Good "camping" breeds?

Romy

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#41
Something to keep in mind if you spend much time in the back country, is whether you can carry your dog out if he is injured.

I can't carry Strider, but we did practice making a travois out of branches and dragging him on it, so I know that is doable.
 

HayleyMarie

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#42
hmm what about a terrier of some kind, like a scotty or a westie. They are both very hardy breeds with thick coats so they will stay warm at night. Small enough to carry around, sleep in a small tent, canoe, they can keep up with you when your hiking. The one thing you might have to worry about it chasing small animals, Of course you could always make a game out of that ha ha but if you keep them on leash and train them then that should be no problem. Me and the SO go camping ALL the time. So we decided to get a Westie puppy. We actually took her on her first camping trip last weekend and she did great, and she loved every moment of it. We have been interacting her alot with our rabbits and birds so she gets used to small animals and such. Good luck on your search!
 

Pops2

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#43
Doberluv
i only look down on showbred dogs as working dogs because the overwhelming majority are either not physically fit for the job or have had there instincts & personality to work bred out because it is not conducive to showing. i understand & accept that showing can be stressful for the dogs. i understand that showbred dogs make wonderful pets & companions. i also understand that some INDIVIDUALS not only work their showdogs, but take their working ability into account when making breeding decisions. and i appreciate & respect them. unfortunately the vast majority of show breeders DO NOT take working ability into consideration (even if they actually allow the dogs to work). heck (with the exception of retreivers & birddogs) most show breeders i've talked to in public forums won't sell to you if they know you plan to work in hard venues like hunting & PP. on these same forums i've been told in no uncertain terms that many of them would breed a dog carrying a genetic defect if it didn't interfere w/ their ability to win ribbons.
i could get long winded and beat this whole issue up again, but it's been discussed in depth in other threads many times.
the OP wanted a camping dog, various hunting breeds were reccommended. i started hunting dogs over 30 years ago. i don't know as much as i'd like to but i know this, a dog w/ strong hunting instincts would be a nightmare for camping even w/ tracking gear. i therefore reccommended that if the OP finds they strongly desire one of the reccommended sighthound, scenthound or terriers to look specifically for showbred dogs as in these types of dogs the huntdrive has been heavily bred away from to make them easier handling in the show ring. if this offends you take it up w/ the breed associations and get the dogs working and the breeders (all of them not just 1 or 3) breeding for work. maybe if i were a little more sensitive i'd could find a sweeter way of putting it but i'm not so i don't.
 

Bigpoodleperson

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#44
Standard poodle! Just shave them close and your set! I go hiking with Riley all the time! He does great off-leash (after lots of training, like most dogs), can go all day, agile enough for dense areas, long or short coat depending on what you want/how cold, protective, and Fun!
 

Fran101

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#45
Well, im biased but i recommend the german shepherd.

kenya is an amazing camper :) she will never go more than a couple of feet from me, she likes to play in water, has energy when needed but is more than happy to take naps, wears a backback, and likes to hike :)

problem? she does have quite a prey drive. on a trail she will stay close regardless BUT in a big open area off lead she WILL go for a rodent or bird or w/e
 

Ivy

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#47
I have a beagle and a basset hound cross that I used to always go camping with last summer. We would go up north every week-end and they would both be off-leash the whole time. I also went up north camping for 2 weeks and both didn't wander off at all. I guess what i'm trying to say is that any dog can be taught or may have the right "personality" for camping (i'm not too sure if that's the correct term). I also don't think there is a "better" breed. It all depends on the upbringing of the dog you choose. Beagles can definately keep up with you during hikes, etc. Bassets you would be surprised can also keep up. They have a great stamina, but are a bit slower.

People keep claiming that hunting dogs will "always" wander off, but come and see my dogs hanging out by the fire!! You would be pleasently surprised to see that they don't wander off tracking animals. (at least mine don't)

Also, my two loved chasing after us on the 4-wheeler and would accompany me on hikes and so forth. They are always up for an adventure out in nature.

A cool story is that when I was up ther for 2 weeks, every morning Snoopy (beagle) and Jabroni (basset cross) would escort the neighbours to their work (they lived and worked at the local mill) and always return back to the camp.
 

~Tucker&Me~

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#48
There is such a wide spectrum of dogs that could fit the good camper bill... What might be smart is to pick a few that match your lifestyle and choose from those what would make the best camper. For example how much shedding do you want, how much exercise will the dog get, is it living with other animals (obviously it will be what with your other dog but the question is just an example), etc. The thing is, if you get a good hiking dog, you will be happy 10-15% of the time (depends how much you hike). However, if the dog is not matched to your lifestyle at home as well, the other 90% of the time will be frustrating and unrewarding for you and the dog.

So my suggestion would be to find several that fit well with your lifestyle and pick from those.

On a side note, would you consider a rescue dog? If you got an adult dog you could better determine their suitability to your needs :)
 

sillysally

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#49
Actually, I would say labs. There are TONS of people on my lab board that camp with their labs. They tend to be up for anything, pretty adaptable, good recall, versatile coat, and as long as you keep them physically fit (as I'm sure the OP would) can go a long time--there was a guy on my lab board that mountain bikes 10 miles a day with his labs. Also, many of them are not too incredibly prey driven (which I consider a good thing)--I've called Jack off of running deer, critters, etc.
 

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