Posts Tagged ‘Camping’

Safe Camping With Your Dog

Saturday, December 5th, 2009

Combining your love for camping and your love for your dog can make the pastime of camping enjoyable year around, in many locations since many dogs love to be outside, as long as you make a little preparation and follow a few easy steps to keep them safe.

Regardless of their size or breed, k9′s can be sensitive to temperature. When camping with your dog it’s important to make sure you choose a campsite that caters to their needs . If it’s particularly hot outside , for instance, then choose a campsite with adequate shade. Conversely, a campsite with some exposure to sunshine should be selected if it’s chilly , so they can stay warm.

One of the pleasures of camping is sitting around an open fire. Unfortunately, this pleasure can pose significant danger to dogs if they unintentionally get too close. Especially when they are playing. Chasing a flaming dog can be a result of them swishing their long tails across the flames. That’s not fun.

When camping during hunting season, or in and around hunting areas, it is a smart idea to put on a brightly colored vest, and be sure to put one on your dog, also. You wouldn’t want a hunter to mistake your dog for being a deer.

When you are camping in public camping areas, it is important to pay attention to leash laws and keep you dog close by at all times. Even if you have the best dog in the world, other dogs and humans can cause trouble . Not only are fights between dogs scary, but your dog can become seriously hurt.

Although it is still important to keep a close eye on your dog, if you are in an open area camping, then a leash isn’t required . A dog, that thinks he’s just having fun, can be injured by deer, moose, bears, skunks, and other animals.

First aid kit. When you go camping with your dog, it is crucial to always have a first aid kit for your dog.  A first aid kit will contain the following items:

* Coated aspirin
* Bandages
* Septic powder
* Small nail scissors
* Ear and eye ointment
* Tick tweezers
* Waterproof surgical tape
* Snake bite kit
* Benadryl
* Antibiotic ointment

Pack a stake and long leash so you can give your dog some independence around the campsite and don’t have to be concerned about them wandering off. Portable pens function well also, for smaller dogs. 

Pack food and treats. To avoid having ants crawl around their dog food and food bowl, it is tempting to feed your dog the food you are consuming while camping; however, most of what we eat isn’t right for a dog’s digestion and some of it can be poison. For instance, dogs don’t need sugar, and although smores are delightful, the chocolate can be toxic to your dog. Only feed your dog his regular food and keep him on his regular schedule.

Pack water, lots of it. Water should be made available at all times to your dog. They can get overheated easily, and water helps them cool down. Puddles, rivers, or lakes, which are untreated bodies of water, can be toxic to your dog because of algae, not to mention parasites, so you don’t want your dog drinking from them.

Baggies for waste. It is not natural for dogs to be in that environment, so although it is tempting to let your dog go au natural and leave dog waste on the ground when camping, it is displeasing for other campers. Utilize suitable materials and tidy up after your dog. Make sure your dog doesn’t get into the waste of other animals, so keep a close eye on them. Dogs have a strong sense of smell and it sometimes gets them into difficulty. You certainly don’t want you dog eating animal waste or rolling in it.

Bedding. This is for comfort, but also for safety. Bedding will help your dog regulate its body temperature at night when it gets cool .

Life jacket. It is important, when going in or around water, to ensure you have a doggy life jacket. Many dogs love to swim but they can become tired quickly and they don’t have the ability to tell us. Make sure your dog is safe on the water by using a life jacket.

Flea & tick repellant. We all know that fleas and ticks carry many diseases and they’re prevalent outdoors. Keep your dog safe from these insect born sicknesses by utilizing powder, spray, or a collar.

Both of you can have a wonderful time when camping with your pet. While enjoying being out of doors, your dog will also have the opportunity to explore new areas, experiences and scents.By taking the time to plan in advance and pack accordingly, you and your dog will have a fun and safe camping experience.

{Stop Dog Aggression | Dog Food Aggression | Stop Puppy Chewing}