West Boondocking: Grocery List for Dogs

[Ray Eklund]

The Ice Man of Tucson, AZ suggested that some Greenhorn Boondockers and new to Base Camping / Dispersed Campers are 'curious' about what provisions do we take on our own adventures.

Nancy feeds me, I feed the two Blue Heelers.

When Nancy is out of town. I feed our two Blue Heelers.

I lose weight, taste buds and sneak into town and have others feed me at my short list of restaurants that serve my kind of food. Mostly meat and potato diet... you know, the Cave Man diet, with American cheese.

Currently, I am Boondocking at home. This is as close to Base Camping or Dispersed Camping as one can find one's self. Blue and Dingo do not know the difference in menu, but MY meals take a drastic drop in quality and variety, when Nancy is missing.

I do draw the line at NOT eating dry dog chow. Opening cans of Tuna or Dinty Moore stew... more my temporary menu at home.

DOG Menus:

Lets talk Dog Menus first. I threaten to put a date on a five gallon bucket of dry dog food for, maybe ten years... and I threaten to do it... maybe this time. Then I can gauge how much these guys eat in five days, ten days or during a longer camping trip.

Dingo gets SEVEN and Blue gets SIX scoops out of the five gallon bucket a day. Dingo is around 65 pounds and Blue 45 pounds of bone and muscle. The scoop is 1/2 a cup. I keep this scoop in the five gallon bucket, otherwise I would lose it. We found that they do not gain nor lose weight in this process. Both are lean and mean. Well, Dingo use to be but now that he is less mobile, I watch his weight closely. Blue... dry dog food is like gasoline tossed onto a fire. Should I say more?

If the trip is prolonged or indefinite... a five gallon, or two... or I throw in a 44 pound bag into the back of the truck. Food lightens the load over time and gives me room to squirrel away pretty rocks, old cans, horseshoes, square nails and maybe some things having a monetary value. When someone is knocking on your trailer door and asking if they can buy some dog food from your stash... you had better think twice. They obviously did not 'think' at all.

Dogs have a great sense of smell. They smell Other's food and then theirs... not happy about it either. But that is tough. Yes, sometimes some scraps get shaken into the dry food, but do not make it a habit. They will balloon up quickly as a dog will eat until they get sick, vomit... and eat that. Not a pretty sight.

Dogs love to chew on what Hunter's Camps throw under a pine tree. Legs, vertebrae, heads... sometimes the hide. It stinks to me... but is something for them to roll onto and eat at the same time. Like a buffet at a Casino in Las Vegas. There are glands on the front legs of an Elk. If your roaming dog chews on those... their muzzle will be as stiff as the skin on a drum set that Ringo Starr uses with the Beatles. If you are old enough to know... that is. They will recover, but you will think they are going to .... die from it. Just watch what is laying around the campsite.

You cannot haul all of the animal remains out of camp, but you can hang them into a pine tree to prevent them from chewing on ribs, which splinter. They go in... but have not witnessed any coming out the other end. That includes squirrels and rodents. In one end and biomass out the other.

I cannot do that as my stomach is more sensitive and I can actually see the beady eyes looking at me.

Finding dog food when you need it... is tough where there are more people in your trailer living... than in the town. Obviously dog food is NOT available just anywhere.

If there is interest in what Nancy has on her Other Lists... I will hop back onto this solo discussion, but I do ask that other Boondockers ADD their ideas for their Dog... and forbid... a Cat person which gets food from a can. If your Cat gets Tuna... I just might show up at your doorstep this afternoon.

This may as well be a Boondocking Grocery List for Dogs, maybe Cats... but they are way too fussy.

[pienjim]

I measure out however much food the dogs will eat for the length of the trip, and add 50% more. Additionally one dog gets half a glucosamine pill each meal, and I pour a little safflower oil into each dish, so that goes with us too. I pack leashes, throw toys, tie-out cables, peroxide, and Benadryl...just in case. So far I've never found myself short of dog necessities.
Paula


Sent from my iPad using Airstream Forums

[streaminwild]

Ray, Don't under estimate cats. I had a Tabby rescue that loved dog kibble. She would paw and hiss at a 140 lb wolf hybred until she was done eating his food. Geese love dog food and are great watch dogs. There was a mutual respect among the vermin. They also never missed a meal to test that respect.

