To be honest, camping with my Westie Bestie, also known as Charles the Feminist, was not something I would have initiated on my own. The pup requires a fair amount of beauty rest to maintain his rugged good looks and he’s pretty terrible about sharing sleeping quarters. Also, being a rescue he can get a bit stressed in new environments and the last thing I would want is for him to spend a weekend away feeling panicked in his little puppy heart. But when my partner in crime Grace suggested that he tag-a-long, I couldn’t help but at least try it. I mean who wouldn’t want to hangout with this handsome devil nonstop for three days. I’m happy to report that my fears were [mostly] unfounded and our inaugural camping trip was quite the success. If Charles were on a hearts and minds campaign, there would be no competition. The pup excels at garnering maximum belly rubs from unsuspecting strangers.
I went into this whole dog-in-tent situation pretty blind. What more could he need than the basic necessities of water/food/bathroom bags? Should you find yourself in a similar situation, here’s what I learned from my first pup + camping adventure:
1) Provide a comfortable traveling experience.
Charles the Feminist has his own car seat when living it up with my parental units. Actually, he has two because who really wants to be switching those things out from one car to another. Now usually I would be an obnoxious child and mock my parents for having such a thing. Charles is a dog. Dogs can do just fine sitting on a seat with a towel, if need be. However after having the pleasure of driving more than 20 hours in 3 days with my canine companion, the seat was a necessity. Not only did it keep the pup contained but he seems to have quite the affinity for that apparatus. It allowed for prime window gazing, nose in the breeze-ing (when permitted), and he was always happy to get in the jeep. A win-win for all involved. As an aside: if your dog is on the larger side of life, a more comfortable traveling experience may entail a fluffy blanket and ample space to stretch out.
2) Plan size-appropriate activities or be prepared to carry your pup.
While in Acadia National Park, Grace and I decided to hike to Bubble Rock, which is described as a moderate trail that when all said and done is about 1.5 miles. Since we found the Bubbles to be fairly easy/we weren’t as tired as we were expecting given our back to back 4 am wake-ups, we decided to take on the Jordan Pond path which was described as an easy and level loop. We took what I am guessing is the Bubbles Divide trail but what was later referred to as the Avalanche by a local, which adequately sums up what I encountered with Charles – all the rocks. For us human folk, it was fun to scramble down various wannabe boulders. For the canine in the group with adorable stumps for legs, it proved to be a lessen in foot placement and I would guess that he was carried by yours truly for about half of the trail. Tacking on Jordan Pond Path brought our hike to about 5 miles so by the end of it Charles could no longer find the energy to keep his shortness moving. Fortunately, being 20 lbs means that he is easily schlepped but I would recommend avoiding my mishap and keeping in mind your dog’s stature and previous mileage when choosing your hike. Or be prepared to get in a nice arms workout. Grace is pushing for me to add one of these to the camping gear. I think I’ll plan on keeping our hikes puppy appropriate from here on out.
3) Prepare to have your sleeping space invaded.
As I mentioned, Charles is not the best at sharing a bed. He takes his sleep schedule quite seriously and makes known his displeasure at any mid-slumber toss and turns. Given the cool evening temperatures in Maine this time of year, Charley had no choice but to snuggle up and deal with my intermittent movements. Add to it that we had two people and a pup in a two person tent and things got very cozy indeed. In retrospect, I would have thrown a dog bed/blanket in the car. Mind you the pup had no trouble at all getting his shut eye in but I would have preferred a little less late night snuggles.
4) Embrace the camp dog stench.
During our island hopping adventures, I encouraged Charles to take advantage of the calm seas and go for a swim. Dogs should be dogs and run/swim/play to their hearts' content. (Except for rolling in dead things/animal feces. We will have none of that.) By the time we got back to the campground, it was evening but I still wanted to hose him down since he had spent some quality time in the sea. He was the epitome of a salty dog. Much to his disapproval, I tossed him in the shower for a quick rinse, hoping that there was still enough sunlight for him to dry off before the temperature dropped. Huge mistake. The cool evening temps necessitated me wrapping Charles in one of my sweatshirts and then letting him cozy up in my sleeping bag. Lest I remind you of point number 3, this was not the greatest of sleeping set-ups for me. Lesson learned and bath time will only be occurring at the height of summer heat or in the comfort of his own home. The pup scent is part of the whole camping experience - why cut yourself short?
5) Make new friends.
People love dogs. Or should I say, people love Charles. This dog is more than willing to take a break from whatever the day's activities to allow his adoring fans to show him some love. Everywhere we went, someone would stop by and ask to pet him while chatting about their own puppy loves. It created a quick community in a place where Grace and I would have otherwise most likely been left alone. At the Bass Head Harbor Lighthouse, we met two engineers from Detroit who helped with the transport of Charles over some obstacles. Along the Jordan Pond Loop, we met a kind older couple who had recently lost their own dog so we exchanged stories on the impact of pets. Old Quarry Campground is exceptionally dog-friendly so Charles was off-leash and free to mingle with some of his peers.
All-in-all it was a successful first camping adventure with the pup. Now to plan our next excursion...