I seem to have lost my confidence around camping, having always enjoyed it up to now :-(.
I think the combination of my ME, and taking dd (11) and lively dog on my own is feeling too much…..but I am determined to have another go at it soon . I do have friends I can go with and somewhere I can leave the dog, but would like to go on our own with dog ocassionally too.
Keeping dog on the lead all the time is probably the most stressfull thing, would love to find somewhere he could run around while me and dd play/bbq/read…any ideas? Or maybe I need to look at saving up to rent a cottage/caravan with its own garden? Or wild camping?
Any ideas welcome

IME I think it very much depends on the dog - which only you can know. I very rarely take all 3 these days, but the 10yo lab does get special privileges and always comes, and we never attach him. We know that he’s going to be appropriate - not bark, beg etc. - in fact he’s quite anti-social in that he’s unlikely to approach anyone and just want to sit under the awning or wander around sniffing trees. We find that so long as the dog isn’t causing a problem, and we’re being midful of toileting, people turn a blind eye to the rules. Though of course we do have to face the possibility that might not be the case and we will have to defer to the rules if it upsets anyone at all - and go prepared for it (screw spike and long lead).

Lively dogs aren’t necessarily a problem either, we have a 7yo spaniel x retriever who ONLY wants to play stick ALL DAY, because she doesn’t cause other problems she’s always been well received on campsites as she can keep a large group of children entertained for HOURS when mums and dads are feeling like they’ve woken up too early

In terms of sites I can recommend a couple in Derbyshire where this has never been a problem for us if you like.

hmm, I am afraid I disagree with mountainmama a little. I really do not appreciate it when people break the rules with dogs, I have a child who is terrified of dogs after being bitten by someone’s “puppy”, and I do choose campsites with the expectation that dogs, if they are there, will be properly controlled and on leads if those are the rules. I really do not appreciate having to make a complaint on this one. I would be pretty annoyed if I turned up at a site which specified dogs should be on leads and there was a dog running around, and in all probability the site would lose my custom. I think the thing to remember is that people are making arrangements to come on holiday with the expectation of a dog-free site, its actually quite disrespectful IMO to assume everyone else wants to be around another person’s dog. I don’t know how safe an unknown dog is around my kids, and it means I have to be extra vigilant for the time I’m there. 

There are campsites that allow dogs off lead, and I think if that’s what you are after then the best thing to do would be to go to one of those.

I would look into sites that allow dogs off leads. I also have a child who is very frightened of dogs. if the rule at a camp site was dogs were to be on a lead at all times I would expect it to be upheld. I would hate to have to complain about someone’s dog. I do love dogs but find kids dogs and camping are a very hard mix to get right. we had a dog and found it very hard as our dog was great off a lead but as soon as we put one on he was on guard and he did not relax. may be look for a site with a dog exersising area.
I understand your concerns, I find camping by myself easier with4 kids than I did with 1 child and 1 dog !

I hear your pain of losing confidence around ME. I was diagnosed this March and it’s affected my life greatly, a large reason I don’t get on here much these days :(

I haven’t been camping since it was triggered last year, I now have a toddler to run around after which exhausts the feck out of me as well as my 7 year old who in a field (and as long as he has someone/a ball/a swing to play with) is pretty okay now. We deliberately haven’t been camping this year due to 2 factors - 1) the shitty weather and 2)the lack of space now we have 2 kids in the back (as oppose to one). As Roo needs her buggy to nap in during the day I can’t make do with my sling so it takes up most of my bootspace that I’d stick most of the camping gear in. 

We’re going camping locally for my hubby and daughter’s birthday in a few weeks and I think that will be the test. I also think it might be a good idea to try and camp locally near you for a weekend to see how you fare then if it all goes wrong you can just go home without too much hassle.

Sorry I can’t offer any help about the dog situation but we have cats here (broody for a pooch though!).

Lots of love

xxx

We were looking at going to Hidden Valley in Somerset.  They have a collection of tents already put up and each is in its own garden with a fence.  We were looking at the Tipi and she said that it’s great for young kids as you can let the roam around a small space and not worry about them going too far (though I bet mine would find a way to escape.).  I wonder if a site with tents already there might be more in your price range, great for the lessened stress and have areas for your dog. 

On the dogs roaming, I find most dog owners are very friendly people.  I would happily ask a dog owner to keep dog on a long lead so that I knew my kids were safe.  My kids love dogs, but I would still want to make sure that they were safe.  Maybe a better solution to complaints would be dog owners having a sign saying ‘We have a ground spike and long tether.  Please feel free to ask us to use it’ or words to that effect.  I would feel greatly reassured by this and openness goes a long way to calming any fears.

Update.
I finally did manage a weekend away camping with dd and the dog . I borrowed my old campervan back from my mum for the weekend which was great and makes things easier. Im really pleased I was brave enough to give it a go again, we had a lovely time and I will definately do it again soon. Thankyou for the replies to my ages ago post
Incase anyone is interested in a holiday that works with 1 adult, 1 child and 1 dog, we went to burnbake campsite in Dorset (surrounded by miles of healthland for dog and people walking) and took the dog around Corfe Castle and on the steam railway down to Swanage. Corfe Castle inspired Enid Blytons Kirrin Castle so we played Famous Five story CDs on the way there. Enid Blyton makes a good theme for a weekend. Btw, I always keep our dog on the lead when there are rules about it, children, bikes or picnics! He is lovely and friendly but I appreciate not everyone loves dogs running around.
I will now have to look out for somewhere else not too far to do another weekend soon.