Dogs are man’s best friend, which is why we want to take them with us when we go outdoors. They love it, we love it…is there really anything better for you both? However, if you’re going to be outdoors for a long period of time then you need the best tent for camping with a dog. In case you’re wondering, no….you cannot just assume a normal tent will work.
Most of the time, you need something that can handle the needs of both the dog a human involved. One very important note is that tents are typically not made for dogs to cut through. They are usually made to keep animals out, not keep them in. Therefore, you need a strong tent but also one that won’t make your dog feel trapped.
Not all dogs feel trapped in tents, but you do want to take precautions just in case. That’s why you’re going to need to find a tent with an easy way for a dog to get in and out, especially at night, all while keeping the other critters away.
Now, finding the right tent for your dog is one thing but finding a tent that can be good for both of you is another. We felt that the noted man’s best friend needed to be close to his or her owner. This is why all of the tents we looked into are not essentially “dog tents” but tents for humans and animals together.
Since so many people are not sure about what to look for, we decided to help you out with our list of the 5 best tents for camping with a dog.
Table of Contents
Breakdown Of Our 5 Best Picks
Coleman Sundome
- 4-Person
- WeatherTec Certified, Polyethylene 1000D
- Privacy Window, Rainfly
When we were looking into possible tents for camping with a dog, one of the most important things we needed was a dog-friendly design. It is in your dog's nature to feel protective of their human most of the time. On top of this, as mentioned earlier, you do not want them to feel trapped but you do want to make sure they are safe.
One great thing for this is an opening in the tent that keeps them in while also allowing them to see outside. Dogs need this but they also need to be covered up in case it snows or rains. Safety is paramount with your dog as is their comfort, so Coleman manages to do this very well with their Sundome design.
We've found that dome tents tend to be the most common tent design that dogs are best in. Coleman's design is also spacious, offering a capacity for up to 4 people. This tent is also equipped with a rainfly and privacy window that allows your dog to see outside and remain protected. However, you also want to make sure they are not ever too hot or too cold.
They also are protected by WeatherTec and their patented welded floors and inverted seams to help you keep this tent as dry as possible, regardless of the rain you may experience. Coleman put together a terrific 1 door design with Variflo Ventilation and Vented Cool-Air Port. The tent can handle tough winds and keep bugs out too!
This tent is also great for the human too, as it offers tons of places to put your stuff with an interior gear pocket, pole sleeves, and even an electrical access port.
Overall, it is one of the best tents for camping with a dog that any human can buy.
Gazelle 26800 T4 Plus Pop-Up
- 47lbs, 78 inches tall
- Removable Polyester Floor, Waterproof Rainfly
- Leisure Area, YKK Zippers On Doors, Roof Can Be Left On Or Off, Lots Of Space
We love the Gazelle 26800 T4 tent for quite a few reasons. One of the biggest is its size, as it's truly capable of holding anywhere between 6 to 8 people. The amount of space you get with this tent is extremely terrific for anyone who wants to bring a dog. This is also a pop-up tent, so the amount of time to put it together is pretty quick. The average is 90 seconds according to Gazelle.
It is a very sturdy design that will remain in place due to the all-metal hubs and solid fiberglass poles. This portion of the design makes it capable of standing up well to high winds that could be a problem for other tents.
Most tents for camping with a dog need to have an area where the dog or dogs can sit, even at night, and see outside. The leisure area of this tent is perfect for this, as it keeps them out of the elements but also allows this room to exist just for them. They can see through the mesh-like panels and keep an eye out for any possible trouble or just enjoy the view.
We're also huge fans of the big YKK Zippers. These are useful in keeping your zipped tent, well, zipped to perfection.
In addition to all of this, this tent is relatively waterproof due to the rainfly design and the ability to remove the floor. A removable floor allows you to clean out any possible water you may deal with while also making the tent possible to use for other things.
Although it's a larger tent, you can remove bits and pieces from it if needed too. To us, this only adds to the overall value of the tent. It has multiple uses, so you're going to truly get your money's worth. You're even able to do all of this for under $500, which is a complete steal for a tent this large.
