camping with dogs - any tips?

[MegBusset]

Does anyone take their dog camping and have any tips? How do you transport dog plus camping gear? (We have a Vauxhall Zafira and top box but fill them with our camping stuff!) Does your dog sleep in the main tent area and if so are they warm enough? (Ours is a lurcher and too big to squeeze in the bedroom with us!) Any other tips?!

[cariadmawr]

We take ground spike and chain she goes on that outside the tent and shorten it at night so she is in main section of the tent but can't.go anywhere just put vet.bed down and double it she is a border.collie though so plenty of fur .

Have always taken her never been a problem enjoy

[Fuddymucker]

Don't make our mistake and think that the dog can't undo zips! Our dog let herself out ( and back in) to play!
Ours now sleep in a crate, with a blanket over if it is cold.

[CMOTDibbler]

My lurcher sleeps in a crate, with his winter outdoor coat on, and a blanket draped over the crate plus one folded up to add extra warmth in the bottom. The crate is in the living area of the tent.

[cariadmawr]

Exactly why madam.is on chain very playful..and naughty dog . Slightest noise outside she wants to know what's going on

[MegBusset]

Thanks :) How about transporting dog + camping stuff? Do you all have huge estate cars?

[CMOTDibbler]

We have a Land Rover and a trailer tent . And only one child, so cmotdog always travels on the seat next to ds

[mistlethrush]

Meg, lots of people on the LurcherLink forum camp with their dogs - you could get lots of lurcher savy advice there.

I think most have their dogs in with them (keeping them warm) with PJs for their dogs.

[puddleofpiddle]

We take our enormous greyhound. He has had a duvet to sleep on in the past but I bought a hi k9 bed in the sales that we're planning on taking with us as it can be dismantled and reassembled easily. We have just bought a trailer for this year too, otherwise we were taking the passenger seat out of our multipla to fit everything in! We also have a roofbox :)

[TeaOneSugar]

We have a caravan rather than a tent, ddog likes to sit outside and watch the world go by, we have one of those spikes you attach the lead to. Extra water bowl for outside is useful.

[Fuddymucker]

We have a land Rover kitted out with a huge cage and a caravan / or trailer if camping. They are well behaved while someone is there and will stay on demand but we still have them on a spike.
Ours are inquisitive , nosey Border Collies too!

[purplepeach5]

Hey, we always take our dogs camping. We have 3 cocker spaniels. we have a sort of crate in the car that they stay in while traveling. and when we are camping, we have metal spikes that you dig into the ground and can attach the lead to (so we can put up the tent in peace lol)

For sleeping arrangements - we take the crate out and put it in one of the bedrooms. One of the dogs stays in a room with my parents, and the other two in my room with the crate door open. As long as the zip to my room is at the top - they cant get out (but then again, they arent that big). Just make sure you have some doggy blankets incase its cold. On cold nights i often wake up to find one sleeping IN my sleeping bag and the other one snoring in my face haha.

[zanz1bar]

Our springer curls up in the footwell of the front passenger seat, leaving the boot for camping and the seats for people.

[mistlethrush]

My lurcher can get in the front footwell - but only for short journeys - she thinks that the back seat is much more suitable for longer ones.

Lots of lurcher owners set out a 'yard' of something that creates a 'defensible space' for the dogs - I've seen something like shade netting used. You clearly need the tie out stake as well - but this helps keep them happy and knowing where their base is..

[MegBusset]

Thanks for all the tips :)

I think transport may be an insurmountable obstacle. There's no way he and all our camping gear will fit in a Zafira (unless we leave the kids behind ). We already have a top box and DH is not too keen on towing a trailer but I can't see any other option.

[CQ]

Would your dog fit on the back seat between the kids? We had a travel harness that is anchored to the seatbelt so ddog is safe, and that keeps the boot free for all the kit. Crate folded flat at the bottom of the boot. Obvs this only works if you have 2 kids. And a not too huge dog

[MegBusset]

He's a long-legged lurcher so can't really sit at all - if he's not standing, he's horizontal!

Think I will have to start looking at trailers...

[attheendoftheday]

We have frog on the back seat in between the kid's car seats in our xsara picasso. Large boot and roof box for camping kit. She sleeps in the bedroom with us at night on her normal dog bed, and I tuck a blanket round her if it's really cold. We have a spike and long lead too.

[attheendoftheday]

Ddog not frog!

Camping with a frog would be quite different.

[MegBusset]

Pmsl at camping with frog

[TheZeeTeam]

My bulldog slept on my head. But hey, at least he was warm....

[GeorgianMumto5]

Following with interest as ddog is going on his first caravan holiday at Easter. He's tiny, so space not an issue. Bought him a travel crate and the bugger ate the zip already!

We're staying on a farm, so it'll be lead walks only and dodging the farm dogs who will beat him up. My main concern relates to keeping him off the beds (lap dog in a borrowed caravan).

[ViviPru]

I spoon PruHound in my sleeping bag. She's not small and it's a squeeze but she is the best hot water bottle EVER. I can't relax if I'm not in touching distance of her at night.