Camping, dogs and kids...

[Gary - K7GLD]

WARNING, WARNING - this is a RANT!



WHY is it that these "dedicated dog lovers" insist upon taking their precious darlings - some the size of small horses - camping, and then are so deluded as to think all their neighboring campers MUST be dog lovers too? So they allow them - and their noisy brat kids - to wander uncontrolled thru everyone else's camp?



They are fully aware of the leash and noise restrictions in effect at all CG's - but obviously feel they and their herd are "special", so rules or common decency and respect for neighbors don't apply to them...



They must also figure all the neighboring campers will love the baying, snarling and howling their darlings emit as well - at all hours of the day and night...



Not to mention how "cute" it is, when their uncontrolled pests choose the irrigate the tires of every vehicle in sight, as well as every piece of camping equipment thay can lift a leg upon during their wanderings, and the also charming cow-sized piles of crap they leave profusely scattered in surrounding camps for OTHERS to sidestep or clean up...



And their kids aren't much better trained or controlled, either.



Those reading this that fit the description, I got news for you - no, I don't OWN my particular camping space, but I damn sure have paid the RENT on it, and unless you and your "darlings" want to chip in and share the cost of my space, keep yer damn whining pets - both 2 and 4-legged - the hell outta MY camping space!



I'm pretty certain YOU would be highly upset if I or members of my family casually strolled in thru the front door of your home, thru the kitchen and on out the back door simply because it was the shortest distance to where I happened to be headed - so WHY would you think that behaviour is any MORE acceptable or welcome thru my camping space?



God forbid that you should actually have to WALK an extra 15 steps AROUND my camp to get to the bathroom or water faucet...



If this is the way you CAMP, I wonder how you LIVE and treat your neighbors back at home? If it's anything like the above, I pity your poor neighbors! ACTUALLY, in this regard, I'm probably the lucky one, *I* can at least move with relative ease, your neighbors CAN'T!



Rant mode off...

 

[GFritsch]

Do you feel better now? :-laf



I know what you mean. Most of us go camping to get away from the noises of the city. My biggest gripe when camping is the rude SOB that feels his music should be heard by everybody. Or the guy that runs his old noisy generator so that his wife can use the microwave to cook his lousy premade meal. God forbid these inconsiderates would turn off the noise and listen to the sounds of nature.



My wife and I usually take our vacation right after school is back in session around mid September.

 

[Jaysyl]

Gary, I have Never had those problems in the Wall-Mart parking lot.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

"Gary, I have Never had those problems in the Wall-Mart parking lot. "



And believe me, I'm happy that's where you, your kids and dogs prefer to camp and spend your vacations!

 

[Jaysyl]

I would never take a dog to a campground, but it is hard to leave the kids at the kennel. If I saw my kids walking through a person camp site, it would be a mistake the kids only made once.

 

[CUMMINZ]

Gary - K7GLD

My Ginger says you are entitled to your opinion. My footlongs are quite and well behaved and love to camp as much as I do. Don't judge all dogs by a bunch of bad ones.

And Gary, you are right...



#ad

 

[GerryDrake]

We spent two weeks recently at a campground where it seems the kids as well as the adults have absolutely NO respect for others' space. I contemplated figuring out how to put up a sprinkler system with a proximity sensor. I figured to let the hose sit out in the sun and get really hot, then when they cut through, they would get a hot shower. Trouble is, the kids would probably enjoy it. . As for the dogs, we just had to put our last one down last week (15-1/2 year old golden retriever) and neither she nor her predecessors EVER were out of arms length nor tied up outside. Some of us ARE responsible pet owners...

 

[RBrunson]

Gary, this is one reason that I have a membership in members only campgrounds. I know that it is a bit expensive, but so far I haven't seen the kind of behavior that you described. I know what you mean by inconsiderate idiots, in my younger years I almost walked across the road to a campsite with a bunch of drunks and loud music, with the intension of blowing a half dozen holes in the speakers to quiet them down, but common sense prevailed and we packed up at 10pm and left.

 

[DHayden]

Peaple and their "who care's about anyone but me" attitudes have me disliking mankind on the whole these days.

 

[Hohn]

GOOD POST, GARY! I'm sure almost all of us feel the same way.



jlh

 

[GFrance]

I here you Gary. I'm with GFRITSCH, I like to take my vacations after school is back in session. When I was growing up I was taught respect for others with a firm hand. I'm afraid those teachings are lacking in alot of todays child & animal raising.

 

[TRAMPLINEMAN]

Gary, I feel your pain!! I live in my 5th wheel and have been to many parks. I, along with you, seem to always end up next to these type of families. I no longer put up with it and tell them right off the bat about keeping clear of my space. We do not own these spaces, but like you said, we pay good money to rent them. I have come up with ways to eliminate these problems, but I won't post, don't want to offend anyone.

