Camping with your dog
.I'm coming back from a bivouac weekend with my dog. We left for 3 days and 2 nights hiking in the mountains. It was a big first for both of them. Usually we do hikes by the day but no independent roaming.
I wanted to share my experience with you because it was magical for my dog and for me. I never dared sleep in nature but accompanied by Musher, I took the plunge. I felt an immense freedom; we were alone with the marmots, chamois and shooting stars. Be careful before setting off on an adventure, be sure to check that your “playground” is authorized for dogs. Some areas in the mountains accept them only if they are on a leash or are even forbidden to them.
Here are some tips for leaving hiking with your dog in the mountains and test the bivouac.
What is the bivouac? It is the fact of pitching your tent where you are at the end of your day, in the middle of nature. For my part, I camped by a stream and by a mountain lake the next day.
After a few hours of hiking, kilometers and elevation in the legs, it was time for us to pitch the tent. What a pleasure to put my bag on the ground! As it was the first time I went like this, I took lots of useless stuff in my bag. I paid the high price: my bag weighed a ton and my back was mush. When you're a novice, you often get cluttered with little gadgets that you don't really need...
Musher also carried a dog backpack. Of course, before putting him on his back for 3 days of hiking, we went through a phase of adaptation. First, she carried the empty bag on a short stroll. Then always empty, on a bigger one. Then gradually, we started to fill the bag. Know that depending on your dog's health, physical condition and mental state, you can load the bag with a maximum of 10% of its weight. To know everything about dog pack bags, I advise you to read or reread this article: My dog also has his hiking bag!
In his bag, I had slipped his equipment: dog first aid kit, kibble, towel, billy..
The 3 rules of a successful bivouac
For a successful bivouac with your dog, there are 3 rules to follow:
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have the right equipment: a special bivouac tent who can shelter you and your dog. Mine is a husky fighter tent. A tent that can withstand the rain if the weather ever changes...
Having the right equipment means having equipment that is simple to use, very light to carry and bulky and above all easy to store. If you need 2 hours to pitch the tent and as much to fold it up, change the model. And don't go bivouac with a 2sec tent, you couldn't put anything else on your back than this turtle shell... unless you bivouac next to your car 😉 Opt for freeze-dried meals so as not to carry 15 tons of food on your back in addition to doggie kibble. You will therefore need to bring a stove. Generally it is forbidden to make campfires in the middle of nature for obvious safety reasons... The weak point is often water because it is not always easy to assess the right quantity to take to drink, to drink the dog, to cook… Always remember to put some water treatment tablets in your bag. Essestial ! It turns the water in a river into consumable water… A vital plan B when you're dry. Personally, I opted for an even simpler solution: the lifestraw filter water straw. You drink in the river like from a glass thanks to your straw and it instantly filters the water. Magic !
I preferred that Musher could sleep in my tent. So I'm sure she won't be tempted to follow a scent or run after a bug that might pass nearby in the night. And then, in the mountains, the nights can be terribly cold and humid. Musher usually sleeps in our house, so sleeping outside in 2 degrees was hard on her too. She was happy to sleep warm, tight against me. I had chosen an area near a lake. As soon as night fell, I realized my mistake: it was infested with mosquitoes. Luckily Musher could sleep protected in the shelter with me. And then, we were surprised by a colony of ants who were determined to eat Mush's croquettes...
On the material side, you must also provide a warm duvet for cold nights and something to protect your dog as well. Musher ended up in my sleeping bag… We kept warm. The following bivouacs, I brought a sleeping bag for dogs which included an insulating mat, the Ruffwear highlands sleeping bag or a dog coat.
Also think about a frontal for you and a luminous necklace for doggie. There are no streetlights in the middle of nature! As soon as the sun goes down (earlier behind the mountains!!), it's not easy to see anything… and to spot your dog in the night.
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choose the right location
You have to choose a flat place, not too windy, not too close to the path, not too close to a water point (if there is a storm and the water rises quickly, I let you imagine the consequences ..), not near a herd to avoid disturbing it and avoiding patous… This small video is rather well done to know everything about the patous. And then, you should know that you don't have the right to bivouac just anywhere. There are rules to follow: schedules, areas... Check the legislation in force in the area of your hike.
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do not leave traces of your passage: you are surrounded by nature. Respect her! and leave with all your waste… Remember not to make too much noise so as not to disturb the animals that live here and tie up your dog so that it does not damage their nests or burrows. Moreover, on the waste side, remember to protect them well at night so that wild animals do not smell them and do not have access to them. It would be a shame to attract a horde of boars attracted by the smell of leftovers...
I loved this experience. We were alone in the world. Hike with your dog is a great experience. 3 days of tranquility, pushing our limits, watching the flowers, the clouds. To breathe fresh air. To scrutinize the marmots through binoculars. 3 days of peace, of silence between “girls”. You don't have to go very far to test the bivouac, you can do it near you. It's a great experience to share with your doggie. For hiking enthusiasts, read the article on the Tour of Mont Blanc of Hyna and Marion or even the adventures of Diablo and Thomas gone to do the GR20 together.
Musher who is usually unprotective proved to be much more attentive to me. She even scared me in the middle of the night. She started to growl like never before. I didn't have the courage to go out to see what was going on but his growls deterred the curious… Thank you my beautiful Musher!
I hope I have convinced you to go on an adventure with your dog. If you get started, share your photos with us Our Instagram - with the #emmenetonchien!! Happy holidays to you!