The Best Dog Friendly Vacation For Your Pooch–Camping

May 19, 2015

Spending time outdoors is one of the best things you can do with your dog. Nothing compares to the starry night sky, curled up with your dog by a warm camp fire with the wood smoke circling up into the trees. Camping with your pooch is the perfect summer vacation. It is a chance for us to slow down and spend lots of time with close friends, family and most importantly our fur babies.

Camping is the ultimate dog friendly vacation. It is relatively cheap, easy to plan, and close to home; but there are some extra precautions that should be taken before bringing your pooch camping.

First, make sure you call and check with the campsite to make sure you dog is allowed off leash. A lot of sites that are dog friendly require you to keep your dog on leash at all times – this could pose a problem when your pup decides to jump off the docks to chase a duck expectantly. Also, make sure to ask what vaccinations are required for your dog to stay, and have proof of vaccinations ready (vet documents). Some campsites demand to see it and will turn you away without it.

Does your dog come when you call? Even if there are major distractions, and other dogs around? There are many distractions when camping, new smells, new sounds, and wildlife. Dogs like to wander off into the forest to explore, so keep a close watch on your dog and make sure it knows how to come when called.

You may want to apply a tick and flea preventative on your dog. Flea and ticks are more prevalent in the woods. By using a preventative product it helps your dog stay flea and tick free and keeps you from bringing these unwanted pests to your home and yard.

Most importantly, enjoy this time with your dog. By taking all the necessary precautions before taking your pooch camping you are giving your dog the best gift possible – quality time free from distractions like our cell phones and social media. An escape into the woods is great for our dogs but it is also great for us as well.