If you love camping and your dog loves camping, and you love your dog, then you’re going to need a tent that can handle it. Camping with a man’s best friend is a lovely experience but there are some things you’ll need to think about, especially in regards to your tent choice.
The last thing you want is for your dog to sleep outside in the cold if they aren’t used to it. It’s much better if they are warm, snug, and comfy. They’ll be much happier, behave better, and love you a little bit more for it too.
This means they are best off in the tent with you, in some form. This way you can keep an eye on them and they’ll love their camping trip as much as you.
At A Glance: Our Top 3 Tents For Camping With Dogs
In this article, we go on a mission to find the best tent for camping with dogs. We’ll review a large range of canine suitable tents from big family tents to smaller backpacking tents, that all have room for your fluffy friend too.
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The Wenzel 8 Person Klondike Tent is a great option for anyone who is going on a family camping trip with their dog, or enjoys a lot of space. It’s very roomy inside and has all the comforts you need for you and your dog.
The tent is very spacious and is split into two sections; the main tent and the annex. The main section happily sleeps 4 people while the annex is big enough for 2 or 3 dogs.
Having your dog sleep in the annex is ideal. It will avoid mud and fur getting to the inside of the tent and your dog will still feel safe, secure, and warm. Plus you can easily keep an eye on them.
The tent is made from durable polyester fabric with a waterproof coating to keep you safe and dry. It is also tough enough to handle your dogs’ nails too, so it won’t wear out quickly.
The frame is made from steel uprights and fiberglass that come together to create a solid structure that isn’t going anywhere, even in heavy winds.
Some of the tent’s top features are the storage spaces, great ventilation, and of course the annex. The downsides are that there is only one door, so everyone has to go in and out the same way.
Also, the pegs aren’t sturdy and bend easily. And it’s very heavy to carry around, so it’s for car camping, not backpacking.
The Coleman WeatherMaster 6-Person Tent with Screen Room is another great choice for the family and doggy companion. The screen room is an ideal place for your dog to sleep and will provide the security and comfort it needs.
The tent is pretty spacious and 4 people will be very comfy inside. There is room for 2 queen size air beds and it’s 6ft 8 high, so everyone will be able to stand without crouching.
It’s made from polyguard, which is tough enough to handle doggy wear and tear. The polyguard is treated with a WetherTec System including welded floors and inverted seams to ensure you stay dry.
The fiberglass poles create an excellent structure whose design is better than most at dealing with adverse weather. You and your doggy buddy will be safe no matter how much it blows.
Some of the added features are the excellent storage areas that keep treats out of reach of your paw-legged friends. The screen room that’s great for chilling in as well as being a great place for your dog to sleep.
The downsides of this tent are the heavyweight, the one access door, and that the dog will have to go through the tent to get to the screen room, bring dirt and wear to the whole tent.
The Coleman Steel Creek Tent with Screen Room is meant to be a 6-man tent, but it’s much better of being used as a 4-man with a screen room. It’s ideal for the whole family and has space enough for them and 2 dogs.
It’s made from poly guard, which we know is durable and weather-resistant. Plus it can handle the wear of paws too. The frame is made from fiberglass which again when put up correctly, handles the wind and rain very well.
The screen room is located at the front, and you have to go through it to get to the tent. This is ideal for the dog, as it can stay in the screen room and not bring any dirt or damage to the main sleeping section.
Overall a great tent for camping with dogs but it would be better with an extra access door.
The Bessport Camping Tent is designed as a two-man tent. But it’s not one of those 2 man tents that only fit you and your gear.
The dual access system with double vestibules, makes this a true 2 man tent with space for your dog in one vestibule and your gear in the other.
It’s made from durable 68D polyester which is great at keeping you warm and dry. It’ll also handle your dogs’ wear and tear but it’s best to keep them out of the main area. The stakes and poles are made from high-grade aluminum.
This gives you a solid structure and you know your tent isn’t going anywhere when it’s windy.
The tent is easy to set up, take down, and store. Once it is up, it’s freestanding so you can move it around to the perfect camping spot with ease.
At only 5.2lbs, it’s a perfect tent to strap to your backpack. It won’t weigh you down on long hikes or take up too much space.
The best thing about it we have already mentioned, the dual access and double vestibule system that creates space for two people and your dog. It’s the only backpacking tent in the review and the best one for you and your dog
The Coleman 8-Person Tent is very roomy and is an ideal size for 4/5 people and a dog or two. The tent is split into three rooms, so you can reserve two for people and one for the dog.
This is ideal and it’ll stop the dog from getting the sleeping areas dirty or wearing out other areas of the tent.
Made from polyester with fiberglass poles and a reinforced floor, the tent is going to handle the weather well and the wear and tear of paws. It can be tricky to set up, but once you get used to it, it’ll be pretty easy.
The tent also comes with a great ventilation system that lets you adjust the airflow to suit you and access your gear quickly.
We have a hard time imagining why this size tent doesn’t come with an annex or vestibule, it would make it a much better doggy option if it did. The only other drawbacks are the zippers, which catch quite easily.
Overall a very affordable and spacious doggy-friendly tent option.
