Getting your dog to stay in one place has always been hard indoors. It is even harder when it comes to outdoor maintenance. If you are planning a family outing, you may wonder what should be done to keep our furry companion completely safe.
To figure out the finest answer for this case, every single factor should be taken into account. Among them, dog crating has long been considered as one of the best methods to keep your puppy safe.
This article will look into the whys and why not dog crating.
Reason Why We Should Crate Our Dogs While Camping
Campsite Regulations
Most campsites often have strict regulations related to dogs. They might not allow dogs to be unattended. Therefore, it is a wise choice to always bring a crate along in case the campsite requires you to keep a close eye on your pup.
Keep Your Pup Safe While You Are Away
What if you have to go away for a while?
Having your dog temporarily locked up ensures that he stays safe during your brief outing. Since your dog might chew up things they shouldn’t be gnawing on (you are in the wilderness, after all) and even run away and get lost, raising some barriers between them and the outside world will set your mind in peace.
And even if you remain in your camping spot all day long, you cannot always keep an eye on your pet. A dog is genuinely active and loves to discover the surroundings and can easily bolt out of your supervision the moment you move your gaze away.
This may not sound like that big an issue when you are in your lovely home, amid the walls and locked door, and risks are as close as zero.
But out in the wilderness, it is a whole different story. What if your pup provokes a wild animal (like a skunk), or have so much fun chasing squirrels and butterflies that he ends up getting lost?
Damage Control
If you are planning to stay the night at the camping spot, let your dog sleep in a crate at night to avoid all the potential accidents.
Dogs dwell in a timescape a bit different from us. When we run out of juice and just want a nap, they can be up and wide awake and ready for some adventure.
And as dogs are typical troublemakers, locking them up at night will save you from the situation of waking up to them turning the entire tent into a mess.
Reason For Not Crating Dogs While Camping
Dog’s Personality
A dog with separation anxiety will probably have a very hard time behaving himself in a crate.
Be thoughtful about your dog’s personality, and plan your trip accordingly. If your dog happens to be a free-spirit little fellow and new places always spark the fire of adventure within him, set him free and let him play.
Just make sure that you always stay near him.
Your dog is well trained
If your dog has received camping training and has already been with you on trips like this before, he may already get used to camping space and environment.
Even when something unexpected comes to pass, he may somehow know certain ways to get back to you. There are no worries to just keep him in a crate on this precise occasion.
First-time Campers Need Close Attention
If your dog goes camping for the first of his life, keep him close at night to you to help calm any possible separation anxiety. Should there be any problems, he is within arms reach.
Alternatives
There is no crate within sight and yet the date of the trip is creeping near? No sweat! There are a great many crate alternatives that promise to keep your 4-legged pals in one spot without overwhelming them with discomfort.
Kennels
Outdoor dog kennels provide expansive spaces, which protect your best friend from several threats from the outside world while letting them comfortably relax.
Moreover, most products from this variety are made of robust metal so they are compact, sturdy, and portable and will perfectly serve the role of crate replacement on your fun trip.
Not all kennels can be taken outside though, so it would be better to look into this little dog motel a bit before making the final decision.
Playpens
Your little canine friend is no bigger than the size of your hands and never feels comfortable inside a crate?
If this is just a small dog we are talking about, whose four legs can hardly reach anything taller than them even if they jump, you can go a bit easy on them and use a playpen instead of a crate. With the view above unhindered, they might feel a bit more relaxed.
FAQs
Q: At what age should a dog stop sleeping in a crate?
Truth be told, there is not an official answer to this question yet. You can keep your dog in his crate as long as he is comfortable with it, puppy, and mature dog alike.
But if you are putting him behind the bar due to leaking issues overnight just because he is not old enough and his body simply cannot hold it in throughout 8 hours at least, the average time estimated would be until he reaches four months old.
But this does not apply to all dogs, and just to be safe, owners with experience in crate training often advise that you extend that period to a year or so.
Q: Can puppies and big dogs be kept in crate?
As mentioned earlier, dogs are fine with crate regardless of how old they are. So, if your buddies are a bit too playful to be left unattended, you can keep them in crate during your trip.
But once the dogs express distaste in being treated like prisoner, shorten the amount behind the bar down to 2-3 hours. Or only lock them up when you cannot be around them.
Q: Should I cover a dog’s crate with a blanket while camping?
Covering the crate with a blanket can bring about the feeling of safety and security to your dog.
However, be careful with it, you should not consider covering the crate while camping . Dogs usually consider crates as a happy and safe space so coating them may cause your pets to experience anxiety and confusion.
Q: How to choose the right dog crates?
Dog crates also come in different sizes, and it’s important to know the which one will suit your dogs the best
In general, you can base on the length and height of your dog to get the right size. The best size will let your dog stand up, not having to duck his head. Even, he can lie down and stretch to his full body length, not being cramped.
Read more:
- Dog Crate Anxiety
- How to Teach Your Dog to Love His Crate
Closing Thoughts
Keeping your dog in a crate while camping is possible but you had better be attentive and reasonable while doing so.
You can keep them for 30 minutes to one hour, that is okay, but not too long since puppies also need fresh air and some free time by themselves, running around and letting the wind rub their furry body. Dogs love that more than anything else, after all (save for you, of course!)
Leave a Reply