Hammocking with a dog

**warloc4326** · 08-29-2012, 23:47

Tdi_tech I found a great alternative to the ruffwear fleece vest. You will have to be a gear maker though. I think this may be my next piece of gear.

Which pack do you have?

**crackrbilly** · 08-29-2012, 23:50

For Miss Dixie, I bring an old sleeping bag that the zipper is broke on and a tennessee vols(of course) top blanket. I dont tie her but she minds well, I feel shes at a disadvantage being tied, but i do put a bear bell on her if she moves i hear her or if shes in the woods at nite i can find her.(have never had to do this, its just in case) as far as things that go bump in the night, with a 100lb Amer-I-can Bulldog i dont worrie bout much. she just lays under the hammock so's to be under the tarp, she loves it

**tdi_tech** · 08-29-2012, 23:54

Originally Posted by warloc4326

Tdi_tech I found a great alternative to the ruffwear fleece vest. You will have to be a gear maker though. I think this may be my next piece of gear.

Which pack do you have?

Cool. I've wondered that fleece vest is warm enough. Hard to tell - he can't talk! His pack is a Ruffwear Palisades, which is great. He doesn't care about wearing it - in fact, he gets *very* excited when I pull it out of the gear box. He knows what we're going to do when I load it up

My pack for now is a ULA Circuit.

**Jrprince** · 08-30-2012, 07:59

Originally Posted by crackrbilly

For Miss Dixie, I bring an old sleeping bag that the zipper is broke on and a tennessee vols(of course) top blanket. I dont tie her but she minds well, I feel shes at a disadvantage being tied, but i do put a bear bell on her if she moves i hear her or if shes in the woods at nite i can find her.(have never had to do this, its just in case) as far as things that go bump in the night, with a 100lb Amer-I-can Bulldog i dont worrie bout much. she just lays under the hammock so's to be under the tarp, she loves it

For some reason, the look on the dog's face in that first picture, coupled with the name Miss Dixie cracks me up.

**louisfb** · 08-30-2012, 08:26

How did you guys go about getting your dog used to camping with a hammock? I have been trying to figure out how to introduce my 8 month old puppy to camping and specifically with a hammock.

Thanks,

--louis

**Fronkey** · 08-30-2012, 11:15

Originally Posted by louisfb

How did you guys go about getting your dog used to camping with a hammock? I have been trying to figure out how to introduce my 8 month old puppy to camping and specifically with a hammock.

Thanks,

--louis

Practice practice practice. Just like with anything else you do with a dog. I started Kiba when she was younger than 8 months.

Fronkey

**Montalaskan** · 08-30-2012, 11:47

Originally Posted by tdi_tech

My pure bred black lab stays off leash nearly all the time while backpacking. He stays so close to me my heels that I often hit his Ruffwear pack while walking! At night, he usually digs a hole under the hammock and sleeps there. In the last 15 trips, he's never left my sight, and always returns when I call. If I hide behind a tree, he gets worried and smells out my hiding location

I have a Ruffwear coat that I put on him at nights when its cold. This coming fall/winter I plan on getting him some shoes to help keep him warm. He is an awesome companion while backpacking!

Awesome dog! Labs are awesome companions - so smart and intuitive.

I love all dogs but I'm definitely a "Lab guy." Currently we have a British yellow named Kenai and my parents have her litter mate, Lacey. They can be trouble together!

Kenai has slept next to my hammock on the ground both in a kennel and out. Space cleared out like in Fronkey's video. We have been on our property so I haven't worried about her wandering off but I doubt she ever would. She'd be leashed in areas she might wander.

I do wonder about getting her a hammock of her own to hang near me.

**Montalaskan** · 08-30-2012, 11:48

Originally Posted by Fronkey

Practice practice practice. Just like with anything else you do with a dog. I started Kiba when she was younger than 8 months.

Fronkey

Your video is a great guide for those just getting going.

**K0m4** · 08-30-2012, 12:52

Originally Posted by tdi_tech

My pure bred black lab stays off leash nearly all the time while backpacking. He stays so close to me my heels that I often hit his Ruffwear pack while walking! At night, he usually digs a hole under the hammock and sleeps there. In the last 15 trips, he's never left my sight, and always returns when I call. If I hide behind a tree, he gets worried and smells out my hiding location

I have a Ruffwear coat that I put on him at nights when its cold. This coming fall/winter I plan on getting him some shoes to help keep him warm. He is an awesome companion while backpacking!

That is a very handsome lab!

I grew up with one that had some border collie in him (a grandparent I think). They are great dogs, up for anything. But surely their undercoat protects them from virtually all elements, and there is no need for a coat? I remember him as having a layer of hair a few cms thick in winter.. coaming it out in spring took weeks, just never seemed to stop! He'd run into icy waters and then roll in the snow wihtout hesitation.

**robbie g** · 08-30-2012, 13:09

I use a complete waterproof thermal winter suit [complete for my dog in the winter with a roll bed inside space age insulation , he carries all his own kit and food in his back pack he sleeps to the side of me on the floor warm as toast. Summer same bed but with a fleece jkt just for the night, he is a big 40 kg Drathaar .......