Our overweight (fat) beagles really enjoy their camping activities - one of which is eating. Steak bones and bites of hamburger and hotdogs head their favorite's list. But, when animals eat, so must they relieve themselves. On our last camping venture, we camped for a few nights at Mt. Rainier National Park. We had rain most of the time and our trailer looked like a laundry room. We had wet towels, coats, socks and other assorted items hanging all over the inside of our travel trailer. The boys (Father Waldo & Son Dudley) must go potty come rain or shine! They do not like "going" in the rain, but when you gotta go, you gotta go. Ruff Wear, For Dogs On the Go sells foul weather gear for dogs that could help keep your critter dry!
Keeping Them Company
When Waldo was a very young lad, he did not like being left alone waiting in our car while we took our bath house showers. We left him once while tent camping at Shenandoah National Park, Va., the pup chewed up my favorite ball cap, shredded a full roll of paper towels and ate the windshield sunshade. From then on, one of us stayed with Waldo while the other showered. We do not leave our boys alone at the campsite...ever, and always have them inside with us at night. Four in a standard bed can be a bit crowded, but we manage. We have missed out on some activities that allow no pets, but our dogs are more important to us. Sometimes pets can be more limiting than small kids!
Beware of Camping Chow for Critters
My wife Pam and I often give our beasts table scraps as camping treats. We know it is not very healthy for them, but we needed to learn the hard way that too much is really too much! I'll never forget how sick and miserable Waldo became while me were camped at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Mi.. The poor boy had diarrhea so bad that he was whining with pain. We still share some of the camping goodies with our dogs, but we are careful as to how much they eat. Keeping pets on their regular diet is, of course, the best. Now we bring along Imodium tablets just to be safe.
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