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  1. #1

    Default Teaching dog to sleep in tent??

    Hey everybody! I'm taking my dog backpacking in a few months for 5 days through Shenandoah National Park. He's always slept in his crate at night and he's still in his puppy years, so he can be a little wild. He's gonna be sleeping in my tent with me so I'm a little afraid I won't be able to get him settled down. Any tips on teaching him to act civilized in the tent? After 10 or so miles a day will he be so worn out he'll probably just sleep?

    Thanks for any help, here's Fozzie btw
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  2. #2
    Registered User Tundra's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BryceandFozzie View Post
    Hey everybody! I'm taking my dog backpacking in a few months for 5 days through Shenandoah National Park. He's always slept in his crate at night and he's still in his puppy years, so he can be a little wild. He's gonna be sleeping in my tent with me so I'm a little afraid I won't be able to get him settled down. Any tips on teaching him to act civilized in the tent? After 10 or so miles a day will he be so worn out he'll probably just sleep?

    Thanks for any help, here's Fozzie btw

    Im pretty sure dogs aren't allowed in the backcountry of national parks. I think it's leashed and anywhere cars can go only. Do some research. The best/only way to "train" would be to do it.
    Good luck!

  3. #3

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    SNP is one of the few parks that allow you to bring your pets on trails as long as they are on a leash. According to their website.

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    Have him sleep in your tent a few times at home so he gets used to the idea. Set it up in your living room and sleep with him. Make sure to bring a small towel in case it rains - you definitely don't want to bring a wet dog into the tent.
    If a tree falls in the woods, be there to hear it.

  5. #5

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    Dogs are allowed in the SNP on a leash. The fact that Fozzie is used to sleeping in a crate every night will be helpful. If you can, try setting up the tent before your trip so Fozzie can get used to going in it. Praise him for calmly going inside in the tent with you, if he will, and treat him once inside. I think he will be tired at night after hiking all day so the "zoomies" shouldn't be too bad. Good luck... I think it will be a nice 5 day trip.

  6. #6
    Registered User Tundra's Avatar
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    Oops! Sorry for the response with the wrong info. Have a great trip.

  7. #7

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    This is just an idea, but if you do try acclimating him to the tent at home, if the tent is large enough, maybe even put his crate in there? I'm thinking I could try this with my dog, as I have a tipi tent that she would be sleeping in. I've been wondering this same question as well.
    "Sleepy alligator in the noonday sun
    Sleepin by the river just like he usually done
    Call for his whisky
    He can call for his tea
    Call all he wanta but he can't call me..."
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    When I was a kid we took our dog camping all the time. Teaching him to sleep in the tent was no problem. The real trick was teaching the skunks not to walk by the tent in the middle of the night. The result was the tent got a new back door and the dog got a bath.

  9. #9
    Registered User canoe's Avatar
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    Me and my wife took our one year curly coated spaniel (poodle) through the SNP last summer. We took our pooch on serveral training hikes before the 100miles of SNP. Acclamation is the key. First night (without hiking) she didnt sleep at all. Didnt even lay down. Sat up all night. She was nt worth a flip the next day. But after that she loved the trail. We only did 10 or less miles a day, except on day it was 55-60' we did 16. Good luck. Your pooch looks like a bundle of energy.

  10. #10
    Registered User canoe's Avatar
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    Hey Bryce, I met a group in the park from Suffolk in the summer. Were you a part of that group.

  11. #11
    Registered User Tim Causa's Avatar
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    It just takes time. A lesson learned, I put booties on my dog or socks of some sort. This helps with nails on my silnylon floor and when he steps on my exped air mat. Also, I keep the booties on him because his nails go right through no see um mesh which I learned once when a deer walked too close and he swiped at the walk to get out.

  12. #12

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    My St Bernard used to backpack with me in VA. He was older and calmer so at the end of the day's hike he sort of hung out near us and then was very happy to go into the tent and sleep right next to me. I think you have gotten good advice from above;
    1. Get Fozzie used to the tent by camping in a backyard if you can
    2. bring some treats
    3. booties sounds like an great idea to protect both his pads and the tent floor
    4. Be aware he might not be capable of carrying anything.

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    To the OP. I have nothing to add to the above other than my Lab was named Fozzie also. He was a great hiker and tent sleeper for nearly fifteen years. His AKC registered name was Fozbury of Canterbury. AKA Fozzie, Have fun!
    Foz & Dad.jpg
    Everyone has a photographic memory. Not everyone has film.

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    Sweet little Duck-Toller-Retriever.
    Our friend in PEI had two, one just past away.

    They love to play don't they.

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    Maybe get a blanket to sleep with at home if he doesn't have one already and bring it with you.

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    Angus & I first camped in 'his' backyard, in an older tent, & tried not to make a big deal of it. I left the tent open the first couple nights while he got used to night sounds. We're in the country, bear, deer, coon, cyote, turkey.... come through all the time. After a couple of nights, he stopped wanting to go out to investigate every sound, I zipped us in... that's it. No tent repairs, no stress, some missed sleep. Have fun, Fozzie looks like a great companion.

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    Since you've been crate training this shouldn't be a big deal at all. The crate and tent serve the same psychological need for the dog. It's their "den." Try it in your backyard. If you have problems then the next night put him in the crate with a light translucent blanket over it. If the crate is big enough spend a night or two curled up inside it with your pup. Once the tent is set up the only difference is the light and your presence. I would be shocked if this doesn't work.

  18. #18
    Registered User Water Rat's Avatar
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    I started getting my lab-golden pups used to the tent last summer. They are both crate-trained. I set up a tent (indoors) and stuck their crates in it. The first week, I left their crates in the tent...At bedtimes, they went into the tent, into their crates. Then, I zipped the tent door shut. Second week, I took their crates out and they went into the tent at bedtime. I used an older, bigger tent for training purposes. I think they have the idea now. We went out in my backpacking tent for a couple of nights and they were both on their best behavior, though they did try and hijack the sleep pad and sleeping bag.

  19. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by Thirsty DPD View Post
    Angus & I first camped in 'his' backyard, in an older tent, & tried not to make a big deal of it. I left the tent open the first couple nights while he got used to night sounds. We're in the country, bear, deer, coon, cyote, turkey.... come through all the time. After a couple of nights, he stopped wanting to go out to investigate every sound, I zipped us in... that's it. No tent repairs, no stress, some missed sleep. Have fun, Fozzie looks like a great companion.
    Great idea - using an old tent to train the dog!

    The idea bears repeating - so I did.

    My concern would be the screening more than anything (you could put a scrap of tyvek on the floor to protect it against the dog's nails). My family had a couple of dogs make a game of running through the sides of our screen house when I was a kid.

    Dad was not happy .
    As I live, declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn back from his way and live. Ezekiel 33:11

  20. #20

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    Thanks everybody for the tips!! This thing really blew up while I was at work today lol.
    To Canoe, no I wasn't part of any groups you might've met, I'm just now really getting into backpacking.

    Originally I was gonna put a pack on Fozzie but later decided I wouldn't since he's not done growing, didn't want to stress his hips any. He will get to enjoy the trail while I carry his baggage lol. I bought a Tarptent Squall 2 so there should be plenty of room, I will most likely try every tip I read on here because that's just the way I am. Thanks again everyone!!

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