Taking the mutt.

So, now i've a bigger tent and want to start taking the JRT wild camping, but is it fair to make her sleep in the porch. ?

I've had her sleep kit for a while, doggy sleeping bag, sleep mat (ccf) but i've put off taking her for too long now, mainly due to too little room in the laser comp, but now i have the two porches of the Scarp, so it's high time she joined me, but i really don't want her in the inner tent, mainly due to the mass of hair she sheds daily, it's needle like stuff and finds it way into every nook and cranny possible and sticks to kit like superglue and is a right bitch to clean off my (realtively, for me) expensive gear.

She's no interest in escaping the tent, doesn't bat an eyelid at sheep etc so no worries on that front, pretty well rounded for a rescue dog in fairness (considering she's had the shit kicked out of her) and doesn't mind the miles at all, but i've still reservations about taking her as i feel cruel banishing her to the porch.

Options are, leave her at home and no walkies for however long i'm out as the missus doesn't have time to walk her and care for the kids in my absence, or take her and feel bad at leaving her out in the porch, i'll have the inner open btw.

I know which the dog would prefer but i need reasurrance she'll be ok from people who take the mutt as a matter of course.

She'll be ok, wont she. ?

Include a little history in your walks. Pecsaetan - Ancient Derbyshire, Staffordshire and South Yorkshire - http://pecsaetan.weebly.com/

Include a little history in your walks. Pecsaetan - Ancient Derbyshire, Staffordshire and South Yorkshire - http://pecsaetan.weebly.com/

Twigs, I've got a Jack Russel bitch too. She's getting a bit too old (14 years) for hill walking now and she feels the cold at night. But I used to always take her camping with me. She loved it needless to say.

If I was using my Vango for car-camping she slept in the tent on her padded bed or, sometimes, she'd choose to sleep in the car. In the Zephyrus (my cheapo Laser comp copy) she's slept in the tent rather than the porch. She moults - I know what you mean about those 'stick like glue' hairs - but I wasn't too bothered.

My advice would be to take your little dog for a one-night car-camp somewhere close to home and see how she gets on. If you pitch beside the car, you can always let her sleep in it if she doesn't settle in the porch. Either that or relent and let into the inner with you.

Almost anything one does outdoors (except rock climbing and al fresco sex) is better with a dog for company IMO.  So take her for a 'test run'.

Jake always slept with me in the tent. Reasons: I felt happier that I knew what he was up to, not chasing sheep or wandering aimlessly and get lost. He wouldn't get out under the fly and then unable to get back in. He kept me warmer. Company. 

As for dog hair on gear, dont be so precious, or dont have a dog. 

i've got a lab who sleeps on half a foam roll matt. she's inside the main bit of the tent and adds to the warmth. bivvied on skiddaw with her laid ontop of my bivvy bag which she seemed happy about. my brothers dog was chattered though, he's a collie.

you have to take yours though, mine would know what i was up to if i tried to leave her,  she'd be gutted.

If you are worried about the ground sheet, get something to use for reinforcement, either under GS, or on top, inside tent.

 If it's not a 'digger' claws shouldn't be a problem. Mud on dog - that's why I carry an extra camping towel. If it's that bad you'll have your own mud to deal with also.

 Take your JRT, I've taken all the dogs I've owned camping with me, only three didn't sleep in porch, JRT I've got now sleeps on top of rucksack, wheather in porch or tent. The Huskys slept outside tent, no matter what the weather was like. I reckon they thought they where back in Siberia!!!

 My JRT goes daft when she sees me starting to pack rucksack, when she sees I'm not packing food for her, she takes the 'huff'. 

Mine always knows when I'm getting ready to go too. But, as I said, she's now too old for cold-weather exploits and when she realises I'm leaving her at home her sad little face and hang-dog demeanour nearly breaks my heart.

Take your JRT, Twigs. You know you want to. 

 If anyones JRT is like mine, you won't tire it out, you'll get knackered before it does!!

 I've taken mine for a weekend walk in Mtns. 9hr each day, while setting up camp the bloody mutt is running around like a Dervish. Doesn't know what "tired" is.

 When I've got back to carpark, open boot to throw kit in, mut jumps in and gets a "toy" for you to play with. I'm thinking, have I enought energy left to get home!!!

 If you want a dog and a easy life, don't get a JRT!!!

How can you not take your pal with you?  This was last month.  She sleeps at the bottom of the inner either on my rucsac (especially if it's the old smelly Lowe which she loves) or on a bit of vetbed atop a Duomat.  I'm going to cut off a synth sleeping bag for her for winter.

However, once I'm asleep she curls up around my head or wriggles into the sleeping bag.  On this trip I woke up with her inside the bag & thought she was dead as I couldn't wake her up for a good while - an unyeilding dead weight!

Thanks for the replies everyone, i think she'll be tagging along in future when i go solo.

She certainly enjoys being outdoors.

Include a little history in your walks. Pecsaetan - Ancient Derbyshire, Staffordshire and South Yorkshire - http://pecsaetan.weebly.com/

Fudge the Bearded collie on the Roaches in Staffordshire

One of my favourite pictures, my dog Fudge on Rhinog Fawr, April 2012.

My favourite.

Include a little history in your walks. Pecsaetan - Ancient Derbyshire, Staffordshire and South Yorkshire - http://pecsaetan.weebly.com/