Camp Dog

As I mentioned in Camping at Virginia Lakes, Oso went with us on this trip. When I first married Dean, we took our dogs camping and I did not like it. I couldn’t relax and enjoy my camping experience because I was worried about their camping experience. Although Dean liked having the dogs along, he accept my stress and we stopped taking dogs camping. 

Then at the very last minute (we were packed and ready to pull out), we had to decide to take Oso with us. I don’t know if I was easier about this trip or if Oso is just a more laid back dog (who is older now than our other dogs were then) or whatever. What I do know is that we had a great time and I think he did too. 

He gets so nervous when he sees us packing. He wants to know he won’t be left behind and as long as someone is with him when we leave or we take him to our wonderful dog sitter, he is ok letting us go. Well, this time, we threw in some food, his red pillow, a leash and food bowls, put him in the one little back seat that was left and off we went. And we all had a great time!

Dean had created a line that attached to a tree so that Oso could wander the camp site. We spent some time unwrapping him from trees, but that was ok. We had a leash for walks to the lake. There were lots of dogs at Virginia Lakes and I was so pleased to see that other campers had their dogs on leashes too. It’s a rule, but one that is often broken. 

Oso didn’t eat much while we were gone but he drank lots of water. We were at 9000 feet or more if we hiked. He had water in his bowl and in lots of lakes and streams along the way. He swam in lakes, one night chasing a beaver for a while. He led his pack on the trail up to a higher lake, checking in with me, the slow one, occasionally. I told you about his keeping guard when I had to lie down because of dizziness. He slept on his little red pillow in the camper. All in all, it was a wonderful trip and he adjusted well. 

As we were packing up to come home, he began to get restless again and sticking very close. About an hour before we were ready to leave, Dean put him in the car where he promptly fell asleep, happy in the knowledge that he had come with us and he was going to go home with us too.