Here at QALO, we know how important dog ownership is and how it can encourage you to live a healthy, active lifestyle. Dogs are a huge part of many families across the United States — that’s why dogs remain one of the most popular pets to own year after year! Because we take dog ownership so seriously, it’s important to us that our customers know all the ways they can incorporate their dogs into the different areas of their active lives. If you’ve ever considered camping with your dog, but don’t know where to start, we’ve put together this helpful guide that will ideally put you on the right path to camping with your dog. From the best places to camp with your pup to our must-have essentials to bring with your dog while camping (hint — our silicone pet tags will always be #1!), we’ll cover it all. Let’s get started! BEST PLACES TO CAMP WITH YOUR DOG Camping with your dog is a great experience, regardless of how long you’ve been a pet owner. No matter whether this is your first pet or your dog has been with you since you were a child, camping with your dog is a great experience. But, not every campsite is dog-friendly. Here are some of our favorite campsites that let you bring your dog along for the ride. LURAY, VIRGINIA Ever heard of the Luray Caverns? Well, you can take a day trip there and camp out at Jellystone Park Camp-Resort to bring the perfect mixture of camping and resort style travel. It’s great for families because the kids can spend time at the water park while you take the dog for a hike on the Appalachian Trail. A cool thing about the Commonwealth of Virginia is that you can take your dog to any of the campsites throughout the state! That’s right — all the campgrounds at Virginia State Parks allow pets to stay on the campsites for free, and cabin stays have a minimal fee. So what are you waiting for? Grab the kiddos and the puppers and take your family for a fun weekend of camping at any of the campgrounds in Virginia! BIG SUR, CALIFORNIA California is a state known for its wilderness. Miles outside of Los Angeles, San Diego and San Jose are hundreds of miles of mountains to climb and forests to wander through. The campsites are typically dog-friendly, but Big Sur features a few fun campsites and dog-friendly hiking trails that are perfect to visit in the spring and summer. Nestled between San Jose and Los Angeles, Big Sur is a great spot to visit with the dogs for Instagram-worthy pictures. Perfect for when you need a break from the bustling city! GRAND CANYON, ARIZONA Did you know the Grand Canyon allows pets? That’s right! Pets can visit the rim of the Grand Canyon and stay on multiple campsites through the canyon, according to the National Park Service. Since the Grand Canyon is such a popular destination for hiking and tourism, they have very specific rules and regulations for pets, but you shouldn’t miss out on experiencing the views of the canyon just because you think your pet can’t visit! As long as you follow the rules, you can enjoy a great time at one of the most well-known canyons in the entire Northern Hemisphere. Discover Our Noise-Free Silicone Dog Tags MOAB, UTAH The Canyonlands and Arches national parks are great for dogs to explore with you! The best part? They’re allowed on the national park campsite! That’s right — you can hook up your RV, set up your tent and even do your laundry all at the national park campsite with your dog right beside you! Take some beautiful photos with your dog, but don’t forget to stop for frequent water breaks. Moab is still part of the desert, and the dry air can make you and your pup thirstier. Watch out for sweltering spots on the asphalt or even on the rocks. You don’t want your pets’ paws to burn! We’ll talk more about essentials for your dog to have while camping below, but we wanted to make sure to mention it here since you’ll be inspired to visit at least one of these parks. ACADIA, MAINE Visiting Maine in the summer or winter is a beautiful experience. It’s also one of the most pet-friendly parks! Featuring a variety of pet-friendly campsites, Acadia is a great place to take your family and pets camping with you. A couple of notes of caution: Your dog will need to stay on its leash and not swim in the water. This is just one of the ways that the park works to keep your pet happy, healthy and safe! It’s always nice to see when parks take the health and safety of their patrons seriously, so, rather than being upset by it, you should feel grateful that the park cares so much about your pup, just like we do! ASSATEAGUE, MARYLAND On the Eastern Shore of Maryland, you can enter Assateague from the north and bring your pet along! There are a few camping areas on the island that let you get your fill of beach fun while still feeling like you’re in the wilderness. Assateague Island is known for its beautiful beach, wild horses and historic lighthouses. While dogs can’t go in the lighthouses or chase the horses, they can go on the beach and stay at a few campsites on the island. Perfect for a beach getaway with your puppers! BIGHORN, MONTANA Spanning Montana and Wyoming, Bighorn Canyon features a few pet-friendly campsites. If you want to visit the Big Sky state and go somewhere your pet is allowed to venture through all 17 miles of trails with you, then Bighorn is the way to go! There are a few campsites your pupper can stay in with you that are only accessible by boating or hiking, so it’s