View Full Version : Ideas for what my dog should sleep on
tucker0104
02-10-2010, 02:28
What articles do you bring for your dog to sleep on when you are camping?
a 3'-4' long piece of blue foam pad. weighs next to nothing, and he can lay on it in the canoe too. i usually rig some sort of porch over the entrance to my daughter's tent anyway (i hammock), so it's no bother. if he's with just me, he can sleep under the hammock.
Rockhound
02-10-2010, 08:39
the ground
sasquatch2014
02-10-2010, 08:53
I also have the blue foam for Hank. He only get's it at night I get to use it during the day if I want something to sit on. Half the time he just goes directly to ground but it's there if he wants it. I also hang and he sleeps under the hammock and I prop my pack in such a way as to make a wind break for him if needed.
bigcranky
02-10-2010, 08:57
A four-section piece cut from a Z-rest pad.
Rockhound
02-10-2010, 09:07
of course the question was "what articles..." so I think anything from the NY Times would work fine.
white_russian
02-10-2010, 10:12
of course the question was "what articles..." so I think anything from the NY Times would work fine.
No no, that is for "shelter breaking" the dog.:D
CrumbSnatcher
02-10-2010, 10:32
yes the dog should have a sleeping pad for comfort & warmth!
CrumbSnatcher
02-10-2010, 10:35
i also carried a small blanket for my dog. most of the time i unzipped my sleeping bag and covered both of us.
I did exactly what the Crumb did. Lulu as in my bag if she wanted. Hey, they get tired too and deserve the same comfort, maybe more, then we do.
CrumbSnatcher
02-10-2010, 11:05
I did exactly what the Crumb did. Lulu as in my bag if she wanted. Hey, they get tired too and deserve the same comfort, maybe more, then we do.
like i said before some people bring thier dog along on thier hike, but a few of us hike with our best friend. i would and did freeze a few times trying to make sure my dog was very warm &very comfortable.
I agree . Some of the stuff Isaw out there made me sick and tee-d off. One guy puihis dog in a garbage bag IN it . it was obvious the dog didn't want to. Last Iheard of him his dog was arthritc and just done and this AH was dragging him outta Palmerton. It was embarrassing to be related to this guy in any way. YUCK
If you can't put your dog FIRST don't bring him or her , seriously.
superman
02-10-2010, 11:17
Winter had her own pad but she and I manuevered for control of the thermarest. Many times I woke up in the morning and my feet were on her pad and she was on the bottom of the thermarest. When it was hot she didn't even want to be on her own pad.:)
You sound like a nice guy Superman..:)
CrumbSnatcher
02-10-2010, 11:28
Winter had her own pad but she and I manuevered for control of the thermarest. Many times I woke up in the morning and my feet were on her pad and she was on the bottom of the thermarest. When it was hot she didn't even want to be on her own pad.:)
i carried a z-rest and a thermarest and the z-rest was mine! loved the mornings where bear had both pads and i was up against the side of the tent:D bear slept alot outside the tent whenever she wanted i would leave the tent door open(unless it was bug season)she had a big coat of fur, shaved her twice a year late spring & early fall.
A section of a z-rest for Maggie, Suzi prefers to sleep on the ground.
Lulu was a riot.. as soon as we stopped and I pulled out the tent she was trying to crawl in. I am like Lulu I have to set it up first ! I still have her but she doesn't do any camping now but last year when I was prepping for the AZT and set up my tent in the yard she was still trying to get in and when it was set up , even after all the years of not hiking , she wanted in . I just love my Lulu..:)
Cabin Fever
02-10-2010, 11:35
A four-section piece cut from a Z-rest pad.
That's exactly what I have. I have one for each dog and they carry it on their pack.
sasquatch2014
02-11-2010, 09:05
like i said before some people bring thier dog along on thier hike, but a few of us hike with our best friend. i would and did freeze a few times trying to make sure my dog was very warm &very comfortable.
One of my worst nights on the trail doing just that. Hank was under my bag but would get too hot so he stands up and get out letting in all the cold air. I shiver for 10 -15 min then get comfortable and start to drift. He gets cold and comes back over wanting under the bag again but now he is cold t the touch so again I shiver get comfortable begin to drift and we repeat cycle again and again all night long. He now has his own small blanket and if he really want I'll do it all over again as long as he doesn't tell my wife because I still yell at her for letting out all the warm air when she gets into bed.
Maybe you can 1/2 cover. Like over the haunch and leave the head out. That dog breath will toast out under a cover of most anything.
Try having a small one decide he's hot, coming out and huffing in your face, all while he's standing on your chest.
Or you could teach it to root back under the cover by itself.
I usually don't take dogs on overnight trips in winter, summer is another thing. I've carried a piece of tyvek before and made a shelter from wood and wrapped the tyvek around it. Not very good in the wind but my dogs like it.
My dog uses a small Thermarest Pro Lite Plus, I use the same but the large. Makes the ground more level, especially good when we roll onto each others side while sleeping. She loves hers (and mine).
Dog ALWAYS in tent at night!
Rick Hancock
02-15-2010, 23:19
Your dog deserves to be just as comfortable as you. If they want to sleep on the ground that's fine but you should offer something. A few sections of zrest are perfect. My dog carries his food and nylon water/food bowls plus a section of fleece blanket, maybe 3x3. I carry the zrest (3 or 4 sections) we share it on breaks and he lays on it in the evening I don't allow him on my bag (or other people's bags). Most times I drape my quilt or semi rectangle bag over both of us under the tarp.
Remember, if you hiked 15 miles, your dog might have traveled 17 miles. My dog generally walks 8 or 10 feet ahead of me and constantly returns to my side. He responds well off leash but I follow whatever rules are posted, If people are approaching from either direction I leash him. He stays on the trail only stepping off to potty. and sometimes needs a reminder not to chase wildlife.
Make sure that his panniers are a good fit, and give him water often,I squirt water from a platy into his mouth people love to watch him he's a pretty sloppy drinker!
I used to bring a 2' square of 3/8 inch CCF for Phoebe that doubled as a butt pad for me during the day, but she always ignored it. Of course, she's a siberian husky, and loves the ice/snow.....