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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To take a 12 week old puppy camping

64 replies

Inatent · 20/01/2019 21:36

Hi, hoping to get some insight on this. Our pup will be 12 weeks old by the time we have booked to go camping. She has just been born today! So she would be fully vaccinated but not toilet trained. I would need to carry her pretty much everywhere, that's fine. We can easily fit a crate in our huge tent. We are camping in the countryside and will spend days just admiring nature basically. Would it be ok to take her along or would it be too unsettling for her? We have waited a very long time to get a pup and don't want to do anything wrong! We can cancel the camping if needed despite paying but family would be disappointed. Any thoughts on this? Thank you in advance!

OP posts:
DontMakeMeShushYou · 20/01/2019 21:57

Both the puppies we've had have been toilet trained long before 15 weeks (pup 1 never had an accident in the house until she was a very old lady, pup 2 widdled inside maybe 5 or 6 times) so I wouldn't worry about that too much.

Pup won't get lost or escape as long as you keep her on a lead, use a tie-out cable at the campsite and take a crate.

You will have to take it easy. New sights and smells, and a new temporary home, will blow her tiny mind so she'll be exhausted. You'll need to factor in lots of relaxing downtime.

And yes, as a PP said, she won't be able to be walking for long periods at that age (danger of damaging growing bones and joints), so you'll need to figure out how you can transport her around if you need to be out and about.

ferretface · 20/01/2019 21:58

Our pup is a few days off 15 weeks and would probably be able to cope with this if it were unavoidable BUT he is reliable with his toilet training in the last week, isn't too bad of a chewer and settles quickly in his crate. And there isn't a guarantee that this will be the case, every pup is different.
I would be a bit leery of:

  • accidents in a tent aren't as easy to clean as hard floors at home
  • he might be cold, puppy fur isn't as thick as their adult coat
  • how will you structure your day? They need a lot of sleep, ours sleeps 10-7.30 (with one night time toilet trip) and then again from 9-10.30, 12.30-2, 4-6, 8-9. If it were noisy though he might struggle to settle. At this age they are far too small to do a lot of walking and you also can't leave them alone too much, and definitely not in a strange place. So will your holiday really be what you are hoping for or is it best to postpone?
Wolfiefan · 20/01/2019 21:58

Honestly? Mine would’ve eaten the tent at that age. Peed in the car (one of her siblings would vomit!) and chewed on the children. Blush

Original poster
Inatent · 20/01/2019 21:58

Thanks for all the replies, I'm a massive over thinker - spent 2 years researching lines, making sure we found a litter with excellent hip, elbow scores, eyes done etc etc. Maybe I just need to chill out a bit!

OP posts:
anniehm · 20/01/2019 21:59

I would - we went away with our ddog at 12 weeks (not camping) and he coped brilliantly and has loved the beach ever since. Just take sensible precautions as they can't walk too far at that age

user1474894224 · 20/01/2019 21:59

What if she finds it unsettling and cries all night? What if she barks all the time? What if she jumps up with her lovely sharp puppy claws and rips your tent. What if she chews the ground sheet. For your sake and other campers I would say she's too young.

Maelstrop · 20/01/2019 22:00

What breed? Small enough to carry all day if necessary? I was fine carrying my last pup, but omg, the two heifers before him I couldn’t have done. He’ll be fine, OP, use the crate when needed, obviously never leave him alone when you go out and about in case he gets nicked/stressed.

anniehm · 20/01/2019 22:02

I think you may be overthinking things - best thing you can do is expose your puppy to as wide experiences as you can as the window is small, around 16 weeks I was told, after that it's harder to introduce new things.

Original poster
Inatent · 20/01/2019 22:03

Thanks everyone, lots of great advice and thoughts. We can gear the day around her, its just a laid back country camping place, basic, loads of space and back to nature stuff. I often sit and read my book for a good few hours in the day so pup could snooze on me. If she got cold / cried surely I would just snuggle her in the bed (we have proper beds in the tent). Is that frowned upon?! Got plenty of time to think it through and don't need to make any decisions yet. Thank you for all the hekpful responses.

