Dogs and gear durability

I've heard (read) Henry Shires comment not so long ago that he's never heard of a customer ripping their tent because of their dog, but cats are another matter!

I can't imagine it would be a problem. To be on the same side, if she makes sure his nails are properly clipped before the trip then there's very little way he can damage anything. Unless he's a real terror and likes to rip/bite things with his teeth… in which case I'd be keeping him a long, long way from my down bag.

I have seen the netting in tents damaged by dogs trying
to get out, but haven't seen any other damage to sleeping
bags etc.

Put dog booties or infant socks on their paws when in the tent.

Yeah, the netting is the only real worry, but clipping and blunting the claws never hurts…

Make absolutely sure the dog is tied up when cooking meals though, as a hungry dog can tip over your pot very easily, and possily burn themselves in the process!

I haven't had any trouble in the 6 1/2 years I've had my dog. I do clip his claws about every 2 weeks. Frequent clipping makes the "quick" recede so the claws can be kept shorter. Has the dog been crate-trained? If so, he's more apt to stay quiet in the tent, thinking it's just another crate.

A few caveats: First, don't put the dog in the tent until bedtime, when he'll want to go to sleep anyway, especially after "hiking" all day. Second, never, never leave the dog alone in the tent. That's a sure recipe for an anxious dog to claw/chew his way out to get to his humans–he will be more anxious in a strange place. Third, get him out first thing in the morning. Do, firmly, keep the dog off the sleeping bags and inflatable pads–not so much to avoid damage as to save these items for human use. I used to have a lot of trouble with my dog when I was still using a Thermarest–he would gradually slide himself onto the pad and I'd wake up to find myself on the tent floor! Since I changed to an insulated air mattress, that hasn't been a problem–too thick for the dog to slide onto. The dog will need some kind of pad underneath for insulation from the ground–I use a 1/8" Gossamer Gear Thinlight, cut down. Any piece of foam pad will do.

Yes, do keep him away from your food preparation. I generally keep my dog on a tie-out when we're in camp.

I would strongly recommend keeping the dog on leash at all times, especially on his first few trips. Also, train the dog to walk behind his owner when on the trail. The leash is both for the dog's protection and as courtesy to others on the trail. Many otherwise friendly dogs will become fearful and therefore over protective and even fear-biting in strange places. And you don't want him to wander off and get lost or chase wildlife or become dinner for a larger predator.

Nemo makes "Pawprints" that are soft floor coverings for their tents for this very purpose (and comfort, and added warmth, I guess). They're cheap and weight around a pound – you could probably find one that would fit reasonably inside another brand's tent.

Also, have a cleaning plan if there is any chance the dog might get wet, dirty, muddy, etc. during the day.

I've found that filing my dog's nails down really well after clipping them makes all the difference, and believe me it makes a world of difference. If you want to make sure the nails are filed really well, take a look at the Pedipaws Nail Filer, they work great. If the dog is well trained as she claims, it should work out fine. Although no matter how well trained a dog is, I don't recommend ever leaving your dog zipped up inside a tent for long periods of time.

I have been hiking with my dog for about 6 years and I have never had a problem with his claws ruining anything and I have SMD tents with the ultralight floor. He is well trained though I do usually take a light Equinox bivy just to keep him from accidentally stepping or laying on my down bag. He has his own cut down zrest ( which he packs ) to sleep on.

I have two German shepherd mixes that are usually with me. No holes in any gear because of them, despite generally crowded tents. If you trim their nails before you go, I'd do so at least a week before you go or take a previous poster's suggestion and file the nails–my dog's nails are sharpest right after trimming. I do take a ridge rest cut in half to cover the floor of the tent and give them some insulation. They frequently find their way to uncovered areas of tent floor with no mishaps so far. The biggest problem is keeping sopping wet dog off down sleeping bags. They're required to stay out of water and under a tarp if raining before bed just to make life easier.

I use a Lunar Solo..a WM Highlite and a POE Insul Mat and have never had any damage from my Jack Russell mix..but I am careful with the tent mesh. I stopped taking my dog backpacking with me a couple of years ago because I do not want to put her at risk of a bad wildlife encounter. We are having more of those in the southeast now. A terrier is a happy meal for a coyote or bird of prey. Some of you may laugh at this but this is a problem even in the city. Some of my friends keep their big dogs on a leash now when they hike because a pack can take a big dog down. You may want to make sure she is aware of the risk of taking a dog-espically a small one.

Down here in Florida, I don't worry so much about Coyotes as my dog is a Pit Bull and can hold his own against them. But the big problem is Gators. They've taken their share of dogs.