First camp of the season

[DJEtzel]

I think I could get used to this "camping" thing. BF got a new camper, and we had to break it in! 4 dogs, two people, three days! We visited his family in Indiana so that I could meet everyone. His brother & family have a lot of property in the middle of nowhere, so the dogs had a ton of off-leash freedom all weekend and they had a blast! No major squabbles, minimal barking, and Recon befriended their 5 year old son and 9 year old daughter happily! (huge progress for the red dog!)

On to those pictures!

Lots of pretty boys

DSC_2469 by DJetzel, on Flickr

DSC_2467 by DJetzel, on Flickr

DSC_2422 by DJetzel, on Flickr

DSC_2427 by DJetzel, on Flickr

DSC_2433 by DJetzel, on Flickr

DSC_2437 by DJetzel, on Flickr

And girls!

DSC_2439 by DJetzel, on Flickr

DSC_2440 by DJetzel, on Flickr

DSC_2441 by DJetzel, on Flickr

DSC_2442 by DJetzel, on Flickr

 

[DJEtzel]

DSC_2443 by DJetzel, on Flickr

DSC_2446 by DJetzel, on Flickr

DSC_2447 by DJetzel, on Flickr

DSC_2452 by DJetzel, on Flickr

DSC_2462 by DJetzel, on Flickr

They were some tired, hot dogs

DSC_2464 by DJetzel, on Flickr

DSC_2465 by DJetzel, on Flickr

DSC_2468 by DJetzel, on Flickr

Thankfully not because of the fire...

DSC_2472 by DJetzel, on Flickr

DSC_2473 by DJetzel, on Flickr

 

[DJEtzel]

Then they pestered us.

DSC_2474 by DJetzel, on Flickr

DSC_2476 by DJetzel, on Flickr

DSC_2477 by DJetzel, on Flickr

Patton preferred the AC in the camper. XD

DSC_2489 by DJetzel, on Flickr

DSC_2491 by DJetzel, on Flickr

Some shots from/of the camper-

dogs by DJetzel, on Flickr

window by DJetzel, on Flickr

camper by DJetzel, on Flickr

 

[meepitsmeagan]

Jealous! Patty is so handsome and Ricky is looking SO grown up!!

I have yet to meet Jinks, btw. Pimg tugging. What's new.

 

[xpaeanx]

Oh that looks like a ton of fun! I'm jealous of your weekend! I hope you have many more great weekends in the camper though!

 

[DJEtzel]

Jealous! Patty is so handsome and Ricky is looking SO grown up!!

I have yet to meet Jinks, btw. Pimg tugging. What's new.

Well you need to come down and stay once I move, so you will get to meet EREBODY. Jinks is a fun guy!

Which reminds me! My necklace (with sentimental value) broke while we were outside playing around with the kids and the pendant fell off/was lost. Willy put Jinks in harness and asked him to track after offering him the chain that remained and he TOTALLY FOUND THE PENDANT. He had only taken one tracking class, over a year ago I want to say? He's my hero, for sure.

Oh that looks like a ton of fun! I'm jealous of your weekend! I hope you have many more great weekends in the camper though!

Thanks! We have another trip right now planned with the four of them to Minnesota the weekend of the 7th for CPE Nationals (Pimg is competing) - should be a ton of fun!! We got to figure out water/showering and crating this time, so it should go off without a hitch next week!!

 

[JacksonsMom]

Ahhh that seriously looks like SO much fun. My kind of trip. Love the pics, glad you had a good time.

 

[wildo]

Which reminds me! My necklace (with sentimental value) broke while we were outside playing around with the kids and the pendant fell off/was lost. Willy put Jinks in harness and asked him to track after offering him the chain that remained and he TOTALLY FOUND THE PENDANT. He had only taken one tracking class, over a year ago I want to say? He's my hero, for sure.

