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So my Sprocker Spaniel is about a year old now. Fully fledged part of the family and joining in most of what we do, just started coming Mountain Biking with me, has done a few big days walking in Snowdonia etc & has been camping with me and the mrs a few of times.
However, whenever we're camping it's always two of us and she gets in the middle of the duvet etc (creature comforts I know haha).
What I'm worried about is starting to take her on multi-day walks on my own. I will be fine in my nice down bag and liner. But how do people find they are sleeping on a blanket etc?
I understand their tolerance to cold weather is much greater than ours, but I wouldn't want to neglect her assuming she'll be fine, and she's freezing?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated, or any products people find has worked for them etc.
(Or maybe I'm just molly-codling her, which is likely haha)
However, whenever we're camping it's always two of us and she gets in the middle of the duvet etc (creature comforts I know haha).
What I'm worried about is starting to take her on multi-day walks on my own. I will be fine in my nice down bag and liner. But how do people find they are sleeping on a blanket etc?
I understand their tolerance to cold weather is much greater than ours, but I wouldn't want to neglect her assuming she'll be fine, and she's freezing?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated, or any products people find has worked for them etc.
(Or maybe I'm just molly-codling her, which is likely haha)
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In reply to martinturner:
Mine is still a young dog too. We have spent a few nights camping and one a couple in a bothy with him. I found he got restless sometimes and when I stroked him he felt cold to touch. I put a jacket over him and he settled down and slept again. I was in a big tent with him, so it would be colder than the wee mountain tent.
I guess you just need to play it by ear.
I take a fleecy bit of mat (small and light) for him to lie on and then I figure that I have enough spare layers etc to improvise
Mine is still a young dog too. We have spent a few nights camping and one a couple in a bothy with him. I found he got restless sometimes and when I stroked him he felt cold to touch. I put a jacket over him and he settled down and slept again. I was in a big tent with him, so it would be colder than the wee mountain tent.
I guess you just need to play it by ear.
I take a fleecy bit of mat (small and light) for him to lie on and then I figure that I have enough spare layers etc to improvise
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In reply to martinturner: my retriever runs very warm and mostly chooses to sleep away from me on the ground, however if it's particularly cold he will curl up against us. I think spaniels are another heavy coated dog so will almost certainly be fine in the cold. I'd be more careful with something like a lurcher
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In reply to toad:
You'd we well advised to. A chilly night will find you cold, wet, pressed up against the flysheet and faced with this:
https://www.instagram.com/p/g4sR7dwfqt/
A kids sleeping bag from go outdoors or other cheap retailer does the job.
> I'd be more careful with something like a lurcher
You'd we well advised to. A chilly night will find you cold, wet, pressed up against the flysheet and faced with this:
https://www.instagram.com/p/g4sR7dwfqt/
A kids sleeping bag from go outdoors or other cheap retailer does the job.
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In reply to martinturner:
Our Staffie Cross rescue is a great hill companion, managing seven hours out, but is not so well equipped with insulation. Family camping he seems happy with fleece bed and blanket. First time on the hill camping I thought a microfibre towel (keeping it light) would be good enough but was awoken at half past one in the morning by his shivering so invited him into my bag. It was a little disconcerting as he settled down between my thighs (only having had him for a few months at that stage) and then began to lick the base of my buttocks.
So it now works that out on the hill he can share my bag but it's a bit of a squeeze and due to disturbed sleep wouldn't recommend this for any more than a couple of nights unless you buy a deliberately oversized bag
Our Staffie Cross rescue is a great hill companion, managing seven hours out, but is not so well equipped with insulation. Family camping he seems happy with fleece bed and blanket. First time on the hill camping I thought a microfibre towel (keeping it light) would be good enough but was awoken at half past one in the morning by his shivering so invited him into my bag. It was a little disconcerting as he settled down between my thighs (only having had him for a few months at that stage) and then began to lick the base of my buttocks.
So it now works that out on the hill he can share my bag but it's a bit of a squeeze and due to disturbed sleep wouldn't recommend this for any more than a couple of nights unless you buy a deliberately oversized bag
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In reply to martinturner:
Our new bouncy 6 month old springer has only done summer so far, obviously! However our old Maxie springer regularly wild camped with me right through the winters from an early age.
