Camping in the SW with a dog & baby - possible?

[FessaEst]

Please help oh wise campers! I have a 6 month old DD and a small dog. We have recently moved near Exeter and would really like to get into camping again (used to go pre-pregnancy etc). My worries are these:

1. How does anyone cope with a dog while camping, especially in warm weather i.e you presumably can't leave them in the tent or car while you do other stuff. Is it better to try and find a kennels or similar (DH not keen to leave her)

2. Does anyone know any dog friendly campsites in devon and Cornwall that have dog friendly beaches nearby too (otherwise I guess you are confined to campsite as above?).

3. Am I courting disaster taking a small baby away in a tent when i have so few camping skills and lack much equipment? Am thinking of doing a couple of one-night trips close to home (recommendations welcome) and seeing if it is worth shelling out for a bigger/better tent etc.

I think it may be one of those things where you have to get on and try it, but need some encouragement!!

TIA

Will be watching this with interest - especially what to do about dogs.

My DD is a toddler now, but we plan to do a night or two in the garden first - just to see what she does or doesn't like and can work out what we need to bring with us.

Like you, we haven't been since before DD was born - but all v exciting!

Our dogs have always come camping with us. We have a caravan now which is harder to escape from!
We usually tether ours while we are at the site to prevent the children from accidently letting them out.

At most sites we have been to it is not allowed to leave your dog unattended on site although people do still leave their dogs in their caravans/campervans.

We take our dogs with us on days out usually and either don't go to places that don't allow dogs or take turns to go in and look round. (some places have day kennels for holidaymakers with dogs)
it is doable but is sometimes a bit of a faff.

The only place near you I can think of that we have been to was Woolacombe Bay but that is probably a bit far.

Try searching here we almost always use this website to find a camp site.

Thanks for the replies! I hadn't even considered starting with the garden but it is a great idea to check out how feasible an expedition is, thanks lucky.

Thanks for the website fruit, it's great that you can select dogs allowed sites, I spent a happy time browsing!

I can't give any advice about dogs except I have been to campsites that allow them. My advice about taking your DD is to go for it. We took our DD starting about 8 months and she was absolutely fine. We took her travel cot so she was in a familiar place to sleep and she slept just as well in the tent as at home. We put a couple of extra layers on her to keep her warm and she was fine. We felt the tent was a nice safe place for her to crawl about (we have a tent carpet) and she enjoyed all the trips to parks/beach etc. We can't wait to go again this year!