If you are wondering if it is a good idea to take your dog hiking or camping, of course it is! Taking your dog hiking and camping is one of the most rewarding experiences you can give them. But you also want to make sure you make the experience as comfortable for them as possible. Here are some tips that we have used when hiking and camping with our Australian Cattle Dog Mix, Eco.

1. Make sure Dogs are allowed on the land that you are planning to visit.

   National Parks

   Most National Parks do not allow dogs on the trail. They do however, allow your dog to camp. It is important to plan ahead with this and check the pet policy on the National Park website beforehand.

   State Parks

   State Parks have different rules than the National Parks. Most State Parks allow you to take your dog on the trail and camp. Again, you should check the State Park website first to see what their pet policy is.

2. Bring plenty of water for them.

   I like to bring a collapsable water bowl with us on the trail for day hikes. Ruffwear has some great durable options dog bowl options. I have noticed that it seems to quench her thirst more by having larger gulps of water. Or we also use the Gulpy water dispenser, you can squirt water into the tray by fliping it away from the bottle (without disconnecting the water bottle).

3. Your dog feels the outdoor elements just like you do.

   If its really hot or really cold out, they are feeling it too. So just remember that it is important to plan accordingly for them. Do they need a jacket? Should you consider using a harness? Are their feet going to freeze or be too hot? All of this should go into how you plan for your hike with them.

   The rules on the trail are the same everywhere else. Be a diligent dog owner: keep them on a leash, don’t assume other dogs are friendly, don’t leave them in the car if it is too hot or too cold, and there may be people on the trail that are afraid of dogs, so just be considerate with all of that.

Camping with your Dog

We are fortunate that we have a dog now that LOVES to camp. No really, there have been times where we pack everything up and she refuses to get in the car because she loves it so much. But not all dogs are like that, and we have been on the other side of that too. I remember taking our Great Dane Ellie camping and she was so scared of the fire. But otherwise was fine, we just didn’t take her camping again though because it was that traumatic for her.

Eco is the opposite and loves to snuggle up by us around the fire.

I think the thing you need to remember the most is to just pay attention to their needs. Some dogs are happy camping and some are not, but you should not force them into it.

4. Make them comfortable.

When you take your dog camping you want to make sure they are comfortable. If you are cold, they are cold. We have only done car camping with our dogs, which makes it convenient to bring extra blankets for them and supplies.

Having an extra blanket for them especially in the middle of the night is such a game changer. They feel so comfortable and loved by the simple gesture.

5. Let them rest.

Eco is 11 years old now, so she’s getting up there, but she is not to old to enjoy the experience! We took her camping for two nights with a lot of hiking each day. One thing we made sure of was to give her plenty of time to rest, and this meant napping. We planned ahead and did longer hikes in the morning that way she could rest in the afternoon. She’s very good at letting us know when she’s tired. They really are like kids sometimes, and their needs are pretty basic. You just have to be willing to listen.

6. Enjoy it!

There is nothing better than enjoying the journey with your best friend. Eco loves hiking and camping just as much as we do, if not more! But sometimes less… because when the bugs are getting to her she wants to run and hide in the tent, and we let her because that is where she is the most comfortable.

I think the key to keeping your dog happy on the trail is listening to their needs. I hope this information helps you! It really is a lot of fun experiencing the outdoors with your dog.