 

[DWeiler]

Just drove in from the campground, dropped the wife and the 2 american bulldogs off with her(someone has to work) ,inlaws are there too,sorry Gary--no kids yet so i may only **** you off half as much ---kidding. Dogs are tied up short leash ALWAYS or in the trailer, never ever loose,i'm kind of anal when it comes to loose kids and dogs too. The mutts never bark unless your one of the uninvited ---holes that decides to walk though my site,then they do what they are trained to do,bark to let me now that a stanger is near but thats it,thats why they are there,companionship,protection and a warning for the uninvited. Lots of people think that they can do whatever and walk though the site but they always seem to stop just short of the truck/travaltrailer and walk away,i think the 200+lbs of bulldog changes their mind pretty quick . Remember you can pick your friends but you can't pick your neighbors,hope you have better luck next time------DW. PS Fisrt time towing with the new B1B-2TOW,catcher and 1. 5s "sweet combo"

 

[Stretch]

Gary et al,



Living in Alaska affords my family and me a lot of space to camp in. Unless you are in a State or private campground then you are relatively safe from the marauding clans of the camping Elites; the ones who have no regard for anyone but themselves.



If there is noise or foot steps in my camp then it is usually not a person or a household pet making the rounds. Is is more likely a bear or some other wild animal. I have ways of dealing with that if things get out of hand.



I almost wish some of the people you describe would come here to camp (not that I want them in Alaska), Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection may teach them to respect things other than themselves... or those things will eat them... and their little dog too.

 

[BarryG]

Gary:

Great post/rant. I just went through this just a couple weeks ago and was quickly reminded why I do not go camping every summer weekend here like I would like too. I live in Colorado with the mountains just a few miles a way. Cant enjoy myself unless I drive 200 miles to get away from the throngs of people you speak of that seem to populate all of the "close" campgrounds. Certainly not all are like this and I respect those that follow the proper ettiquete. Unfortunately it only takes a few to ruin the expereince of all in a given campground.



In my latest expereince I was talking with the CG host who had become fed up as well. He had all people who complained to him write it down and he took what he said was a "huge stack" of complaints to the meetings that he is required to go to and presented them to whoever it is they meet with. Due to the volume of written complaints they changed the rules for that campground. Quiet hours were changed to 8pm to 8am (instead of 10pm to 6am) and he said starting next week no more atvs were allowed on the road in the campground. They were allowed in on a trailer but if you were going to ride you would have to trailer them outside of the CG to unload them. Seems the speed limit of 10mph was only being adhered to by the cars and trucks, some atv'rs felt that 30+mph was ok and the resulting dust and the obvious safety issues.



I like kids, dogs and ATVs but a bit of common sense and respect for others by all would sure help keep it from ruining it for all.

 

[OTRPU]

It ain'ta gonna do any good. . . the one's that agree with you already know how to act, and the rest. . . just don't havea clue. Some folks jus ain'ta had no fetchin up, and they pass it on. Be Safe.



#ad




Cheers,

Steve J

 

[Dane]

Try Baja camping

Now you know why I go camping in Baja. No other campers for hundreds of miles Oo.

 

[CCutshaw]

Gary, I,m not going to tell you about my Pry's. , or how they love to go camping. So with that said if we ever end up neighboring campers and my dogs bother you that much let me know, and I'll pay for your site.

Calvin



Have a great day!

 

[DEickhoff]

Gary--I know exactly what you mean. Went camping over the fourth of July and some jack@$$ decided to play his music at a volume to wake the dead at o dark 30. My husband and I plus our 2 labs did not get much sleep that night.



We follow the CG rules. . no unleashed dogs running loose, no loud noises after 10pm, no short cuts thru the campground, pickup after the doggy nature calls, etc. I would much rather hear the sound of nature then the noise of mankind.



I hope you told the CG host or park ranger of the problems that you had. The camp host may not be able to give them a ticket but the park ranger can and can even remove the individuals from the CG if they don't quite down and follow the rules.



dawna

 

[Todd T]

We just went on a family float trip this past weekend. We had our rig and then two tents out behind our rig and folks insisted on walking between the two tents to get to the bathroom and shower house. And then, in the morning there was the lazy butts who would rather pay for a buffet than cook at 7am, laughing and yuking it up as they disrespecfully strolled between the two tents not careing that there were people inside trying to sleep.



on night two, we put up a low flying "Clothes Line" that stopped that activity.



on the other hand our friends had a dog with them and they were vary curtious to make sure he didnt bother not just other campers but the folks in our group too. they would chase him down and pick up his droppings and told everyone "dont feed the dog, he has his own food". he sat around and didnt bother anyone.



Gary, there are folks in this world who think they are the only ones in this world. they are on the highways, stores and campgrounds. They are everywhere!



coming home on a big hill i was making a pass after getting a run and was well on my way to making the hill without slowing. next thing i know there is a ford exploder cutting over with no signal and about 3 feet off my front bumper. Now, I'm 18K running at 70MPH and they pull that close in front of me to not just cause me to slow down but to hit the brakes to avoid hitting THEM.



ON A HILL! it should be legal to just push them off the road in a smoking pile!