Many people  like to camp with their dogs. In fact, over half of RVers in the United States take a dog with them on at least some of their trips. In the past, this was not a problem ... the vast majority of campgrounds allowed dogs with minimal restrictions. However, over the years, things have changed. Although most campgrounds designed for RV's, motorhomes and other towed accommodations do allow dogs many more restrictions are placed on them then before.  For tent campers with dogs, the picture is not as good. Many State parks do not allow dogs in all or some of their campgrounds and entire states such as New Jersey and Connecticut don't allow dogs to camp in their State Parks at all. Even if your dog is allowed to camp in the park they may not be allowed on the park's trails, waterfronts, or other areas that visitors might want to frequent. The good news is that there are many nice places to camp and scenic trails to hike with your dogs at or near campgrounds. Here we will look at the things that you should look for in selecting camping sites for you and your dogs.

As do hotels, some campgrounds place weight restrictions on dogs. In general, campgrounds are less likely to place weight restrictions on dogs than hotels. However, they are much more likely to place breed restrictions on dogs. Besides for Pit Bulls and Pit Bull mixes some campgrounds will not allow Rottweilers, Dobermans, German Shepherds and an assortment of other breeds. Many cite their insurance as the reason for this - although they could probably get insurance they would have to pay extra for it but have chosen not to. In addition, many cities or counties may also have restrictions against certain breeds which would apply to all campgrounds within those areas. For example, Pit Bulls and Pit Bull mixes are prohibited in the entire Canadian Province of Ontario and in the city of Denver, Colorado. For more on regional breed prohibitions, see the link here. Some campgrounds will require that they see the dog on check-in to test its aggressiveness or to see that it is not a banned breed. We have found through calling campgrounds for their pet policies that about 20% of the private campgrounds have breed restrictions. Many campgrounds will also limit the number of dogs allowed to a campsite to one, two or three. So if you are traveling with more than one dog you need to be aware of this as well. 

Some campgrounds charge additional pet fees in the same manner as hotels. However, in campgrounds these fees are usually much lower than those in hotels and will typically be from $1 to $5 per night. Some campgrounds will limit pets to a small area of the campground and thus may not have room for a visitor with a pet when they do have some open spaces available. So when you make reservations you need to tell the campground that you will be traveling with a pet. Other common restrictions on pets (usually including cats as well as dogs) are that they must be tied or on leash when outside of the camper, never be left alone outside of the camper, or in some cases never left alone in the camper. Some campgrounds will have designated pet walk areas that you must use. Finally, in any campground you will have a problem with management and your neighbors if your dog is barking excessively.

If you are camping in a tent or wish to rent one of the camping cabins then campgrounds will often have greater restrictions than they have for people camping in their own RV. Most camping cabins are not available for pets at all, although we did find nearly 500 campgrounds that do allow dogs in some or all of their camping cabins. Tent camping areas more often than not will allow at least one dog but their are  a number of campgrounds that allow dogs only in RVs and not in tents. They may also limit the number of dogs allowed in the tents as well. 

Public campgrounds are usually located in National, Canadian, State, Provincial or other parks. The rules regarding pets in these campgrounds vary significantly. Most National Parks in the U.S. and Canada allow dogs to camp in some or all of their campgrounds but can severely restrict the day uses of the park by pets.  Canadian National Parks have less day use restrictions for pets than do U.S. National Parks. Most State Park systems have some campgrounds that are open to pets and some that are not. The day-use restrictions vary from park to park. New Jersey and Connecticut do not allow camping with pets in their State Parks at all, although pets may use the parks during the day. When selecting a park to camp in with your dog we suggest that you find those parks that have reasonable day-use policies as well as allow pets in the campground. For hikers, National Forests in the U.S. have less restriction on day use by pets than most other American parks.

Some campgrounds are especially pet-friendly and offer amenities such as off-leash areas, agility courses, kennels, dog cookies and other treats and relaxed restrictions.  These may still have breed or weight restrictions so make sure to check. Pet policies at campgrounds and parks change often, but not as often as pet policies at hotels seem to change.

If you find a nice campground then you can have an enjoyable stay with your entire family, including your pet. It is important to be aware of the things that you need to look for regarding pet policies at campgrounds, whether public or private. 

An Indoor Dog Park and Dog Club in Houston

Live in Houston or traveling coast to coast on Interstate 10 and looking for a good place to spend some quality rest and relaxation time? Is it too hot outdoors for your long-haired pup in the hot Texas summer? My Dog and Me is a unique indoor dog club that is designed for dogs and people to enjoy together. This approximately 20,000 square foot facility contains an activity area for agility or tossing a ball around, a training area, a retail store with dog supplies and pet food, and a cafe. In the cafe you can have coffee and watch the big screen TV with your dog. No food for people is served but you may bring your own food with you. There is also an on-site groomer. My Dog and Me was named one of Houston's Ultimate Locations by the Houston Chronicle. It is south of the 610 freeway one block east of Shepherd at 23rd. There is no charge for shopping or use of the cafe. You can pay for time in the activity portions of the facility as you use it or join a membership for a month or a year. The hours are M-F 9:30 am to 9 pm, Saturday 9:30 am to 6 pm and Sunday 11 am to 6 pm. For more information click here

Flying With Your Dog Through Reno? There's a Dog Park at the Airport!

If you have occasion to pass through Reno International Airport with your dog you may find something rather unusual at airports in the United States - An off-leash dog park. Opened in December 2004  as a temporary dog park for a convention in which a large number of service dogs would be attending, the dog park has remained open and is available for use by traveling pups and dogs who are at the airport to pick up passengers. The park goes by the name Gate K-9 Bark Park. The dog park is available for use by the general public whether or not you are flying out of the airport. The Reno Airport dog park and one at Sky Harbor in Phoenix are the only two dog parks at airports that we are aware of currently in the United States.

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