Dogs and camping question

[Zipline65]

We are planning our first trips with our tear and want to take our 2 little dogs with us. We love to hike, bike and camp but we also like to be tourists from time to time. What do you all do with your dogs when you go where they are not allowed? Leave in car? Tear? Board them? Any suggestions will be helpful.
Liz

[tony.latham]

What do you all do with your dogs when you go where they are not allowed? Leave in car? Tear? Board them?

It depends. Most of our trips are designed with bringing the dogs along. We prefer to boondock camp and avoid the federal campgrounds that for obvious reasons mandate the dogs be leashed (but as long as they stay in camp, nobody seems to mind if they are on lease but we're not holding the lease as far as they are behaving.).


When we went to Zion National Park a year ago, the plan was to camp in the NP campground and hike on the various trails for several days. Since the trails were no-pet zones the trip was unquestionably a no-dog trip. We live in a semi-rural area and the neighbors fed the dogs while we were gone.

If we're poking around for a couple of hours where the dogs are precluded, we'll leave them in the Tacoma if the temperature works. If it is too hot, we just don't do it. It just depends on where you're going and exactly what the pet rules are.







T

[Verna]

This past summer when I wanted to see all I could see in Arches, Mesa Verde and other places, I paid for a campsite in campgrounds with electricity, turned on the A/C in the teardrop and Sunny Day was just fine until I got back. One day was cool enough that I just used the Fantastic Fan to keep her comfortable. I don't leave any food out, but I do leave water in a spill-proof bowl for her. At almost 5 yrs old, she's mature enough to know she is supposed to behave and she sleeps most of the day any way. It works for us.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1416919950.222736.jpg (97.82 KiB) Viewed 1377 times

[bobhenry]

Love me love my dog!

If they aren't welcome I just take my $ elsewhere !

Sadie doing what she does best in the back of the barn camper




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Here is Thor at the 2011 CRA gathering

[Kharn]

I put eye-bolts under the trailer for our lab's 15' wire, so she runs around on the wire most of the day since our state parks allow dogs in the majority of their loops. If we can't take her on a trail or are running to the store, etc, we put her inside her cage which is inside a small tent (where she also spends the night), but she's extremely quiet and doesn't bark except for emergencies so we've never gotten a complaint about her behavior from other campers.

[Vedette]

My dog is a cat and we leave it at home.
Not for long though....Sandi wants me to shoot it today???
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[tony.latham]

My dog is a cat and we leave it at home.
Not for long though....Sandi wants me to shoot it today???
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

Shoot the cat? What's the price of turkey???

T

[alaska teardrop]

My dog is a cat and we leave it at home.
Not for long though....Sandi wants me to shoot it today???
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

Why? Is there a bounty on cats in B.C.?

Before my husky, April, passed we went everywhere together. And, like Bob, if a friendly well behaved dog on a leash wasn't allowed we didn't go there. We rarely stayed in organized campgrounds, but when we did she stayed chained to the trailer. If not too hot, she was fine staying the car while I was away.

[Vedette]

Why? Is there a bounty on cats in B.C.?

Oh....I wish!
Like to get something back for this cat??? Sort of like the refund on an empty Beer Can????
Good Roads
Brian (Heartless Bast..d) & Sandi

[Woodbutcher]

I had a friend trade a cat to a farm for a bunch of landscaping rocks. Seemed like a good trade......The cat was a good mouser and the farm was happy to get her.

[Woodbutcher]

I forgot why I what I was going to answer.

When I camp at gatherings I take my dog Marley. She stays leashed and with me most of the time. She will sit in the car for hours and be quite happy if I need her to.
If I go on a long distance trip for 2 weeks she stays home.

Here she is by the fire. Her leash is attached to my chair and Gary is watching her for me.

[mrwall1]

We are currently without one, but I love dogs! but an unruly dog can ruin a lot of peoples camping experience. We used to take ours with us but made sure she was behaved, and kept her on a leash... yea it sucks, but I also hate it when someone's dog comes through our campsite.... Like others, we always tried to go boonedocking where they wouldn't bother others. We also took her on vacations with us, stayed in motels, no problems...but we had her immunizations up to date, and scoped out local Vets that would day care her for the day usually around $10 or a doggie day care if available usually a little more.. when we went to places she couldn't go...

[Zipline65]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Sadie looks a lot like our Sophie and Thor like our Max. We always have them leashed so that is not a problem for us. A little dog can be hard to see if they decide to run after a critter or a bird or sometimes even a leaf. I would feel terrible if they ran in the path of a moving vehicle. We are working on good camping behavior but until we are actually out there we won't know how they will react. I can see us using all of your suggestions and I'm glad to see that some have found local vets for "day care" when needed.
We were all set to attend some midwest gatherings after we finished updating our purchased homebuilt but had to cancel for an unexpected health issue. I am so ready to get on the road and have some fun, hopefully in the late winter months.
Liz

[stumphugger]

If you leave them tied up outside, make sure they are well behaved while you are gone--maybe ask a neighbor camper when you return how things went.

I cannot tie up and leave my Used Dog outside. He will bark and howl. I've heard him. He will settle down inside the trailer if I've exercised him well before. He's a Chocolate Lab that was "Free To A Good Home" and with a lot of work, has turned out to be a great and polite dog, except for two problems. He won't walk on shiny floors and he won't be quiet if tied up and left behind. At home, which is out in an extreme rural, wooded area, he will stay home outdoors, untied because he has a safe place. I can't take Underneath The Porch with me though.

So, I go to dog friendly places. Our state parks let leashed dogs stay and also most trails are OK to hike with leashed dogs on. The same goes for Oregon. I avoid National Parks and California State Parks as those don't allow dogs on trails. I usually camp with friends so often there is somebody staying behind who can look after my problem child while I go kayaking. He'll keep quiet if they are around. Or, I've teamed up with friends and we've put him in their air conditioned camper with their dog--both dogs already knew each other.

So, there are several methods to keep a dog happy and well while camping. Even though my boy is a bit of a pain, I usually get compliments on his behavior. That's another thing. I'm very comfortable with anybody, small children even, coming up and petting my dog. He's bombproof when it comes to that. How socialized are your dogs? Most "old enough" kids now ask if they can pet a dog, but sometimes they don't and the littler ones can't resist pulling on tails or ears. I stop that even though my dog will put up with it. We have a responsibility to not only have a polite dog, but to protect them from ear pulling toddlers.

I guess that's enough. This guy is dog number 3 of almost 36 years of having and traveling with big dogs. I'll be looking for a puppy this spring, and I think I'll try to get a medium sized dog.

[Backroads4me]

Bob and I always take Belle and Watson along on our camping adventures. Wouldn't seem the same without them. They're very good travelers, behave well and know that the "At Ease!" command means "Quiet, NOW!" They behave a lot better than some campers or their children we've come across. Our favorite Wisconsin state parks allow leashed dogs, though most of them don't allow dogs in picnic areas, certain trails and of course, the shelters or buildings. Copper Falls State Park, just south of Ashland, Wi doesn't allow dogs on their board-walked trail along the river and falls viewing areas. While I would have loved to see the falls, my knees and feet are in bad shape so I stayed behind with the dogs and Bob went and took some lovely photos. Governor Dodge has two dog beach areas, the best one being in the Cox Hollow area, and our dogs love it! They're regular water ninjas!

On hot days, whether it's on the way, or at our final destination, Bob or I will stay with the dogs, or sit in the shade while one of us runs into a store or checks out some interesting shop or museum. We've met a lot of nice folks that way---they come up to ask about the dogs and the dogs love the attention.