Camping with your dog can be a whole lot of fun. You’ll enjoy having your canine companion along, and your dog may love hiking, kayaking, or whatever else you have planned for your trip.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the different types of dog personalities and how they may fare while camping.
Here are a few different dog types, plus some extra tips for a successful camping experience:
- The Adventure Doggo
- The “Missing Home” Homebody
- The Campground Social Butterfly
- The “Must Smell Everything” Hound Dog
- The Sous Chef of the Grill
- The National Park Pup
- Keep Your Pup Safe and Happy with These Must-Haves
- Campground Etiquette to Keep in Mind
- How to Get the Most out of Your Camping Trip with Your Pup
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The Adventure Doggo
If you camp so you’re closest to your next adventure, you’ll want a pup who keeps up. The Adventure Doggo is up for whatever outdoor activity you’ve got planned, from trail running to major hikes to water sports. They’re full of energy, and – like you – they need a good walk or run to wear them out so they don’t start climbing the curtains.
Probably the most popular Adventure Doggos are labrador retrievers. They’re friendly and loveable, and always up for an outing! My lab loved water, snow, and any other outdoor terrain we could find him and he was happiest when we let him tear around the off-leash hiking area near our house. They’re also easy to train and make great travel buddies. Other adventurous doggies include Australian shepherds, Siberian huskies (especially in winter!), and Bernese mountain dogs.
Adventure Doggo Trail Tails
On the trail, these pups are straining at the leash! In fact, when they’re leashed, please get them a full-body harness. Clipping a leash to a collar is a surefire way to get them choking and straining to breathe. They love exploring, and labs especially are ecstatic if you run with them. On the other hand, be ready to stop on a dime when they find something interesting to sniff.
Most of these dogs, except Australian shepherds, are also notoriously outgoing and friendly and love to visit with fellow hikers.
The “Missing Home” Homebody
Homebody dogs love their familiar bed and prefer cuddling with their people in the familiar setting of their home. They can get separation anxiety if their owners aren’t around, which is a great reason to bring them with you! To keep them comfortable on a trip, you’ll want to make sure most of the places you plan to visit allow them to come along. If you can’t bring them to the attractions, you may want to plan short outings and visit them periodically throughout the day to reassure them you’re close at hand.
Dogs that get separation anxiety include those super-friendly labs (they love their people!), Cavalier King Charles spaniels, border collies, and Bichon Frises.
Homebody Trail Tails
Some of these dogs will stick right next to you while hiking – in fact, it can be easy to get tangled up with them if they’re not used to walking on a leash! Some love running off to explore but want to know that you’re close by.
The Campground Social Butterfly
Campground social butterflies may not love the extreme adventure, but they embrace meeting new neighbors at the campground. They’ll visit with just about everyone, kids or adults, and soak up attention and pets from anyone willing to dole them out. If they were able, they’d be hosting campground cocktail parties every night, dahling!
Social butterflies include golden retrievers, beagles, pugs, and – of course – those labrador retrievers. And while each of these breeds is known for being people- and kid-friendly, it’s important to train them and to recognize that not every dog will be equally sociable. Be on alert when dogs are around anyone new, especially children, even when they’re usually even-tempered. We can all get a little cranky sometimes.
Social Butterfly Trail Tails
Golden retrievers love to walk alongside people and visit while hiking. Beagles also love a good hike and usually need one to run off some of their energy. Pugs can have a harder time hiking – their adorably smushy, flat faces make it harder for them to breathe so exertion is tougher for them. They also have shorter legs and tend to overheat quickly. Plan to leave them out of a hike, or carry them for most of it!
The “Must Smell Everything” Hound Dog
While some dogs love getting out for exercise, super-sniffers love to get out and explore by smelling everything. No stone is left unsniffed and no possible blade of grass visited by another animal is left uninspected. It makes sense – dogs can pick up a LOT of information with their adorable snoots. Their sense of smell is 10,000 times greater than humans’. This is why some dogs are used to sniff for drugs, bombs, and even illnesses like cancer or Covid.
Their obsession with sniffing can lead to embarrassing encounters with other people, if your dog loves to inspect every inch of them, but training can help.
Top sniffers include bloodhounds, basset hounds, beagles, and German shepherds.
Hound Dog Trail Tails
Hiking with a hound dog can be frustrating if you’re actually trying to get anywhere. You’ll fare best if you settle in for a leisurely walk while your pup runs around smelling and exploring everything.
The Sous Chef of the Grill
Do you have a pup who loves to be present while you’re cooking? The scintillating smell of steaks on the grill is irresistible to lots of our furry friends. They’ll be right there next to you while you’re grilling, waiting patiently for a morsel to fall off and land conveniently in their mouth!
Sous Chef Trail Tails
These dogs are also good sniffers, because that’s the best way to find the food! They’ll hike with their noses to the ground, ready to hoover up whatever they find that looks good. You do need to keep an eye on them – they can also be prone to eating things that aren’t so good for them. You don’t want them ingesting anything on the trail that could make them sick!
