Instructions
Acquire a pet barrier or safety harness to keep your dog safe in the tow vehicle during travel -- this is necessary because a dog can't occupy a pop-up trailer during travel like it might other types of trailers. Purchase a pet barrier if your tow vehicle has a back cargo area to keep your dog safely confined in the back of the tow vehicle, or purchase a pet harness or doggy seat belt for your pet if it does not.
Provide your dog with toys and other entertainment to keep it from chewing on the pop-up camper furniture, since nearly every pop-up camper is constructed with chewable canvas or cloth.
Train your dog not to bark unnecessarily -- an especially important task when nothing more than thin canvas separates the dog from your neighbors at night. Identify the stimulus that causes your dog to bark, and utilize appropriate and humane training methods to eliminate the behavior.
Take the dog out of the camper when it is hot and do not leave it alone in the camper: a pop-up's canvas walls may make it appear cooler than a metal camper, but pop-up campers can still become very warm.
Exercise the dog after a long day of travel. Pop-up campers are smaller than other types of trailers, so the dog will quickly come to feel confined after a long day of travel in a tow vehicle if it is followed by a night in the pop-up camper.
Review campground requirements before traveling to ensure that they accept animals -- many trailer-equipped campgrounds do not allow dogs, or only permit them in certain areas.
How to Camp With Dogs in a Pop-Up Camper
A pop-up camper, commonly called a tent or folding camper, is a compressible camper built into a trailer. When the owner wishes to camp, he opens the camper using a crank or hydraulic lift in a manner similar to that of raising the roof on a convertible car. Raising the camper unfolds shelter, beds, heating and cooling equipment and a small kitchen space. When the owner wishes to travel, he compacts the camper until it lies flat on the trailer. Pop-up campers are inexpensive compared to other types of trailers, but cannot be inhabited during travel. For a variety of reasons, dog owners must carefully consider their dog's needs when traveling with a pop-up trailer.