How To Pack For Your Fall Canoe Trip Like A Pro (Part 6: Dog Items) + Free Printable Checklist!

Catherine van Warmerdam
Dec 15, 2018
5 min read

Updated: Jan 10, 2019

Are you and Fido ready to hit the trails? Here is a list of things you’ll need to pack for your pooch on your fall canoe trip! I have also provided some gear recommendations for you to check out.

We love to camp in the fall, and our Akbash/Lab mix, Guinness, loves it, too. He has joined us on trips to the backwoods of Sudbury, The Kawartha Highlands Signature Site, and Frontenac Provincial Park. He loves the chance to be outside all day, but I think he also loves to be paddled around like a prince.

dog camping canoe fall backcountry packing — "Paddle me, humans!"

Here we are, the final post of our six-part Fall Packing Series, Dog Items.

Don't forget to check out Part 1: Shelter, Part 2: Safety, Part 3: Camp Kitchen, Part 4: Personal Gear , and Part 5: Fun & Adventure by clicking the links provided. You can also grab a copy of our free printable checklist. Tuck that puppy (not the real one!) in the garage with your camping gear, and you’ll thank yourself next fall.

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Part 6: Dog Items

akbash lab dog camping fall backcountry camping packing list canoe trip — If you forget Fido's food, you'll be seeing this face a lot...

Food

Don’t forget to bring the dog food, or else you’ll either be sacrificing all of your sausages, or find yourself trying to wrangle a squirrel.

dog canoe camping fall lake backcountry camping packing list — Nature can be a place of rest and relaxation for people and their pets!

Bowls

You’ll need something to serve the dog food in! I recently purchased this set of Collapsible Silicone Dog Bowls (Merry Christmas, Guinness!). They even come with carabiners to quickly attach the bowls to your bear barrel or pack.

dog camping campfire canoe trip fall backcountry packing list — Some parks have rules about leashes - be sure to check them out before you go.

Leash

There will be times on the trail that you might need to restrain your dog. In fact, some parks have straight rules about dog’s being leashed or tied out at all times. Not everyone else out there is comfortable with dogs. Our dog, Guinness, has surprised a few fellow campers, being the big, black, scary creature that he is. I've been really happy with this Retractable Dog Leash from Mighty Paw. It is weight-rated for a large dog, can extend 16ft, and locks at variable distances for good control of your dog. It’s also stitched with reflective material, increasing your visibility at night.

black lab akbash dog canoe trip camping fall backcountry packing list — Guinness sporting his bright orange harness, and collar with identification.

Harness

It took us a while to find a good harness, but we did it! A harness is great because it reduces strain on a dog’s neck, can keep them visible, and provides a great handhold. Some people swear by harnesses with a front clip for reducing the ability of the dog to pull you. I love the Rabbitgoo Front Range Dog Harness because it’s bright orange, keeping him visible, which is particularly useful during hunting season. It also has reflective stitching, so we can see him at night!

Identification

If your pup isn't microchipped, be sure to have some sort of identification on him or her. Our vet gives us tags that have a unique code for www.getmehome.ca , where we have registered Guinness. If he were to get lost and found by someone else, they would be able to identify him and get a hold of us.

dog canoe camping fall packing list backcountry — Guinness is guarding our canoe in the Kawartha Highlands

Bear Bell

This is an idea I took from a fellow camper in the Kawartha Highlands, although I suppose it technically came from whatever farmer first put a bell on a cow. By attaching a bell to your dog’s collar or harness, you can audibly keep track of them, and, at the same time, warn any bears of your presence. There have been several cases where dogs have spooked a bear and ran back to the owner, essentially, leading the bear straight to you for a confrontation. Not good! Coughlan's Bear Bell is a great size for larger dogs. It also comes with a little mesh bag, which has a magnetic silencer. I love such simple design!

dog camping fall backcountry canoe trip lake trees packing list — Guinness can be very stoic.

Identification Light

Anyone who has a black dog knows that they can just disappear into the darkness at night time. We solve this problem by attaching a light to his collar or harness at night. There are many types out there, including collars that have LEDs embedded in the fabric. Although that sounds like an attractive idea, I have had negative experiences with lights from the main brand that makes them. (Just sayin’!). We like the SportDog Locator Beacon. It has both a continuous and a flashing mode, it snaps over the collar, and has a surprising battery life. It might be a good idea to purchase a spare battery to keep with your camping gear.

dog black lab lake camping backcountry canoe trip fall packing list — When nature calls, you have to answer! (Figuratively and literally.)

Poo Bags

Don’t let your dog leave a mess on the trail! It’s just not friendly to other campers. You can bring a trowel with you and bury the waste well away from the trail, or you can pick it up with Biodegradable Poo Bags and throw the waste into the privy, thunderbox, or outhouse (I find the terminology of outdoor facilities quite fascinating; is it just me?).

Tie-Out

A longer rope or tie-out cord is good for the campsite, for keeping your dog nearby at night time. As I mentioned before, some parks require your dog to be on a leash or tie at all times. The tie-out can be tied around trees, posts, or picnic tables. I suppose you could bring a stake if you wanted, although we generally go to places that have the aforementioned ‘natural stakes’.

Blanket

Just because your pup has fur doesn’t mean he doesn’t get cold! A small fleece blanket or two will do the trick. We usually bring two, one for him to lie on, and one for us to throw over him.

dog black lab akbash fire pit fire steel ring camping canoe backcountry fall — A wet and dirty dog makes for a stinky tent, if you don't have a towel!

Towel

Unless you want your tent, sleeping bag, and clothes to smell like wet dog, you might want to towel your pup off at the end of the day. This will also help him or her to stay warm at night. I have a special towel just for Guinness, the Sea To Summit Tek Towel. It’s small, but highly absorbent, dries quickly, and packs away nicely. And we don’t all smell like wet dog.

dog camping lake fall canoe trip backcountry packing list — Guinness is always on the hunt for the perfect stick.

Toys

This is optional, depending on your dog’s temperament. Maybe your dog is content to fetch sticks and chew on them. Or are they the type of dog that needs a tennis ball to play with at all times. Or perhaps they love a particular tug toy, because it requires your participation in the game. Sometimes bring a bone marrow for Guinness to chew on in the evenings, but we make sure to store it along with the dog food in the bear barrel.

Canoe dog sleep camping backcountry fall packing list — Guinness is very chill in a canoe. Not chill in the water.

Doggy PFD

If your dog isn’t a strong swimmer, you might want to consider a doggie PFD. That way, if you canoe should tip away from shore, your dog can paddle back to safety. We don’t yet have one, but it’s on our to-do list! Guinness looks like a water-loving Labrador, but his hatred of water comes from his livestock guardian heritage. He wouldn’t dare tip the canoe of his own volition, lest he get his paws wet! But, accidents do happen, and although he has the ability to swim, his anxiety about the water might get the best of him.