My fiancé and I love to go backpacking and have recently got a new puppy. She is a Brittany and will be used as a bird dog but we also plan to bring her for all of our adventures, including backpacking and camping.
She is still a puppy so it will be when she is much older (and well trained) before we take her out that far, but I have a few questions about the best way to include her and about gear?
I know people do it all the time but it’s brand new to me and I just want to do everything right for her so that it’s as comfortable and fun for her as it can be.
We have a check cord we will use while hiking, and I plan to get her a harness for hiking trips to use instead of just her collar.
And I’ve seen a lot of gear on Wilderdog and Backcountry and REI, but what do I actually need?
Are you able to use your inflatable sleeping mats with a dog without them popping it with their toes? Should I consider getting a foam mat instead or will it be okay (I love my inflatable for comfort lol).
I’ve seen dog sleeping bags – does she need her own or should we plan for her to just sleep with us? I don’t feel like having her just in the vestibule or something is a viable option and I would obviously prefer to have her with us.
Do pop up water bowls work well or should I consider one of the bottle style with the bowl thing attached so water isn’t ever wasted on trail as we walk?
Are doggy boots/shoes a good idea? I’ve also seen paw balm for them for the trails.
Any and all advice/tips/guidance is greatly appreciated!
by Simple-Juggernaut373
12 Comments
I’ve got two aussiedoodles. I just use a simple harness with pouches I got from Amazon. I put a small bottle of water on each side, a small bag of wipes, collapsible bowl, poop bag roll, and food bags balanced on each side. They carry their stuff (at least most, I carry anything extra to keep their “pack” weight low), and then I use a long leash clipped to my pack hip belt. They seem to enjoy the workout, and I appreciate them helping carry their gear. I haven’t needed shoes in the south, but if I know I’m going to come across sharp rocky areas it’s probably worth looking into. Might be one of those rather have it and not need it things. For sleeping I’ll get them into the bag with me if it’s super cold, otherwise I always bring a down blanket they curl up on/in
Brittanys can be…excited in a forest. Make sure they’re well trained or on a leash. Whenever I let mine off a leash, it was an hour trying to catch her. I can’t think of a dog I’d rather take camping than a well trained brittany, though. They love the outdoors and birds so much.
Reply to some of your questions: The harness is a great option. Get one with a handle and you can lift her over obstacles. A pop up water bowl is easier for her to use. She should not pose any threat to a good quality inflatable mattress.
If she is going to sleep with you, check her for ticks, etc. each night. Ive never had any problem with dog paws (especially if she’s going to be a field dod). Balm might be a good mid point option rather than shoes.
I love my little bottle style water dispenser. It’s so great for adventures, including water during the car drive. Much easier to do and conserves water well while on the trail. Doesn’t require a full stop to pour water. I carry both it and a collapsible water bowl in my doggo supply bag.
Your main concern with the dog sleeping bag/mat is how cold the ground is. Also depends on the breed. My Austrian shepherd has a double coat so they don’t need any type of warmer except for the ground when it’s cold. When it’s cold the ground saps doggo heat just like ours, so it’s important they are sleeping on something insulated. So potentially unnecessary depending on the trip. I will say though the dogs immediately recognize the mat as theirs, so it could be very helpful if you want to train your dog with a command like “place”.
I don’t use doggy boots, but the terrain out here doesn’t require it. Plus I think my Aussie would rebel, lol.
I’ve been doing this for a while now , with bigger dogs. Don’t need a dog bed, the dog is going to try and sleep with you anyway, and they keep you warm. I haven’t popped a sleeping pad. Get a collapsible water/food bowl, use your water, no need for extra stuff. I haven’t had issues with the dogs paws to require boots, just pay attention and adjust if needed. Dogs just need water, food, and pets. And… get your dog on pills for giardia and heart worm
In some terrain, boots can be useful. It’s really just about the details of where you’re hiking. (I do not dress my dog unless it really is for function; I do not do it for trends or cuteness or whatever.) It’s also good to have a spare boot or sock in your dog first-aid kit, in case there is an injury. Mine are Ruffwear.
Agree with the commenter(s) who said to get a harness with a handle on the back.
I’d also recommend one of those emergency evacuation hammock things that you can strap to you. If your dog gets hurt or sick, and you have to carry her to safety, you will be glad you have it. I have a FidoPro airlift, but I know Ruffwear also makes these. I never hike without mine.
If she has a bed mat or a blanket bring it along because if she’s anxious at all about “where am I supposed to sleep” give her a little spot at your feet w the blanket that smells like her. That normally chills em out. Want to get her used to all the gear and tent beforehand too. So set it up in your backyard or something and let her watch and play around you.
