Tent camping advise

[Babs64]

I am looking for something to do on the weekends that would get Sophie and me out of the house and into nature. I was thinking about trying tent camping with her. Anyone tried camping with their dogs? Any advise? Thanks.

[Auddymay]

Trailer, not tent camping...when we leave EVERYONE knows Lily's name. I tend to be overly controlling when we are in small quarters. The best time we had, we were camping right on a creek, and there was a little 'beach area' that we set up our chairs to watch the girl's wade. Stay away from heavily populated areas, you should do great!

[Nita F.]

We tent camped with our first chow for 13 years and then moved up to a small camper. Meka loved it. We had her in our sight at all times because some wildlife don't take kindly to sharing their territory. Keep a clean campsite and be sure to store any human and dog food, tooth paste, deodorant, and other smelly items in the car so as not to tempt wild critters. Also, check the park's rules for pets - leashes required and if allowed on trails. Ask where the closest vet is located just in case there is an emergency.

If you plan to stay in state or national parks you may check to see if reservations are necessary. We're finding more people are camping since it is cheaper than staying in hotels and eating at restaurants. Plus it allows families to spend quality time together.

Enjoy yourselves!

Nita

P.S. from Mimi: Sophie - tell your mom to get prepared for lots of long walks. That's what my dad and I do when we go camping. My mom always has a fresh bowl of water waiting when we return. It's hard work showing all the other campers how beautiful us chow girls are!

[Babs64]

I am thinking about tent camping, 'cause my Hyundai Elantra just isn't big enough to pull much weight. But man, I think I am in love with this baby http://www.scottytrailers.com/pup.php.

I think Sophie would love the outdoors and the walkies. I am not to sure about the other campers. Auddy I think your advise about staying away from populated areas is a good one.

Nita, I was thinking about state parks since we have some really nice ones here in Illinois. I also remember some really nice pictures from a Michigan camping trip that Auddy posted. I'll definitely have to check about reservations.

My family are all RV'ers, so they can probably give me some tips on good parks. Of course what you want when you're in a tent isn't quite the same as in a hugh 35' plus RV or motor home. Just thinking about trying to back one of those puppies up gives me the willies.

[Auddymay]

Quite right, we use Hoffmaster State Park, about 4 miles from my home...lol. It just doesn't make sense to go hundreds of miles, or further, when I have the best beaches in the world right at my back door. You remember how clean the dog beach was, most humans in the United States don't have it as good our canines. That was an awesome cute little peanut trailer. Perfect for your needs. This is the creek bed where we camped. Though the banks look muddy, they are merely damp. We sat comfortably while the girls waded.

[Victory]

I love that little camper, how perfect I book marked the page...one of these days.

[Babs64]

Victory, I can remember looking at a Scottie Pup back in the early 70's with my folks. I loved it then, but my 6' tall Dad really didn't fit in it. So they didn't buy one. One of these days is right...

Auddy, those are the pictures I remember! Sophie would love that creek. I have to write that park down...it would be a lot cheaper than the Best Western in Holland. And yes, we loved the beach we went to with you. That clean sugar sand was the best. Although I swear, I am still finding sand in my car.

Now to find a nice tent that we will both fit into. I am thinking about a small four person tent, so I could have Sophie's travel crate inside for the night.

[Zhuyos mom]

I love the little scotty trailer! I want one too. Here's a photo of my boy, Zhuyo, when we went camping once. In the back you will see the tent we slept in. Well, he didn't sleep at all. He stayed up and "on alert" all night long. We too, camped at one of our state parks. They are beautiful here in California - but unfortunately in danger of being closed down says our Governor.



Wish I could give you advice, but I'm not really an overnight camping tent kinda gal, my allergies kick in too quickly in these natural settings and my friends usually do all the arranging. My family was once members of the "Thousand Trails" camp site share and were avid campers. They have cabins available for their members who don't want to rough it.

Have fun!

[sweetpea]

We've talked about getting a tent and going camping for the last couple of years. We get as far as looking at the tents, then one of us says "I wonder how the girls would handle camping". Then comes a moment of silence as we think about what it would be like to take them. In my mind I can see Gracie being tied to a tree when all at once she sees a rabbit. She charges after it at full chowchow speed until the tie out will go no further. Either her harness breaks and she's free to continue on with the chase or the tree snaps, falling down on top of the campfire, either event would be bad. Then I can see Princess chewing a hole in the corner of the tent while we sleep, just so she can see whats going on outside. Then, since there is now a hole, Princess takes advantage of it and goes on a walk by herself. I hear them barking everytime the wind blows or a twig breaks. I can see Gracie pushing on the walls of the tent to try to look out of the partly zipped window and causing the entire tent to fall down with us in it. Which of course would cause Gracie to flip out because the tent is on top of us. Its rather exhausting just thinking of what it would be like to take them tent camping! We did decide if we get brave enough to try it, we'll camp close to home...just in case.

