Are You Ready for a Camping Adventure with Your Senior Fur Baby?
Summertime is in full swing and, with all the nice weather, nothing beats a camping trip! The only thing that could possibly make it better is for your senior pet to tag along on your outdoor adventure. All camping trips take some planning and including your senior fur baby adds just a bit of extra preparation. We regularly take our senior dogs camping and we have a blast! There is just something about a senior dog’s personality that seems to create especially impactful memories during outings.
For those hesitant or unsure about bringing a senior fur baby along on a camping adventure, we have identified six areas to consider as you plan your camping trip. You may have already addressed several of the areas we identify and that’s great! Others of you might have absolutely NO idea where to start and that’s great too! Whether you are an experienced senior dog camping pro or a complete newbie, our hope is that you, our reader, will learn something new as you prepare for the awesome adventures you and your senior pet will have.
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Is Your Senior Pet Fit for Camping?
Senior Pet Food Needs when Camping
Is Your Senior Pet Fit for Camping?
Assessing the fitness level of your senior pet should be the first thing you do when considering whether to take your fur baby on a camping trip. Nothing is more important than the health and fitness of your senior pet. Several years ago, we decided to take our then 17-year-old miniature dachshund on a camping trip. At that age, she was deaf and almost completely blind. The reason we decided she was OK to go camping was because, aside from not being able to see or hear, she was physically as healthy and active as our younger fur babies. Her fitness level was top notch as she could walk around normally, and she had no other ailments that would prevent her from a few days of adventure.
In deciding if a camping trip is best for your senior dog, you should start by assessing your pet’s mobility. Does your dog move around a lot at home? Is he physically active and able to stand up and sit down with little or no trouble? If your senior dog is having some aches and pains, check out our blog post on some of the best joint products on the market.Senior Pet Food Needs when Camping
After you have figured out your pet’s fitness level, the next thing to do is to determine all things related to your senior pet’s dietary needs for a camping trip. Do you have a senior dog with dietary restrictions? Does your fur baby eat only certain kinds of food? Every dog is unique and pet diets are just as unique as the dog eating it. You should start to think about how you are going to handle those restrictions while out in the middle of a forest or along the shore of a remote lake. Areas to consider include the topics of what types of food you will be feeding your pet and methods to effectively transport the food your pet will eat while you are on your adventure.
Types of Food for Camping
Dry dog food is always an easy food to travel and camp with as it requires no refrigeration and won’t go bad while you are outdoors. For some senior pets, dry dog food isn’t a great option but, thankfully, there are some great options on the market. One of our favorite types of food to feed our senior pets during camping trips is freeze dried dog food. Typically, freeze dried dog foods can be eaten either in its dry state or reconstituted with a little water or broth. Two of our favorites are HERE and HERE. Another effective option is single serve wet dog food. We use THIS for our very old senior. These single serve options are great as they are lightweight and easy to transport, require little clean up and do not require preparation. Plus, for senior pets that have issues chewing harder kibble, these wet dog foods are easy to eat! Check out our blog post on some of the best wet dog foods for seniors!
Food Transport Options
Equally important as finding the right foods to provide your pet during a camping trip is how you transport the food you bring with you. Obviously, you don’t want to be lugging around a 20-pound bag of dry dog food or a 12 can case of wet dog food. Thankfully, there are options for packing smaller quantities of food for your senior. One of our favorite items we use to pack our senior pet’s food are silicone reusable food baggies. As their name indicates, they are reusable, washable, and almost indestructible. We pack all our senior pet’s foods in these bags and store them in backpacks and even coolers when we go on road trips. As a plus, they don’t leak so they are a great option for liquid or wet foods.
Specialized Equipment for Senior Dog Camping
As with humans, senior dogs may need some specialized equipment to help make their camping experience an enjoyable one. A range of equipment is available for your senior pet, but we want to highlight three types that are adaptable to senior pet use.
Wearable Dog Carriers
Wearable dog carriers are a great option for senior dogs with mobility or endurance issues. Not only can wearable dog carriers help your senior pet enjoy the outdoors, they can also serve to pack additional items for your pet as many models have extra pockets and places to hook things with carabiners. Look for wearable carriers with additional padding and easy in and out capability for your senior pet. One option we like is HERE.
Padded Harnesses
No doubt you have a harness or two at home for your senior pet and those might just do the job. As with wearable carriers, harnesses should have some cushioning or extra padding around the chest and shoulder area and should also be easy in and out for your senior. We use a step-in harness LIKE THIS and our senior pets LOVE it. They also get a ton of compliments when we are out and about. For larger seniors, there are some great harness options that include additional carrying capacity.
Comfortable Bedding
Most of us go all out with our pets, and senior pets in particular, when it comes to the beds we choose for them to sleep and lounge around in. When our senior pets aren’t sleeping on OUR bed, they have several amazing options including a Serta memory foam mattress. The bedding you choose for your senior pet, when camping, should be equally comfortable. At a minimum, your senior pet should have a foam bed square or a durable, easy to pack blow-up air mattress. Remember, senior pets have aches and pains that need a bit extra padding for comfort. Our blog post on donut dog beds will give you some great ideas for senior pet bedding to use during camping trips. Donut beds are very good options for senior pets as many models are designed specifically with senior pets in mind.
Secure Your Pet
You’re all set with your camping gear and fur baby but you realize, when you get to the campsite, you will have to leave your senior pet locked in the car or alone in your sleeping tent in order to keep them secure. You are going to need some other way to ensure that your senior pet is safe, secure, and able to enjoy the outdoors with you. You are also going to need a way for your senior pet to safely ride along with you in your vehicle. The last thing you want is for your senior pet to go flying when you slam on the brakes or swerve to avoid something in the road. This brings us to…pet tents and car restraints for dogs!
Pet Tents
Pet tents are an amazing option for campers as they provide security in keeping your senior pet where they are supposed to be and the ability for your senior pet to experience the outdoors with you. There are a ton of options available! Check out our blog post on the best senior pet tents on the market for some great options. Just keep in mind that, as you look for the perfect place for your senior pet to hang out with you on your camping trips, not all tents are created equal. Pay particular attention to how the tent is made and the way that it is to be used. Not all indoor/car tents are good for outdoors and not all outdoor tents are suitable for indoor/car use.
Car Restraints
Car restraints for your senior pet are an excellent option to use when taking your pet on camping trips. As our fur babies have aged, two have become somewhat less coordinated than they were when younger. As a result, even the slightest rocking motion will cause them both to lose their footing and roll around the back of our vehicle. Drives down dirt roads with potholes are even rougher and not safe for a loose senior pet. We recommend a couple different car restraints, HERE and HERE, depending on the size of your senior pet.
To Camp or Not to Camp?
That is the ultimate question! Your pet may be a senior citizen in dog years but that doesn’t mean they have to be limited in the activities they take part in. In many ways, senior dogs display the best kinds of qualities when out camping. They tend to be calmer (i.e. not hyper), they are usually better trained, and they are not easily excited. At the end of the day, your senior pet’s health, wellness, and habits will be several of the determining factors to consider. We have taken our senior pets out camping many times and our pack always has an amazing time!
Next time you go camping with your senior fur babies, take some pics and send them in to us. We would love to post your senior pet pics on an adventure!