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Camping with a puppy can be a struggle if you don’t plan ahead.
Now that summer is almost here, camping trips are just on the horizon. Here are some great ideas to make camping with a puppy that much simpler!
To start, we need to say that avid campers need to invest! Not only will it make your puppy and dog comfortable long-term but can avoid behavioural issues in the future.
- Pet Gazebo – For around $70, you can buy an outside pen that provides a shaded area. This is best used on beach trips or areas with limited coverage – a great way to keep your puppy safe and cool in the hot sun.
- Pet Tents – Roughly $150, for those of us who don’t have the extra space for our pups, a pet tent is a great idea for shade and shelter.
- Elevated Beds – For around $30, elevated pet beds keep your puppy off the cold hard ground, and provide comfort as well!
Camping Essentials for Puppies
To make your trip a bit easier, make a list of things you will need to enjoy camping with your pup. For an even simpler approach, feel free to print off our list of essentials!
- Long and short leashes/Harness
- Tie out line (many campgrounds require your dog to be tied, but that doesn’t mean you can’t give them space)
- Dog blankets/towels
- Light for night visibility (collar clip)
- Dog tags with name of campsite written on it
- Collapsible water bowl
- Lots of fresh water
- Poop bags
- Chew toys/bones
- High-value treats
- Tick removal tool
- Health records
- Doggie life jacket
- Brush and comb (to remove twigs and burrs)
10 Quick Tips for Camping with a Puppy
- Before planning your trip, call ahead for pet policies. If you are camping with a puppy and they decide to bark all night and day, you might run into some problems.
- Always clean up after your pup. If you are camping in an area with lots of wildlife, it’s best to bury your puppy’s poop so as not to attract coyotes.
- The Lyme disease vaccination should be done before camping in tick-infested areas.
- Be sure your puppy’s tag and microchip are up to date before heading out, in case they get loose or lost at any point.
- Puppies love to roll in dead and smelly things. Keep a small bottle of dog shampoo with you in case you need to do an emergency clean up.
- Keep your puppy with you as much as possible. Tying them alone leaves them vulnerable to mountain lions, bears, coyotes, and even wildfires.
- Bring something to settle your pup’s stomach, in case they get into something. Do a good clean up of your site ahead of time to avoid this.
- A puppy life jacket isn’t a requirement, but if you plan on doing any boating, it’s best to have one. Your puppy can quickly become exhausted from swimming.
- Some dogs like to dig holes to create a cooler space to lie down. Being out in the wilderness provides a great advantage to practice some digging skills so create a fun area for them to do this.
- When camping with a puppy, only fill their bowl about half-full since puppies love to splash and spill and dealing with a wet dog in a tent is no joke!
Lastly, a great tip we learnt is to introduce your pup to fellow campers so that they know whose puppy is yours!
Before you head out, read our article “Tips on How to Find Your Lost Puppy” so you’re well prepared ahead of time in case your puppy wanders off.
