Camping with your dog is a wonderful way to escape from busy daily life. One can feel the positive vibes of the woods and connect themselves with the evergreen nature.
After spending more than a year in lockdown, many people are planning for short trips as travel restrictions are easing down in most parts of the world. And the preferred trips? Camping!
However, planning it with a group of friends always ends up in stress and cancelled plans. So why miss this great opportunity when you can do it all alone with the companion you loved the most.
Yes, we’re talking about Solo Camping with your dog!
Picture yourself. You’re all alone in the woods, exploring the beauty of nature and feeling the sweet sunshine on your body. Your pooch is sitting beside you, wagging his little tail and enjoying every bit of moment with you.
And at night, your dog is helping you with the tent, and you’re preparing the bonfire as it’s getting chilly cold. Finally, after spending a full day at leisure, you’re feeling tired, and hot marshmallows are waiting to be gulped by both of you. It’s going to be a surreal experience.
Sounds great, right?
Let’s find out how you can enjoy this magical journey with your dog and plan for a perfect solo camping trip.
How Can I Plan For A Solo Camping Trip With My Dog?
Travelling with dogs is one of the top activities enjoyed by many dog owners. Dogs make the experience more rejuvenating, cherishing and builds a long-lasting bond with you.
If you’ve already traveled with your dog in the past, then you might be already familiar with all the preparations required for the trip. But if you’ve never been on a trip with your dog, you need to understand that traveling with dogs is not an easy task and requires a lot more planning.
Here’s an amazing guide for planning a trip with your dog. Or if you’re interested in RVing with your canine companion, here’s some RV tips you need to know when travelling with your dog.
So, how do you organise a camping experience that you and your canine will never forget? Read below to find out.
5 Tips For Solo Camping With Your Dog
Let’s accept it, Solo Camping will be a lot of fun, but it’s not as easy as it looks. So everything should be on your priority list, especially when taking your dog along with you. From proper planning to taking the right gears, you need to tick mark all the essential items.
One of the most common mistakes solo campers make is they forget to carry out essential items like maps, torch, enough toilet papers, water bottles, etc., which makes the experience dizzy. And there’s no one to help them around.
Follow the tips below to make sure you eliminate all those uncertainties and have a great time with your beloved companion.
Picking The Right Campsite
This is a no-brainer. Even before you’re planning to take your dog along with you on camping, first check if the campsite is dog-friendly or not. Most campsites do not allow dogs, and travellers end up arguing with the camping instructors.
Also, check if the area is wildlife protected or not. You wouldn’t want to encounter wild animals and hear any weird sounds that will make you and your dog fearful at night.
Some parks also want dogs to stay on a leash all the time, making dogs uncomfortable. And then there will be some rules that you’ve never heard of in your life.
A good way to deal with all the problems is to look up everything about the camping location and do proper research before finalising your campsite.
Dealing With Food Shortage
There are lots of camping essential items you need to pack, but none are more essential than food.
Food on camping trips always remains short, and if you’re carrying your dog with you, that’s even a bigger challenge.
Now there are two ways to deal with this issue.
First, packing extra food and water for your pup. It’s going to be a tiring experience, so your pup will lose a lot of calories in a short amount of time. That means they need water and food quite often to recharge themselves. So carry enough food for your dog so that they won’t show any lazy behavior due to hungriness.
Secondly, carry a light-weighted dog bowl so that your dog will enjoy eating in something recognisable. Don’t opt for any heavy or glass bowls; they are always at a risk of getting damaged during the journey.
Night Needs To Be Sleepy
What if we tell you that you and your dog will find it hard to sleep at night even after slogging for the whole day?
Sleep deprivation is common while camping. However, no one wants to see their pet struggling to sleep after getting tired a lot. Or worse, seeing your pup crying at night and howling that can invite any other wildlife animals. Scary enough, right?
Sleeping in tents will be a new experience for your dog, and they will find it hard to adjust. They will keep on finding places to rest, but unfortunately, they’re also camping just like you!
To counter this, the easy way is to carry a dog bed with you. That will be a known place for your dog to sit, relax and sleep at night. But if you don’t want to carry the extra load with you, there is another traditional way used by many campers.
Carve out a space for them near your tent and cover it with some cloth or towel. It will help them to sleep in that place, and they will feel more comfortable.
And never ever forget to carry blankets for yourself and your dog on a camping trip. It always gets cold at night.
Keep It Entertaining For Your Dog
Sure, you’re enjoying solo camping, but are you sure about your dog too? Are they really loving that strange place when there is no one they can see other than you?
To make sure your dog won’t get bored on the camping journey and doesn’t show any lazy behavior, you’ve to make it entertaining for them.
There are many camping activities and games that you can play with your dog. Here are some great activities to make it enjoyable for both of you:
- Hill climbing
- Slow jogging
- Fish Hunting
- Photography
- Outdoor Sports toys
The more entertaining it will be for your dog, the more both of you’ll enjoy it.
Have Fun & Enjoy Every Moment
There are high chances that things will not go 100% of the way that you’ve planned.
You’ll face many uncertainties such as losing the trails, accidental wounds, cuts, food shortage, etc., but everyone experiences these challenges.
So, no matter how bad or worse it goes as per your plan, never stop enjoying the beauty of the place. You’ll have your dog along with you to share everything with them. Play with them, train them, do whatever that makes both of you happy.
Just remember, trips like these will make your bond ever-lasting with your dog, and your life will be changed forever.
Have You Ever Been Solo Camping With Your Dog?
Solo camping is a great way to build a long-lasting trust between you and your dog. Make sure to plan and research properly before organising your plan to avoid any hiccups during your solo camping trip.
Have you ever been solo camping with your dog before? Let us know in the comments below.
Meet The Author
Harsh Goyal is the founder of Improve Dogs, a comprehensive blog for modern dog training techniques and lifestyle. He enjoys writing on new dog trends and dog experiences. When not working you will find him exploring mountains and enjoying the company of his dog.
