I'm new to this forum and have a couple of questions about heading out on some camping trips with my dogs. My husband and I moved from a very dry area last year, to a coastal/wet area. We would still love to go camping with my boys (two dogs, no skin kids) but I'd like to pick your brains on camping in the rain - or - at the very least, dealing with wet surroundings if it doesn't happen to be raining at the time?
We hope to get to the Queen Charlotte Islands this year, but it might have to wait until next year - basically a rainforest, lots of cedar and at times, high winds.
I'd appreciate any thoughts/advice you all have for keeping the dogs safe and warm - they don't have to be completely dry the whole time, but at least have the ability to 'get' dry if they were wet.
JJ & Sandie
Li'l Jack, Pickles & Bunny the chihuahuas...Chewy, poodle 6/15/95-7/4/08 We will always love you Chooch.
2003 Chevy 2500HD,LT,CC,SB,4x4,Duramax/Allison
2007 Starcraft Homestead 262RKS
Oh no no - they will not be outside at all. Well, at least not 24/7 hehe...they are small dogs - Italian Greyhounds.
I'm sorry I didn't put more details on what we camp with - currently we have just a tent setup, but we hope to get a tent trailer in the near future - my questions I guess about the rain/wetness was over and above the 'common sense' sort of things - like a dry place to sleep, blankies, sleeping bags, etc.
Put one of those tops over the tent like that you would use for over a picnic table but without the netting. This will keep the rain off the tent thus saving you the misery of dealing with a wet fly. If you havent purchased a tent yet, get one with a mud room area this helps too.
Allen
"He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger."~~Confucius
Wife, Daughter, Son, and 2 Mini Schnauzers
2008 28SSO Travelstar XLT
2008 1/2 Nissan Titan CC
Equal-i-zer, Prodigy
Bring lots of towels, and store them somewhere they'll be dry and available if needed. Microfiber towels, Costco has these great packages of them for washing cars. Not bath towel sized, but big enough to dry an IG for sure. I use them to dry my dogs after baths. Hot water bottles require no electricity, and will keep a dog warm for hours if tucked under them in bed.
Hopefully your dogs are crate trained, if they are, by all means bring the crates. I use a towel over the top of a plastic crate to reduce airflow when needed and keep a dog like my mom's Chi warm. Providing a place where they can get into their beds and be snuggled up and out of any drafts will help a lot in inclement weather.
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALLLLLLLWAAAYYSSS!! Put up the tent fly. Was told this when I started SAR and camping w/my dogs. Went to a SAR convention in Barstow. Not a cloud in sight but I'd been brainwashed, so I put it up. Thank Heaven! No, not a cloud in sight... but we were camping on the athletic field of a school, and they um... forgot to turn off the sprinklers! If you've been lax about that when camping in dry country, this is the time to get un-lax.
susan
What I want to know is, when are they going to start selling Comfort Zone for HUMANS????? 'Cause some days...
Code2High wrote: Bring lots of towels, and store them somewhere they'll be dry and available if needed.
And I will add that if you have an extra doggie jacket for cooler weather, bring that extra jacket and keep in the car. If your dogs get wet from the damp air, this will be welcome -- especially for cool, windy days that will chill your little guys in a heartbeat.
(I am very cautious about this, as our dog has no fat on him -- it is up to us to make sure he doesn't shiver in the cold and wet campsite).
Livin Lite Quicksilver 8.0 (Folding Tent Camper) only 900 lbs!
Your post sounds exactly like the new member "pixies bite". Are you the same person??? Same dogs, same situation. Maybe just co-incidence, but it sure looks to be the same person.
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