Luna, my faithful and ever-happy road trip companion, loves the Teardrop! In fact I have a strong suspicion that, with the securely enclosed shape and smallish size inside the Teardrop camper, she figures it’s like a den—that she allows me to sleep in LOL.

Luna, just on the cusp of 40 lbs, is a medium-sized pup and is a manageable companion in a small 4×8 Teardrop trailer. I don’t know if I would be too enthusiastic about it with a dog a whole lot larger than that, though I guess they could sleep in the car instead. Here is what I have learned so far about Teardropping with a dog.

Strategies for Teardrop Camping with Your Dog

What to do if it’s been raining and the idea of having a wet and mucky-pawed dog in there with you when turning in at day-end doesn’t sound appealing? I dry her off in the car or screen shelter as much as possible then lift her directly into the trailer. How to manage the dog entering the Teardrop and bringing in a minimum of dirt and debris? A fleece blanket on top of the bed catches debris and is easy to shake out or launder when needed. What to do when you hear your dog making the ominous pre-barfing heave sound in the middle of the night?!? I keep a leash in the sleeper cabin so I can quickly attach it and pop her out the door.

Be mindful about leaving your dog unattended, even briefly, in the Teardrop. Of course, you will open the windows for ventilation but your Teardrop trailer door may have destroyed screens in the space of a few seconds if there’s a squirrel or something else the dog wants at. I keep a screen repair patch in my Teardrop kit, but it’s not going to do much if the dog has torn it half out.

Speaking of wildlife, it’s important not to leave pet food in the bowl… it’s an attractant for bears, mice, and anything in between. Not an issue with Luna since she licks it clean (multiple times!) and besides I just bring one bowl which is used for food at meal time but otherwise water. I bring a long lead and keep Luna on it most of the time we are hanging out at camp. She gets lots of walks and stimulation and isn’t suffering any from being leashed. And it’s not worth the risk of an encounter with a porcupine, or skunk, (or vehicle!), or whatever avoidable mishap that could throw a big wrench into the road trip.

Your Dog’s Den Away from Home

Teardropping with a dog is great. I know we both enjoy it muchly, and can’t imagine doing a road trip without Luna. With a bit of forethought, it all goes smoothly. The teardrop trailer interior, in a way, does become the dog’s den. It is a secure place of familiarity for a dog when they are away from home and surrounded with new inputs and changing environments. Your dog will soon come to be at-rest in your Teardrop camper. In fact there have been evenings when I am still up watching stars but Luna is done with her day, standing beside the trailer looking up at the door, and wanting to be put to bed. If only young children were that easy.

One important piece of advice: be assertive, right from the get-go, with claiming your portion of the Teardrop’s bed 🙂

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So, that’s how I do things with my Teardrop Trailer but by no means the full story or the best way. What about you? Add your own methods, ideas and experiences using the comment box below for the benefit of all readers.