Ha, I just found a new heat system for my Hammock!

**IRONFISH45** · 10-22-2014, 11:44

I have a 102.4 pound Bouvier des Flandres, I have been letting her coat grow out all Summer (early Spring she found a gelatinous Sea Lion to roll in, I could not get the stink off her, she received a field fur cut). Now her fur is long and shaggy. She has decided sleeping under my hammock is good. Sunday night I discovered having a large shaggy dog under your hammock is an excellent heat source. We were Hanging in the mountains, no snow yet, but lots of rain, coming straight down, no wind. I was amazed at the amount of heat that was coming off the dog. I spent a very toasty night, I have heard of people in emergency situations sleeping with their large dogs for warmth, however, I never considered how much warmth my dog could provide by sleeping under me. I hope she moves quickly if my suspension ever fails! Oh, yes, she was freshly bathed, so there was not the wet dog smell.

**grannypat** · 10-22-2014, 14:17

My cats aren't big enough to help me out any. Your dog is multipurpose: companion, security watch dog, heat source and could break your fall if your suspension fails.

**CoreyR** · 10-22-2014, 14:33

LOL, I took my old dog camping last fall, before she died on Christmas eve. She was an 80 pound chocolate lab who LOVED to "go and do." I just coulnd't turn the old girl down for what I knew would probably be our last trip.
Anyway, I opted for a tent, to give her some better protection. I could bring a "buddy" heater and warm it up before bed or if it got too cold for the old girl. I brought a cot since I just did not want to go to ground.
I put her bed beside the cot and went to sleep the first night. Woke up getting bumped in the butt and oddly warm. Yeah, somebody had nudged her doggy bed under my cot and crawled under there.

I hung a blanket off both sides, making her a nice enclosed space and she kept my butt warm, like a nice little "undercot heater."
Sorta the same thing as you found.

I do miss that old girl!

**HesNot** · 10-22-2014, 14:39

Corey - so sorry for your loss. I still miss my old buddy Tucker (although his successor, Charlotte, does love me a lot!).

I've never camped with my dogs mostly as I'm enough of a newbie and camp with my son mostly that I don't want another variable in the mix. But I can for sure see the heat value of a snuggler!

**Penfold** · 10-22-2014, 14:50

Condolences about your dog, she looks happy and loved in the pic.

**SilvrSurfr** · 10-22-2014, 15:04

And now you know the origin of the term "Three-Dog Night." I had an alcoholic uncle who was known to go on a binge. After a particularly cold evening, we went looking for him at his farm next morning. He was nowhere to be found. Then we thought we'd check on his hogs to make sure they were okay. We found my uncle sleeping with the hogs, because he hadn't been paying his utilities. Must have been a "six-hog night" for him!

**The Tree Frog** · 10-22-2014, 18:28

Originally Posted by SilvrSurfr

And now you know the origin of the term "Three-Dog Night." I had an alcoholic uncle who was known to go on a binge. After a particularly cold evening, we went looking for him at his farm next morning. He was nowhere to be found. Then we thought we'd check on his hogs to make sure they were okay. We found my uncle sleeping with the hogs, because he hadn't been paying his utilities. Must have been a "six-hog night" for him!

At least he was warm. I'll bet he was in hog heaven!

**IRONFISH45** · 10-22-2014, 19:34

So sad when we lose our partner. My pug was a great camper, loved to be in the hammock. He also went for a last Hang two days before he died. He was a very active 14.75 years old black Pug, getting into any unattended food right to the end of his Puggy life. Hanging seems to be missing a bit of something, probably all the snorting and snotty Pug sounds.

CoreyR so sad for the loss of your companion.

**backpacker** · 10-22-2014, 19:47

Wish my dog was big enough to provide me heat like that.

**IRONFISH45** · 10-23-2014, 10:19

Originally Posted by backpacker

Wish my dog was big enough to provide me heat like that.

Even tiny dogs provide heat if they sleep next to your stomach. My Pug would get behind my knees to sleep, he was like a heating pad. He did not like the night, he would snuggle and not move until daylight.

For whatever it is worth, dogs who have the privilege of sleeping in hammocks should probably wear booties. My Pug hated anything on his paws, however he learned quickly being in the Hammock meant wearing booties. My big dog likes the booties in the Winter, because she gets better traction, her booties have Vibram soles, she is able to do some really fancy footwork with them on. She also wears them in the Summer when the ground surface is hot.