important your dog is trained before taking that step. CAMPING WITH YOUR DOG: THE MUST-HAVE ESSENTIALS FOR EVERY DOG OWNER Now that we’ve covered our favorite places to visit and camp with our dog, let’s talk about the essentials. These items are ones you can’t go without while camping with your dog. Some of them could mean the difference between life and death, while others just make the experience go that much more smoothly. Here are the must-have essentials every dog-owner needs when you go camping with your dog! PET TAG Like we already mentioned, our pet tags will always be the number one item on our list of essentials. Pet tags are the perfect way to store important information for easy access. In the wilderness of a campsite, your dog can get lost, hide or even run away. With an ID tag on their collar, you can be assured that the person who finds your dog will do everything they can to contact you and then get your dog back to you. If your dog has a lot of medical conditions, our pet ID tag QR codes are a great solution to storing lots of information without needing to try to fit it all on one tag. Instead, a QR code is generated that someone can scan with the camera phone to pull up a link that lists out all the necessary information about your pet someone might need. It’s a great solution for every dog owner! EXTRA FOOD AND WATER You should always bring more than what you think you’ll need when it comes to food and water. Depending on the climate you’re headed to, your dog might drink more water than you think (like we mentioned earlier in the hot, dry desert of Moab). Your pup may also eat and drink a lot of water out of nerves, especially if this is a new experience for them. While you should always train your dog before taking them with you on a camping trip, you can’t really know for sure how your dog will react in the situation until you’re actually there. Just like with humans, eating and drinking excessively can be one way that your dog’s anxiety or nerves about their situation manifests. TOWELS There’s a pretty good chance your dog is going to get dirty while on this camping trip. Bring some extra towels to dry them off, clean them up and wipe their paws, especially if you’re staying in a cabin with them. The owners and your future self will thank you. The towels can also serve as a great blanket for your dog in a pinch! A LEASH Almost every national park and campsite requires that your dog be on a leash while off your individual campsite. This is not only for the health and safety of other dogs and guests, but also you and your dog! When all the dogs are on leashes, it keeps each dog safe from intrusive butt sniffs or potential threats. Our dog collar and leash sets go great with all of our silicone dog tags; you can easily find one that works best with your dog’s size and shape in no time. TOYS AND GAMES Your dog needs to be entertained while camping! In the downtime before bed or in the morning before the day starts, your dog will need something to do to entertain themselves. This is especially on the ride there, where you probably can’t take your eyes off the road to let the car drive itself while you play tug of war with your dog in the backseat. Wouldn’t that be nice, though? It would probably save you a lot of stress, but still — having toys and games for your dog to play with while camping is an absolute must! MEDICATIONS If your dog is one that has to take a medication every day or every few days, be sure to bring it with you! This can be tougher to remember if the medication is only administered once a week, especially if your trip overlaps with an administration day. While our best advice is try to plan around that, sometimes it’s inevitable. Just go ahead and bring the medicine with you because you never know — you might be delayed a day or two and would need to give them their medication anyways. FIRST AID KIT A first aid kit for your dog is also a must when it comes to camping with your dog. Out in the wilderness, there’s a variety of things that could harm your pup: a tree root sticking up from the ground, a steep cliff and lots of bugs, insects and even other wildlife that can harm your pup. A first aid kit can really come in handy to ensure your pet feels safe and healthy, even if they get hurt. Until you can reach an emergency vet or your pets’ regular vet, you can perform first aid on the wounds. This can be a huge help in an emergency situation! A DOG BED You get a comfy sleeping bag or cot, so your dog deserves to have a plush dog bed to sleep in too! This is an essential item because your dog will probably bug you and try to sleep snuggled up next to you if they don’t have one. And, while that’s great to do in your king-sized bed at home, it’s not so comfortable in a miniature sized sleeping bag that you yourself barely fit in. Your dog having their own space to claim while camping is just one way you can make the experience more fun for them. And, trust us, they’ll enjoy having their own bed from home to make it feel a bit more manageable their first time camping with you. When you return home from your camping trip, make sure to wash the bedding and rid it of any fleas or ticks! Image Credits Stephen Moehle/Shutterstock.com Trialnes/Shutterstock.com Doug Lemke/Shutterstock.com manushot/Shutterstock.com Enna8982/Shutterstock.com Hrach Hovhannisyan/Shutterstock.com Inaki Lander/Shutterstock.com simoly/Shutterstock.com