[Ray Eklund]

For those of you who have some left over dog kibble's... and cat kibble as well.

Go to the Marina's at the Lake Mead Recreation Area near Hoover Dam, Nevada. The carp, striped bass and ducks love it. Many fish hatcheries have 'gum ball vending machines' where you can buy dry kibbles to feed the trout... and we are trained to think that fishing was complicated.

Of course, the chipmunks of the Rockies will take the kibble from your hand. So adding additional dry dog food can be handy while traveling. Save some for your dog/cat.

[KJRitchie]

I have to bring these above anything else.

She goes crazy when I open the package.

Kelvin

[SrFade]

Originally Posted by Ray Eklund

The Ice Man of Tucson, AZ suggested that some Greenhorn Boondockers and new to Base Camping / Dispersed Campers are 'curious' about what provisions do we take on our own adventures.

DOG Menus:

Lets talk Dog Menus first. I threaten to put a date on a five gallon bucket of dry dog food for, maybe ten years... and I threaten to do it... maybe this time. Then I can gauge how much these guys eat in five days, ten days or during a longer camping trip.

If the trip is prolonged or indefinite... a five gallon, or two... or I throw in a 44 pound bag into the back of the truck. When someone is knocking on your trailer door and asking if they can buy some dog food from your stash... you had better think twice. They obviously did not 'think' at all.

Finding dog food when you need it... is tough where there are more people in your trailer living... than in the town. Obviously dog food is NOT available just anywhere.

Ray - Your post made me laugh out loud a couple of times. Thanks for that. As for boondocking with a dog and the associated food planning, a couple of additions: I have a packing list for my hunting dog that looks like a Cabela's Catalog for our hunting trips and which I use for review prior to a camping outing as well. Kennel, dishes, leads, first aid kit, coat cleaning wipes, retrieve dummy, whistle, spare collar, E collar and charger, and a thousand other things. However, the line item for food also has a couple of modifications between hunting and camping. For hunting trips, where my dog is burning calories like a marathon runner, I take along double normal daily consumption quantity plus energy bars and have a 40lb drybag specifically made for dog food that is water and odor proof.

https://www.averysportingdog.com/dri...eekender-20lbs

The 40lb "Vacationer" version will easily hold enough food for a two week bird hunting trip and more than a month's worth when just camping. I do not like to source dog food "on the fly" as it won't be the same brand and it is important for me to keep my dog on a consistent, high quality product. Travelling dogs have enough disruptions to their routines without changing their diets.

Our dog has already claimed her Pendleton Dog Bed.........

[B00merang]

Just as a side note...particularly for those who also have cats....those yellow 5 gal. buckets that cat litter comes in make great dog food containers for camping trips. They are rectangular to take up less space, seal so dogs can't break into them, and (in my 20ft FC) fit in the space under my bed. When empty, they hold all the rocks and square nails Ray finds. jon

[McKinsey]

I usually bring enough with, but ok feed and supply in Tucson had what I needed needed for dog and cat.
Lucky dog hanging out in Pendelton

[Ray Eklund]

BOOmerang... an empty Dog Food five gallon bucket can also be used as:

-A Rocky Mountain Hail Helmet. Hold the handle for protecting knuckles. Ear plugs too.
-You can bolt a toilet lid onto it, for a portable pit toilet.
-You can wash dishes along side a river in it. Different bucket, of course.
-You can collect rain water (a clean, fresh bucket) for washing your hair.
-You can sit on a busy corner, a sign and bum change tossed into the bucket.
-You can carry screened gold placer concentrate to pan later in a stream.
-You can collect grey water from trailer and water a dehydrated bush.

Of yes... I am sure some of you are now thinking hard. We cannot wait to hear what is coming over this water fall.

Dog Food bags are great for trash.