Mat is important so is a towel so they come in as dry and sheep poo free as possible. After that the secret weapon was an old fleece of mine. Put over dog's head with his front legs down the sleeves. Roll up sleeves to suit. He was always snug and warm in that!!
Our new bouncy 6 month old springer has only done summer so far, obviously! However our old Maxie springer regularly wild camped with me right through the winters from an early age.
Mat is important so is a towel so they come in as dry and sheep poo free as possible. After that the secret weapon was an old fleece of mine. Put over dog's head with his front legs down the sleeves. Roll up sleeves to suit. He was always snug and warm in that!!
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Cheers for all the suggestions!
I like the idea of an old sleeping bag, thinking I can maybe modify it to be Lily sized, and snuggly? Will take up hardly any room whatsoever.
Alternatively, coats and layers are another good idea.
I'm glad it's not just me worrying for no reason haha
I like the idea of an old sleeping bag, thinking I can maybe modify it to be Lily sized, and snuggly? Will take up hardly any room whatsoever.
Alternatively, coats and layers are another good idea.
I'm glad it's not just me worrying for no reason haha
In reply to martinturner:
I take my two English pointers out with me wild camping in pretty much all seasons.
Pointers will go for hours, but when they stop, the do tend to get pretty cold so have to take something for them to sleep in/on.
Now for one night trips, where space isn't so much a premium in my sack, then I tend to carry this for them, however on longer multi day trips, where the need to carry food and bedding for them adds to much weight and bulk, then I make them carry it themselves!
They both have there own harness bags, panniers for dogs if you will, that they carry there own food, water and bedding and a small dog based first aid kit.
For the bedding one dog carries the base part of the sleeping system, and the other dog carries the top part.
Both parts I made myself. The base is a piece of silver foil insulation inside a pocket of waterproof fabric that I bought online. I sewed it in a pocket so that the outer can be taken off and washed separate from the insulation. I attached a couple of eyelets on the corners so I can peg this down.
The upper I made using the same method, except substituting the silver foil insulation for a piece of cut up down, 3 tog duvet. (This looked like I had murdered a flock of geese in my living room when in did this) again making a poctet out of waterproof material. It has the same eyelets on the corners, but also some elastic strips to run underneath the base of the matt to allow movement underneath.
Neither dogs were bothered by having to wear the bag harnesses, and only a couple of times have I had to free them up from a barbed wire fense after having got tangled up!
Edit: I use a tarp tent, not an actual tent if this makes any difference.
I take my two English pointers out with me wild camping in pretty much all seasons.
Pointers will go for hours, but when they stop, the do tend to get pretty cold so have to take something for them to sleep in/on.
Now for one night trips, where space isn't so much a premium in my sack, then I tend to carry this for them, however on longer multi day trips, where the need to carry food and bedding for them adds to much weight and bulk, then I make them carry it themselves!
They both have there own harness bags, panniers for dogs if you will, that they carry there own food, water and bedding and a small dog based first aid kit.
For the bedding one dog carries the base part of the sleeping system, and the other dog carries the top part.
Both parts I made myself. The base is a piece of silver foil insulation inside a pocket of waterproof fabric that I bought online. I sewed it in a pocket so that the outer can be taken off and washed separate from the insulation. I attached a couple of eyelets on the corners so I can peg this down.
The upper I made using the same method, except substituting the silver foil insulation for a piece of cut up down, 3 tog duvet. (This looked like I had murdered a flock of geese in my living room when in did this) again making a poctet out of waterproof material. It has the same eyelets on the corners, but also some elastic strips to run underneath the base of the matt to allow movement underneath.
Neither dogs were bothered by having to wear the bag harnesses, and only a couple of times have I had to free them up from a barbed wire fense after having got tangled up!
Edit: I use a tarp tent, not an actual tent if this makes any difference.
Post edited at 13:11
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In reply to Bitsofdeadtree:
I did wonder how you pegged the mat out without damaging the groundsheet! Sounds a really neat system.
