The movie Bull Durham has given me some of my favorite quotes, and this one seemed to fit our recent weekend in Shenandoah National Park: “This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains.”

Yup, sometimes it rains and did it ever!

The OBH crew arrived Friday night to the Big Meadows campground and thankfully Katina snagged the last walk-up spot since all the reservation sites were booked. She and Cannon had time for a beautiful walk in the Big Meadow before Karma and I, with new puppy Indie, pulled into the grounds.

The next morning it was a yummy breakfast followed by the Lewis Falls hike we had done before. We laughed as we struggled – as usual – to find the obvious trailhead, but it was smooth sailing from there as Indie completed her inaugural 3+ mile hike like a big girl.

The afternoon was lovely and then the rain came …

It started just before dinner and luckily I had packed a giant (seriously, GIANT) umbrella meant to create shade at the beach but also stave off the light rain shower. Well it was a good thing because all five of us huddled under it and made dinner during a brief “intermission.”

We finally gave up and went to our tents early as we were sitting in the rain, in the dark and Cannon had long since retired. It poured all night. Pounding, glad-I-have-a-good-tent kind of rain. And in the morning, when it was still raining at 8 a.m., we surrendered and packed up, shoving our tents in garbage bags. So much for a morning hike in the Big Meadow!

So it got me thinking about rain gear. Sooner or later it happens to everyone, so what do you pack for these moments?

For me, I was happy to be loading up wearing rain pants and my rain jacket with a hood but I was bummed that a baseball hat and/or rain hat was at home. It didn’t bother me that my feet were wet (only because it was already 80 degrees), but rain boots would be nice in cooler weather. I was grateful for large (yard sized) garbage bags, several towels and the fact that I have a seat/cargo cover for wet dogs. The giant umbrella was a bonus because otherwise we would have been forced to retire to our separate tent hours earlier. We are fair weather hikers but I will probably toss a garbage bag in my day pack just in case I need to keep something dry.

“… Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains.”

Times like this kindle my already flaming desire to shop! Surely I must need something, right? Well, realistically, probably not as over the years I have amassed quite the camping war chest.

So today we revisit a well-stocked “kitchen.” As you know, we OBH girls don’t eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or spaghetti when we are in the woods. No way! We love to try new recipes on the grill and see just how far we can push camp cooking. My only consistent request: S’mores. Yum!

We have created the attached checklist for you to get started building your “kitchen bin.” My bin stays packed year-round and I just pull it from its place in storage and into the car without worrying I have forgotten something. My bin is air-tight/water-tight so I don’t worry about anything getting dirty during transport or sitting around a dusty campsite.

If we forgot something, please let us know! I will run out and buy it immediately!

If your dog is showing the first signs of heat exhaustion, rapid breathing, rapid heart rate, the first thing you must do is remove him from the confining area. Nine times out of ten, heat exhaustion occurs while the dog is confined, whether it is in a car, crate, or doghouse.

Take the dog to shade, and soak him with cool water. Do NOT use extremely cold or iced water. This will cause blood vessels to constrict and will stop the heat from escaping.

You can apply ice packs to the areas underneath his front legs, and to the groin area for rapid blood cooling. Give your dog enough water to wet his mouth and throat, but do NOT allow your dog to drink copious amounts!

Take your dog’s temperature, this is done anally to get the most accurate reading.

Prepare your dog for transport to the nearest emergency animal clinic.

Do NOT cover your dog, even with a cold towel. This will prevent the heat from escaping.

Do NOT place him back in his crate, but keep him with you, with windows down and air conditioning on high, to allow evaporation which will aid in the cooling process.

Yes, there is also a danger that dog can become too cold. Monitor the temperatures and stop the cooling process as soon as your dog’s temperature reads normally again.

Continue on the vet’s, your dog is not saved yet!

Time: Overnight camping, short trails

Length: Lots of options

Gear: The usual camping gear

Difficulty: 1 paws

Scenery: 4 paws

Pack: Camping is more fun with a friend!

This past weekend, our OBH pack explored Lake Anna which is one of Virginia’s fabulous state parks. The name is probably a dead give-away, but the campsite is located at one end of Lake Anna which is a large and busy lake, especially in the summer.

