What do you need for dog camping???

Well, the time is soon upon us where we can go camping with our Ax. We have a tent and such human basics, but what do we need for our dog?

We've thought of stuff like a tie-out stake which he can be attached to, a wind break to shelter him and give us privacy, obvious stuff like food/water, bowls, we have an ikea folding food stand.

Do you think a canvas crate would be good enough for him to sleep in inside the living section of the tent? I was thinking of sewing some poppers onto a fleece to use as a make-shift coat for sleeping? Or would his duvet be enough?

Anything else you need/use for camping with dogs? As a greyhound, he's succeptable to the cold, so worried about that.

Melanie

I personally would get a metal fold down crate.

A nice duvet for inside and then a couple of blankets to cover the top of the crate.

A metal crate woud be more secure and the blankets to cover the crate will keep in the warm at night if it gets chilly and you can add or tak of as the temp changes.

I would not make a coat for sleeping in I would be worried if they move about a bit they could get a big tangled in the coat. I use the crate an blankets for my Staffords as they feel the cold a bit also, sometimes in August it can get chilly in the night but then it soon warms up in the day so covers off.

You don't need a lot really just et organised and get a big plastic box with a lid and put all the dogs stuff in to it which also keeps everything together.

Oh insect repellant and a first aid box

I used t take my previous dog camping every year, and it was great!

Main thing I found a problem was that he would insist on forcing his nose underneath the zip on the tent so it would be forced open and he could look outside.

I quite often came back from the shower block and found him half way out of the tent, so extra tent pegs might be an idea

I dont know what size tent you have - ours was a two bedroomed thing and we slept on blow up air beds. Monty (a sort of lab type crossbreed) just used to sleep on the floor at the end of my bed, on a folded up duvet.

If you have a good sized tent then a crate would be fine, but it does take up a lot of space so you would need to bear that in mind.

I wouldn't make a fleecey thing for him - I think that would be uncomfortable for him and he might snag it on his crate etc, so would just give him decent bedding and leave it at that.

Have a great time - I am sure you and the dog will have a grand time

We share a caravan with some friends and often go camping with 4 people and 8 dogs

I would definately recommend a metal folding crate if your tent is big enough. Also take lots of spare beds and old towels as the dogs beds can quickly get wet and dirty, especially if the weather isn't great.

Have fun and don't forget your camera

Spare beds and towels can also double as covers for the crate at night so long as they are still dry.

I think the metal crate it a good idea as during the day you could lay something over the top and use it as a table.

When we go camping we take a large cushion bed for Monty to sleep on, a stake to tie him to and use two or three leads joined together to give him more space to roam and then the usual bowls, food, toys and dog towels.

It took monty a while to get used to it as he doesn't really like sleeping at the

same level as us but generally he was pretty good.

Hope you have a good camping trip and don't forget to take plenty of photos!

Don't forget to take some toys.I made the mistake of taking my new young dog camping,and I forgot to take his toys.!!.

took ben camping a few weeks ago. he loved it, first night he decided that he was going to go *walkies* with another dog. and off he went. nose opens zips well. (bens never slept ina cage so couldnt start putting him in 1 now.)
but we didnt take much extra with us, treated him to a pack of 4 new balls. and yes he wanted to play with them all at one, was fun watching him.
but he loves camping, especially when he gets to sleep with his daddy.
so enjoy your holiday and just relax.

We used to take our old girl, Poppy camping, she seemd to love it.
We've only got a small tent, no room for a cage, so she just had her bed, it did get quite chilly a couple of nights, but she was happy with a towel or two put on top of her! If she got up or moved, she just burrowed back into them.
We camped next to a lake so extra towels were a must, also helped in the pouring rain, perfect for drying dog or spreading on the floor.

When she was a pup (and a different tent) we used a metal folding cage, doubles as a tabletop, can cover it with towels/blankets, we also moved ours outside during the day, and was a perfect, ventilated shelter in the sun when covered.

Hope you have loads of fun
x

Thanks everyone! Some very helpful suggestions and lots of stuff I hadn't thought of!
We might have to forgo the crate at all if we want any space to walk! The sleeping area splits in half and so he can sleep in one with all our stuff (so lucky he's not a chewer!) and I'll go nearest with Dave the other side. Will probably work out best space wise, as we'd stuggle with fitting a crate in :S
Will def post camping pictures - not long til we go now!