> Edit: I use a tarp tent, not an actual tent if this makes any difference.
I did wonder how you pegged the mat out without damaging the groundsheet! Sounds a really neat system.
In reply to martinturner:
We took our 1 year old cocker puppy wild camping for the first time last week. As people have said a towel is key to get the worst off before they get in the tent. We took her an old belay jacket and a piece of cut up roll mat for her, however she seemed quite happy to snuggle in just behind my knees on my mat.
We took our 1 year old cocker puppy wild camping for the first time last week. As people have said a towel is key to get the worst off before they get in the tent. We took her an old belay jacket and a piece of cut up roll mat for her, however she seemed quite happy to snuggle in just behind my knees on my mat.
In reply to martinturner:
Our dog (a pointer) likes to sleep under things so we've got her a Ruffwear sleeping bag for camping trips - she used to have an old rectangular one that our neighbours gave us, but it doesn't pack down so is totally impractical for wild camping. She loves her Ruffwear bag! It also stops her getting into our sleeping bags.
Edited to add that I've just checked the price and ay caramba they're not cheap (my husband bought it) so if you can make one from an old sleeping bag as an experiment, do that first!
Our dog (a pointer) likes to sleep under things so we've got her a Ruffwear sleeping bag for camping trips - she used to have an old rectangular one that our neighbours gave us, but it doesn't pack down so is totally impractical for wild camping. She loves her Ruffwear bag! It also stops her getting into our sleeping bags.
Edited to add that I've just checked the price and ay caramba they're not cheap (my husband bought it) so if you can make one from an old sleeping bag as an experiment, do that first!
Post edited at 19:07
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In reply to martinturner:
You need an old galvanised water tank and a length of rusty chain.
Seems to work fine for the working dogs on many North Wales farms.
You need an old galvanised water tank and a length of rusty chain.
Seems to work fine for the working dogs on many North Wales farms.
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In reply to martinturner:
The "Alcott Explorer Sleeping Bag's" available on Amazon are very good value at a third of the cost of the "Ruffwear" bags and as our retriever likes to rip one apart each trip the savings add up.
The "Alcott Explorer Sleeping Bag's" available on Amazon are very good value at a third of the cost of the "Ruffwear" bags and as our retriever likes to rip one apart each trip the savings add up.
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In reply to Ridge:
LOL, a very familiar sight. When it's really cold at home in the middle of the night he'll attempt a sort of ineffective forward roll that's basically 6st of flailing legs and cold farty dog to get in head first under the duvet between me an my partner.
I just throw a blanket/coat over him on when it's cold then he's happy, that or put him in his fleecy jumper. A kids sleeping bag would be a good lightweight alternative.
jk
> You'd we well advised to. A chilly night will find you cold, wet, pressed up against the flysheet and faced with this:
> https://www.instagram.com/p/g4sR7dwfqt/
> A kids sleeping bag from go outdoors or other cheap retailer does the job.
> https://www.instagram.com/p/g4sR7dwfqt/
> A kids sleeping bag from go outdoors or other cheap retailer does the job.
LOL, a very familiar sight. When it's really cold at home in the middle of the night he'll attempt a sort of ineffective forward roll that's basically 6st of flailing legs and cold farty dog to get in head first under the duvet between me an my partner.
I just throw a blanket/coat over him on when it's cold then he's happy, that or put him in his fleecy jumper. A kids sleeping bag would be a good lightweight alternative.
jk
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In reply to martinturner:
I'm probably a total sap but I used to have an older terrier and I bought a cheap sleeping bag, cut the bottom off, roughly sewed up the bottom to leave a mini sleeping bag. He loved it, Its probably totally unnecessary but I felt less mean and it looked pretty funny!
I'm probably a total sap but I used to have an older terrier and I bought a cheap sleeping bag, cut the bottom off, roughly sewed up the bottom to leave a mini sleeping bag. He loved it, Its probably totally unnecessary but I felt less mean and it looked pretty funny!
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In reply to kellyb (velvet.mustard):
This is exactly what I'm thinking of doing, but whizzing it over to the grandmothers for a completely over engineered elasticated seam sown into it Haha.
