There’s something to be said for waking up at a campsite with your dog snuggled up in your sleeping bag with you. But ouch, your back hurts!
Maybe it’s time to turn this tent into a pop-up tent trailer.
A pop-up tent trailer is a great introduction to RV camping with your pup.
The average pop-up trailer weighs around 2,000 pounds and can be towed by most SUVs and pickup trucks.
They tend to be around 7 feet. in length and can fit in campsites that many large RV trailers cannot.
Just as camping in a tent with a dog requires extra planning, so does camping in a tent trailer.
Here are some helpful tips from a seasoned expert to help ensure your first tent-trailer camping trip with your dog goes smoothly.
Note: This is a guest post provided by my friend Kerisa, founder of Outdoor Voice Marketingthat helps RV, camping and adventure brands attract their dream customers with awesome copy, and Mom to Butter the dachshund.
Tips for camping in a tent trailer with your dog
Make sure the campsite accepts dogs
Most campgrounds allow dogs, but there’s nothing worse than arriving at a campground after a long day of driving and being turned away because you’re with your four-legged friend.
A great resource for campsites is www.campendium.com.
Reading campsite reviews before you go is always because they often share important ratings from past visitors.
Be sure to read reviews to see if a campsite is dog-friendly, if there may be any potential wildlife encounters, or anything else to be aware of such as free-roaming dogs.
Plan your camping trip around your dog
I see it far too often: bringing the family dog with me on a camping trip is treated as an afterthought.
But they deserve to have as much fun as the rest of the family!
Check to see if there are any dog-friendly activities nearby.
Maybe it’s more of a glamping trip and you’re looking for a nearby brewery to enjoy together, or nearby attractions to visit together.
A great resource for finding dog-friendly restaurants and entertainment is www.Bringfido.com .
Do not leave your dog unattended in a tent trailer
A pop-up tent trailer is slightly safer than a ground tent.
You wouldn’t leave valuables in an unsecured tent in a crowded campsite, would you?
Additionally, many campgrounds don’t even allow dogs to be left unattended in campsites due to safety and nuisance concerns (excessive barking or running away).
Leaving your dog alone is not only dangerous, but prohibited in most campgrounds.
If you leave your dog alone and get caught, it may be grounds for expulsion from a campground with no refund!
Watch out for wildlife
If you love camping, you probably enjoy retreating to nature to get away from it all.
But just because you’re away from the crowds doesn’t mean you have to let your guard down.
When you go camping, you travel through areas where wild animals live.
Make sure you and your pet are safe from potential dangers by knowing what to do during wildlife encounters.
Bears, raccoons, etc. can fit into a pop-up trailer almost as easily as a tent on the ground.
Store your food properly and don’t leave your dog unattended in an area that has recently been sighted by predators.
Keep an eye on the weather
A retractable trailer remains vulnerable to bad weather (rain, wind, heat, etc.).
It can be difficult to regulate the interior temperature because wind, heat and cold can pass through the walls of the canvas tent.
Interior temperatures tend to be warmer than exterior temperatures in motorhomes.
The weather can change quickly, so you’ll need to take that into account when planning.
And the weather can change quickly. It can be cool and overcast one minute and hot the next.
Remember that the walls of a tent trailer are made of materials similar to ground tents and can be damaged by high winds.
I’ve heard stories that the velcro securing some covers on some models has come loose in high winds, leaving your tent trailer with an exit point for your pet!
Besides following the rules of camping, these are other reasons not to leave your dog unattended in the caravan.
Know where the nearest veterinarian is
Although we hope to never have an emergency vet visit while on vacation, it’s always best to be prepared.
Find the nearest veterinarian and/or animal emergency room to your campsite and always travel with a copy of your pet’s rabies certificate and important medications.
Make sure the food is safe
I talked about it in the wildlife section above, but food must be safely protected from wild animals.
It also needs to be secured in a place where your dog can’t get to it.
Dogs can eat something toxic to them if left with food that is accessible to them.
Dogs, especially dachshunds, are often smarter than we think!
Left to his own devices, your dog could break into his food and eat his entire week in one sitting (ask me how I know)!
Or they could get into your food and eat something that would make them sick.
Make your tent trailer a safe place for your dog
If your dog is prone to back problems (like dachshunds), make sure he can’t jump on and off couches, beds, and other tall furniture like you would in a house.
Bring rails, baby gates, cabinet locks, whatever you need to reduce the risk of back injury in your home away from home.
Stay hydrated
Bring more water than you think you’ll need for you and your pets (it’s less of a problem if you choose a campsite with water).
Emergencies happen and your trip may be extended.
It’s always a good idea to have extra water so you and your dog don’t run out.
The last thing you want to worry about in an emergency is whether you and your dog will have enough drinking water until you get home safely.
Make your dog comfortable
Bring camp chairs, their favorite coats/jackets, beds, and toys on your camping trip.
Bringing familiar items on your trip will help your dog feel comfortable and secure in their temporary home on wheels.
If your dog is more relaxed, it will help both of you enjoy the trip more and it can help your dog behave better at camp.
Keep pets up to date with their flea and tick medications
Before heading out into the great outdoors, make sure your pup is up to date on their flea and tick medications.
If you are in a mosquito-prone area, you can use a pet-friendly insect repellent such as Wondercide to prevent painful bites and mosquito-borne blood-borne diseases.
Keep it in your trailer or backpack at all times, just like you would your own insect repellent.
Ticks can easily fall on dogs, so check regularly while traveling.
If you are in an area where ticks are known, be sure to physically check your dog often for ticks.
Make sure you have a tick comb and removal tool with you in case you find one.
Get an “In case of emergency, rescue us” sticker
We never want to imagine the worst-case scenario, but we’ve found that many full-time employees put a sticker or decal on their windows that tells an emergency responder (if there’s an emergency like a fire, flood, etc.) what type of animals are in the motorhome and how many.
I know if I wasn’t there to protect my babies, I would want any Good Samaritan who came to their aid to be as informed as possible!
If you leave your pets at camp, safety and security first
Like I said, most campgrounds prohibit you from leaving your pet unattended in our vehicle, tent, or trailer.
However, I know that sometimes it is unavoidable.
For example, maybe you are traveling alone and need to leave your dog alone in the tent trailer for 5 minutes while you run to the bathroom.
Always secure your trailer before leaving your dog.
If you must leave your dog unattended for a short time, make sure the trailer is locked and secure.
Is the door locked? Did you make sure the stove and propane were not on? Treat a house on wheels like you would any other house.
Invest in a hitch ball lock to prevent theft of your trailer when it’s not hitched to your vehicle.
Avoid excessive barking
Just like you, your camping neighbors have gone camping to enjoy some peace and quiet.
If your dog barks constantly, it disturbs those around you.
If your dog suffers from separation anxiety and barks and howls when you’re not around, don’t leave him alone.
If he barks constantly every time a child passes by on a bike or a squirrel climbs a tree, do all you can to discourage his behavior.
Having treats on hand to distract them in these circumstances is helpful.
Plan more pot stops
Remember that you can’t drive as fast when towing a trailer, which means longer driving times.
Stop accordingly for potty, stretch and play breaks for easier travel days.
With a little preparation and planning ahead of time, camping in a tent trailer can be an enjoyable experience for you and your adventure dog. So try it!
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.