Myself and the wife are really looking forward to our first camping trip and have decided what tent and equipment to buy.
However I have a concern about our two dogs and more importantly keeping them quiet at night.
Normally they are not barkers however they bark when they hear strange noises.
Being camping virgins we aint too sure how noisy or how many strange noises you hear whilst out camping.
We don't want to upset other campers with barking dogs.
Any help or advice would be gratefully accepted.
We are not dog owners ourselves. But we both realise, dog owners like to camp as much as we do, we therefore make allowancies. Only one thing I must stress. keep your dog on a lead. At the last site we were at there was one owner who let his dog run free and it pee'd on several tents. Not nice when you have to wash your tent every day.
Most campers like dogs and don't mind a bark or two. So don't worry and just enjoy yourself.
you can buy those pet peg that a like a spiral peg which screw into the ground, you can tie a long lead so they can still walk about whilst you're around your tent.
I've seen them used and they dont seem to bother the dog, it seems to give the best of both worlds, the dog can move around your pitch but not get near other peoples tents.
With regards to barking, I agree with The Gardener, you can't help the odd bark!
Many thanks for your replies. We already have the restraining pegs on our shopping list.
It was just the odd bark I was worrying about. They would sleep with us so I would assume that this should reassure them and keep the barking down to almost nothing. As I said earlier they only tend to bark when they get alarmed.
you can buy those pet peg that a like a spiral peg which screw into the ground, you can tie a long lead so they can still walk about whilst you're around your tent.
I've seen them used and they dont seem to bother the dog, it seems to give the best of both worlds, the dog can move around your pitch but not get near other peoples tents.
An essential piece of kit, we use ours all the time, dog always comes camping with us, and dog is happy using it . also don't forget the poop scoop bags , I'm sure your'e respnsible owners and don't need reminding of that. Also keep a look out on site facilities, as many have a designated dog walk area where you can let them off the lead and let them have a run around , but never allow that in a camping area.
Hi there. We had the same worry when we first took our dog Jess camping but she has been fine. She behaves quite differently when we are camping. She barks when unknown people come onto our drive when we are at home, but she does not bark when people pass the tent. However, for the first few hours after we pitch up, she will bark at whichever one of us walks away from the tent. Wierd! A lot of campers / caravanners have dogs and those which don't are usually very friendly towards them. We are scrupulous about keeping her on her lead, using the dog walk (again she seems to know where she can and can't do her thing!) and clearing up after her. Even though we are dog owners, we get quite fed up when others do not do the same thing. A tent with a sewn in groundsheet is a good idea - we have been pleased that our new tent has one - saves the worry that she will dart under the outer if she sniffs a rabbit. Also the screw peg idea is great - Jess settles nicely with a longish lead tied up to one of those, but you need to keep a close eye just in case it gets wrapped round the table leg - most camping shops have them. We would never leave her on her own even for a minute - she has a fabulous nature but, particulalry as she is not on home territory, even her behaviour could be unpredictable. Our "next door neighbours" erected a child's play tent last weekend to give their dog some shade - sounds silly but we are thinking of getting one - last weekend we spent a good deal of time shifting around to get Jess and me some shade!
Cheers for this post, tallpaul, we were going to post something similar soon.
We're camping for the first time this August and taking the dog too. Already got our spiral spike and although he's a really placid dog and loves children (especially ones bearing choc chip cookies!) he barks at people wearing hats!! Caps (posties, police), floppys, baseballs, hoodies, turbans and people wearing high vis vests/coats (binmen etc. Hoping that he behaves and doesn't annoy anyone too much.
We're not planning to spend too much time around the tent during the day but obviously night-time and the noises bring a different set of problems. Just crossing our fingers and hoping it works!
If there's anyone else with dog experiences (good or bad) and tips, I'd really appreciate them.
Mac
------------- Visit anytime, its ALWAYS a mess!!!!!
hi we took our puppy camping for the 1st time last year and we were worried too but we needn't have worried she was fine and we found all the other campers who had pitched near us came and said hello to her so she new who they were. I don't think you will have any worries and just enjoy your first trip.
some people camped near us a few years ago had a lovely chocolate lab'. It was a very well behaved dog but they tucked it up in its basket one night inside the tent & walked up to the pub at the end of the field for an hour, the poor dog got quite distressed & chewed its way out of the tent & joined them in the pub. Its poor mistress had to make emergency repairs with a needle & thread.
Our 11 month old skye terrier has been on several camping trips with us now both in our confortmatic and in our sunncamp APS3004 and is extremely well behaved on site more so than at home,where he is an excellent guard dog! We take him everywhere we go even if its to "the gathering" at meets and he is never any trouble and at night is so tired he sleeps through any unusual noises.
We took our Springer to Brean Sands 2 years ago when he was 6 months old. We chose this area because dogs are welcome on the beach all year round so could come with us everywhere. However we hadn't bargained on him chasing a seagull out to sea over the mud flats where it is dangerous for humans to walk! We ended up (all 5 of us) running back up the beach waving our arms like mad and yelling 'Henry' at the top of our lungs to tempt him back! Felt v stupid but thank goodness he came back. Have to say we love taking Hen with us and have never had any probs (except that seagull). He loves the spiral spike and enjoys putting his front paws up on the windbreak to greet our neighbours as they walk by. We are going away without him this summer for the first time so that we can do a few days out with the kids but I am sure we will miss him badly!
We have an adorable 6 year old English Bull Terrier, Tess. However we would never take her camping with us as she would be constantly trying to get in other tents to eat their food (EBT are a breed who are ruled by their stomachs more than any other breed I've come across) and she is SO friendly she would alwyas be trying to see evrybody on site. As they are so muscular and strong i doubt one of those restraining pegs would even work and she would be found running around the site with lead and restraining peg trailing behind her!
Furthermore we holiday in Cornwall in the high season and to find a dog friendly beach is a near miracle so she would only end up spending ages in the car; no fun for her or us.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: A daft question
Cheers for this post, tallpaul, we were going to post something similar soon.