I've seen the Alcott bags, however people say they don't fold down very well?
Again thanks for all the solutions
This is exactly what I'm thinking of doing, but whizzing it over to the grandmothers for a completely over engineered elasticated seam sown into it Haha.
I've seen the Alcott bags, however people say they don't fold down very well?
Again thanks for all the solutions
In reply to martinturner:
Scratch the above...
Was trawling eBay before, and found Vango do/used to do, a very small child's sleeping bag. Called the Vango Nitestar Mini.
Seems perfect at around 80cm long, and won a second hand one for £13 posted! Hopefully that'll be alright for the pampered pooch haha
Scratch the above...
Was trawling eBay before, and found Vango do/used to do, a very small child's sleeping bag. Called the Vango Nitestar Mini.
Seems perfect at around 80cm long, and won a second hand one for £13 posted! Hopefully that'll be alright for the pampered pooch haha
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In reply to martinturner:
I've got a couple of these for my dog
https://www.equafleece.co.uk/dogs/fleece/dog-jumper
They last for years and are really comfy for the dog to wear as there are no fastenings. They're surprisingly water resistant too.
I've got a couple of these for my dog
https://www.equafleece.co.uk/dogs/fleece/dog-jumper
They last for years and are really comfy for the dog to wear as there are no fastenings. They're surprisingly water resistant too.
In reply to martinturner:
I've wild camped with my Border Terrier in the lakes on many occasions.
Consider an Equafleece jacket and or Hurta for weather protection and carry an old fleece for evening in the tent though Banjo still crawls into my bag in the night so I keep the footbox open.
Look after the pads, boots just don't work for my dog and after 4 days on rough moors and man made paths his pads are raw so I use mushers wax. He's a loyal dog and doesn't stray far from me so if I'm walking on a rough path so is he
Consider the lengths of activity though, 12 months is still growing multi days might be too much for a young dog no matter how willing they are. Dogs are still an close enough to wild that they won't want to show they are hurt as this is a pack weakness and they love you enough to go through brick walls. It's all about the long term at 12 months I only did 1-2 days with Banjo on moderately shorter days.
I've wild camped with my Border Terrier in the lakes on many occasions.
Consider an Equafleece jacket and or Hurta for weather protection and carry an old fleece for evening in the tent though Banjo still crawls into my bag in the night so I keep the footbox open.
Look after the pads, boots just don't work for my dog and after 4 days on rough moors and man made paths his pads are raw so I use mushers wax. He's a loyal dog and doesn't stray far from me so if I'm walking on a rough path so is he
Consider the lengths of activity though, 12 months is still growing multi days might be too much for a young dog no matter how willing they are. Dogs are still an close enough to wild that they won't want to show they are hurt as this is a pack weakness and they love you enough to go through brick walls. It's all about the long term at 12 months I only did 1-2 days with Banjo on moderately shorter days.
In reply to martinturner:
It's not a big dilemma. A winter coat serves better and is more versatile than any bag idea. I use a Hurtta coat with my dog, combined with a foam mat. Obviously the coat can also be used when walking when it's really cold too. Been solo camping with dogs for years and this combination works well.
It's not a big dilemma. A winter coat serves better and is more versatile than any bag idea. I use a Hurtta coat with my dog, combined with a foam mat. Obviously the coat can also be used when walking when it's really cold too. Been solo camping with dogs for years and this combination works well.
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In reply to martinturner:
Stayed in a slightly over warm hotel room last night. Went to the loo in the night, fell over and found the dog had plugged himself into the biggest heat sink he could find and was sprawled on the tiled floor of the en suite in the dark.
Stayed in a slightly over warm hotel room last night. Went to the loo in the night, fell over and found the dog had plugged himself into the biggest heat sink he could find and was sprawled on the tiled floor of the en suite in the dark.
In reply to martinturner:
Word of advice. Don't mistake shivers due to illness for shivers due to cold. I made that mistake on a mid winter wild camp, cuddled up with the dog, and he promptly threw up all over my bag.
After doing what I could to clean a up, a very smelly night with no sleep ensued!
