Camping with a high-energy dog

DutchmenSport wrote:
Every dog we have owned has been a high energy - highly sensitive - highly crazy nutso dog! They've all made GREAT camping dogs and this is how we did it! First all of our dogs barked at everything when we first got them. Camping was awful initially, they'd bark at every thing, even if the wind blew the grass!

Solution: And this works: Over stimulation! We kept all our dogs right in the middle of everything! We never sheltered them from anything. People, other dogs, noise, traffic, traveling, kids on bicycles, noises, everything! We would not let the dogs sleep. They stayed awake. We stayed right with them. If we were sitting outside, they were in a chair right beside us. They were exposed to absolutely everything.

Especially in a busy campground, the dogs (all of them) because so over stimulated at everything, they eventually exhausted themselves completely out. (usually by the end of the first day). Yes, it challenging to mommy and daddy, but necessary. Every day get a little better, until one day, they are so accustom to all the activity, they simply just lay around like good old Duke on the Beverly Hillbillies. It's worked for every dog we've ever owned.

Another thing, we have never left the dogs behind. Our camping and sight seeing activities all revolve around the dog. If the dog can't go inside, we go elsewhere, or else only one of us go inside while the other stays with the dog. It becomes a lifestyle, and after a while, it's never a problem.

If we go camping where we absolutely cannot take the dog, we leave the dog with relatives and don't take him then.

Bottom line is, if you're going to take a dog camping with you, you really need to accommodate the dog too. It's not fun for the dog to be left behind, caged, crated, tucked away, out-of-site, out-of-mind, going hysterical, and scare their mommy and daddy will never come back.

The solution for high energy dogs is simple: lots of exercise, lots of stimulation, and lots of personal attention. These will wear them down.

This is absolutely correct...we have a Lab that has been high energy but I don't think she's ever been quite like a JRT.
Our dogs are always included and this is part of what makes them people/dog friendly.
Ours are loved by most and since they have always been exposed to everything from day one, nothing really gets to them and they don't bark endlessly because they have been left alone and maybe they are frightened.
Make sure they are a good part of your life and they will return the appreciation ten fold.

Sher