Same w the other gear, backpacks and halters and such. I’ve used an arcadia trail harness for years, the first had expandable pockets for saddlebags. The second has detachable saddlebags but also has 2 straps on the underside because my dog is sometimes a Houdini in regular harnesses, so I needed that extra strapping. They’re good harnesses that last up to a lot of rugged use, clean easy, and appear comfortable on the dog. The saddlebags can be a little strange to them at first so just let her run around before trying to use them, give plenty of treats for the good behavior. And she won’t mind them in no time.
Boots…my dog hates them and will pull off all kinds. So I always plan for no super rough sharp terrain. There was only one time I had to carry him to protect the feet and it was on ancient lava tubes…so just plan accordingly and you should be good. But, you can also get the lil shoes and start teaching her they’re ok now and she might not care then.
Get a cheap lint roller, it’ll help you check her for loose ticks and help keep hair out of the tent.
And the vestibule area, be prepared to have a dog cleaning spot of some kind before she gets to go in the tent, maybe just wipes for her feet and tummy, maybe a doggy towel in case it rained or she played in a creek.
Have fun!
Camping with my dog is one of my all time favorite activities. I have a Border Collie / Husky/Labs mix. He is smarter than most people but can be high energy so the woods are often a great place for him. A few things I’ve learned is start young and start small. I started him on a Kong collar leash combo that is 6ft. I trained him to stay close by just walking him slowly on easy trails. I graduated him to a 50ft lead. I was able to do this because where we are is private but it could be done at a camp with supervision. I combined this with call and come training and now he is great at being off leash in the woods. As for his hesitation with the tent, collapsible bowls, etc. I found using at home and often helped. Set the tent up and get her to be comfy coming in and out of the tent. As for bedding, I use the OneTigris rolled dog bed. It weighs nothing, is super packable, and insulated. Plus its easy to clean! I have found that OneTigris has become one of my favorite brands for camping and their gear is *chef’s kiss*. You will definitely need a harness, non-inflatable bed, collapsible bowls that are easy to clean, and little tiny treats. You can also get a dry bag for kibble. I found one at Menards for $1.99.
Please note that Im in Southern OH. Dog breed, season, terrain, and experience all apply so your results may vary. An example is I went through 5 beds before I found one he would destroy and rip the stuffing out of. Patience is your biggest skill!
I had a jack russel, she was unable to sleep at first, jumping at my chest (over the air inflated mattress, mind you) trying to check the air vents (windows) and make sure am safe, the only way i was able to sleep, is to tuck her in in my sleeping bag (she usually sleeps under my blanket in bed at home, she likes it and this is how she sleeps).
Great! Camping is great for dogs!
I’d say bring an appropriate leash for walking, and say one for a bit of roaming on the site.
Do your usual training such as come, sit, stay, leave it, like the essentials so if they do get off the leash they know for sure what you’re talking about.
I have a dog cot. We also bring a blanket for him. The blanket is the best option as you can’t really expect a dog to stay in a zipped up sleeping bag easily. The blanket, he already uses it at home and loves it.
The cot is also GREAT for outside around the camp fire. Our dog is big, strong, tough… right, but he does not enjoy laying on the bare ground the entire time. In fact he usually tries to get up on ANY chair available. If they have their own, 0 complaints and he’ll stick to it.
For basic campgrounds, I like to take a raised cot (such as a Coolaroo) and a ground stake. When it’s chilly at night I bring her body coat but also have a full body fleece on hand. She prefers to sleep on our sleeping mats and I just cover all of us with a big blanket so she’s not exposed. I always bring some single wet food topper bags in case she is picky eating away from home. I also make sure we have plenty of gallon drinking water jugs for all of us.
Oh dear Lord, my guy and I couldn’t go camping if we didn’t take the dogs. And thanks to me having spinal damage. I have to use an inflatable mattress in the tent and they climb right on it and we have no problem with it and it hasn’t gotten a single hole. But if one did happen, there are patch kits that are cheap and easy to use, an orange is just sleep right there with us. We usually take a bowl for her water at the campsite and then a bottle with a dish thrown in a bag when we go hiking. And if you need anything like paw balm or things like that I always got to tractor supply company. They are also great for all natural fixes to any problems Your puppy might have. And honestly depending on where we’re camping sometimes we take the harness and leash… sometimes we’re just let them run free. But just have fun and don’t overthink it because she will have the time of her life running around outside, especially in the woods or near a creek.