Guide To: Camping with a Dog

Not unlike ourselves, our four legged, furry friends love the great outdoors, and generally take to camping very well. Of course every dog is different, and some are just as home by the fire as they are outdoors. This handy guide is a "first-timers" guide to taking your pet dog camping, with some do's and definite don'ts! Of course this advice is all relative to your situation and your pet, but the beauty of camping is that is does allow most of the time for your dog to go on holiday with you.

The Great Escape:

If your dog is anything like my old dog, then it probably can't wait for the chance to do a runner, or take itself off for a wander to return at some point in the future. A lot of campers we see in-store who like to take their dog camping, insist on a sewn-in groundsheet, and D-Doors to prevent easy escape of an evening. This is more prevalent with younger and smaller dogs with a keen interest in exploration. Two key ways to stop your dog going for a night time walkie are:

1. Sewn-In Groundsheet

A sewn-in groundsheet in the living space is where the flysheet of the tent and the groundsheet, are integrated and sewn together. This stops smaller dogs from escaping in-between the gap of the flysheet and the groundsheet.

2. D-Doors (Avoid Drop Down Doors)

D-Doors are often found on sewn-in groundsheet style tents, and they are really handy for stopping the dog escaping, as they are walk-in style doors, with a pelmet which can be fully sealed. 

Type of Tent to go For:

You need to pick something with plenty of space, and maybe standing height. If it is just the dog and yourself, you may get away with something smaller like a Vango Ascott 500, which has full standing height. If your looking for a tent for the family and the dog, I would highly recommend a 3-zone tent, which will offer plenty of space. Tunnel tents tend to offer the greatest use of space, and layout. The Vango Homestead is absolutely a brilliant option for your typical family of four and a dog.

Types of Tent

• Tunnel: the tunnel design offers the greatest living space for you and your pet, and might be handier for families with a dog.
• Dome: dome tents are taller in the middle, but offer limited space, so be sure before buying.
• 3-Zone: a three-zone tent is the most effective for living space, as it will allow a porch area, a living space and a sleeping space. They are usually tunnel shaped, and have full standing height.

The Riot Act:

Some basic rules and tips to ensure you are a considerate camper:

• Don't overfeed your dog or you might end up spending your holiday cleaning up more than usual.
• Try not to let your dog yap or bark early of a morning if your on a family campsite, or you will not be best popular, no matter how cute your dog is.
• The same goes for evening time, most campsites tend to settle down after 9pm, so be sure to of walked the energy out of your dog before then.
• Towels - a necessary option as any dog owner will know - otherwise it's muddy paw prints all over the tent.
• Watch out for Mesh - mesh panels on your tent doors - dogs don't see them all too well, and have often damaged them running through them towards freedom.
• Try not to leave the dog unattended for fear of them chewing at your precious tent.
• Plan an area of the tent or pitch where your dog is going to sleep / relax.

Dog Safety

1. Polyester Tents can get exceptionally warm during the day, so make sure if your dog is inside, it has plenty of ventilation by opening doors, vents and mesh door panels.
2. Don't leave unattended in a tent during a hot summer's day.
3. An obvious one really but - water outside the tent or in the porch is always a good option on a hot day.
4. Take Dog Tether - if you dog is not particularly well trained or behaved, it might be worth taking a tether to stop them flying off whilst your trying to pitch the tent. After you're all set up, you can then release them to run around, once you can keep more of an eye on them.

Dog Friendly Campsites

The most obvious thing to do, is to ensure the campsite you plan / wish to stay at is dog friendly, and has all the amenities to cater for you and your pooch's needs. Below are a compiled list of websites, which will show doggy friendly campsites, and the top ten reviewed campsites for dogs.

Useful Links

• CoolCamping - List of Dog Friendly Campsites in the UK and Europe.
• TripAdvisor's Top 10
• Barkpost's Top 10