I am looking to pack my small SUV up with myself,basic supplies and two dogs, 40lb mutt and 80lb german shepherd, from New York to California in August. I have not yet considered how long this will take. First off, any suggestions on tents, there’s so many to choose from and an abundance of add-ons, I would love some feedback from the public on their experience,
What is significant: space,the dogs will sleep in there with me, quick and easy set up and take down, lack of fiddly lines and tie downs, Im planning on taking the northern path cross country so suitability for all temperatures and environments, ventilation, two dogs and me generate a lot of heat.
What is not significant: weight, it will be in the car and I wont be carrying it far, price, I will want to keep this for a long time and use it again.
Any decent links to camping reviews, packing lists etc are appreciated, also, if anyone has done this before with dogs, tips and hints and recommendations for places dog friendly along the way would be wonderful, thanks in advance!
great advice from all, and the safety of my dogs is the great priority here, dont worry, were making some re-con trips over the next few weeks in preparation,
GPS: check!!
Veterinary locations: check,
Emergency veterinary care kit: check, thanks again!
When I take my puppy (10 year-old, 85-Lb shepherd mix) camping and am solo, a two person tent is more than sufficient for her, my gear and me. I wouldn’t have any trouble fitting a second, smaller dog in as well. So I think that any 2-person tent or larger would be fine. If you plan on sleeping on a double- or queen-sized air mattress, then you’d need to go with a 4-person or larger tent unless your dogs sleep in bed with you. With tents, each person is allocated about 26" width, so a queen-size mattress will take up as much space as 2.5 "persons."
There’s so many different tents to choose from it’s hard to make a recommendation. I’ve always had good luck with Eureka, and the aforementioned 2-person tent is more than 15 years old and is still in wonderful shape, despite being used at least 500 nights. Since weight is not a concern, you’ll be doing mostly short stays by yourself with two dogs, I’d suggest a 4-person dome tent. Don’t go much larger, or else you’ll have trouble setting-up alone. You should pick out a tent in-person at a camping/outdoors store such as REI, EMS, Campmor (if you’re nearby) or similar. Look for a good brand name (Eureka, Kelty, Marmot, North Face) and then features like:
* Bathtub Floor — floor material wraps up the sides before joining the wall
. material so the seams are less likely to leak
* Full Coverage Fly — better wind and rain protection
* Clip or Sleeve/Clip setup — faster and easier setup (try to get spare clips
. in case one breaks or gets lost).
* Vents/Doors — Look for cross-ventilation and easy access for you and
. your dogs.
* Pre-Sealed or Taped Seams — better rain protection.
* Material thickness — different models use different weights/weaves of nylon.
. Heavier weight is more durable, particularly on the floor panel where sharp
. dog nails might be an issue.
Any tent you get will need to be staked-down against the wind. I can’t tell you how many time’s I’ve retrieved tents for neighbors who thought they could get by without staking. Most dome tents use two or three straight poles that are all shock-corded together, so there’s little to get confused over when setting-up and minimal time and effort. The fly is optional and, depending on the tent design, only needed when it rains or to cut the wind. I’d avoid cabin tents or modified domes that have angled poles and other fiddly bits to deal with, even if they are typically taller and more spacious.
Aside from the tent you’ll need a ground sheet to help protect the floor. Best option here is to get some heavy polypro painter’s drop sheets from your local home improvement store and then cut about about 3"/side wider/longer than the floor of your tent. This extra material gets folded up and tucked under the tent to prevent water from accumulating under the floor.
Next thing is what will you sleep on. I assume you’ll bring temperature-appropriate sleeping bag for you. If space isn’t a concern, I’d suggest a folding camp cot with a foam pad on top for comfort and insulation, otherwise a thick foam mat. As for the dogs, except in the coldest weather, your shepherd won’t need any extra insulation, (mine won’t sleep inside her cut-down sleeping bag unless it’s below 10 degrees), I don’t know about your other dog. My shepherd is also content to sleep on the ground, but happier when I bring her own foam mat along.