Folks... when you have been camped out so far away from a town for several weeks, you make use of whatever it takes to keep from going... into town. Just the stuff found at a Dispersed Camping Site can provide a new Dog Food Bowl, one booty for Goat Head stickers, maybe find two..., rope, bolts, bear spray, tent pegs... ALL can go into an empty five gallon empty Dog Food Bucket.

With a Feline... much smaller containers and your uses are not as flexible.

[SeeMore]

Ray - Five gallons of liquid is 80 cups. At 6.5 cups per day for your two, you have a fraction more than 12 days worth However, 5 gallons of dry is roughly 93 cups or almost 14 days worth as it depends on the size of the kibble chunks and whether you flatten or mound the scoops.

I use an air tight, screw top container to transport/store the 50 lbs of chow for my two. It's only a 9 day supply It stays in the truck bed and, hopefully, the bears don't get a whiff.

http://www.amazon.com/Vittles-Vault-.../dp/B0002DJOOI

[Thalweg]

Originally Posted by Ray Eklund

BOOmerang... an empty Dog Food five gallon bucket can also be used as:

-A Rocky Mountain Hail Helmet. Hold the handle for protecting knuckles. Ear plugs too.
-You can bolt a toilet lid onto it, for a portable pit toilet.
-You can wash dishes along side a river in it. Different bucket, of course.
-You can collect rain water (a clean, fresh bucket) for washing your hair.
-You can sit on a busy corner, a sign and bum change tossed into the bucket.
-You can carry screened gold placer concentrate to pan later in a stream.
-You can collect grey water from trailer and water a dehydrated bush.

Of yes... I am sure some of you are now thinking hard. We cannot wait to hear what is coming over this water fall.

Dog Food bags are great for trash.

Folks... when you have been camped out so far away from a town for several weeks, you make use of whatever it takes to keep from going... into town. Just the stuff found at a Dispersed Camping Site can provide a new Dog Food Bowl, one booty for Goat Head stickers, maybe find two..., rope, bolts, bear spray, tent pegs... ALL can go into an empty five gallon empty Dog Food Bucket.

With a Feline... much smaller containers and your uses are not as flexible.

As I recall, in Quemado you used a five gallon bucket to put everyone in the area on high alert, and make a few people rather nervous.

[Ray Eklund]

SeeMor... you motivated me to do the Five Gallon Bucket test, starting today. This is like keeping track of how many haircuts I have during a year.

Thalweg is just starting a rumor. Since this is a Dog Food Thread... I will let you know that the Boondocking School for Greenhorns will get the first opportunity to discover what a five gallon bucket is capable. Not on my current list, but will be after that 'adventure'. What they do not expect... is good.

[1970 Safari]

When traveling with Riley our English Springer we need to pack two different dry kibbles (one buffalo and the other something else) along with canned organic pumpkin or squash and of course the skinless, boneless, organic chicken breast from Whole Foods. She gets raw baby carrots (organic also) as treats.

We know where EVERY WF market is in the nation after our 7,000 mi road trip 2 years ago

NO, YOU DO NOT WANT TO SEE MY GROCERY BILL!!

[Ray Eklund]

Originally Posted by 1970 Safari

When traveling with Riley our English Springer we need to pack two different dry kibbles (one buffalo and the other something else) along with canned organic pumpkin or squash and of course the skinless, boneless, organic chicken breast from Whole Foods. She gets raw baby carrots (organic also) as treats.

We know where EVERY WF market is in the nation after our 7,000 mi road trip 2 years ago

NO, YOU DO NOT WANT TO SEE MY GROCERY BILL!!

******
Maybe we should follow you around from one camp to the next. As long as the carrots are sweet and not too mealy, feed me.

FIVE GALLON BUCKET of dog food nuggets:
6.5 cups per day for TWO Heelers. Dingo 61# 3.5 cups, Blue 51# 3 cups. Divided for morning and afternoon meals using .5 cup scoop.
16 Days

Found a use for the 40# bag of sealed dog food. Put it in the back of my ATV to plow the driveway for additional traction. Snow varied from 8 inches to 48 inches depending on where the drifts were found.