How does roof tenting with a dog work? One who knows is Eva Gefvert, who uses her roof tent as a base when she travels around the country on courses and hunting tests with her two four-legged friends. Here she shares her best tips for those of you who want to tent with a dog.
When Eva Gefvert opens the door to her and her husband Per's home in Helgesjövallen, out in the countryside east of Åre, the first thing I see are two black dogs curiously peeking out through the grill that separates the hall from the living room. One is Yirga, a four-year-old curly coated retriever and the other is Guji, a one-year-old hunting labrador.
Rooftop tent excellent for overnight stays during courses and hunting tests
Training them to be good retrievers is Eva's greatest interest, and every year she drives many miles by car to participate in training, courses and tests around the country. It is often in small towns where there are few accommodation options, and usually at least one overnight stay is required. The Åreskutan roof tent has become their natural home during these trips.
- It's great fun and super easy to have your dog in a roof tent, as long as you've prepared, says Eva Gefvert.
She shows us into the living room where, after greeting the happy doggies, we sit down in front of the stove, each with a cup of delicious freshly brewed coffee from Eva and Per's award-winning Åre coffee roastery .
The size of the roof tent is important
Eva tells us that before the purchase of the roof tent, the most important question was how big they needed to fit all four up in the roof tent. Having the dogs in an awning or inside the car was never an issue.
- We are a herd and we sleep together! She says laughing while pointing to the carpet under the dining room furniture in the next room.
- To be sure that we chose the right size, we measured the surface of the roof tent on that carpet and lay down together with the dogs.
The choice fell on an Åreskutan three-man tent which has a 165 centimeter wide mattress.
The dogs go up to the roof tent via a ramp
Both dogs are large and Eva neither wants nor has the energy to lift them up and down from the roof tent.
Instead, Eva and Per tested the first night in the roof tent (which was spent at home on the farm) to bring the dogs up by laying out a carpet on the hood and windshield, which they could then climb up and jump into the roof tent through the window.
It went well, but later when the dogs were alone outside in the yard, Yirga jumped up on the hood.
- Then we realized that we had to find another way and started looking for a ramp.
For it to work, a long ramp was needed, the choice fell on this one - PetSafe Extra Long - which can be up to 220 centimeters long. It is leaned against the roof of the car on the opposite side of the ladder, with a towel or something else soft as protection between the roof and the ramp.
Getting the dogs up via the ramp turned out to be no problem either. Yirga, who is the oldest and never afraid of anything, immediately ran up and little Guji, who is a little more cautious, then dared to follow. As a safety measure, Eva is always by the ramp to be prepared should anything happen.
Watch a video from the first time Eva and the dogs tried using the ramp:
Both two-legged and four-legged thrive in the roof tent
Since the first night at home on the farm, there have been many more. The dogs enjoy the roof tent and so do their owners.
The second night in the roof tent was on a dog course down in Hälsingland. This time Eva was alone, which was a little unnerving.
- It's a bit of a trick when you're small and short like me, but after you've done it a few times you figure out how to do it in the easiest way. The first time I had a small stool with me to reach, but now I'm standing on the thresholds to the car and thinking about buying a step instead that can be hooked into the car's door closer. One thing I learned is to make sure to have well-trimmed nails, I probably broke three that time, she remembers and laughs.
Roof tent with dog - here are Eva's best tips
- Remember to make sure the dogs don't freeze, bring a blanket and a towel.
- Think about how you will get the dogs up in the roof tent and what you need for it.
- Have a packing list that you check off before the trips, so as not to miss bringing anything.
- Take a look around the place where you set up camp, people unfortunately throw away everything that you don't want the dog to bring to the tent. If you have a carrier dog (retriever) like us, it becomes extra important.
- If you have a dog that is prone to barking, it may be good to train it at home first, to get it used to sounds outside the roof tent. Maybe you need to have the windows open so they look out.
- Bring a harness and long line and something to fasten the dogs to, it is not certain that you can let them go where you camp.
- Bring something the dog can lie on even outside the roof tent so that they have a safe and secure place where you are standing.
- Lights to be able to turn on in the tent are good so that you can easily see when you are tinkering with the dogs. Now when it gets dark remember reflexes for both you and the dog and a headlamp for you and LED collar for the dog.