No issues with dog supplies, except to have an air-tight container for dog food storage and treat it like any other food in regards to wildlife (particularly bears and raccoons): keep away from your tent, locked in your car or bear lockers where provided. Skip those overpriced, folding dog bowls at the pet store, just bring your regular bowls from home and a collapsible food storage bowl (about $6) for water on the trail.
Having up-to-date rabies vaccinations with written certificate from your vet and dog licenses is essential. Most campgrounds won’t accept you without these items. Of course other vaccinations should be up-to-date as well, for your dogs’ health. Bring a copy of both your and your dogs’ major medical information with you in case of emergency. Veterinarian access is usually as simple as looking through a local phone book, or you can use the Pet Travel Center’s website’s search function at http://www.pettravelcenter.com/veterinarians. Don’t forget flea/tick drops, leashes, dog run wire or rope, and favorite play toys. Oh, get an ID tag made with your cell phone number and home address for each dog, in case they somehow get lost (it does happen).
Bring a good first aid kit, it should cover the essentials for you and your dogs. Nail trimmers and a grooming brush (for the dogs — I’ll assume you already were bringing your own!). If you or your dogs take prescription meds, take along a fresh prescription with you in case you run out or medicine gets lost or contaminated during your trip.
GPS: They’re fine for finding out how to
I’m not real sure, but maybe taking a class will help?
Two large dogs inside an S.U.V.? I strongly suggest a very small trailer to carry all the gear in. You can get a 4X6 or a 4X8 flat trailer from Lowe’s or Home Depot or Harbor freight tools for next to nothing.
Take a weekend trip to a couple of campgrounds in your area and just drive around the grounds, take a look at what is commonly used.
Plan your route way ahead of time. The campgrounds that you will be staying at most likely have a website you can get reservations for. I suggest you start reservations as early as possible to get the best sites (ones within close proximity of sanitary buildings like showers and toilets) Look for campgrounds that have some sort of internet access (many now do) so you can laptop search local tourist attractions and food sources. Before you depart the house, locate an emergency veterinarian near all the places you wish to stay as an encounter with a wild animal is very possible and you don’t want to play around with hunting down one of those people while your dog has snake venom coursing through the veins.
Biggest and most important G.P.S. device. PLEASE
http://www.koa.com/
http://www.koa.com/where/ks/16103/
http://www.koa.com/petpolicy/
KOA campgrounds are great. They are pet friendly and budget friendly. Most of them even have camping cabins in case you are too tired to be bothered with a tent some nights. If your driving route takes you to Goodland, Kansas on I-70, I recommend the KOA campground there. They have a large pet exercise area.
http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/family+camping+checklist.html
This link has a good packing list. *Note: This list is intentionally extensive. Not every family will bring every item on every trip.
http://www.campmor.com/eureka-timberline-4-tent.shtml?source=CI&srccode=cii_65264419&cpncode=17-53261052-2
Eureka Timberline 4 Tent
$179.90
The Eureka Timberline Tents are possibly the worlds most popular tent with millions being sold over the years. The Timberline 4 sleeps up to 4 people and provides a sturdy and stable shelter. This is a freestanding, scout tested shelter that is easy to set up and has a durable, stable shockcorded aluminum frame. Hooded windows in the rear and 1 in the door provide excellent venting even in rain while the breathable nylon canopy helps minimize condensation. The fully sealed non stretch polyester fly and the fully sealed nylon bathtub floor combine to keep the worst weather at bay.
Some campgrounds in National Parks do not allow you to leave food and water out for your dogs because of the wild life. So, I carry my dog’s food and water in "Rubber Maid" bowls with lids and offer them to her regularly. Also, most parks require a 6′ leash for your dogs. And, your dogs can not be left unattended in many parks.
*I hope the added links are helpful.
