With international travel out of the question for Australians at the moment and school holidays not too far away, you might be considering taking your family on a camping trip in your local area.
The advantages of this type of holiday are that your four-legged friend can join in the fun as well. However, before you head out into the wilderness you may like to have a look at what the experts recommend in preparing your dog for a safe and happy trip away.
Obviously, you want your dog to be able to explore and enjoy the surroundings just as much as the rest of the family.
Many campers will tell you that there have been instances where their dogs have wandered off just a bit too far with some getting completely lost.
As you can imagine this would totally ruin your holiday but you can minimize the risk by firstly making sure that your dog is microchipped.
More importantly, invest in a good ID Tag with your up-to-date contact details as well as your dog’s name.
Ensure that you take preventative action by applying a flea and tick treatment before you head off. We know only too well the devastation that a tick could cause, not to mention the expense of veterinary treatment.
If your dog has never been camping before, now is the time to get them used to the sights and sounds of the bush.
Maybe take them on a bit of a hike so that they can go exploring and get used to the natural surroundings. It is also a good time to teach your dog simple commands such as “Stay”, “Come” and “Leave”.
Contact the campsite where you intend to stay just to be sure that they are pet friendly as there would be nothing worse than arriving late at night to find that your dog isn’t welcome.
Below is a list of items that you will require whilst away:
1. Food and water bowls
2. A lead (extendable if possible)
3. A blanket or bed
4. Food (dried might be more convenient)
5. Their favorite treats
6. Poop bags
7. First aid kit
Hopefully, by following the above tips everything should run smoothly and all that is left is to go and create those happy memories with your favorite pooch!