What do I need for camping with dogs?
We love to go camping and so do our dogs! They know it means endless hours outdoors watching birds and playing fetch. I wanted to put together a list of must have items when you take your dogs camping to help you be prepared so you can spend more time enjoying the outdoors together.
The first item you will need is some way to tie up your pet at the campsite. Most campgrounds will require that your dog is on leash or tied up at all times. Since we have 2 dogs, we use 2 different types of tie up systems. The first is a 30' long lead check cord. This gets wrapped around a sturdy tree that is on our campsite - always pick a campsite with a sturdy tree. Then we use our spiral stake and place it far enough away from the 30' lead so that the dogs do not get tangled up on each other. Using the spiral stake allows the flexibility to put our dogs wherever we want to on the site and move them as the sun shifts, etc.
The next item you will want to have is a large water container. We use the Watering Hole from Ruff Land Kennels. It holds alot of water, so I don't have to make so many trips to the bath house to refill. Plus it has a handle for easy transportation and can be stored on its back in a vehicle to avoid splashing water all over.
Make sure you have a dog food storage container that is air and water tight. This will keep water out should it rain, and also other critters from getting into the dog food at night while you sleep.
We use a dual sided stainless steel dog dish. Since we have 2 dogs, this allows them each to have a side for their food. Plus the bowls are removable so you can take the food to each individual dog if needed.
We always travel with our dogs in travel kennels. It is the safest way to transport your dogs. Then when we get to our campsite, we take them out of our vehicle and place them on the site facing away from the road and towards the back of the campsite. This keeps our dogs from barking at people and other pets walking by when we need them to be in their kennels if we run an errand etc. We like to use the intermediate size travel kennel from Ruff Land Kennel. But you will want to make sure you pick the right size for your dogs. We keep insulated covers over our travel kennels as well - this keeps them cool in the summer, warm in the winter, and also provides storage for their dog toys.
Bring a handful of dog toys for inside the camper, tent or travel kennel to keep your dogs entertained during downtime, or storms, etc. We love the Kong Extreme (black) toys as well as the Goughnuts brand ring. They are very durable which is great for our extreme chewing German Shorthaired Pointers. We also bring canvas dummies to play fetch - balls are harder to control on campsites and can roll into gopher holes, so we stick with these dummies. We also have floating dummies for water play!
Lastly, is you will want to keep ID dog collars on your pups when camping at all times. Should they get off the leash or get away from you at any time, you will want to be able for someone to get ahold of you so you can get your dogs returned. The size needed is based on the size of your dogs neck.
We hope this helps you be prepared to get out there and take your dogs camping. Having the right gear for your adventures is an important part of a successful trip. Happy camping with your dogs!
Prefer to see this information in video format? Head over to my YouTube channel to watch the corresponding video on the gear you need for camping with dogs!
