SeeGee Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 Hi team, We recently had a sad experiance camping that I have been reluctent to post about. It was Charlies first camp, and we were very excited. Decked him out with pjs (thanks Ams!) and some socks and shoes for the rougher terrain in case he had any pad problems. Where we went is a place we have been many many times before, BC (Before Charlie) so it was very familiar to us. We got a spot by the creek on the inner side, as the creek crossing we normally take to get to our regular spot was closed :D. We got a great location though, pristine, plently of running water, no mozzies!! Charlie met a cow and barked like a banshee - was his first cow meeting, once he got used to them, he calmed. This issue begins with the fact that we cant take Charlie off lead. OH made Charlie a beautiful 10m lead, and a run to attach it to. As soon as we decided on our spot we took Charlie for a walk along the perimiter of the camp, and set up his run/lead, bed, water and home toys. He got comfy, it was ok...but it was horrid to see him attached to a lead the whole time. We went to the creek, and had bigs walks and sniffys and it all seemed ok. On the second day another party arrived and set camp quite close to us (amazing, there is like 4000acres to camp on, but they set themselves up next to us). They had dogs who were able to be offlead - chiwawows (lol i cant spell) jrt and a poodle. Charlie was quite worked up as he could see the dogs but couldnt get near them. These dogs appeared to have great recall, but they let them get so far away from camp. Anyway, Charlie just kept barking and barking at them. Wouldnt calm unless we completly focussed on him and distracted him. Poor puppy. I never ever want to take him camping again. I feel mean. The good thing was he was still able to sleep with us, but he just had his collar and lead on in our tent. I feel like a horrid mummy. Has anyone got some camping experiances or ideas they can share? What about containment collars whilst camping? Cheers all, Jacqui Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cassie Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 Could you have perhaps moved away from the other dogs? I know it might have been a hassle packing everything up and starting again, but may have been a solution? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 Sorry you are feeling so bad- BUT You do need to go camping, and to the beach, and to obedience and all sorts of places - after you get some good advice on helping Charlie NOT go crazy around other dogs You are not a 'bad mummy' - you are his owner/trainer, and you just need some help so you know what to do I would much rather see my dog attached to a lead than disappearing into the scrub, or being chased by other dogs! Perhaps you could have Charlie on a shorter lead, attached to you- so then you have more control over him ? On a long lead- he may well have decided that he was 'guarding' HIS turf :D perhaps he needs reminding that YOU are in charge- not him? Hope you can get some tips for next time ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildatHeart Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 i dont think containment collar would work, especially if he wasn't trained prior to camping about them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 Jacquilee: This issue begins with the fact that we cant take Charlie off lead. Why not? If the issue is lack of recall, why not work on that? Recall or not, my dogs would not be offlead if I wasn't with them. They'd be penned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bjelkier Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 Jacquilee:This issue begins with the fact that we cant take Charlie off lead. Why not? If the issue is lack of recall, why not work on that? Recall or not, my dogs would not be offlead if I wasn't with them. They'd be penned. +1 If I go camping my dogs are either crated or on lead the whole time, the boys have good recall too but it's a strange area and i have no idea what could be around there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RottPerth Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 Camping is so much fun for dogs especially near water (if they like swimming). I'm guessing your dog is young and still not fully trained. I wouldn't be comfortable letting my 11 month Rottie offlead in a camping area yet as I don't trust her. Having said that, I have felt that way with all my dogs at some stage but they eventually reach an eage where I would have no doubt that they would return to me. I've gone camping several times with my dogs and they love it, the main thing is to always know where they are if they're off lead. With access to water it can be good to get on a raft and go out (the dog will follow and love the swim). Good on you for taking your dog camping :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoemonster Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 Whenever we go camping our dogs are rarely offlead, we use a run line and they are perfectly happy, they can have limited freedom and they are completely safe I would have moved away from the people with the other dogs, though its really rude that they set up so close Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trishalouise Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 We went camping on the weekend with our 2 for the first time. OH and I, our 2 children (5yrs and 3 months) and the 2 dogs!!! Dogs had to remain on lead as we were in a caravan park and it was fine. The Poodle can be a bit noisy in new surroundings but she did settle. Just did lots of rewarding quiet behaviour and minimising the opportunity for her to want to bark. The only problem with the Greyhound was at dusk when the rabbits came out - there were hundreds of them and his prey drive really kicked in!! So it was into the tent for him then!! Is Charlie crate trained? We found the crate a great tool for the Poodle - she settles beautifully in it and then we don't have to worry about her. Lots of long walks during the day and the dogs were happy to settle down. We have also now got an x-pen that we will take next time. A pain that the other people set up so close though - what a temptation for Charlie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 I think the one rule is- set your dog up to WIN :D ie: Don't allow too much freedom. DO be in a position to direct/correct your dog Don't depend on the dog to behave if they have not been in that situation before. Don't look at things from a human perspective- think more like your dog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeeGee Posted March 16, 2010 Author Share Posted March 16, 2010 Hi all, thanks for your responses. I am working on Charlies recall. He can do it, brilliantly if we are at home, pretty well at the dog park, but I've lost him when we are out walking - so many distractions