Chances are your four-legged best friend loves adventuring as much as you do. So why leave them at home? Yet life on the road, on trails, and in campsites can be tough for doggos if their needs aren’t met. These are my tips to keep those tails wagging.
🐾 Hydration 🐾
The importance of keeping your dog hydrated is paramount. A good rule of thumb is: if you are thirsty, they are thirsty. Any time you need a drink make sure your pooch has access to clean water too.
Filtration: Bacteria and parasites are common in creeks, lakes, rivers and ponds. Canines are susceptible to cryptosporidium, giardia, and leptospirosis to name a few. They cause intestinal upset, abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting.
So to keep your pup healthy and happy give them frequent access to clean drinking water. If away from civilization or campgrounds with potable water, filtering water with this compact and portable system makes it safe to consume for you and your pet.
- Filter: Sawyer Micro
- Dirty Water Bag: Cnoc Vecto
- Clean Water Receptacle: Smart Water Bottle (Bottle threads match the filter’s threads.)
- Carabiner: A carabiner to hang the system up to gravity filter.
You can see a full demonstration of how to use the water filtration system in this video:
🐾 Adventure Friendly Food and Water Bowls 🐾
Whether you are a Scamp Life-er, day hiker, backpacker, or RV camper this folding dish set is the perfect space saving, ultralight dog bowl set. They pack flat to stow away anywhere. They weigh next to nothing. They clip to the outside of a backpack with ease and mine are going strong after 8 years of hard use.
🐾 Paw Protection 🐾
Adventuring can be tough on paws. Just like humans need appropriate footwear for long hikes, puppy paws need protection too. Musher’s Secret is a paw wax designed for just that. Offering protection from extreme heat and snow, this wax goes on easy and does the trick. It also has the added benefit of moisturizing paw pads. Using Musher’s Secret on every hike has drastically increased my dog’s stamina and reduced her recovery time.
🐾 Soggy Doggy Mess Control 🐾
Dogs are going to get wet and muddy, it’s just facts. So have yourself a packable quick dry towel to wipe em down and dry em off.
This ultralight quick dry towel packs down small enough for any daypack and dries ultra fast. It also doubles as a light dog blanket when temps begin to drop.
🐾Comfort🐾
A comfortable place to rest is just as important to a pup as it is to you. An elevated bed really aids in that endeavor. A place to lay with air flow underneath helps a hot dog cool off quickly in the summer time.
In cooler weather our pup always prefers her Hest travel friendly memory foam dog bed. It may not look that unique at first glance but trust me when I say this high quality piece of incredibly engineered equipment is worth the weighty price tag.
The HEST Dog Bed is designed for optimal body alignment, pressure point relief, and temperature regulation. The two layers of high-performance memory foam are wrapped in a waterproof liner to provide added protection. The foam itself is temperature stable and mold resistant. The outer liner is super soft on top, waterproof on the bottom and machine washable. The bed rolls up easily for travel and the result is the most comfortable dog camping mattress/sleeping pad we’ve ever used.
When given the choice it is Winter’s first choice every time. As soon as she’s cooled off on her elevated bed she will move to her Hest bed for the remainder of the evening.
Both dog beds have similar dimensions so in cold temperatures they can be stacked to keep our girl off the cold ground but still insulated from below when her Hest pad is placed on top of her elevated bed. Both fit perfectly underneath the dinette in the Scamp for travel days or a comfortable place to rest indoors.
🐾Containment🐾
Keeping your buddy leashed is vital for their safety and sometimes yours. Loose pets have been known to draw predators back to camp and their owners.
But when space and regulations allow, giving the pup a little more range can keep dogs from going stir crazy. More freedom also helps them regulate their body temperature by moving into or out of the sun as needed.
Yet anyone who has tried a long leash or rope knows how disastrous they can be. Tangles abound and my little is especially adept and knocking over her own water bowl. That’s why we have switched to this system that has come to be known as her “doggy slack line.”
The kit includes everything you need to keep them in camp, with greater range, and without getting tangled up on chairs or tables. It’s very quick to set up and a fantastic compact solution for campsite containment. Use it with a good quality harness instead of a collar to avoid neck injuries if your pet is prone to chasing after things like other dogs or squirrels.
🐾Illumination🐾
Campgrounds can be really dark. Vehicles arriving at all hours can be large and slow to stop. We walk with headlamps when taking potty walks after dark, but a light up collar ensures that our pup can be seen by drivers no matter which way the headlamp is pointed. This brand is easy to cut to the perfect size and it is rechargeable so it won’t give out mid trip.
🐾Tick Control🐾
Ticks suck and even if your sidekick is on monthly flee and tick medicine they can still pick up blood sucking hitchhikers that might transfer to you and your bedding. So extra protection is good for everyone. Dog safe and highly effective Sawyer Tick Repellent is formulated for dogs to effectively hide their scent from pests.
My dog and I have noticed a huge difference since adding it to her routine in addition to her monthly flee, tick, and heart-worm meds. We have yet to have a single tick latch on. If one ever does, we have this tick tool for fast and clean removal.
A word of CAUTION: while permethrin is perfectly safe for dogs it is highly toxic to cats and can be deadly for cats while it is still wet. Do not use anywhere near cats or cat dwellings.
🐾Waste Control🐾
Don’t be that person who bags dog waste only to leave it on the side of the trail. The rest of us will loathe you. I get that no one wants to smell hot dog turds while hiking. But there is a simple solution that reduces the odors you’ll experience and it’s backpack compatible.
A wide-mouth Nalgene Bottle has an opening large enough to receive bagged poop and closes up tight enough to contain the smell. It fits easily into a backpack side pocket. Then it dumps it’s contents back out quickly at the next available trash can. They come in dark colors if the visual bothers you. There are also larger sizes to house several days worth for extended backpacking trips. Just be sure to never EVER use the dedicated Poo Tube for drinking!
The best way to carry treats and poop bags with you at all times is this little pouch by United By Blue. There are separate pockets for each and the treat compartment is large enough to hold an entire spare meal should an adventure go on longer than anticipated.
The provided triangular carabiner is very sturdy and makes it really easy to loop a leash around a tree for quick attachment when needed. One little pouch solves 3 different needs and mine has been ridiculously durable. Even with my pup dragging it along trails, around campsites, and getting it soaking wet while paddle boarding, the pack shows little signs of wear and tear. Mine is in its 3rd year of hard use and going strong.
🐾Emergency Preparedness🐾
No one wants to think about their buddy getting hurt far from help but accidents happen and it’s best to be prepared. A first aid kit for your dog should be considered a must. I found out my dog was allergic to bees and having Benadryl on hand saved her life. Consult your vet of course but giving my dog a milligram of Benadryl per pound of her weight prevented anaphylaxis. I also now carry dog safe peanut butter repackaged into these tiny jars as well to help her take the Benadryl if we ever need it again.
Additionally an injured dog will bite (even their owner.) So, for both our safety, I always carry a lightweight mesh muzzle just in case. We have spent time at home training her to accept me putting it on so it’s not a fight when needed.
Lastly, a way to pack your dog out in case of serious injury is a whole lot safer than leaving them behind to get help on a long hike. For this there is Fido Pro. It’s a safe way for you and your dog to get back to the trailhead if the unimaginable should happen.
So with forethought, preparation, and a few hacks there is no reason not to take your adventure dog along where permitted. All of these solutions are compact, lightweight, and Scamp friendly. Hope you see you and your puppers out there! Happy trails 👣 🐾
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