The Coleman Sundome Tent isn’t in the review due to its doggy-friendly layout, as it’s a normal 4 man dome tent with just one big room, one door, and no vestibule. It’s in the review thanks to its floor, which no dog will ever be able to dig through.
The tent is made with a polyester shell, fiberglass poles, and a 1000D polyethylene floor. The floor is the doggy selling point, it’ll handle all the paws you can throw at it. It’s a great summer tent but it’s not the best at dealing with serious weather.
It’s easy to put up, down, and store plus it’s quite portable at under 10lbs. There is enough space for two people and a dog. The dog will have to sleep inside with you as there are no separate areas or vestibules with this tent.
The tent only has one door, which is not ideal but the door is big making it easy to get the dog in and out. There is also an EAP so you can run power into the tent too.
The Coleman Juniper Lake Instant Dome Tent with Annex is great for three reasons. It’s spacious with an annex for the dog, takes just 60 seconds to set up and it’s inexpensive for the size and quality.
Made from polyguard with fiberglass poles, it does well in heavy weather and against doggy digging and wear and tear. Setting it up is a breeze, in just 60 seconds you’re done, very useful if there is a storm pushing in.
Once it’s up, the tent is spacious inside and the annex is really useful for giving your dog its own area. Access is ok, but only through one door, so the dog has to go through the tent to get to annex, not ideal for wear or dirty paws.
Taking the tent down is easy but getting it back in the bag is a task and a half. You’ll work it out eventually but it does get frustrating. The only other downsides and the lack of vestibules and that the zippers get caught.
Overall a solid option if you don’t mind your dog sleeping inside and getting the tent dirty.
When you’re camping with dogs, the best tents for dog owners are the ones that help you stay organized in the midst of potential doggy chaos. That’s why I was so enamored with this tent’s gear loft and large pockets. I was able to keep our essentials out of the way of whirling, happy dog dervishes.
Taking your dog camping is a lovely experience but having the right tent will make all the difference. Here we outline some key features to consider that’ll make camping with your dog a much more pleasurable experience.
There is a choice to make as to whether your dog is camping with you inside the tent, or will be sleeping in the annex, screen room, or vestibule, separate from you.
If you’re planning on having the dog inside with you, then you need to account for some extra space. You should assume your dog will take up one of the person slots that your tent is rated for. If you’re going solo with your dog, you’ll need at least a 2 person tent.
If your plan is to have your dog sleep separately, then make sure the then you pick comes with ample space for your dog in the annex, screen room, or vestibules.
Giving your dog a warm and secure space to sleeping in while camping will make a huge difference to your camping trip. You’ll avoid any dog mood swings and poor behavior.
We have already discussed counting one of the person slots of your tent rating for your dog to use. This means upping it by 1 to ensure there is enough space for everyone to be comfortable.
Some larger tents have room dividers and this can be useful. This will give the dog and you, your own spaces. It’ll also stop your dog from moving mud all around the tent, and ensure only part of the tent gets any wear from the dog.
If you do utilize a separate room design, then ensure there is only a mesh door between you and your dog. This means you can keep an eye on them, and they can keep an eye on you, so they don’t get spooked in a new environment.
Having a separate area in the form of a vestibule, annex, or screen room is incredibly useful. This will give the dog their own space to sleep in, save your tent from doggy mess or wear, and still make them feel comfy.
If it’s too cold or your dog is too nervous to sleep in a separate area, then the vestibule, annex, or screen room is ideal for storing your gear and creating extra space in the tent. It’s also a good place for the dog to hang out and watch you clean up and organize the inside.
If you do have your dog sleeping in a separate room, make sure to only use a mesh door so they can see you and you can see them. This will make you both far more comfortable.
Dogs aren’t aware that the tent they are in is a bit fragile. If they are energetic, naughty, or get nervous, they are going to bump it, scratch it, dig it, rip it, and possibly just go nuts and shred it. You can of course try and control them but it’s also worth buying a tent that is made from durable materials that can handle it.
Don’t buy the budget tents, they will not survive. Your dog may just put a hole in the side and you’ll end up being wet and cold for the remainder of the trip.
Ensure the materials are thick and durable. Polyester is a great choice and it’s worth putting a blanket on the floor to help stop their nails from going in.
You could also trim the dog’s nails before your trip, so if some tent digging does happen, it’ll be a lot less effective.
The all-around best tent for camping with dogs is the Coleman Juniper Lake Instant Dome Tent. This tent is spacious enough for 3/4 people plus your dog. It’s also durable enough to handle and doggy digging and it comes with an annex for your dog to sleep in. All of this for a really affordable price.
The best tent for camping with dogs when backpacking is the Bessport Camping Tent. This tent is light, packable, and comes with enough space for 2 people and your dog. This is thanks to the two doors and two vestibules. You can use one vestibule for the dog, one for your gear and you can stretch out in the main area.
The best tent for camping with dogs is the Coleman Steel Creek Tent. It’s affordable, spacious, durable, and comes with a large screen room that’s found at the entrance. This means you can keep your dog in the screen room and stop if going inside with its muddy sharp claws. Or you can use the screen room to give you some extra space inside by using it for storage.