What do you guys do when you reach your destination with your dog? I have a 6 month old Siberian Husky that I would like to take along on my trips. Do you get a long chain (I dunno, like 20 feet) and tether the dog to the hitch while I set up camp and sleep during the nights? Your advice is much appreciated.
Thanks,
John

I have a Tepui RTT that works well for when it's just me and him. As far as setting up around camp, check out the Ruffwear knot a hitch. Kind of expensive but works really well. You could probably rig up a DIY version with some rope and carabiners. When I have the family along, he usually just sleeps in the back with the liftgate open or outside on the ground. If we aren't camping there are plenty of pet-friendly hotels.

Do this! Some National Parks have regulations on the length of leashes I sleep on top of and the dogs sleep inside of my vehicle.

I was fortunate with my old dog. It was just her and me when I got her as a pup, so no distractions in training and only one voice for her to listen to. No one to spoil or ruin her. Had a water district job at the time... Management didn't care if she rode in the truck bed on a short chain screwed into a toolbox or in the cab with me on my agricultural water route. So she learned to ride, relax and behave early on in her training. She also learned to sit when there were people or livestock around unless I said otherwise, which really helped after moving into deer country and goin' on shed hunts with her (pictured).

From then on during any travel - visiting family or friends, camping or fishing in or out of state - she went everywhere with me without trouble. I carried a leash and a long synthetic tie rope with a ground screw if needed, but rarely did. She slept with me in the covered back of my pick-up, in tents, in hotels, in vacation rentals without hesitation or issue. She was the best. Even her vet said I'd never find another like her.

Some of it was the intelligence and trainability of her breed (border collie x heeler) and some was her individual personality. But a large part was being able to have her by my side daily since Day 1. The more you can, the better they turn out.

In comparison, my newest rescue (also an intelligent Aussie x heeler mix) was a burned fire victim who was never worked with in the first year of his life. So uncared for that his family left him to die when wildfire hit our area. He's more of an (ahem) free spirit and a challenge to travel with. But he's a good guy, gentle and eager to please, and is gettin' better every day.

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I have a heeler mix that I rescued. He’s a great damn trail dog the best I’ve ever owned honestly. He does lack on manners when it comes to people fingers though. I bring a small kennel for him to ride in the back of the 4Runner. Sometimes I drop the seats down and let him ride facing the window with it down. It also acts as his “den” when we get to camp. The door comes off of it easily and I use one inch strap that’s 15’ long attached to his leash that has carabiner ends. %95 of the time he’s a free dog he can do what he pleases as long as he’s close by. That other %5 he’s attached to the lead which is looped around my hitch and he has around 20ft diameter to roam. At night he sleeps in the kennel outside attached to his lead but I leave the door off so he can investigate anything that’s bothering him. He was quick to learn what my expectations where of him. To help myself out with his extreme energy levels as soon as we hit dirt he gets kicked out of the T4R and Lil Fukker runs runs runs!!

I have a beagle, which is known to be a very obedient breed. No that that I didn’t have anything to do with it as well. It took me a few months to invest in his training and have him listen to my commands. I'm very okay with him the fact that he might start running around after a squirrel like crazy. If I tell him to come on back, he’ll do just that. Shoutout to Alfred - the best trainer I’ve ever met. I was camping this August and Snookie was an angel in terms of behavior. I only hat to keep him tied up during the night.

I just got a couple NiteEyez Spotlit XLs for my labs from the local pet food store (factory page here: SpotLit XL Rechargeable Carabiner Light with Disc-O Select )

This really helps when the go running off into the dark as the black one disappears in any kind of shadow.

Our last dog was a Lab mix and we don't know with what but she was a great traveler, made it to 43 states traveling with us in our campers. Getting a dog crate trained is a good idea for everybody but especially if you travel. Start with them as a pup and don't use too large of a crate, get a bigger as they get older and keep them used to it.

I use a crate with my malinois when I travel

I have a Jack Russel. And must admit that travelling with him and without are two absolutely different things. The dog brings so much joy to any trip that he is a must have while travelling

Crate for sleep.