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reno
Jun 10, 2006, 5:55 AM
Post #26 of 31
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Registered: Oct 30, 2001
Posts: 18283
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Two year thread revival? Wow... might be a record. ;)
My dog sleeps in the tent with me. I keep her nails trimmed, so no worries about holes in the floor. She's got a little pad (old saddle pad from a horse,) and she won't stray far from me if I have to let her out to pee at 0300.
If you're REALLY concerned about tears in the floor, get some doggie booties to cover his/her paws.
A great deal of it depends on the dog. Some are independant (i.e. Climbsomething's "Tilly") and others are more protective (i.e. my "Casey.") Find out what kind of dog yours is, and plan accordingly. You can always change it up if the first option doesn't work.
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rockbel
Jun 10, 2006, 9:15 AM
Post #27 of 31
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Registered: Mar 4, 2004
Posts: 90
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sure, i'll join in...maybe we'll see this thread again in another few years...
my 95 pound German Shepard has his own pack-a ruffware thing-love it. the only problem is that sometimes he forgets that he's extra wide and clips a tree/rock with the saddlebags...some of the sewing between the harness and the bag is coming apart-but no big thing, easy fix.
Also, I don't know what I would do with the particular pup in question for sleeping arrangements-but my guy doesn't want to be in the tent at all. I got a Sierra Designs Meteor Light because of the HUGE vestibule thinking that he woudl sleep there...nope. Unless it's raining really hard he'd rather be in the dirt nearby. I usually put him on 20 tether attached to something nearby the tent flaps and go to sleep. I do make sure that I can reach and release the tether quickly incase of an emergency...ie)another animal attacks him and he needs to be free to fight... (which has never happened...after all he's a 95 lbs shepard, and has a great outdoor bark)
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hossjulia
Jun 14, 2006, 2:28 AM
Post #28 of 31
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Registered: Sep 20, 2005
Posts: 57
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If it's rain, my 100 pound German Shepard sleeps in the tent, if not, he's tied up outside. It is not OK to let your dog wander around, chasing things, unsupervised! He is perfectly ok with this arrangement. Because of his size, I don't take him on really long or technical hikes. If he got hurt, no way could I carry him out.
He only chases bear and coyote, 2 major worries at night while I'm trying to sleep, so tying him up works great. He won't chase anything else, and stops and comes back off the bear or coyote if I catch him. He works great for keeping bears out of camp. (Black Bears)
Your dogs should:
Come reliably when you call them.
Stop when you tell them to, even if a deer runs across your path.
Obey "Leave It". When faced with a rattlesnake, this could save their life. At the least, it could save you from a stinky dog in the tent.
Stay for extended periods if necisary
Be comfortable with you out of doors and totally reliable off-leash.
Out and Off are good as well. I teach mine 'careful' for scree and cliffy area's.
Dogs love knowing what to do, and what is expected of them.
My well trained dog has so many more freedoms than many under-trained dogs. I feel sorry for them.
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kantkatchme
Jun 14, 2006, 3:04 AM
Post #29 of 31
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Registered: Feb 2, 2004
Posts: 286
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my friend made a floor for his vesti. this is where the dog sleeps.
but when i have gone canoe camping with dogs (2 big shepards)
they get tied up at night with chain. (they chew) far enough apart that they cant get tangled with each other, but close enough that they can jsut about touch noses.
these are big dogs and with two of them there just isnt enough space in the tent.
they roam during the day, as we almost never encounter other people. but as soon as they stop listening they loose the privilege and are leashed. mind you, when you are paddling a canoe there isnt really anywhere for them to go. and if they dont get in then they a) swim with us. or b) run along the shore line. (both are very slow, and dont happen very often.)
teaching them about the canoe was fun......(well, after the fact cause now they know) :roll:
i think its nice to beable to have canines on backcountry trips. although i agree with whoever. its not always appropriate
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markc
Jun 14, 2006, 2:05 PM
Post #30 of 31
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Registered: Jan 21, 2003
Posts: 2481
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Wow, old thread!
We haven't camped much with our younger dog, as he's not great with other people. Our older dog (about 45 pounds) is a great camper. She sleeps in our 2+ person tent with us, and has never caused damage. Our thermarests and sleeping bags take up a majority of the floor space, and the dog usually curls up at the bottom between our legs. When she wants in or out, she very delicately paws the mesh. We also keep a tether near the entrance so she can be let out in the night.
I don't like the idea of leaving a dog unattended throughout the night. There are too many opportunities for the dog to harm or be harmed by wildlife, annoy other campers, etc. A run or tether seems best to dogs that like to sleep outside.
Some people find dogs in the woods annoying. Some of us may find kids annoying. Some of us may find you annoying. My sleep has been disturbed far more by rowdy, drunken campers than by dogs. YMMV. I find entering a situation looking for a problem is often a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Regarding backpacks, we've taught both of our dogs to wear them. Usually their loads are light, including their food and water, a tether, etc. As someone else suggested, start them off with an empty pack on a standard walk. Gradually add some weight to it, making certain to keep a balance between sides. By the time you use the pack hiking, it will be old hat. Our dogs have an issue with the added width, especially going through the woods. Another issue with our male dog is balancing while he relieves himself, although that can be funny to watch.
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tradgal
Jun 14, 2006, 2:57 PM
Post #31 of 31
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Registered: Mar 11, 2005
Posts: 384
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55 pount Border Collie and 60 pound mutt. Both sleep inside the tent. Their sleeping pads are our Crazy Creeks. And, their blacnket can be anything from my down jacket to my extra layer. They sleep at our heads.
Funny story, my Aussi mix is a bit of a loner. And, he loves to sleep (only 3 years old). He has developed the skill of being able to open a tent door and fly. We were camping in Linville Gorge with some friends and my dog disappeared. Now I didn't have a tent set-up because I was just going to sleep on the ground outside. He doesn't go far and we were the only people around so I didn't mind much. After about 15 minutes of no dog, I decided to look around and call for him. When he heard me calling, he casually crawled out of my friend's tent after warming up the man's air bed, sleeping bag and pillow (car camping obviously).
Backpacks...Kelty bag stinks. Don't know the name if it..but it has a horrible fit on my pup. He can easily take it off. It's hard to balance the weight. On the plus side, it does have expandable compartments!
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