Word of advice. Don't mistake shivers due to illness for shivers due to cold. I made that mistake on a mid winter wild camp, cuddled up with the dog, and he promptly threw up all over my bag.
After doing what I could to clean a up, a very smelly night with no sleep ensued!
In reply to martinturner:
Only issue I've had with camping with our Brodie (German Short Haired Pointer) is that recently he's taken to letting himself out the bell end in the morning by squeezing under the door. Not ideal in a communal place. Haven't yet worked out a good way to stop this happening. Not keen on him being in with us in the sleeping compartment as there's 2 kids under age 4 for him to squish.
Only issue I've had with camping with our Brodie (German Short Haired Pointer) is that recently he's taken to letting himself out the bell end in the morning by squeezing under the door. Not ideal in a communal place. Haven't yet worked out a good way to stop this happening. Not keen on him being in with us in the sleeping compartment as there's 2 kids under age 4 for him to squish.
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In reply to Wee Davie:
We have a metal stake that screws into the ground which we can attach his lead to so you can do it short enough to stop him squeezing under the door
We have a metal stake that screws into the ground which we can attach his lead to so you can do it short enough to stop him squeezing under the door
In reply to martinturner:
Loving the number of pointers on the UKC website.
We have a wirehaired pointer and she loves camping with us.
She sleeps curled up on a bit of vet bed normally. If its cold she gets her jacket put on and if its really cold a somthing over the top of her as well. I think if she was cold would just cuddle in a bit closer.
Interesting to hear what other pointer owners do with harness/bags. We have found the ruffwear ones don't fit her shape very well...slim with deep chest. We have a SAR harness which is great as its really adjustable but haven't found a bag that fits well enough for her to carry stuff in yet.
Loving the number of pointers on the UKC website.
We have a wirehaired pointer and she loves camping with us.
She sleeps curled up on a bit of vet bed normally. If its cold she gets her jacket put on and if its really cold a somthing over the top of her as well. I think if she was cold would just cuddle in a bit closer.
Interesting to hear what other pointer owners do with harness/bags. We have found the ruffwear ones don't fit her shape very well...slim with deep chest. We have a SAR harness which is great as its really adjustable but haven't found a bag that fits well enough for her to carry stuff in yet.
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In reply to girlymonkey:
We've got one of those things too but I was concerned he might strangle himself with it as he gets tangled up in the cable all the time during the day if he's tethered...
We've got one of those things too but I was concerned he might strangle himself with it as he gets tangled up in the cable all the time during the day if he's tethered...
In reply to Wee Davie:
Do you use a collar or harness for him? We have ours on a harness with a back attachment which I think helps not to get tangled.
Do you use a collar or harness for him? We have ours on a harness with a back attachment which I think helps not to get tangled.
In reply to Nbrain:
Lotta's a bit of a princess and was horrified when we tried a Ruffwear backpack on her. It seemed to fit fine, but as for the thought of actually having to carry her own stuff...
Lotta's a bit of a princess and was horrified when we tried a Ruffwear backpack on her. It seemed to fit fine, but as for the thought of actually having to carry her own stuff...
In reply to Wee Davie:
Lotta's on a corkscrew thing with a length of rope attached on campsites - seems to work fine without too much tangling. At night she's zipped into our compartment if we're in the big tent with the kids (they're old enough to sleep in their own spaces!), which is fine until you want to get up in the night to answer a call of nature, as she either thinks it's time to go and stare at the moon, or time to dive into your sleeping bag. Hence us getting her one of her own...
Lotta's on a corkscrew thing with a length of rope attached on campsites - seems to work fine without too much tangling. At night she's zipped into our compartment if we're in the big tent with the kids (they're old enough to sleep in their own spaces!), which is fine until you want to get up in the night to answer a call of nature, as she either thinks it's time to go and stare at the moon, or time to dive into your sleeping bag. Hence us getting her one of her own...
In reply to martinturner:
We tried Lily on a screw with her harness and she hates it, gets tangled all the time. She's mildly better on her collar, as it can spin around as she does laps of the screw.
Tethering is an annoying blanket rule on campsites, as she would happily pootle around our tent and area, without wandering off. But I do understand why it's nessesary.