OP posts:
Mummyshark2018 · 20/01/2019 22:03

I would (if camping was my thing!). It will be a lovely chance to all be together, work on toilet training / bonding etc. They sleep a lot at that time so make sure she has somewhere comfortable to rest/sleep during the day. It may mean someone may need to stay with her in the tent during the day so that she isn't over stimulated/ over tired.

Witchonastick · 20/01/2019 22:06

She’ll be fine. Assuming you’re getting her at 8wks, she’ll have had 7wks to settle in and get used to you all.
Toilet training should be well under way and you’re in a tent so not hard to keep an eye on her and take her out for frequent toilet breaks.
Puppies need lots of experiences and labs often tend to be bold and confident.
You just need to be aware of her eating things she shouldn’t.

Lazypuppy · 20/01/2019 22:08

Sounds great to me.not aure why people are saying no? You would have had pup from 8 weeks old, so 7 weeks of living with you, not sure why that's unsettling

ferretface · 20/01/2019 22:08

I guess you could snuggle her in the bed, we have kept ours sleeping in his crate from the beginning to get the routine clear which, now he's settled in, he seems to find helpful. Mileage does vary about whether you should give into the puppy cries for attention etc (if he cries won't it be annoying for the other campers?)

Tbh if you can cancel late in the day I would see how you get on with him and decide based on the pup in question. Some pups will chew anything in sight, ours has never been too bad (but then he was taught from day one that chewing is only allowed in his crate), some pups will settle, some won't. Best to decide based on how he settles in and also have a good backup in case he screams, wakes the campsite and you have to go home!

BusySnipingOnCallOfDuty · 20/01/2019 22:08

I used a baby's ring sling. Pup loved it.

ferretface · 20/01/2019 22:10

Sorry, I see pup is a girl so substitute 'her' in there!

Original poster
Inatent · 20/01/2019 22:11

Thanks everyone! Just messaged my brother who sent my back a told you so text (he's a livestock vet so I maintain he doesn't know what hes talking about when he said its a bloody dog and I should stop being neurotic)! Thanks again everyone and yes we will pick pup up at 8 weeks so she will be well settled by time of camping.

OP posts:
Confusedbeetle · 20/01/2019 22:15

No No and no. Think of the poor pup

Original poster
Inatent · 20/01/2019 22:18

Confused can you elaborate please? Thank you.

OP posts:
WelcomeToGreenvale · 20/01/2019 22:21

Canine parvovirus is spread through dog feces and the feces of other animals like foxes, badgers, cats, etc. If there is any slim chance that your puppy may contract parvo from contact with feces in a camp ground, do not take her. You can't carry her all the time.

MightyMoose · 20/01/2019 22:22

It'll be grand. Outside in the countryside with her owners - of course she'll love it. Only on Mumsnet....

Ontheboardwalk · 20/01/2019 22:22

you’re now getting her at 8 weeks, getting her settled then breaking her out of her routine?

As a neighbour of a yapping dog who suffered separation and disruption issues at a young age please don’t

Original poster
Inatent · 20/01/2019 22:25

She will be fully vaccinated and we live in the countryside so after her final vaccination she will already have been exposed to all the poos before camping! Yes, we will pick her up at 8 weeks and the camping trip is when she is just over 15 weeks old. Like I've said we don't have to go and can easily cancel.

OP posts:
Alyx80 · 20/01/2019 22:26

Yes you’ll be fine, it’s a brilliant opportunity for socialisation! Here’s our pup enjoying his first caravanning holiday at 14 weeks.

To take a 12 week old puppy camping
Original poster
Inatent · 20/01/2019 22:28

Gorgeous pup! So handsome!

OP posts:
DontMakeMeShushYou · 20/01/2019 22:35

@WelcometoGreenvale

At 15 weeks the pup would have had all her vaccinations and be out in public at home. The campsite poses no more danger than the local high street.