This needs to be repeated!! He has such a fantastic nose. In class, he'd RUN the tracks and we had to be careful about him blowing corners. He really seems to have the understanding of following a scent/finding a scent. We haven't done any tracking in a long time- probably about a year as Danielle mentioned. But given that he still tracks Pimg regularly, I thought it was worth a shot. I couldn't have been more proud that he actually found the pendant. And it was in the kids play area with grass, sand, three other dogs, and two kids running around as distractions. It wasn't super pretty and focused; I had to reset him quite a few times, but the fact is- HE FOUND IT. Amazing!!

 

[DJEtzel]

This needs to be repeated!! He has such a fantastic nose. In class, he'd RUN the tracks and we had to be careful about him blowing corners. He really seems to have the understanding of following a scent/finding a scent. We haven't done any tracking in a long time- probably about a year as Danielle mentioned. But given that he still tracks Pimg regularly, I thought it was worth a shot. I couldn't have been more proud that he actually found the pendant. And it was in the kids play area with grass, sand, three other dogs, and two kids running around as distractions. It wasn't super pretty and focused; I had to reset him quite a few times, but the fact is- HE FOUND IT. Amazing!!

Talk about being a proud dad!

I would have been impressed if he found the year-long missing ring.

 

[JacksonsMom]

Btw I think I am in LOVE with Jinks. So handsome.

 

[xpaeanx]

That's an awesome story and a handy dog to have around! I misplace things almost daily. LOL.

I hope the next trip goes swimmingly! LOL. I seriously love traveling... I'm so jealous of you two right now.

 

[DJEtzel]

I wish we could pick you all up and take you camping with us!

Unfortunately, we barely fit with the four dogs as is... not sure what we're gonna do when another dog comes along. We have considered crating outside as well, in which case we could crate 4 in the camper and two in the car for travel, but that isn't ideal for climate control. We'll have to play it by ear for sure.

I do feel pretty lucky to have this guy (and his camper! ) around, though!

 

[Kootenay]

That looks like such a sweet set up!! Awesome!

 

[Red.Apricot]

I love all the pictures of the beautiful, happy dogs!

 

[JazzyTheSibe]

That looks so fun,& it looked like the dogs had a blast. I can't believe how big patton is getting.I just love Jinks, he's so handsome.

I love camping. We don't camp in camper,but, instead we tent camp. But, it really sucks when it's raining, & the tent leaks...

 

[wildo]

That looks so fun,& it looked like the dogs had a blast. I can't believe how big patton is getting.I just love Jinks, he's so handsome.

I love camping. We don't camp in camper,but, instead we tent camp. But, it really sucks when it's raining, & the tent leaks...

I do hesitate to call camper camping actual "camping" but then again- leaky tent... no thanks!! Plus, Pimg will settle down in a tent Jinks will NOT! He'd claw/scratch right through.

 

[xpaeanx]

I camp in a hammock. Whatever floats your boat and gets you doing things. LOL.

 

[DJEtzel]

I don't mind sleeping in a tent or anything... but with dogs - man I feel like that would be stressful!

Plus, Willy bought like 10" of padding for the camper bed so it's comfortable as HELL.

 

[xpaeanx]

I don't mind sleeping in a tent or anything... but with dogs - man I feel like that would be stressful!

Plus, Willy bought like 10" of padding for the camper bed so it's comfortable as HELL.

This is the main reason why I sleep in a hammock when hiking... it is way more comfortable to me than the bivy. The other reason is that it's so much easier to find a spot... last camping trip we had to walk for an extra FOREVER bc the SO couldn't find a flat spot for his bivy. He's actually planning to join me in hanging soon, just a matter of picking out a hammock and buying it now.

With Speckles I brought a tie out and she slept under the hammock. I bought a larger hammock than I needed so my doggy companion could fit in there with me... eventually.

 

[DJEtzel]

A hammock sounds like a ton of fun!

If I didn't have dogs with I would totally want to. I would stress out worrying about them getting eaten, chewing through tie-outs, etc. Mine are kind of crazy - sleeping in the hammock probably wouldn't be an option. I could just imagine... :rofl1: