A few weeks ago I posted regarding taking my pup camping, so I thought I'd post a follow up.
We just returned from a week in Central Oregon at a state park and my puppy did fantastic. He took to camping like a duck to water! He just went everywhere we went. In camp, the first few days I had his crate in the tent and put a line up across one side of the site and attached his tie out lead. Other than his propensity for getting himself wrapped around the trees, this worked really well. At night I put him in his crate. He didn't like going in his crate too much unless I was staying in the tent, but once in, he was quiet as usually. The third day, I moved his crate outside so when we needed to crate him in the evening and before I was ready to go in, he wouldn't feel alone. That worked even better, gave him a place to lay down during the day and he was a perfect gentleman sleeping uncrated in the tent. Even when I got up in the night to visit the facilities, he just kept right on sleeping.
He loved all the hiking we did, and there were a few times, at the river, when the circumstances allowed I was able to let him romp off lead and practice recalling to me of his own accord and for treats. He also got some great practice at ignoring folks as we went on our daily walks and waiting quietly when people came over to pet him.
It was a really good training time for him and he flopped down tired every night.
He was so good and so quiet that I don't think many folks even realized we had a dog with us. Hurray!
Thanks for the good advice btw. We didn't get to do the one cave hike because we waited until on the way home not realizing it's closed on Mondays. Too bad, because he could have come with us!
Next time I guess
you must of worked hard with your puppy as he has learned great manners.....congrats. I have been taking my shih tzu camping since she was farmed-out to me 9 years ago. She loves camping and still at 14 years of age jump around like a puppy when we pull into our usual CG. She will not stay in the trailer by herself or with my DD. I believe she came with some anixiety when I got her, so she is MY dog. She even comes and sits on the bench of the shower when I go. She too is good off leash, when I can get away with it, but she doesn't like to swim, so I take and extra camping chair and she will sleep under the shade.
She is getting pretty old these days, she is deaf and has no periferal vision left. I trained her with hand signals when she started loosing her hearing, but now with the vision going, it might have to be constant on-leash. We'll see.
BTW, I have just purchased an exercise pen to use at the campsite. I am hoping that this will prevent some tree and ankle tangling!!?? I don't think I will use it all the time, but when I am settng-up or tearing down or cooking, I think it will be good.
Happy Camping with your beloved canine,
Martha
Martha
06 Grand Caravan SXT w/ Trailer Tow Package
06 Bunkhouse LX with mini-den, table package and A/C options Me (30 something)
DD 13 y.o.
Shih Tzu 14 y.o. (deaf and almost blind, but still camping with the energy of a puppy!!)
When we took our dog, Bailey, camping for the very first time. She was about 4 months old, just got her. She refused to walk - we had to drag her everywhere. It was so funny to look and see a pile of leaves in front of her because she refused to walk.
She LOVES camping. Gets excited to see the camper hooked to the truck and hops right in the back of the truck. She loves tenting too, but we always had this issue with her being restless the first night - would pace around the tent or camper. Now that she is used to it, she is a gem.
I love taking our pets camping. I hate when we can't.
It's not the destination, but the journey that counts!
My puppy is about 7 or 8 months old and we are going camping the last weekend this month. I have been debating on whether or not to take her, because I am not sure what daily activities we plan to do. We are going to KOA Williamburg VA, so we might go the Busch Gardens, or the Water Park. I would not want to leave her crated in the park while we are gone.
But, for a first time experience for puppies, would you suggest bringing her crate?
I have a pop-up soft side crate for my year old Boston Terrier. This was his first year camping and did terrific. He is great in his crate at home and when I did use it camping it made him feel a bit more secure. I tent camp so when I could I had him on a tie out and he did fine. Glad I had the pop-up for him to though. A pop up doesn't take up much room either,it goes completly flat. First time pup, yep I would.
I have always taken my dog camping-last trip with the new aussie puppy was different though.He is crate trained at home so we bought a pop up crate to use in the camper.The first time we left him to go out to dinner we came back to a pop up crate with a new door chewed open and him laying on the crate that he had folded up.Even after this we will continue to take our dogs with us.One thing we have done in the past was find a doggy day care to leave them so we can do things that they are not allowed.Good luck.
JERRY
Congrats on your successful camping with dog (CWD). We have taken our Jack Russell with us but he is so hyper we have to keep him on a leash. He especially likes to chase critters so we just leash him or crate him. We keep the crate in the TT in case he needs it.
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