[JasonandNat]

Nat and I are taking Shen Lung and Feng Huang camping for the first time this weekend! Big 15'x19 tent should prove exciting as we won't have the luxuries they are used to at home.

[Juniper]

I've gone semi-luxury camping two times with Sheena and Troy to Grover Hot Springs in Markleeville, CA; there's a pool and hot springs pool there for an extra charge. The first time with about sixteen people through a social group- all strangers except for a friend in a wheelchair (They knew the chows were coming in advance). It worked out well except for a few people who felt all chows should be dead chows. (Why did they even come?) Told people about Sheena and not to approach her within six feet when she was guarding the tent...she did grab a person's shorts leg when he kept ignoring my warning and gave the vicious growl to the woman. Sheena taught her a lesson pretty quickly...she left the next day. Once the crappy people left Sheena was right in the middle of all the action, during breakfast, dinner, etc. and people were petting her and I saw a few give her some bacon and butter...sneaky Sheena.

Another time was just with my friend in the wheelchair. The latter was a lot of work. This year I have reserved Labor Day weekend for 4 nights alone with the chows - Sat thru Tues in a different camp spot, closer to the stream.

Sheena and Troy love it! I have an apparently discontinued REI base camp 4 tent w/rainfly (a must on the rainfly). A vestibule is a great feature...can dry the chows before they get into the tent in case it rains. Have a cot with a storage pouch to store items and can store items underneath cot as well. I then have more room in the tent for the chows. There's a net to hang wet clothes at the top or keep your socks away from the chows. I have various little pouches to attach to the tent to store stuff out of the way. I also place linens on the tent floor so chows feel more at home and their nails don't poke holes in it. I also brought a chow bed but then they didn't sleep on it at all.

Have a six-day cooler w/food, etc., gas camping stove, gaslight lamp, flashlight, lots of ice to place in water bowls so chows have cool water in case it gets too hot. Three tieouts, one that goes around tree (8 foot I think), one 15 foot and one 12 foot. The 15 ft is for Sheena to get away from Troy who's on the 12 foot (he's a very active boy).

You must keep any used soda cans, sweets, sugars, etc. sealed tight and away from the campsite or you will have tons of bees, more likely wasps. Campfire wood burning helps as well as citronella candles but I don't like the smell.

You must know where the closest vet is in case of an emergency. I had such an emergency and wasn't prepared...it took 25 minutes to locate a vet on a Saturday evening with the forest rangers assistance only to find it would take 45 minutes to drive to the vet. I discovered Troy had eaten and been stung by several wasps and was getting more and more lethargic. Luckily, when I returned Troy began to get slightly less lethargic and I didn't go to the vet. Later found out Benadryl 25 mg is a must have on a camping trip; just needed to give him 2 caps. Reason for the wasps...my friend had some empty soda cans in a plastic bag where my chows were which I hadn't noticed.

I also carry vet tape, tick remover, first aid kit, grooming tools, cotton swabs, lots of bath towels, paper towels and some homeopathic remedies. This year I bought a screen house to place over the picnic table for nighttime to keep the mosquitos from biting. Ah, yes...I use some kind of lemongrass/pennyroyal oil for the mosquitos. I also bought some mosquito repellant spray that's especially made to spray directly on my clothing. Let's see...a scrabble game...I play against myself and some reading material.

Never had any problem with chows in tent. I do take their harnesses off at night to sleep and leave them with their collars on and ID just in case-they are both microchipped though. I also make sure I carry copies of their paperwork of up-to-date rabies shots, licensing, and microchip numbers as well as Sheena's Basic and Advanced Training certificates.

All in all my experiences have been fantastic while camping with the chows. Drawbacks/challenges...going to the bathroom with both of them, taking a shower (haven't tried this one yet) When they are ready to go potty in the morning and I'm not dressed and I need to put their harnesses on, etc. A Very Big Fuss!

Only one time some animal was outside the tent in the middle of the night and Sheena woke me up...I think it was a bear...but I had no food in the tent at all and just told Sheena it was OK...go back to sleep...she did but I slept for a while with one eye open.

People in the campsite were very dog-friendly and liked my chows...well I better end this now...do have stories about Sheena's fears, etc. Troy de bad boy...he's fearless!

I'm hungering for September already! Auh vey...sorry this was so long! Thanks for reading all of this!

Sheena guarding the tent


WE LoVe CaMpInG!

[Nita F.]

Barb,

We switched from a tent to a Scamp 5th wheel (19') fiberglass camper about 4 years ago. Even though we had a large tent and slept on an air mattress my body just wasn't up to it anymore. Since hubby loves to cook we always had to carry a lot of cooking supplies. We have been known to cook a huge pot of jambalaya and share it with our neighbors in the campground. Make friends real quick!