We tried Lily on a screw with her harness and she hates it, gets tangled all the time. She's mildly better on her collar, as it can spin around as she does laps of the screw.
Tethering is an annoying blanket rule on campsites, as she would happily pootle around our tent and area, without wandering off. But I do understand why it's nessesary.
In reply to martinturner:
My cocker (1yr old bitch) feels the cold as she's quite small and has a thin coat. She's spent the last week sleeping in the awning of our caravan in Pembrokeshire in what were some chilly nights and had her bed & 2 blankets in her cage, and seemed fine but was still glad to come inside in the morning. She's got an Equafleece for drying off after wet weather and I think I'll use it when she starts to come wild camping with me.
The collie, however, is bombproof and doesn't notice seem to notice the weather. She's been out with me in the Lakes when it's dropped unexpectedly to -12 and was fine sleeping on top of my fleece.
My cocker (1yr old bitch) feels the cold as she's quite small and has a thin coat. She's spent the last week sleeping in the awning of our caravan in Pembrokeshire in what were some chilly nights and had her bed & 2 blankets in her cage, and seemed fine but was still glad to come inside in the morning. She's got an Equafleece for drying off after wet weather and I think I'll use it when she starts to come wild camping with me.
The collie, however, is bombproof and doesn't notice seem to notice the weather. She's been out with me in the Lakes when it's dropped unexpectedly to -12 and was fine sleeping on top of my fleece.
In reply to Tall Clare:
Yeah that diving into sleeping bags is a reason the Brodester has to be out in the bell end. He seems to think camping is some form of competitive sport, like musical chairs but in sleeping bag form. With him being 33kg and the wee man being 10 months I wasn't fancying finding out what might happen. Last time we went I stuck him in the boot of the car overnight as it seemed a good secure solution to the wandering off problem. Next time I might well try the harness idea and the cork screw ground anchor.
Yeah that diving into sleeping bags is a reason the Brodester has to be out in the bell end. He seems to think camping is some form of competitive sport, like musical chairs but in sleeping bag form. With him being 33kg and the wee man being 10 months I wasn't fancying finding out what might happen. Last time we went I stuck him in the boot of the car overnight as it seemed a good secure solution to the wandering off problem. Next time I might well try the harness idea and the cork screw ground anchor.
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In reply to martinturner:
I have a 70 Kgs St Bernard/Mastin Cross.... bred mainly to protect sheep/lambs in the Pyrenees from Eagles and wolves..He likes to sleep in the Tent with the flap open regardless of temperature.... snow.. rain ...etc..True to his breed calling.... he slobbers, snores and farts a lot...We can only stay out for 3 nights Why, you might ask?...Simply put, my rucksack is not large enough to cope with his humongous appetite. At night he grabs his share of the sleeping mat and uses my RAB winter winter fleece as a blanket... In return for all this what does he do? Well when the going gets difficult on those steep alpine slopes he keeps on pulling me up and if I stop he gets behind me and bites my ass..'gently'..Oh.... incidentally he was/is a 'Rescue Dog' and was on the the equivalent of doggie death row. At home on those bitter winter nights he barks at me when its time to put another log on the fire...Having said all that he is truly 'A Best Friend'
I have a 70 Kgs St Bernard/Mastin Cross.... bred mainly to protect sheep/lambs in the Pyrenees from Eagles and wolves..He likes to sleep in the Tent with the flap open regardless of temperature.... snow.. rain ...etc..True to his breed calling.... he slobbers, snores and farts a lot...We can only stay out for 3 nights Why, you might ask?...Simply put, my rucksack is not large enough to cope with his humongous appetite. At night he grabs his share of the sleeping mat and uses my RAB winter winter fleece as a blanket... In return for all this what does he do? Well when the going gets difficult on those steep alpine slopes he keeps on pulling me up and if I stop he gets behind me and bites my ass..'gently'..Oh.... incidentally he was/is a 'Rescue Dog' and was on the the equivalent of doggie death row. At home on those bitter winter nights he barks at me when its time to put another log on the fire...Having said all that he is truly 'A Best Friend'
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