5 Things Pet Parents Should Expect When Camping with Dogs

Going camping with your dog can be a surreal experience. It allows you to connectwith nature and it enables your dog to indulge in many off-leash activities. Whetheryour idea of camping is renting a luxury RV for the entire family or hiking for miles with basic gears, deciding to bring along your four-legged friend requires a certain degree of preparation. Heading out impulsively may sound exciting but it can lead you and your dog to trouble. One of the best ways to prepare for a camping trip with your dog is to know what to expect. The only way to do that is by learning from the experiences of seasoned campers. Without further ado, following are 5 things experienced campers expect when camping with dogs.

Dogs Being Denied Entry at National Parks: Not knowing whether the national park authorities grant entry to pet animals is a rookie mistake. It has caused several families to cancel their trips and head back. Veteran campers usually have a list of pet-friendly campgrounds and parks they can visit with their dogs. If you are planning to go to a particular destination, it’s best to dig up some information and find out before heading off.  

No Available Campsite: Being stranded in the middle of nowhere with a dog is not an ideal scenario. This is why it always makes sense to book a campsite well in advance. Depending on the season and location, some camping areas fill up pretty quickly. Assuming you will always have space is a rookie mistake that can leave you high and dry. Also, when booking a campsite find out all the amenities it comes with. Now, because you are traveling with your dog you would appreciate a few basic features such as fire pits, toilet, and a grilling station.

Invasion of Ticks and Fleas: Fleas and ticks are a major threat when traveling with your dogs. These parasites are not only more common in the wild, but they also carry deadly diseases. For example, the Rocky Mountain wood tick can cause Colorado fever and are often found in woody areas. Under no circumstances would you want these parasites to come near your dog. The best defence is to use a high-quality flea collar and ensure your dog’s spot-on treatment is up to date.

Their Dog Getting Sick or Hurt: While no one likes to see their dog getting sick or hurt, the probabilities of that happening is pretty high when camping. Dogs often try to chase wild animals or get hurt while running around in an unfamiliar territory. There is no way to predict or prevent what’s going to happen. The only thing you can do is prepare a first aid kit to deal with possible eventualities. Human first aid kits are not suitable for dogs. Stock up on pets medical supplies for dogs and create a kit that’s appropriate for your pet.

Dogs Facing Trouble Sleeping at Night: Dogs often face trouble when sleeping in an area they are not accustomed to. The best way to make them feel secure is by creating a sleeping space for them inside the tent. Lying next to their favorite human should help calm the nerves and allow them to get undisturbed sleep.

What Comes First, Dog Or Baby?

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When you move in together or get married, there are so many things you want to do. You have plans for the house. You want to start thinking about raising a family. And you’ve always wanted a dog, just like your pet from home. But which do you do first? Should you go ahead and get a dog straight away? Or, should you wait first, until your family is established? There are no right or wrong answers here, and people will have different experiences. But there are several things you need to take into consideration before reaching a decision.

Getting A Dog First May Ease You In

If you don’t want to start a family straight away, you may decide to get a dog first. Dogs take a lot of care and attention. It will ease you into the concept of having another being in the house. Dogs need feeding several times a day. Though granted, babies need feeding more. They need regular exercise, and they need love. Depending on the breed of dog you choose, they also get through quite a lot of food. And it certainly adds to your household expenses.

There are also vet fees to add to the mix. Like humans, dogs get ill and need procedures and medication. A sudden and unexpected illness can add stress to your budget. It’s worth reading up on dog breeds and the type of conditions that are sometimes associated with them. For example, some dogs may struggle with lethargy and may be reluctant to exercise. Fortunately, there is medication such as Vivitonin for dogs to fix this. But would you be able to deal with a sick dog while nursing an infant?

On the other hand, getting a dog first would allow them time to fit in with your family. And it would allow you to get to know their personality and needs. It also allows you time to housetrain them.

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Choosing A Dog Together As A Family

Many children love pets. So some families prefer to put off getting a dog until their kids are old enough to appreciate them. They prefer to bring them in on the decision to get a pet and allow them to help choose. The advantage of this is that they can experience the dog from being a puppy and can learn how to take care of them.

Babies will take over your life and change it forever. Do you have time to take care of a dog when you have a newborn in the house? Can you provide it with the love and attention it needs?

Safety

One question that many people have is whether it’s safe to have a dog around a baby. Caution is always advisable. Many pets like being around young children. In the early stages, it may be easier to separate your dog from your child. However, this will become increasingly difficult as your baby begins crawling and walking.

It’s always a good idea to introduce your dog and baby gently and gradually. If your dog is already established in the home, he or she may feel jealous and fret at their arrival. You will need to give them lots of attention to help them feel at ease.

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Dogs should always be supervised around babies and young children. Always. Even if you feel you know them well, there should always be an adult present. You never really know how they are going to react, especially if the children are boisterous. Safety gates can help keep them apart when necessary.

Research has shown that having a pet around in the first years of a child’s life may increase their tolerance to allergens. Stats also show that children who grow up around pets are less likely to become ill.

There is no right or wrong answer as to whether you should introduce a dog first or a baby. This will depend on your family’s circumstances. But it’s worth having the facts so you can make an informed decision.

How To Stop Pets From Ruining Your Home

Animal lovers treat their pets like one of the family. They love them, look after them and they live as part of the household. They are an essential part of many people’s homes. But it’s always worth bearing in mind that as domesticated as our pets can be, they’re still animals at heart. That’s why their inbuilt habits may cause them to get a little, well, over excited at times and ruin your stuff. Sure, it can be easy to get annoyed and frustrated by this, but it’s all part of owning a pet. Or a pet owning you. Which way is it meant to be, and which way is it? You can never be sure. Sometimes our furry friends tend to take over the ruling of your roost without you even realising!

Photo by David Locke

All it takes is a bit of understanding, a little adapting. You can make your home a clean and comfortable environment for your animal to live in, with less chance that they will end up wrecking everything. To manage their behaviour, you need to know your pet well and understand their behaviour. There are ways that you can work with it to your advantage. It might just save all your belongings, too!

Hair shed and moulting animals are the enemies of every fabric and carpet in the land. There’s no surer way that your pet can make their presence felt everywhere, even when they are not around. The bane of many peoples lives, you may find you’re on best friend terms with a lint roller. They seem to get everywhere! If you don’t clean them up properly, then your home may soon start to smell. And that’s not a pleasant experience for anyone! The odour seems to stick to things, too. 

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If your pet keeps chewing things, it can be a real pain. But it’s simply their natural behaviour coming out. Cats and dogs especially like to have a good old chomp on all sorts of things, especially your furniture. These handy tips on how to prevent your cat from scratching your carpets is a useful read This could point towards a vitamin deficiency, but often it’s just because they really just do like to chew! There are deterrent sprays to help you stop your pet from chewing on your valued or even dangerous things. Small pets like house rabbits can chew through electric cables without giving it a thought. So it’s a good idea to try and deter that sort of behaviour! These sprays can cause allergic reactions in some pets, so they’re best avoided. The best option is to give them some sort of replacement chew that is pet appropriate. For ideas, try petsathome.com

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If  your pet keeps peeing everywhere, then you’ll want to nip that behaviour in the bud straight away. There is nothing worse than the overpowering smell of lingering urine. The first thing to check out is that it’s not pointing to any other health conditions, so it might be a good idea to get them checked out by your vet. Cats and dogs usually urinate to mark out their territory, and that can be prevalent if there’s been a new arrival to your home. A new baby or another animal are classic triggers.

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