We usually camp in the spring and fall on Vancouver Island, and rain isn't uncommon. And if it isn't raining, then our dog is in the nearest puddle/pond/lake/ocean. Having a place to towel him off after his wet escapade is helpful. Until recently we didn't have an awning on the fifth wheel, but now do. So we can towel him off outside when its raining and then he's only "damp" when he comes inside. Before the awning, he was towelled off just insde the door, on a mat.
Inside, I have sheets covering the furniture, to reduce the mud and dirt that comes off the dog. No matter how well you towel them off, there's mud and grit.
Our dog has a furcoat that insulates him well so I don't worry about his getting chilled. Otherwise, I might consider one of the doggy fleece vests with nylon covering to keep the chill off of him.
Another thing ... we don't bathe our dog so his coat has its natural oils, which provide additional protection. His coat doesn't absorb as much moisture and it also easily sheds the dirt and grit. We once had a 100-lb white dog with a very long coat (up to 8" long hair) and never bathed him either. Just brushed him to keep the tangles out. None of our dogs have smelled bad (even when wet) possibly because they all had good diets.
19Sandie54 wrote: 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.
No, we are not the same person. Beth (Pixie's Bite) is a friend of mine but lives in Oregon. I live in BC on the north coast. The only things Beth and I have in common are that we own the same breed of dog and are new to camping.
I wanted to add - I was recommended to this forum by a super close friend of mine - Gena. She also has Italian Greyhounds, but lives in Southern California. Her username is Mrs.Anthony337.
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