For anyone who wants a light weight trailer I suggest you check into fiberglass campers. They come in many sizes, floor plans, and weights. Scamp is made in Backus, Minnesota and Casita is made in Rice, Texas. There are several other American and Canadian manufacturers.

Our Scamp is small but has lots of storage space, an air conditioner, and a bathroom. Mimi loves to sit on the upper bed and look out the windows. That way she can be on guard and watch all the humans and creatures in the area. Since we like being outdoors Mimi is usually outside with us. But is nice to have a cool place for her since we live in the hot humid south.

We're camping with some friends July 4th weekend at Brazos Bend State Park outside Houston, TX. Most of them travel with dogs but Mimi is the only Chow we've seen during our travels.

A quick story: When our first Chow Meka was about a year old, hubby was taking her for a walk in the Big Bend National Park Rio Grade Village campground. When they returned hubby said some guy offered to buy Meka for $500. It seems the guy's dog had passed away and was looking for a new traveling partner. Hubby told the guy if he didn't come back with Meka he may as well not come back either! And he was so right!

Have fun camping!
Nita

[sweetpea]

Reading some of these camp stories make me think maybe my girls would do better than I think tent camping.

[CHowgal]

This thread is making me wanna take Tip & Jazz camping. lol.

[Babs64]

Juniper, Thanks for all the great ideas. I wish I could find a discontinued REI tent, what a great deal you must have gotten. I love the idea of having a vestibule in case of rain. I hadn't thought about a second layer inside the tent. But that make perfect sense. I can see Sophie puncturing the floor with her nails or her need to chew . I did think about the whole bathroom/shower thing. If my fellow campers don't raise a stink about her being with me, I guess I can figure it out.

Nita F., Ohh, jumbalaya... Can I come camp with you? I'd love to do a small trailer. Betweem my older sister and my parents, I think I have seen just about every size there is. My sister started with a pop-up tent trailer years ago when her kids where small. Now the she and her husband are nearing retirement they have a nice motor home. My parents retired and did the RV thing (pull trailer, 5th wheel, and then a motor home). My little Hyundai Elantra is rated to pull up to 2000 with brakes. Think I can find a small pop-up trailer?

Jonathan, I take Sophie and Ty up to a cabin in upper Wisconsin in the fall for two weeks. I do love it. Since it is close to an 8 hour drive that isn't an option for a weekend away. I thought I'd try the tent camping for quick weekend get aways.

Sweetpea, are you close to Eagle Creek/Wolf Creek at Lake Shelbyville? I hear those are two great campgrounds.

[Babs64]

Nat and I are taking Shen Lung and Feng Huang camping for the first time this weekend! Big 15'x19 tent should prove exciting as we won't have the luxuries they are used to at home.

How was camping this weekend? Did Shen Lung and Feng Huang do okay?

[bubbybear]

We have camped with all of our dogs. This reminds me of the first time we went camping with Sheba . The first night I didn't get much sleep. The second night I took her long lead and tied it to the Two suit cases so she couldn't run . The next morning she was outside the tent looking at me as if to say what took so long for you to get up. The next night I went to Canadian Tire and got a snap that I could put allzipper pulls in it . This kept her in at night. We camped in our tent at least 10 years with with Gizzy and Sheba. We are in the prosess of getting Tyton used to the trailer in the back yard. We sleep in it on weekends feeding him and Mya in it so they are comfortable eating in it. Try a few times in the backyard if you can. We enjoy hiking ,bikeriding and playing at the beach. The furkids are so tied from everything new they sleep so good. Enjoy and have fun spending time togrther.

[JasonandNat]

Camping has been awesome! ShenLung an FengHuang love it! She loves to sleep upside down snoring away between our air mattresses and he lies at the door guarding. We have been going to the camp grounds along the St. Lawrence and we are constantly hearing about people talking about us and how well behaved the two chows are. They have become celebrities of sorts and they love all the attention, even ShenLung accepts most people's curiosity. Neither has given us any grief at night, I think it is solely because of the lack of mosquitos in the tent, they hate those things! We have been fortunate that they love the car, outdoors, other dogs and people at lest in general.

[Babs64]

Sounds like Shen Lung and Feng Huang are quite the ambassadors at the campground. How fun!

I did get out a couple of times with Sophie. She just loves being outdoors, especially if she gets to go swimming in the lake. She has also turned into a good guard dog. The last time we went camping we were just hanging out in the shade one afternoon. One of the forest preserve workers starts walking between campn sites in the long grass looking for something. Sophie spotted him first and gave a good low warning growl. Like she was saying stay off our spot. I told her it was okay and she was a good girl. She stopped growling, but kept a suspicious eye on him the whole time he was walking around.

If I can get the pictures to post, I'll post some of our last camp out in the picture section.