Dogs and camping go rather well together. Dogs love the outdoors and many outdoor lovers love dogs. It’s a match made in heaven, but there are some precautions and tips to be aware of when taking your dog camping.

Check and Prevent for Ticks

Most camping settings are loaded with ticks just dying to latch onto your dog as a host. Ticks can cause life-threatening diseases for your dog. You should be applying a tick and flea preventative medicine on your dog, such as Frontline Plus, on a monthly basis anyway. This is especially important if you are taking your dog into an outdoor, woodsy setting. Check for tigs regularly on your trip and have a pair of tweezers on hand to remove the entire tick (head included) from your dog.

Bring a Reminder of Home

While dogs love being outdoors, camping can also be anxiety-inducing for them if they do not feel a sense of home or “den” (remember, they evolved from wolves). Bring a special blanket or dog-bed along. Help adjust the dog to the campsite by taking him or her on a leashed walk around the premises before returning to the site of their familiar bed/blanket. This will help build a sense of normalcy for the dog and allow him or her to have a more enjoyable time with you while camping.

Bring Toys

Camping is a great chance for a real rowdy game of a tug-of-war or fetch with your dog. Let them get out all of that inner canine energy with their favorite toys and games in the great outdoors.

Store Food Safely

A loose, open container of dog food is an invitation to whatever animals may be nearby to come inspect. Keep your dog’s food sealed until he or she is ready to eat. If your dog can subsist solely on “wet” dog food for a few days, just bring along a few packages of that and feed him or her at their appropriate feeding time. Just be aware that if your dog is considerably more active while camping than they are normally that their appetite may increase.

Use Common Sense Precautions

Don’t take your dog camping and insist that he or she sleep with you in the tent when it’s 100 degrees with humidity outdoors. Dogs are very prone to heat-related sickness, moreso than humans. Be aware of this and always provide ample water, shade, and resting time for your dog.

Bring poop-scoop bags to clean up your dog’s waste.

Bring a brush and brush him or her nightly to remove various burrs, twigs, etc from their coat.

Make sure your dog has an identification tag.

Bring a leash and stake to tie him or her to, especially if part of your camping itinerary is involves getting rowdy at night; you don’t want your dog wandering off while you’re not paying attention.

Be aware that not all fellow campers and woodland critters are especially fond of your dog. Be responsible and sympathetic to this, especially if your dog is prone to barking or biting at strangers.

Camping can be a blast, but unfortunately not everyone feels that way. To some people, it’s sleeping on the ground in a stuffy (or cold) climate away from all of the modern amenities they have grown accustomed to. Terrifying visions of being forced to defecate in the woods and wipe with a leaf (possibly a poisonous one) or fend for themselves when a giant bear comes to raid their camp is enough to get some people to say, “no thanks.”

But as any experienced camper knows, camping is a great activity that is usually free from such horrors when proper planning and preparation have occurred.

So suppose you want to go camping but are having a hard time convincing a friend or significant other to go with you. You know perfectly well that if you can just get them in the woods, they’ll have a great time. But how do you get them in the woods? Well, here are a few approaches that may yield success:

Compromise

As with all things in life, sometimes you have to give a little to get something you want in return. Offer some type of compromise whether it’s a willingness to try something they want to do that you don’t want to do, telling them you’ll pay for the trip so there is no financial burden on their end, or even just remind them about all of the great things you’ve done for them and how it would mean a lot to you if they tried it out.

Prepare for Success

Remember, when camping with someone, you’re also auditioning to get them to camp with you again. Make it a great experience for them! Camping can be a great time for everyone, so figure out different ways to tweak your camping experience to keep everyone happy. This way, next time you want to go camping you won’t have to twist arms as hard. A good tip is to pinpoint some of the reasons why your companion doesn’t want to go camping and then do what you can to remedy those excuses. For example, if they say they don’t like sleeping on the ground, bring an air mattress with a foam cover. You can usually always make camping fun for anyone.

Know the Fears

Here are the common reasons people don’t want to camp:

• Fear of bugs
• Fear of animal attack
• No showers
• Sleeping on the ground
• Food quality/availability
• Climate discomfort
• Fear of being disconnected from the modern world

By knowing the typical reasons why some people don’t want to go camping, you can adequately prepare your sales pitch to dispel these concerns. Most people who are reluctant to camp can be talked into it as long as they feel like they are in good hands. Just reassure them that you (or a fellow camping companion) do this all the time and that everything will go smoothly. Throw in a little begging and whining and you should be all set.

The summer heat can not only be uncomfortable while camping, it can also be dangerous. Heat stroke and dehydration are the two major potential consequences of not adequately protecting yourself from the heat. As your body heats up, it evaporates to cool itself down. If you do not consume an adequate amount of water, dehydration and heat stroke can ensue. Drinking an ample amount of water on all days, especially those spent in the outdoor heat, is of the utmost importance.

A good rule of thumb to follow which indicates you are drinking enough water is the color of your urine. The lighter the color, the better. If you notice your urine is a bold, dark yellow, you are not drinking enough water. You should always have water on hand when camping outdoors. Do not embark on a camping or hiking trip without first securing an adequate water source. You may also avoid drinking caffeinated sodas. These are not a water replacement. Caffeine is a diuretic which removes water from your body. It should be avoided on hot summer days when your body needs every bit of water it can get.

Alcohol and camping go hand in hand for many people. That’s perfectly fine, but be aware that alcohol dehydrates the body and heightens the chance of heat stroke. Alcohol should be avoided in the heat with the sun blistering down. But if you insist on drinking, alternate a large serving of water in between every alcoholic beverage to remain hydrated. A better idea, if you insist on drinking, is to do so in the evening when it’s cooler out. Remember, not only is alcohol not a replacement for water, but it actually necessitates even more water. So if you would normally drink 6 glasses of water on a typical day, you probably need to increase that number to 10-12 on a day that includes drinking alcohol. Be prepared to urinate frequently!

The next thing to consider for preparing for the summer heat is clothing. Layers are your friend when it comes to clothing on a summer camping trip. Pack lots of light-weight garments that are light in color and breathable. You’ll need several changes of clothes to help you stay dry throughout the day. In the evening as the temperature cools off, it’s helpful to have several thin layers you can add to stay comfortable. Thin fleece jackets and lightweight sweatshirts are helpful in this regard. A hat is another crucial piece of camping clothing. Protect yourself from sun exposure and decrease heat stroke likelihood by wearing a hat.

Finally, don’t forget to pack sunscreen and bug protection. SPF protection is a must for everyone spending significant time outdoors. The sun’s UV rays do not discriminate and will ruin anyone’s camping trip by giving them a bad sunburn. For bug protection, you can use topical sprays and/or bug repellent candles. Long sleeved clothing will help protect you from being bitten by mosquitoes at night. Apply bug repellent to all exposed skin except the face.

Be prepared and your camping trip will be a blast!