That sounds like a great deal of fun, can I come along? hahhah! Best advice I can give you is don’t plan too far ahead, and don’t worry about your schedule if you don’t have to. Drive the speed limit, stop often so the dogs can play, and enjoy the drive. Personally, I would do the state and national parks. They are everywhere meaning you can adjust your trip as needed, and they are dog friendly, and cheap. They are about 15 dollars a night.
You will want certain papers with you. Vaccine and health records for your dogs (and proper tags on them) as well as maintenance documents for your vehicle (and a fresh tune and tires before you go, and maybe get some AAA coverage) as well as a physical for you, your insurance info. Get caught up on your dental work, your vaccinations, and if you need new glasses or contacts take care of that.
It will help you somewhat if you have been doing business with a chain auto care place, like your vehicle’s dealer, or Wal-Mart, or Sears, or Jiffy Lube or whatever. They have databases that allow your info to travel with you so that whoever is working on your car from the road has a good history to start with.
One thing I would really make sure about your dogs is that they are obedience trained and not easily distracted away from your commands. You will need to be able to control them in new situations, around new people. Also if they are too energetic to travel in a crate most of the day, or if they get carsick, you probably are doing the animal a disservice by taking them on this trip.
The others are right, this isn’t a great deal of room but if you keep it basic you should be fine. Kind of depends on the cargo space of your SUV, too. If you have flipdown seats, etc. that is cool. Your space will largely be defined by your dogs’ crates and your cooler. Everything else can be tucked in around. You also might need a ramp for your dogs. My friend has rottweilers and they can’t jump in and out of the truck because they are too big, too old, have hip problems. I don’t know if that is your situation. So I would start with your very most basic gear, and see how things fit. It might be that you need to boost the space with a cargo topper for your SUV like this:
http://site.backcountryracks.com/Rack_Installs/GMC_Denali_with_Atlantis_1800_cargo_carrier.JPG
or something like this to hang off the back:
http://www.letsgoaero.com/upload/GS34_Luggage_Carrier_SUV_Mesa1.jpg
You can save space by condensing your inventories. One of my fav products in the world is Dr Bronner’s Magic Soap, for a whole host of reasons. http://sweetfuzz.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/cat_top_liqsoap.jpg
It is super concentrated, biodegradable, light natural scents, and you can use it for your body, your hair, your dogs, your camp cleaning jobs, your laundry, and your vehicle. Buy a 32 oz bottle at a time. It will take up little space will last you at least a month. You can also save space by shopping for small amounts of food every couple days instead of making a great haul. Plan your menus carefully so you know what you need, keeping in mind what you already have…this will get you in and out of the store fast so your dogs aren’t alone for very long. You can also save space by taking fewer clothes. Just enough for a little interest, and to get you through all the weather. A few each of socks, underwear, tee shirts, shorts or travel pants, a long sleeved shirt, a rain jacket, and a fleece. Sneakers, hiking boots, sandals, swim trunks. Then do your laundry every week or so.
You will need to plan for your bill paying and you will need to stop the mail. If you are semi nomadic anyway consider moving out of your home and putting your stuff in storage. It will save you rent and utilities. Of course this is a lot to deal with when you come back, and may not be necessary at all. If you do think it is a good move, though, you could always line that stuff up before you go, have a new place waiting for you, have everything ready to set in motion upon your return.
Edit: with regard to tents…there are some that are more user friendly than others to be sure, I am not a tent expert to tell you. But what I will say is that you want those fiddly tie downs. That is what will help you adjust for things like rain dripping away from you instead of pooling overhead, or collecting and running underneath you. hahha! I would also say that if your animals are super well behaved, you might be able to crate them by your side at night, and use a tarp and a hammock as your shelter. It is a beautiful night’s sleep, easy setup, and more compact to carry. Try a Hennessey hammock.
http://traipseabout.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/hennessy-hammock-interior.jpg
You might need a little help to shelter your dogs if it rains, but you can rig that up with a cheapo plastic tarp, or a backpacker’s poncho (they are longer)
Maybe you can consider of this tent
Sportz SUV Tent with Screen Room
http://snipurl.com/suv_tent