Camping is one of the few types of holiday where you can bring your dog along to join in the fun.
Dogs can make great camping companions. They generally love the outdoors and they love being with their family so camping is a great holiday for them. It’s great for dog owners too – you won’t feel bad about leaving them behind and will save money on dog sitters or kennelling as well. Dogs are great at keeping kids entertained and can even double up as a kind of furry hot water bottle at night!
The key to a successful canine camping trip is all in the preparation. Have a look at our expert tips below for camping with your four-legged friend.
- Take something familiar – a favourite blanket, bed or toy is a good thing to take along to make sure that your dog feels at home in an unfamiliar environment. Depending on the time of year, take additional blankets to cover your dog over with at night to beat the cold or even a special doggy sleeping bag!
- Take enough food. Unfamiliar environments can be a bit unsettling for dogs so keeping as much else the same as you can is a good idea. Make sure you have enough of your dog’s normal food to last the trip – you don’t want to be having to manage an upset stomach or your dog not wanting to eat if you run out and can’t get any more locally.
- A ground stake and a long lead can be a great way of letting your dog have a bit of freedom without the risk of them wandering off. If your dog gets tangled up on a long line, another good idea for this is to have a fixed ‘zip line’ which your dog can wander up and down whilst remaining on a short lead. This works really well where there are two fixed things you can secure the line to.
- Research the local area before you choose a site. A dog friendly campsite close to a beach where dogs are not welcome is a pain. Having an idea in advance of where you can visit with your dog whilst you are away makes life a lot easier and saves disappointment. Have a look at dogfriendlybritain.co.uk for ideas of attractions you can visit locally with your dog as well as information on dog friendly beaches, eating out and off lead walkies!
- Make sure you have shady spot available for your dog so they can get out of the heat in the day, especially if you are camping in summer and you are lucky enough to have good weather!
- Collapsible food and water bowls are great for saving space and good to take if you are out on day trips with your dog. Particularly in hot weather if you are out all day you will need to be able to offer your dog water to keep them well.
- Take a doggy first aid kit complete with foot protecting socks, (toddler socks work well) a tick lifter and dog friendly wipes. It is also a good idea to know the details of a nearby vet should you need one whilst you are away.
- If your dog is microchipped, ensure that your details are up to date. A name tag and collar with your name and phone number is also essential in case your dog gets lost in an unfamiliar location.
- Practice good camping etiquette. Even on a dog friendly campsite you must be responsible and not allow your dog to wander on to other peoples camp. Most campsites will want you to keep your dog tethered or on a lead whilst on site. It goes without saying that must clean up and properly dispose of your dog waste so make sure you have plenty of dog bags available
We have always welcomed dogs on our site for touring and camping, although, our static holiday homes have been always been let as unsuitable for dogs. Exciting news though - our new, dog friendly holiday home with be on-site and available to book soon.
Here’s to plenty of dog friendly camping this summer!