Camping With Dogs

Although it took a lot of preparation to get Abby and Zeus ready for their first extended camping trip into the mountains, the experiences of that trip I’ll remember forever.

It was the week ending with the 4th of July. I decided to take the dogs to an area I was somewhat familiar with, Rock Creek, WV. Almost a year to the day I had spent two weeks camping in the same area.

Abby & Zeus - Rock Creek, West Virginia

Since we got into the woods late on the first day I chose to keep the dogs on the leash while we were en route to the campsite. Both dogs had done good off the leash on our short hikes near home but out here it was a whole new ball game.

Even setting up camp with these two was and experience. Zeus kept laying down on the tent while I was in the process of setting it up. Both of them were watching me intently, undoubtedly curious. Abby and Zeus grew up in the city. They had never been camping so everything about it was new to them.

At camp both dogs were off the leash the first night. To me camping is like being free. I didn’t have it in me to leave them tied up. I wanted them to experience the freedom. That was just the first night though… with the sunrise, a brand new day.

Both dogs did amazingly well spending their first night in a tent. Both of them are house trained but this wasn’t a house. Although I was a little concerned about that, it turned into a non-issue. They seemed to just know that even though the floor smelled like dirt, for a little while anyway, this was home.

The next day was the true test with the dogs. I was planning a hike to the top of the mountain first thing. Camp was set up in the valley between two ridge-lines. With my slow but steady pace, alone it would take me between one and a half to two hours to reach the summit from camp. With the dogs it took damn near all morning.

I didn’t even put Abby back on the leash after taking it off the night before. We started the hike with Abby leading and Zeus still temporarily on the leash.

I had a tough time letting Zeus go. It wouldn’t be good if he bolted here. I finally relented though taking a chance and hoping for the best. I don’t know whether it was that he was so unfamiliar with his surroundings that he didn’t want to venture far away or that he saw this as a group adventure. Whatever it was he was content to stay close to myself and/or Abby. If you knew the little hyper dog like I do, you would know why I was worried. If it is any indication I call him little psycho regularly.

To me it was just like babysitting two kids. You know how a child likes to touch everything they pass in a toy store? Abby and Zeus had to smell everything they passed in the mountains. Zeus has a great nose and he knows how to use it. One of those ‘smell a hot dog from a mile away’ kind of noses.

About half way to the top of the mountain the little psycho I know and love showed himself when Zeus picked up the scent of something new… and alive.

It was a turtle. Zeus was absolutely going insane. Barking like crazy obviously trying to provoke the turtle into fleeing or at the very least showing itself. Abby, the calm one, was also waiting. She was content to let Zeus do all the work. I just shook my head and laughed. I think because I didn’t panic for Zeus he figured out that whatever it was he was barking at wasn’t a threat.

A little further up the mountain there was a turtle right on the trail and Zeus did a walk by bark. Not really slowing down, just a couple barks in passing. It was funny. I could imagine the little psycho thinking he had already conquered that wild beast.

It took a long time to reach the top of the mountain with two curious dogs in tow. I didn’t care though. This was a leisure trip, I was in no hurry to go anywhere and watching the dogs reaction to all the new things was priceless.

We ended up camping 5 days and nights. We hiked all over the mountains from the top all the way down to the river. Abby likes the water, Zeus does not. Since the days were pretty hot I would take the dogs to the river in the afternoon to cool off. At the river we were close to a road so the dogs had to be on the leash.

Zeus isn’t in this photo because he was standing behind me trying not to get his feet wet.

All in all, I had a great time camping with the dogs. I only had one of them to run off and only once but that time was understandable.

We were making our way down the mountain when we came out into this little clearing which just happened to be occupied by wild turkey. They saw Abby, she saw them. They took off running with Abby in hot pursuit.

Surprisingly Zeus stayed with me and after just a few minutes Abby comes trotting back up the trail with her tail and head held high like she had just saved the planet. Most likely the wild turkey got to a point where they could fly and it was chase over.

I’ve come to learn, at least with my two city dogs and unlike a dog country raised, that it is all about routine. They have to get used to doing things and it is best to do things routinely. For instance there is a train trestle where I hike with the dogs near home and I won’t let Zeus walk across that for fear he will hurt himself in the gap between the railroad ties. We have hiked there enough that now he will stop before getting on the trestle so I can pick him up and Abby will wait on the other side for me to put Zeus down again before proceeding.

I’m hoping to be able to take the dogs camping at least once more before the winter hits and during ginseng season. For now though I take them on hikes close to home. Making hiking in the mountains their new routine.