Camping gear goes to the dogs

My two Labs can't speak in human terms (even though I keep telling them that I wouldn't tell anyone if they decided to start talking), but they do have a solid understanding of a handful of words, namely "ball," "eat," "treat," "walk," "swim," "hike" and "camping."

They love the outdoors, and while a four-hour trek through the wilderness might be fine for 4-year-old Marley, it would leave 11-year-old Cooper sore and limping. But they can both enjoy the great outdoors and sleeping under the stars courtesy of car-camping trips with my husband and me.

One of the bonuses of camping versus hiking with dogs is that you can bring more necessities and creature comforts for the pooches, like their beds, which will keep them comfy for the car ride and once you've set up camp. Below are some of the locally available products you might want to take with you.

Kent's Canine Hardware has a machine-washable travel bed ($39.99) that comes with its own nylon stuff sack for easy storage. The beds are available online at amazon.com and locally at REI stores. To find out about more stores where the beds are sold, send an email that includes your zip code to info@caninehardware.com.

Beds from Seattle's Big Shrimpy ($120 for medium, $145 for large) are made of tough, water-resistant packcloth with a polyester fleece or faux suede sleeping surface. They're filled with an odor- and water-resistant cushion stuffed with recycled fiber. If you have a particularly grubby weekend, the cushion can be removed for washing. The beds are available at Mud Bay stores and Bark Natural Pet Care in Ballard.

Oregon-based Ruffwear makes the Urban Sprawl dog bed (about $75-$150), which has a removable, washable cover and side-mounted handles, and the Mt. Bachelor Pad (about $50-$60), a thinner sleeping pad that also works well for protecting car upholstery from hair and dirt.

If your pup is used to the security of his crate rather than the interior of a tent, you can bring along a collapsible travel crate like the ABO Gear Dog Digs pet crate, which has both side and top openings, and folds down into a compact carry bag. The medium-sized crate is $70 at the ABO Gear Web site, and $90 at REI.

Instead of lugging along your pup's heavy aluminum bowls, bring a collapsible bowl for both food and water. Canine Hardware's Hydro Bowl ($6.99) is machine washable, holds five cups of water and snaps easily around your dog's leash so he can carry his own gear. The bowls are available online at amazon.com and locally at REI stores.

Ruffwear also offers a variety of sizes and styles of collapsible bowls -- some that have cinch tops for carrying food -- ranging from $11.95 to $24.95. For the posh pup, you can pick up a Juicy Couture collapsible bowl ($125) at Buster & Sullivan pet boutique in University Village.

You shouldn't head into the wild without a first aid kit, and neither should your dog. Ruffwear makes a good first aid kit for dogs (about $45), stocked with bandages, wraps and general first-aid supplies that are specifically sized and chosen to work for canines. And there are no adhesive-backed bandages to tangle and tear fur.

You can also pick up Ruffwear's stand-alone resource, "Quick Guide to Animal Emergencies" ($3.95) (also included in Ruffwear's first aid kit) for pet-specific injury and illness care, including how to perform CPR on a dog and how to find a pulse.

With a comfy bed, plenty of food and water and first-aid supplies on hand, you and your dog will be singing -- and howling -- happily by the campfire in no time.

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