We arrived Friday evening and set up in time for some delicious guacamole and chips – yum – and even had time to take the dogs for a short walk as the sun was disappearing. The park has 11 trails covering 15 miles so obviously they are short but can be combined for longer treks. From the park information we learned there are a few more difficult options but we found them to be easy and straightforward.

The campsites are on pea-sized river rock that does create a nice, clean area for setting up and sleeping. HOWEVER, you might want to bring dog boots for your pup! The stones seem to irritate their feet – not at the pad, but up in their feet. One minute they were fine but suddenly Saturday night both Karma and Cannon were walking as if on eggshells. OUCH!

Our weather was 100-degree-hot! And zero breeze! For this we were grateful for the many water opportunities! On Saturday we grabbed our camp chairs and took the Railroad Ford Trail to its tip where we found a little section of water where the dogs could be off-leash (technically a no-no and by the way the hosts at the campground are pretty serious about this!) and play in the water. The boys were in heaven! We hung out for a couple hours – long enough for Karma to learn to really swim and for Cannon to get in deep enough to take a few strokes.

The campground itself had some really nice amenities – bathrooms, showers, place for washing dishes – but sadly by Saturday night the toilets stopped working. Good thing we were in the woods – ha! We also were fortunate enough to have a site meant for campers with full electricity and running water – great for doing dishes. That night we had an amazing dinner of Arctic Char, grilled veggies and marshmallows (of course!) and slept under a full moon.

On Sunday morning, the dogs still were walking on eggshells, the bathrooms hadn’t been magically fixed overnight and it was 90 degrees by 9a. We decided it was too hot to do anything, especially since we had no way to get the dogs to the lake without using their feet! So we packed it up and went home early, having had a wonderful weekend.

This is the third and final blog in our “beating the heat

There are ways you can prevent heat stroke from happening in the first place.

• NEVER leave your dog alone in the car on a warm day, regardless of whether the windows are open. Even if the weather outside is not extremely hot, the inside of the car acts like an oven – temperatures can rise to dangerously high levels in a matter of minutes.
• Avoid vigorous exercise on warm days. When outside, opt for shady areas.
• Keep fresh cool water available at all times.
• Certain types of dogs are more sensitive to heat – especially obese dogs and brachycephalic (short-nosed) breeds, like Pugs and Bulldogs. Use extreme caution when these dogs are exposed to heat.

Some dogs can recover fully from heat stroke if it is caught early enough. Others suffer permanent organ damage and require lifelong treatment. Sadly, many dogs do not survive heat stroke. Prevention is the key to keeping your dog safe during warmer weather.

This is a continuation of our three-part

If you have even the slightest suspicion that your dog is suffering from heat stoke, you must take immediate action.

1. First, move your dog out of the heat and away from the sun right away.

2. Begin cooling your dog by placing cool, wet rags or washcloths on the body – especially the foot pads and around the head.

3. DO NOT use ice or very cold water! Extreme cold can cause the blood vessels to constrict, preventing the body’s core from cooling and actually causing the internal temperature to further rise. In addition, over-cooling can cause hypothermia, introducing a host of new problems. When the body temperature reaches 103°, stop cooling.

4. Offer your dog cool water, but do not force water into your dog’s mouth.

5. Call or visit your vet right away – even if your dog seems better. Internal damage might not be obvious to the naked eye, so an exam is necessary (and further testing may be recommended).

Tip: recruit others to help you – ask someone to call the vet while others help you cool your dog.

And I realized that sometimes you just can’t write something any better than someone else already has done. In this case, thanks to About.com and Jenna Stregowski, RVT for helping us understand avoid heat problems!

To make this blog-friendly, I have broken this article into sections. Please forward to your friends and remember that the safety of our dogs is more important than our desire for a long walk or day in the sun!!!

What is Hyperthermia?

Hyperthermia is a term describing an elevation in body temperature. This increase typically occurs as a response to a trigger, such as inflammation in the body or a hot environment. When a dog is exposed to high temperatures, heat stroke or heat exhaustion can result. Heat stroke is a very serious condition that requires immediate medical attention. Once the signs of heat stroke are detected, there is precious little time before serious damage – or even death – can occur.