The National Park Pup
Any pup can be a national park pup! Dogs are allowed at most national parks in the U.S., and many love to come along on adventures to these amazing landmarks.
You and your dog can participate in the B.A.R.K. Ranger program to ensure responsible pet behavior in national parks. B.A.R.K. stands for:
- Bag your pet’s waste
- Always leash your pet
- Respect wildlife
- Know where you can go
Each park may have a Bark Ranger program, and these programs vary by park. In some, you can take a walk with a park ranger, in some you might take a pledge along with your pet. You can look up Bark Ranger programs for each park to get more information for your travels.
National Park Pup Trail Tails
If your pup wants to hit the trails in national parks, you’ll want to do some research. Most national parks don’t allow dogs in the backcountry or on many of the hiking trails. Check the park you’re planning to visit to see exactly where your pup can hang out. Usually, dogs must be on leashes, and vaccinations are required.
Keep Your Pup Safe and Happy with These Must-Haves
When you’re camping with your dog, you’ll need to make sure you pack for them as well as for yourself! We have a pet checklist you can consult to make sure you don’t forget anything. It also has tips on other tasks you’ll want to complete before camping with your pup, like visiting the vet and researching your destination.
Along with standard pet supplies, each of the above types of dogs may appreciate a few extra supplies to help them get comfy on the road.
| Dog Type | Be Sure to Bring |
| The Adventure Doggo | Collapsible water bowl for hikes and adventures |
| The “Missing Home” Homebody | A favorite toy, dog bed, and/or blanket from home for comfort |
| The Campground Social Butterfly | A fetching bandana for visiting around camp |
| The “Must Smell Everything” Hound Dog | A sturdy leash and harness to keep them from sprinting off in search of new smells |
| The Sous Chef of the Grill | Their favorite snacks so they don’t beg for people food |
| The National Park Pup | Dog poop bags with a leash clip so you can Leave No Trace at our national parks |
Campground Etiquette to Keep in Mind
If you’re camping with your dog, you’ll also want to be mindful of fellow campers. Your pet’s behaviors that you find funny or that don’t bother you may be annoying or downright alarming to other campers. Here are a few ways to follow basic pet campground etiquette so that everyone has a nice time.
- Find a pet-friendly campground: You’re more likely to find other pet lovers at pet-friendly campgrounds. Many national parks allow pets at their campgrounds, and there are lots of other campgrounds where pets are allowed.
- Leash your dog: Your adventure doggo may love running, but many hiking trails require dogs to be leashed. Not only does this protect other hikers, it protects your dog from running into an unexpected wild animal.
- Be ready for barking: If your homebody pup tends to bark when you’re not around, look for a more secluded campsite so they’re not disturbing the neighbors. Also, dogs need to follow the same campground hours as everyone else. If you’re worried about excessive barking at night, you may want to do more training before a campout.
- Consider a crate: Pups with separation anxiety may also tear apart their spaces when their owners aren’t there. You may want to bring along a crate so your dog doesn’t destroy the RV.
- Give others space: Your campground social butterfly may love visiting with everyone at the campground, but not everyone is ready to encounter a dog. Be sure your pup is under your control, and make sure people are comfortable with him before allowing him to visit with them.
- Always pick up after your pup: Don’t mar the beauty of the outdoors with dog poop. Always bring bags when you hike, and make sure you clean up your campsite and anywhere else your dog goes to the bathroom.
How to Get the Most out of Your Camping Trip with Your Pup
Camping with your dog can be a wonderful experience (and can lead to some great pictures as well)! But it does require a little more work and research than simply heading out on your own. Here are a few more tips to make sure your camping trip with your pup is pleasant for all of you.
Book a pet-friendly RV
Along with making sure you book a pet-friendly campground, you’ll want to make sure that the RV you rent allows pets. Some RV owners may also have a pet fee, so make sure you know about any costs that may come with bringing your pup along. You’ll also want to make sure you know whether there are any cleaning requirements before you return the RV and whether there are any areas in the RV where your dog is not allowed.
Also, some RVs are just better suited for pets than others. Look for doors that offer easy access for dogs, easy-to-clean flooring, and rigs that have a comfortable spot for your dog to sleep.
Make sure the RV is temperature-controlled
Make sure your pet is comfortable if you have to leave them behind during the day. Having an RV that can be cooled during a hot summer, or warmed during a cold winter, is important to keep your dog safe and happy.
Consider outdoor enclosures
If you have a smaller pup, you can set up a gated area outside your RV for them to roam in a controlled area. This can be much easier than keeping them on a leash the entire time, and they might be much happier!
Protect the paws
Depending on the terrain and weather, and depending on your dog, you may want to consider dog booties or other paw protection.
Do a trial run
If you’re not sure about camping with your dog for an extended time, try a weekend campout close to home first. This lets you figure out if you forgot to pack something for them, and lets them get used to the experience before a longer trip.
With a little research and consideration, you can make camping with your dog a wonderful experience for both of you!
