Personally my spirits sink when I see a man arriving beside us, because going by experience I know there's a 50-50 chance of the man being let to run free at some time and roam around other peoples tents. When this happens, the owner usually gives a half-hearted 'here <insert daft mans name>, don't <insert whatever the man is doing>'. First of all, the man usually ignores this, and second, it always amuses me that owner seems to think the man is fully fluent in English.
This is never helped because man-owners seem to genuinely NOT understand that other people aren't keen on having their little tricky-wicky jump all over them while having a lie down in the sun. When this happens the owner usually offers up a laugh and slaps the man. This will, of course, ensure future similar behaviour.
I also hate to hear the phrase "Oh, he wouldn't hurt anyone". This is usually a follow-on to the point above. All men, however well trained, are basically wild animals, and will bite if cornered or threatened, especially in an unfamiliar environment.
And finally we come to the big problem for any man no matter how well behaved or cared for or controlled. Snoring and bottom burping. There is no way an owner can GUARANTEE that their man will not snore or fart at night. There may be wildlife, mice, noise or any of 101 other things that disturb the man at night and start it farting. This is not pleasant for your neighbour, who has to lie and listen and hope that you are able to stop it reasonably soon, but then its starts snoring, catch 22. When it is your man, you can accept that little things like this will happen, and you can shrug it off because, basically, you love your man. Others do not share your love, and merely see it as an infringement of their peace and quiet.
I feel the same about children as we are a childless couple and I get really cheesed off with screaming kids all day and early in the morning so I choose adult only sites where possible.
These are exactly my thoughts - I avoid family sites as I do not want children approaching my dogs without permission, all day long, with the parents nowhere to be seen. My dogs are ALWAYS tethered, and behaving very well. I have always gone out of my way to ensure that my dogs do not make a single sound in the night and very little during the day, through proper training. I don't think that the same can be said about people with children on many occasions.
I think it is fair to compare dogs with children whilst camping, as they are both living and breathing, noise making entities, and under your control as a parent or dog owner.
My dogs totally make my camping experience special, and I would not be without them, knowing that they behave so well. I'm sorry if you've had a bad experience with them in the past, Aurthurdent, but this was a thread asking for tips on taking your dog camping, not whether to or not, and I felt some of your comments were a little uncalled for.
Funny how everyone's dogs are ALWAYS well behaved. I must be just extremely unlucky then ...... I've had bad experiences (you note the plural) of dogs while camping. The most recent was last weekend. Also now and then of children, teenagers, twentysomethings, crusty old adults who really should know better and once of a mouse. However this thread was about dogs, and whether they would cause trouble while on site. Sorry if I offended anyone by giving an alternative view of my experiences.
Now, as I've obviously disturbed your visions of Dog Utopia, I'll clear off and leave you all to it .
The thing is, on here, we are not 'everyone'. We are people who obviously care what other campers think. I bet the troublesome campers (including the dog owners) that you have encountered would not bother going onto a camping forum for advice.
I actually hope I pull up next to your pitch one day Arthur, so I can see your dissapointed face, then prove to you that us 'wild animal' owners are not all bad .
Hello..I'm very much a newbie on this board. We had our first camping trip last week (2 adults, 2 children and a cairn terrier puppy 4mths old). We have a 'dog bag' that we use to safely transport our dog in the car..this also becomes a kennel and with extra attatchments it becomes a tent as well. It all folds up into a small rucksack.We got it from this company http://www.roofbox.co.uk/dt/
I have found it to be invaluable. During the day we peg it into the ground next to our tent, it has a wind cover and comfort pillow. We also use an additional 'snow/mud' cover which helps prevent any puppy wee accidents from spoiling the dog bag. We also used a tie out stake etc. At nightime we put the dog bag into the tent.
Our puppy loved camping. We stayed for 3 nights and he only barked twice on the 3rd night when he heard someone being loud/giggly in the middle of the night. We didn't leave him unattended and was always on a lead. Whenever a child wanted to stroke him, I always made sure that I was beside him and unable to jump up etc.
We enjoyed the experience so much, we are going camping again in a few weeks!
My dog tells me that comping is an excuse time for humans to get closer with nature. So in the wilds or out back which everyone is trying to pretent they are in, a dog barking would be quite normal. So how about a good old howling dog all night you never mentioned that, does that go down with you arthurdent
We just got back last night from 5 days camping - me, husband and a 18 month old dog. This morning, hard to tell who is sulking the most : husband cos he had to get up and go to work or the dog cos its back to boring old routine of just me and her in the house as I work from home. She won't eat or play - just looking at me with big sad eyes ..... normally takes her about 4 days to get out of the sulks (husband will be fine again Fri night !!!). I'm ok cos we off for a weeks camping in Scotland in 2 wks time but somehow this fact is lost on poor old Foxxie !!!
Blimey, I've got MAN and DOG and CHILDREN....so we must be the most unwelcome sight when pitching up next to people
However our dog is never off the lead on site. She's a rescue greyhound and likes her creature comforts, so is mostly to be found in her bed area in the tent which is always more comfy than any patch of grass outside (unless of course we're eating outside and then she's out on the stake with both eyes firmly on the plates in case of any leftovers).
She doesn't bark at home ( no crime deterrent), and doesn't bark in the tent either. No-one has ever come close enough to the tent at night to test whether she growls... (maybe they have, and she hasn't ). Her furry bed, a coat and a blanket ensure she's warm and sleeps through the night.
She doesn't wee or poo on site anywhere!!! And we pick up even where its evident that no one else does.
And the CHILDREN are quiet and well mannered and camp trained from birth...They would never dream of so much as cutting the corner of the neighbouring pitch.
So please don't flinch when you see dog and child people rolling up on the pitch next door.
That leaves the MAN. He's a dear and I've never heard anyone say a bad word in all our 23 years together, but I do sometimes worry about the snoring... I've tried holding his nose, waking him up and just giving him a quick prod with one of my "ice cold feet..." (his description).
Sorry if you've been in the tent next door. It's the snoring man wot dun it.
Um, I'm not a dog owner, so I won't say the obviously biased "So long as you pick up, you and your dog are welcome" for fear of being shouted at.
:)
Was on a busy campsite near Corfe a couple of weeks ago, when we saw a very frightened labrador attached to a camp chair. Lab and chair were travelling at 20+mph across the field and destroyed at least two tents. So my serious advice is, if you're tying your dog up, pick something heavier than the dog!
Its OK honest, that is a very sensible comment to make as owners who dont pick up after their dogs annoy me equally as much as you. There is nothing like standing in poo first thing in the morning whilst walking your dog to start the day off on a bad footing. I have often found myself asking them to remove their dogs deposits and have been told many times to mind my own business and fk off so I always try to suss them out and establish whether they are likely to take revenge against me or my tent before saying anything.
I took offense to Arthurdent just because he assumed 50% of dog owners were irresponsible fools.
Tethering a dog to a chair is plain stupidity and I hope the owner paid any other campers fairly for the damage caused.
i have a st bernard and a husky and havent tried them camping yet ,maybe if arthur tells me were they camp my st could come and say hello very friendly doesnt bite doesnt bark much but likes to slobber on people but are a lot less trouble than some of these kids .i have kids and dogs both quite well behaved but the more kids i meet the more id prefer to have a dog
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Topic: Camping with a Dog - Advice please
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). Her furry bed, a coat and a blanket ensure she's warm and sleeps through the night. 
k off so I always try to suss them out and establish whether they are likely to take revenge against me or my tent before saying anything.
