Your dog is a part of the family. They deserve to explore the outdoors and spend time with the people they love. When planning to take your dog on a weekend camping trip, here are six tips to help you have a peaceful and enjoyable weekend.
Choose a Pet-Friendly Campground
Before booking your destination, ensure you choose a pet-friendly campground. Each camping site has different guidelines to follow. These rules are in place to ensure a pleasant experience for everyone around the area. Before leaving for a trip with your dog, call or check the campground’s website to confirm that they allow pets and that you follow the proper rules.
Pack a Backpack for Your Dog
Just like you need all your supplies for the trip, your dog needs their belongings, too! You cannot forget three essential items: water, a collapsible water bowl, and kibble. Treats are additional items that are nice to have, just in case.
Food and water aren’t all your dog needs for the weekend. Some other items your pup will need when taking your dog on a weekend camping trip are a leash and a life jacket. It will guard against them losing their way. Pack some of their favorite toys and a tennis ball for extra fun! Additionally, you may need a dog bed or sleeping bag for extra comfort at night.
For easy clean-up purposes, don’t forget poop bags and towels. Towels are great for cleaning up messy paws after venturing into the lake or a pile of mud. Poop bags are essential because you never want to leave a trace behind that might be harmful to the environment.
Protect Your Pup
There are a few different items that are crucial to protect your pup when camping. Some people worry about elements like fleas and ticks, overheating, and their dogs hurting their paws. Before leaving, ensure your dog is current on their flea and tick medicine.
To avoid overheating or hurting their paws, pay close attention to the weather forecast each day. Consider packing extra water for hot weekends and puppy walking shoes to guard their paw pads from Sierra granite.
Consider an LED Collar
While everyone relaxes around the campfire together at night, your dog might run off in the dark to use the restroom. Use an LED collar to guarantee you never lose sight of your dog. The illumination will allow you to easily see your dog no matter where they roam in the dark.
Only Bring Out Food During Meals
You never know when wildlife may roam near your campsite. Leaving any food openly available for wildlife to consume is dangerous. Remember to keep your pet’s food stored away and only bring it out during mealtime. It will limit the risk of wildlife entering your campsite and protect your pup’s food for the weekend.
Prepare Your Vehicle
Your truck sits beside the tents or camper during your weekend camping trip. Occasionally, the family will hop in the truck for supplies or to quickly cool down with the air conditioning.
During this, your dog may decide to jump on the seats after a swim in the lake. To minimize your dog damaging your high-quality seats, consider using waterproof materials for your truck seat covers to add some extra protection. It will prolong the life of the seats and keep the car clean for the weekend.
With each of these preventative measures, your dog will have the time of their life on this family camping trip!
