What do you use for a tie out for your dog at camp? Do you leave your dogs life jacket on all the time? Do you take it off when portaging?

When she was younger we use to being her 12 foot lead. Now she doesn't run away and just lays by the fire. She wears her pfd in the canoe and the portages but not at camp

I don't put a PFD on my dog but he's also a good swimmer. Had him jump in the lake a chance me down when I paddled away while leaving him at camp with my wife. He swam almost a half mile round trip because I wasn't going to pull him into the canoe in the middle of the lake. He just swam along side the canoe as I paddled back with him.

At camp I don't tie him down. He stays in camp pretty well. He'll do a couple perimeter checks from time to time but he doesn't go more than maybe 10-20 yards in any one direction. I also pay attention to him and recall him fairly often when he's on his perimeter check.

Its funny because at home I can't have him out in the front yard without a leash or he'd be off running the neighborhood and refuse to obey a recall. In the woods or field he's a different dog and is rock solid on recall and stays pretty close.

I don't tie up my dog in camp as he stays close to me always, but I do bring a 15 foot check cord as a leash in case it's needed portages - but haven't needed yet. Also I don't use a pfd for my dog as he's a born water dog. I do have a backpack for him as I believe in him helping out on the portages. Sorry I'm not more help on this one.

No tie out for me either. Also no pfd. He loves to roam around at camp and doesn't venture very far and has good recall. He also spends a lot of time laying around because a day of canoeing and portaging tires him out. I do have a leash in the big front pocket of my pfd in case we come across someone at a portage. He doesn't need it, but the other person doesn't it know that and it makes them more comfortable. This is where he walks on a portage........

I have a 15-20 ft rope that I use in camp and a 6 ft lead on portages. My dog wears her PFD in the canoe and on portages but not in camp.

Luna wears her pfd in the boat and on the portages. I bring 2 six foot leashes but don't think I've ever needed to use one.

Depending on the campsite I'm guessing a tie out for the dog would be a big hassle. I envision spending a lot of time untangling it from trees as the dog wanders around camp inevitably wrapping the rope around trees in the process.

If I had to rely on a tie out for the dog I think I'd just leave the dog at home until it can be trusted to stay close.

I use a 20-foot steel cable - Titan Giant Cable Long Tie Out.

I also use a second collar with that. His everyday collar is a bit lighter weight, and I've "discovered" that he's capable of snapping the D-rings on it like they aren't even there if he's tethered and a suicidal squirrel runs by. Plus, this way even if he managed to break the heavier collar, he'd still be wearing his identification tags. Ruffwear Chain Reaction collar

Jiminy, my miniature poodle mix, wears a PFD in the canoe and on the portages. I need to figure out a way he can carry at least some of his own food on the portages.
When I first took him into the BW, I was worried he'd run off into the woods so I was going to have him on a leash, but No. 1 Son said to just try it without and see how he does. I figured if the dog took off, my son could go chase after him...faster legs. Jiminy did quite well unleashed, ran ahead just until I was out of sight, then he'd turn around and come check on me. In camp, he stays pretty close.
Last year, No. 2 Son and DDIL brought their two German Shepherd 5-month-old pups. I was expecting chaos and mayhem and capsized canoe, but they did pretty well once they settled down. The female is pretty "energetic", the male is pretty chill. They wore PFD's. They didn't leash them on the portages, which was ok until the female met another person on the portage and started barking loudly. I think the fellow was pretty scared. I don't blame him. The two dogs are coming again this year (along with Jiminy). I hope the year of growth has settled her down. If not, I'm going to strongly suggest that they leash her to keep her close on the portages.
Jiminy after a car wash portage.


Jiminy holding down the packs while No. 3 Son and I paddle.

There are times when a tie out is handy and other times when it might be necessary. I’ve used one like this for many years. It’s also handy for securing things in a vehicle with a padlock.

Trolley tie out