Summer is just around the corner and you may be planning a camping trip or two. If you plan to take your pet, Kathleen Hunter from Seattle Humane and Cathy Madson from Preventative Vet have some tips.
Before you go on your next adventure, make sure your dog is protected from ticks and fleas, and their vaccinations are up to date.
Madson suggests locating the closest vet clinic to your campsite or the trailhead just in case.
"When you're out camping you want to make sure you're prepared because your dog is going to be with you for everything you do," Madson said. "You can't just leave them at the campsite while you're going boating, going hiking."
She advised bringing a life jacket for your dog if you are going out on the water, and bringing booties to protect their paw pads. The booties will also protect your air mattress from their nails, if you camp with one.
They can also carry their own water and treats by wearing a doggy backpack; Madson cautioned to not let the weight of the bag exceed 20-25% of the dog's own body weight though.
Like humans, dogs can get sunburned too. Madson said Epi-Pet sunscreen is an FDA-approved canine sunscreen - human sunscreen is toxic to dogs. Even dogs with a thick coat of fur can get sunburned on the bridges of their noses or on their bellies while sunbathing.
Madson also suggested that pet owners give their dog some time to familiarize themselves with the tent at home. A good time to introduce your pet to the tent would be when you take it out of storage and set it up to check for holes. Letting the dog see the tent at home will hopefully prevent them from refusing to go in it when it's time for bed at the campsite.