"Dogs enhance my camping experience," says Mardi Richmond, co-author of Ruffing It: The Complete Guide to Camping With Dogs. "Jess and Blue notice things I don’t; following the flick of an ear, or a sniffing nose, I’ll see something wonderful I would have missed."
But before you high-tail it for the hills, a few precautions will ensure that you bring back only happy memories. If you plan to do a lot of hiking, condition your dog by gradually increasing his activity level in the weeks preceding your trip. Not certain how Fido will behave in the great outdoors? Take short hikes together and observe his reactions to outdoor stimuli. Brush up on basic training, especially the vital commands "Stay" and "Come," so the two of you will communicate effectively when faced with such powerful distractions as squirrels, deer, and other wildlife.
"Pitch a tent in your yard or living room, so the dog gets used to it ahead of time," Richmond advises. Never leave dogs unattended at a camp site; besides a regular leash, you’ll need a tether long enough to encircle a tree. In addition to your dog’s normal ID tag, create a temporary one listing the dates of your trip, your cellular phone number, and a backup land-line contact in case your mobile phone is out of range.
In your first-aid kit, be sure to include veterinary gauze wrap, styptic powder, tweezers (for tick removal), and pliers (in case your dog tangles with an angry porcupine and gets a face full of quills). Also be prepared for a brush with poison ivy. If your dog comes in contact with this pesky plant, he won’t feel the burn (his coat protects him), but he will serve as a poison ivy "carrier," passing the itch along to you when you pet him or he brushes up against your leg. In that case, Cortaid Poison Ivy Care Treatment Kit (available in drug stores) works wonders to relieve the resultant rash.
Remember to bring along your dog’s regular dry or canned food (don’t count on feeding fresh-caught fish!) plus a dog-size supply of the same water you’ll be drinking; a water filter is highly recommended. Don’t water Fido at a stream, as he’ll easily contract Giardia and/or Cryptosporidium, nasty intestinal parasites found in 95 percent of untreated water sources.
If Fido’s not compact enough to share your sleeping bag, be sure to bring along bedding backed with a moisture-proof barrier, to keep him warm and dry at night. A dog bed that rolls up for carrying ease is ideal.
Under a blanket of stars, a camp site is a quiet place (or it ought to be), so canine campers should know to settle down with the "Quiet" command. Dog guardians should be on their best behavior too, taking care to pick up after their pets. Says Richmond, "Low-impact camping means leaving behind only footprints – and paw-prints."
