How To Get a Dog Into a Roof Top Tent

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Jay Elliott

Chief Camping Officer

How To Get a Dog Into a Roof Top Tent

If you’re planning to take your pets camping with you and you have a Roof Top Tent, getting them up the tent could pose some issues. This is especially true if you have a dog that weighs a lot. Given it will usually be warmer in your rooftop tent, it’s an understandable thing to think about, but it might take some effort and planning.

It is obvious that attempting to get your big dog up the Roof Top Tent isn’t going to be a walk in the park. Don’t lose hope, though.

There are some options for you to work around this predicament. Here, you will find a list of recommendations on how to successfully get your dog up a Roof Top Tent.

Make a Ramp for Your Dog

Making a ramp for your dog would make it easier for him or her to climb up into the Roof Top Tent. This ramp can be improvised, by taking a piece of plywood and placing it on top of a ladder which you prop up against your vehicle. 

To make the ladder not too steep, you can place blocks of wood, or big rocks at the bottom of the ladder. This lowers the incline, making it easier for your dog to climb up or down without any help from you. 

Place strips of double-sided sticky tapes with a rough face to give your dog some traction when going up the ramp. Alternatively, you could also fashion ‘steps’ on top of the ramp by securing short pieces of 1” x 1” wood with nails or screws.

While this may sound nice, it could be cumbersome to bring along extra equipment, like a ramp. Most Roof Top Tents come equipped with a ladder, though.

Use a Dog Body Harness

Buying a body harness for your dog could make it easier for you and for your dog to get up and down your Roof Top Tent. You can hold onto your dog’s body harness while helping them to get up the ladder.

A body harness helps a lot, especially if you have a large dog. Without the body harness, your dog could slip out of your arms while you help it up the ladder.

There are also body harnesses for dogs that attach to body harnesses for humans. Once tethered to each other, you can help guide your dog up the ladder.

This will free up your hands while getting your dog up the Roof Top Tent, allowing you to grab onto something for support.

Carry Your Dog Up the Roof Top Tent

If you have a small to regular-sized dog, it would be better to just carry him or her up the Roof Top Tent. This is the simplest way to do it, without needing to bring extra equipment for the trip.

If you have a medium-sized dog, make sure to lift with your legs and not your back. This way, you could prevent getting injured in the process. Carrying a 60-pound or more dog up to the Roof Top Tent is a difficult task, to say the least.

You could get hurt, and so could your dog. Think long and hard before attempting to do so.

An Alternative Solution

It would be better to let the dog sleep in the back of your car in this scenario. Just make sure he is warm and comfortable there, and also make sure he can get out to relieve himself or herself in the middle of the night.

This wouldn’t count as getting your dog into a rooftop tent, but at least, he gets to enjoy going to camp with you.

Getting a dog into a Roof Top Tent poses some unique challenges. Finding ways to overcome those challenges will give you and your dog a chance to enjoy nature together, thus strengthening the bond between you two.

These challenges should not be an excuse for you not to be able to bring your dog along on your camping trips.