How I approach camping with my dog

Aug 22

This summer has been full of travel, and of course full of the accompanying pictures on social media. The more we have done this, the smoother the process has gotten. While I can’t provide specific tips on training without knowing you and your dog, and while there are a ton of articles out there about tips and tricks for camping with your dog - I’m happy to chime in with what has worked for me and Beacon! I’m not going to say “here’s what you should do” - because you know your dog, your experience level, and your comfort with camping best. You may be more advanced or just starting out. Take what works for you, and leave the rest!

Finding and choosing a campsite

We mostly do car camping. This means that we get campsites where I can drive up and park my car right at the site. Everything I need is in the car and I have access to the car all the time. I set up my tent nearby (usually within 10-20 feet) and keep my food in a cooler in the car.

*View of the cars from our tent on our last day camping with friends. (Otter River State Park.)*

I find campgrounds using ReserveAmerica and selecting sites that allow dogs. Even if the site says it’s for RVs, in many places that means that it’s equipped for an RV but I can also use it with a tent!

*A common set up for us: my chair, her bed, a long line, and the full tent. (Taughannock Falls State Park)*

Beacon tends to bark at other dogs or people passing by our site, so there are a few things I do when finding a campsite:

I search for sites that are as far as possible from other sites. If there are dead ends at the campground, I select those sites as far as possible on those roads so that people aren’t constantly walking by on their way to and from their own sites.
I look for sites that appear to have lots of empty space behind them - it’s often woods or a more private space. This has sometimes meant that I can shift my tent into the woods a little bit, or shift farther back so that we have a bit more privacy.
I park the car parallel to the road, blocking the view of the road from our campsite as much as possible.
I hang tarps strategically, using cables or bungees, in order to block our view of other campsites. I have two tarps; sometimes I use them both, and sometimes I don’t need either! This also depends on whether there are trees available to hang them from, which can vary by campsite.
I have a 4-person tent, which feels large for the two of us, but also means that there’s space to sit in the tent if needed! Sometimes I’ll sit in a chair and read in the tent while she sleeps on the mattress, and the rain cover is closed enough to block the view of other campsites.

Supplies I bring for Beacon

I bring a few things specific to Beacon beyond her typical leash, food, and medication:

A long line and a carabiner. I have a 30-foot, ⅜ inch biothane line, and the carabiner makes it easy to wrap the line around a tree so that she is secured, and move the leash as needed. Some picnic tables shift easily, which I learned while heating up chili on the table when someone walked by and Beacon ran towards them - resulting in nearly-hot chili all over the table and ground. Oops! Now I just wrap the leash around a tree or even to the roof rack on my car.

*The chili tragedy of August 2020. (Lake Dennison State Park)*

I bring her camp bed. She has a very strong history of reinforcement for lying on this bed, so as soon as we arrive at the site, I attach her long line and lay the bed down - and she heads straight for it. We use the ChuckIt! camp bed, which is relatively inexpensive and easy to pack and clean.

*Beacon demonstrating proper form on her camp bed. Note the long line trailing behind her!*

I bring a supply of good chews and treats that Beacon can take her time with. Sometimes this includes buying an extra special meat bone, but it’s often just a supply of bully sticks and cod skin chews. I give these to her while I’m setting up the tent, making meals, or other times when she might seem to want to be doing something and I’m not available to do it.

*Beacon enjoying a stuffed bone on an indoor/outdoor rug while I get situated. (Lake Dennison State Park)*

A typical day camping for us

When we camp, we typically wake up around 4:30 or 5 am and quietly wander around the campground until Beacon has peed and pooped. Then we head back to our site where she has breakfast, usually in a West Paw Toppl, often followed by a bully stick, while I make my coffee and breakfast. She usually naps a little bit after that while I read a book or figure out what we’re doing that day. Then we might go for a hike, come back for lunch, and take a nap (Beacon) and read some more (me). We’ll do another walk in the afternoon, followed by dinner, another short walk, and then it’s time for bed! Depending on where we are, we might meet up with friends, go into town to find an ice cream place with a PupCup for Beacon, or some other adventure depending on where we are.

*Post-breakfast nap. (Willard Brook State Forest)*

Wherever I am, I make a point to look up places nearby that would be fun for both of us to hike. Beacon doesn’t enjoy other dogs that she doesn’t know, so we look for places that won’t be crowded - but other dogs might enjoy dog friendly beaches or popular walking trails. One recent gem we discovered while camping was the Andres Institute for Art, an outdoor sculpture park that was perfect for Beacon to sniff around and for me to admire the art.

Some other notes

We never sleep the way we do at home. First, Beacon typically sleeps with me on an air mattress. I love this and it also is less comfortable than having a bed to myself - while also helping me feel safe in my tent. Second, unlike at home where we have a routine, Beacon tends to go to bed later and wake up earlier when we are camping. We are often walking around the campground between 4:30 and 5:30am - and then she settles back asleep. I used to try to plan for this not to happen but now we just roll with it: we get up early, do a brief walk around the campground, have some breakfast, and go back to bed. Third, because she’s sleeping less overnight and we’re often hiking more during the day, I find that she has a few days with more sleep after we get home.

*Napping towards the end of our camping weekend. (Otter River State Park)*

I use AllTrails to find campgrounds that have hiking trails on site or nearby so that we can do good hiking during our stay.

Many campgrounds don’t allow you to leave your dog unsupervised at the campsite and also don’t allow the dogs into the bathrooms at the campground - so plan for that! There are toileting options that you can buy (I have not used either of these, though I do keep my PStyle and KulaCloth in my hiking bag), times (like…4:30am) when people might not be in the bathrooms (but don’t count on it!), and of course there may be box stores nearby, such as Home Depot or PetCo, where you can bring your dog with you to use the bathroom. That said, many dogs have never been in a bathroom stall, so that might be a skill to practice before a trip as well.
I never, ever allow Beacon to meet other dogs while we’re camping. Beacon doesn’t enjoy other dogs, and I certainly don’t know the other dogs who are there - so we just avoid the whole thing. While she is generally fine with meeting other dogs, I always tell people, “She is not friendly,” and we move on.
Beacon absolutely does not enjoy having anything on her body - so extra blankets or sweaters for her are not helpful for us. That said, for another dog I might be sure to pack those things to make sure a dog can stay warm in cooler temperatures.
I have camped with friends who attach a small light to their dogs’ collar or harness and it makes it much easier to spot the dog at night. I haven’t done this yet, because we don’t have a light and I haven’t needed to prioritize it - but if you have one, it could be a big help!
I have heard the tip (but not used it yet) of having a temporary tag with the campsite number and your phone number written on so that if your dog ever did get loose, they could easily be reconnected with you.
Consider whether your dog will enjoy camping. If not, you don’t have to do it! And if you’re not sure, it may help to have a backup plan or escape plan - this could include starting camping in a friend’s yard or finding a campground close enough to home that you could throw everything in the car and go home again as needed.

*I learned to put the camping bed down first so that Beacon doesn’t respond to the tent as a “bed”! (HipCamp site)*

My goal in camping with Beacon is to slow down and enjoy our time together, and that is central in all of the decisions that I make. Camping is a change of pace and a change in routine that leaves me feeling refreshed and connected with her. I hope that this information is helpful for you to enjoy the season with your dog!