Here’s What You Need When Camping with Dogs – Free Printable Checklist

Going camping with dogs is even more fun than going camping on your own, but now you have to remember to bring even more along. Whether you’re camping in a tent or a RV, here’s a great printable checklist to make sure you remember everything you need when going camping with your dog.

This post is in partnership with NOW®. All opinions are my own. 

This post may contain affiliate links. By purchasing through these links, I may make a commission. Thank you for your support.

While I’ve shared lots of photos of our newest family member on instagram, I don’t think I’ve introduced Collie, our Aussiedoodle [Australian Shepherd and Poodle], to the blog yet.

Collie, so far, has been the best thing to come out of the pandemic and shutdown for our family. I decided if we were ever going to get a dog, now was the best time while everyone was home and could help with training and developing a relationship. He came home with us on April 3rd and our lives definitely changed!

While I knew raising a puppy would be a lot of work, I don’t think I realized just HOW MUCH work he really would be. Now that’s he’s been with us for 3 months, things are a bit easier and he fits into our family perfectly.

One reason we wanted an active dog, like Collie, was to take him camping with us. We love to camp in our small travel trailer in the summer and really wanted to add a pet to the family that could come along and enjoy the outdoors with us.

But when we started preparing for our first camping trip with a dog, I admit, I was totally overwhelmed. I didn’t know how Collie was going to react to camping, being away from home, in a totally different environment. Spoiler alert – he loved it! And we did too and we’ll definitely be going on more camping trips this summer.

I made up a checklist for myself for taking our dog camping and I thought it would be a great idea to share that list in a free printable in case any of you decide to camp with your dogs.

Before I share the checklist, I want to be sure and share a few tips that I learned both before we went camping and after, to help your experience go as smooth as possible.

Practice before you go. We camped out in our camper in our backyard a couple of nights before we actually went camping to get Collie used to something different. We also brought along his portable crate for sleeping, since he still sleeps in a crate at home.

Check the campground rules. The campground we visited allowed pets, but had specific rules about leash length, crates or fences outside, and even some breed restrictions. I also had to take a copy of Collie’s shot records to show he was up to date on vaccines.

Identification. Be sure to have an ID tag on your dog if they are not microchipped. [This is the one we have for Collie!] While he was great and never pulled an escape trick on us, we saw a couple other dogs who did want to visit other campsites and families.

Flea and Tick Preventative. Be sure your dog is either on some sort of flea and tick preventative, as you’ll be spending lots of time outdoors. I have been loving this Flea & Tick Spray from NOW® Pets. It contains no Deet, Synthetic Pesticides or Pyrethrins. It also contains no artificial colors or fragrances.

Speaking of NOW Pets, I have also been giving Collie the Urinary Support supplement and it’s one of the only supplement or medicines that I’ve ever given him that he takes willingly! I love that I don’t have to hide it in a treat.

If your dog gets motion sickness when riding in a car, NOW Pets has a Pet Relaxant supplement as well. This can be a lifesaver when going camping with dogs as most of the time the car ride to go camping is long.

Supportive Leash w/ Bag Holder. This was a must for us, as even at 4 months, Collie is already very strong. I purchased this leash on Amazon that came with potty bags, a holder, and collapsible water dish.

Those are some of the items that you might overlook or forget, but, of course, there is more stuff to bring when camping with dogs. Be sure to go over this checklist when packing your camper so you don’t forget anything for your furry best friend!