Dog shelters

**sliver** · 12-28-2013, 00:32

I take 2 35-40lb dogs with me when I camp. I've been trying to think of a shelter I can make for them that would help keep them warm and dry. I thought about making a Tyvek dog bivy but they really really don't like the crackly sound Tyvek makes.

One solution I thought of was to make something like an umbrella shape with an entrance I can lay over their dog beds to form a low dome or flat cylinder made from Reflectix. I figured I'd put loops around the perimeter to stake it down.

Has anyone tried any kind of dog camping shelters? Any ideas?

**slowhike** · 12-28-2013, 01:20

I've been giving it some thought but I'm not ready to give much detail.
My best thoughts right now are to have a unit that connects to both sides of the hammock (like an underquilt).
For most uses it would be about a 3/4 length.
It could have a dog shelter on one or both sides.
For colder weather it might be full length. adding to the function of the hammocks underquilt.

**ratrodder69** · 12-28-2013, 03:22

I would think the dogs would want to be with you anyway so just put their beds under your hammock if they need more shelter then that get yourself a bigger tarp and call it good maybe even one big enough to go to the ground at least on one side

**gargoyle** · 12-28-2013, 08:56

Use a pup tent....

**Wolle** · 12-28-2013, 10:32

Originally Posted by sliver

..... Any ideas?

perhaps this dog tent

**Wkerber** · 12-28-2013, 10:43

Why not make them a small tarp out of silnylon? That way you can do it as a small tarp tent or a tarp in porch mode depending on weather. Shouldn't take but a yard and 1/2 or so.

**sliver** · 12-29-2013, 00:16

Originally Posted by slowhike

I've been giving it some thought but I'm not ready to give much detail.
My best thoughts right now are to have a unit that connects to both sides of the hammock (like an underquilt).
For most uses it would be about a 3/4 length.
It could have a dog shelter on one or both sides.
For colder weather it might be full length. adding to the function of the hammocks underquilt.

Hmm... I wasn't thinking of something like that. I have a bridge hammock so I could attach it pretty easily. I'll have to consider this a little more.

**sliver** · 12-29-2013, 00:20

These ideas got me thinking... maybe I could just create a small A-frame tent with one end closed off. That would be really simple to make.

I'll have to try out a few prototypes.

**jwright** · 12-29-2013, 13:04

How about a simple sil nylon pyramid shaped structure that uses a single central hiking pole, no floor and and staked out around the perimeter.

**anglachel** · 12-29-2013, 17:26

Originally Posted by Wolle

perhaps this dog tent

We got a dog tent from REI thinking our dog could sleep there when we were camping.

First time out he broke the poles.

After some modification those poles move on to be a pole mod on my superfly.

We built a dog hammock from some heavy ripstop (something his claws wouldn't tear up) it's about 50" long, and basically setup like our ENO hammocks... Supports his 60pound self... he loves it, but he needs to be really tired to sleep in it (not usually an issue when we are camping) He can't get in by himself, needs some one to hold it open, but when he gets sleepy he'll walk over there and just push his chest against it until we help him in...

String it up under our hammocks and he will sleep most of the way through the night (occasionally something will make a noise, he'll jump out and bark, and need some help getting back in)

Hope the picture shows up.