August 2026

Camping With Hazel: A Field Guide

After a summer of trips, here are the notes we'd hand any human about to head into the woods with a very energetic dog.

Gear worth bringing

• A long tie-out cable. Tents and dogs tied to stakes fight each other. A 30-foot cable gives them freedom and you peace of mind.
• A sleeping pad just for her. Liam, the dog will take your cushion under you like a sneaky thief at midnight.
• A collapsible water bowl. Fewer spilled-camp-stove incidents than you'd think. Not zero.
• Two towels. One now, one for later when she finds "one more" stream.

Ground rules we actually keep

• Set up camp before off-leash. Told in the last post, forgotten at least once every trip.
• First-come on the dirt patch. Hazel has a policy of claiming the exact spot you want to sit. We rotate.
• No dog from the picnic table. This rule has a 9 out of 10 enforcement success rate, down noticeably during s'mores.

Where the dog sleeps

We're firm believers in letting her sleep inside the tent. It's not about comfort — it's about a warm, heavy, snoring creature who scares off morning chipmunks and doubles as a space heater. We both sleep better knowing she's right there.

"A tired dog is a good dog." — every campground sign, forever

When to call it a day

Hazel tells us when the hike is done. Fidgeting in place, looking at the car, flopping flat on the trail with heavy Labrador (border collie) dread in her eyes — these are her fourth and final resignation notice. We listen, and we pack up happy instead of one meltdown later.