks about the smallest things so I can pack up and leave quickly and easily, or put him in the Jeep at night if he barks too much at first.
Always let someone know where you're going, how long you'll be and what to do/how to contact the right rangers if you never come back. I try to stick to areas with cell coverage, at least at where I park my Jeep or somewhere where I can get to a place with some kind of coverage.
Things I'd do are:
Check to be sure dogs are allowed and what the tie-out rules are.
If tie-outs are allowed, get two heavy duty cables (one longer than the other) and tie the longer one around two trees roughly 6 feet off the ground and attach the other to that so Conker won't get tangled. We took Juneau and Sasha with us one year when we went camping and they were always getting tangled in their cables and ripping the anchors out of the ground.
Make sure the collar/harness you are using is approved for tie out and escape proof and won't choke the dog if she gets tangled.
If tie-outs aren't allowed I'd loop the leash through my belt and we'd have to put up with being tied to each other.
For car camping I'd bring the crate for when I was setting up the campground or doing things where having a dog running around wouldn't work too well. Also if a ranger or other camper came over for some reason.
Always pick up/pack out after your dog.
For backpacking, if it rains I'm stuck in the tent unless It's not too bad or I don't care about getting wet.
For car camping, tarps are my best friend. I've made "houses" out of my tarps before and even set some up for other campers. If tying stuff to trees isn't allowed bring collapsible poles and use those to support the tarps. Lots of rope the dog could get tangled in but if you plot it right that won't happen.
I don't shower when I'm on camping trips, even if they are two weeks long. When it rains is when I shower.
For grocery trips I'd just take my dog with me. If it was too hot to leave her in the car I'd wait until it was cooler (morning/evening) or raining. I've been to a few places that have allowed dogs inside when it's too hot to leave them in the car but don't depend on that happening.
Always have identification on your dog, never take the tag collar of for any reason unless she's in the car. Make a point of having as many people in the campground see you with your dog to be sure they know who she belongs to if she gets loose.
Have extra leashes, collars and harnesses and bring a photo or flyer of your dog.
Bring lots of chews and toys if your dog likes them to keep her busy while you're puttering around the camp.
A dog-specific first-aid kit is a must. There are plenty of online sources for figuring out what to put in one.
Bring extra food just in case. Extra everything really, just in case. (I've had just in case happen to me before.)
Bring a towel(s) for your dog. They can be handy to wipe him off if she gets muddy, wet or rolls in something nasty. And also to lie on in the tent.
Bring an extra blanket for the dog just in case it gets really cold one night. It stinks when that happens but it can, especially if you're in a place with unpredictable weather.
For dogs with thin or short coats, get a dog jacket and keep it with you even in the summer for the same reason as above.
Always have water and shade available, E-vet numbers and locations and read up on how to prevent and care for a dog who gets heat stroke. It can kill a dog in a matter of hours or even minutes if it's hot enough.
Pay attention to what your dog barks at, look every time. It may just be a leaf blowing on the ground or a bear approaching from behind. It' better to be safe than sorry and always be prepared to drop what you're doing, grab your dog and get to your car if some type of emergency happens. (fire, insane person, that kind of stuff.)
Have an emergency bag of supplies for that if it happens; a bit of food, a water bottle, basic first-aid stuff, blanket, etc.
And duct tape. You can make anything out of duct tape.
And never, ever EVER let her chase any wildlife of any kind. This could go really bad if a deer with a full rack decides the funny looking coyote/wolf is annoying and wants to gore it. Especially if a ranger sees it happen.Edited by author Sun Feb 20, '11 1:12pm PST
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) With first-timers it's always something of a mystery how they'll do. I took Flynn and Riley along to one of our tournaments this summer and it was the first time for them in a tent. 3 dogs by myself was a bit interesting, but they settled down after a couple of minutes and were good after that. For times when I did have to leave for longer to race etc I bring an x-pen or if I'm in a campground and don't trust to just leave them with strangers, I put them in their crates in the car. You can try some yard camping if you want to give it a test run and help her get more comfortable with the tent. I also always make sure I bring beds from home so they have a place to go to that they already know. otherwise, anyways, just have fun! I love camping with my crew, there's something really primal and "pack" like having everyone sleep in the same "den". Fun 
You are making me look forward to summer!