and smells. I feel stumped, like I can't get past that. He can do it, but my goodness, its hard work, and its not every time either. Poodlefan, you are correct, his recall needs work. That in itself is an issue. Persephone, I think you have hit the nail on the head. I do think he was protecting his turf - from the other doggies. Next time I can set up a lead attached to myself or OH so he is with us the whole time. Maybe in this instance a longer lead was the wrong thing to do. Learning learning. In terms of packing up and leaving, I have to admit, we did talk about it, but when we camp we dont just pitch a tent - we have numourus structures set up and it would have been a 3 - 4 hour effort to pack up and go. In saying that, we did leave a day early. It was too much (OH has sustained an injury from work as well, was a bit much for him too). Charlie had his first swim with me - he hated it. I didnt force him, just let him set his own pace, but it wasnt his thing. I will attempt it again in a month or so, again, just letting him go at his own pace, after that Ill leave it til next spring/summer. I assume dogs dont like cold water either! what a brilliant idea to take a kayak or canoe out and coax Charlie to follow. Thats definitly getting filed in the *must try* file. Thanks everyone. Was a rotten experiance but I feel more positive about it. I have to stop thinking of myself as a puppy mummy, and more of an owner/trainer. Very psychological. DOL rocks my world. So glad I've found it. Makes my time with Charlie more enhanced :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeeGee Posted March 16, 2010 Author Share Posted March 16, 2010 I think the one rule is- set your dog up to WIN :Die: Don't allow too much freedom. DO be in a position to direct/correct your dog Don't depend on the dog to behave if they have not been in that situation before. Don't look at things from a human perspective- think more like your dog So true - I learnt this in training...but we didnt practise it. No wonder we had trouble. I have to think of it from Charlies perspective - we did this with the cow which is why it was turned around to be a non issue. We understood that this cow was nothing more than a loud mooing monster and taught Charlie that it was a safe mooing monster lol. thanks persephone, as always, a wealth of knowledge and advice. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 We understood that this cow was nothing more than a loud mooing monster and taught Charlie that it was a safe mooing monster lol. I like this- it conjures up a very happy little mind picture :D I am glad you are now feeling a bit more positive ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lab_Rat Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 If this is Charlies first camping trip, then I reckon he did ok!! So much new stuff to digest!! When we used to go camping with our dogs, and there were times when there were up to six dogs, they were always either tethered, on a lead or swimming! Theres far too much interesting stuff to make them not want to be reliable on recall, so its better not even to tempt fate! The only dramas we had were with d!kheds who were too arrogant to keep their dogs in there space. Please take Charlie camping again - the only way we and animals learn is from our experiences. The more often we are exposed to things, the more comfortable we get with them! Generally speaking that is :D ... Whilst on the subject of camping - anyone got any good dog camping pics?? I will have to dig some of ours out! Rat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeeGee Posted March 16, 2010 Author Share Posted March 16, 2010 We will definitly be taking Charlie camping again now just will think about it differently. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trishalouise Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 Good on you - try to relax and Charlie will too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickie Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 Glad you are going to take Charlie again & sorry those people camped so close. I totally understand not wanting to move, LOL, it is a massive job to set up. We take 4 dogs away every year for 3 weeks and create a large run for them by joining 2 Xpens & a trailer. It works well & suits us much more than tethering. One thing that no-one has mentioned yet is the importance of exercise. Our dogs go for long walks on the beach morning & night as well as 10 min toilet break walks throughout the day. The younger dogs also have little training session, just tricks & things to keep them stimulated. I find this leaves them totally exhausted, so they are more than happy to lay around all day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miz J Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 We couldn't let ours off lead in a camp site. They would be at other peoples sites ,mooching for food, sleeping on anything comfortable and generally being pests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lab_Rat Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 We will definitly be taking Charlie camping again now just will think about it differently. Good on you! I would love to take ours camping - just need to find a place that is dog friendly, with not too many people! I dont understand why people feel the urge to camp on top of others! Years ago we camped along the beach between Ningaloo Station and Yardi Creek (North WA). We were in the middle of nowhere, but just around dusk a car load of people and dogs rocked up and wanted to set up camp right near us . Good old OH politely told them the rack off - we hadnt travelled a bazillion kilometres just to have people camp on top of us ..........Funnily enough they werent very impressed!! Rat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisygirl Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 I'm glad that we are not the only ones with a sign that says "Camp as close as possible to me even though you have 100 acres to choose from". I guess we are extremely lucky that whenever possible my girls are never on lead and they have learnt how far they are allowed for a reasonable space. Our girls have an outdoor bed that is their space and the only time they really move off it is to get some sun on cooler days. Maybe Charlie needs to learn where his space starts and stops so he is not stressed about thinking that the whole campgrounds is "his" space. We were once at Roma showgrounds camping and the ferals from the rodeo had off lead dogs that when we walked past attacked our girls (who were on lead). When I had words to them they said that their SWF regarded the whole campground as "their " territory because they lived in the bus fulltime and didnt have a permanent house. They are lucky I didnt boot the SWF right out of "their" territory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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