Dogs do not sweat through their skin like humans – they release heat primarily by panting and they sweat through the foot pads and nose. If a dog cannot effectively expel heat, the internal body temperature begins to rise. Once the dog’s temperature reaches 106°, damage to the body’s cellular system and organs may become irreversible. Unfortunately, too many dogs succumb to heat stroke when it could have been avoided. Learn how to recognize the signs of heat stroke and prevent it from happening to your dog.

Signs of Heat Stroke

The following signs may indicate heat stroke in a dog:

• Increased rectal temperature (over 104° requires action, over 106° is a dire emergency)
• Vigorous panting
• Dark red gums
• Tacky or dry mucus membranes (specifically the gums)
• Lying down and unwilling (or unable) to get up
• Collapse and/or loss of consciousness
• Thick saliva
• Dizziness or disorientation

A few weeks ago I did just this. Setup was pretty easy since my Marmot Limelight 3 tent has a rainfly and footprint that can setup without the tent. This is meant to be used in warm weather camping and in Virginia it doesn’t get any warmer in winter than indoors at 72 degrees. Cannon got really excited when he saw me pull the tent polls out. And I gotta admit that having only used my tent a couple times, I got excited when I got a whiff of that new tent smell! The moment I go the ten setup my 80lb Ridgey was wandering around inside, waiting for me to get the sleeping bag laid down.

I made a couple small modification to this camping trip. I set the tent up over the rug in my living room to give me some extra cushion. I unzipped my sleeping bag and laid it out across the entire sleeping pad and then stacked a couple down comforters on top. We camped right in front of the tv and watched the olymipcs… it was fantastic!!!

For some extra ambiance to the night I made indoor smores. Graham crackers, Hershey’s chocolate bar and fluff – just put it in the microwave for 7 to 12 seconds and you’re all set.

Now, I’ve been thinking – for those of you who haven’t done any tent camping with your dog, this would be a fantastic way to give it a test run. You can get your pup used to sleeping in the tent and see if he’s gonna try to sneak in your sleeping bag with you. Tip – sometimes dogs can pace around the tent a lot the first time they’re all zipped up in there with you. Don’t be alarmed, this is typical. Just relax and give him some time to get used to it. If you relax then he should relax and be curled up next to you in no time.

If you’ve got any tips on how to make a bigger better indoor camping experience then we’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment here and share your tips and/or stories!

Karma loves his travel bed from Canine Hardware and I love that it comes with its own stuff sack. It’s machine washable and has poly suede on one side and rip stop on the bottom. I found it at Back Country K9 which has great gear of all kings for your traveling adventures.

Though we usually car camp, I still pack Karma’s gear in his own backpack from Ruff Wear. In the off season, I also use it for an occasional work out for him by adding just a couple pounds of weight on either side, making sure to keep the weight evenly distributed.

Finally, depending on the terrain you will be crossing, boots can be another must have item. Last year Karma got frostbite from playing in the snow too long and that resulted in us purchasing some Muttluks snow boots. We also bought some all-purpose boots for the summer for when the terrain takes a toll on his feet.

What better to put in a stocking than boots? Ha!

The site has videos like “How can I stay safe in bear country,” links to all the national parks, featured parks and pretty much all the answers to your park questions.

I used the search tool and entered my zip code with the parameters of within 25 miles. 100 results showed up – 100! Fantastic! A Google-powered map pops up and it’s easy to see which results are close to home. From either the map or the list below you can click on a park to learn more. Keep in mind that the park service often covers the museums so in the DC area you will see some of those listed as well.

When I searched on a specific park – this time Shenandoah National Park, a favorite of OBH – a ton of information came up. I actually like this site better than the national park service’s site for the same park. The Oh Ranger! site is much more friendly and fun to navigate and has all the same information and more. The best part is, under Shenandoah Regulations link on the left, they specify where pets are and are not allowed in the park! Yay!

So not only do you need to bookmark this site, you also need to watch the bear video – it’s both educational and fun! If you do, the title of this post will make sense!