Ultimately, it's a perfect tent for the family.
Big Agnes Titan 4 mtnGLO® Tent
- 4-Person
- 1500mm Waterproof
- mtnGLO® System, Ripstop, Polyester Taffeta Flooring
When you're dealing with one of the masters in the world of tents like Big Agnes, it's well-worth spending slightly more. The best thing about the company is that they back up all of their new tents with a 100% guarantee. Should anything happen, they will fix or replace the tent at no cost to you. That may be the best reason to splurge if you ask us.
One thing about Big Agnes we also love as dog lovers is that they too think of man's best friend. So when you're looking at a tent for camping with a dog, they have you covered.
Their Titan 4 tent is accompanied by the great mtnGLO® system. This is a system that helps to light up your tent with included LED lights, although you'll need batteries not included for said lights. This can be perfect for base camping and the best thing possible for dogs that are not fans of very dark areas. In fact, Big Agnes believes this is such a good tent for a dog that they even include a dog in the advertising of the tent itself.
The tent is truly built for three seasons only yet it is capable of standing up to the high sun, major winds, and even a great deal of rain. The skeleton of the tent is sturdy, using DAC DA17 exoskeleton poles to help livable space and strength.
Also, since the sides can be opened up, your dog can sit outside on the grass under the shade of the tent during the day as well as have it present in case of a surprise rain.
There is also a lot of room for a human to store their stuff, as the tent includes 8 interior mesh pockets & 10 lightweight aluminum Hook Stakes.
Some tents include products that are not great for the environment but Big Agnes is trying to change that. In this tent, they have done so and even have the CE Certification to prove it!
Marmot Limestone 8-Person Tent
- 8-Person, 77x187x100 Design
- Leak-Free Rain Protection, Polyester Oxford 3000mm Waterproof
- Waterproof Flooring, Mesh Opening Throughout, Removable Room Divider
Marmot is another master in the world of tents. So when we were looking at a tent for camping with a dog, we could not resist seeing what they had available. Their 8-person Limestone tent is currently going for an absolute steal price at just under $700. These tents are often easily over $1,000, so this is a big deal.
Plus, the tent can function as a number of different things and be used anywhere. With a weight of just under 22lbs total, it's an easy one to take camping with a small or large family, as well as on a guys or girls trip. However, it's even cooler for a dog as there are tons of features that give them freedom.
Due to the size of the tent, they'll be happy but a room divider can go up allowing you to leave the mesh-like lining open during the day or night so they can see outside while remaining safe inside. The tent also includes jingle-free nylon zipper pulls, so even if your dog decides to play with it one day you won't be disturbed.
There are tons of storage places, including a clip area for adding a portable lantern up top.
It's safe as well, with a great polyester oxford 3000mm waterproof design that is guaranteed to keep you dry. It also uses DAC DA17 Poles for a very sturdy design that can hold up against powerful winds. It is also relatively big in height, allowing most to stand fully inside the tent.
MSR Papa Hubba™ NX
- 4-Person
- Xtreme Shield™ Waterproof Coating, StayDry™ Doors
- Mesh Openings, Weather Technology, Max Space, Ripstop Nylon
MSR stands for Mountain Safety Research, so with a name like that, it's pretty clear that the MSR team knows how to make an awesome tent. They care not only about the humans going on a camping trip, but they also car about the animals that may go too. You can tell they put a lot of thought into their Papa Hubba™ NX design for sure.
Lots of technology is in this tent from the people at Easton as well as Syclone. All of their inclusions as well as the contributions from the MSR team as well, make this a terrific tent to take anywhere all year long.
Despite being incredibly light at just under 7lbs total, they included the Easton® Syclone™ MAX Poles. These are incredibly strong and will keep your tent together even against some of the most wicked storms. Whether it's hail, high winds, you name it...the poles won't be damaged by anything the weather tries to throw.
Of course, the waterproof content is impressive with both the Xtreme Shield™ Waterproof Coating and large StayDry™ Doors included.
This will keep both humans and dogs alike dry and out of the problematic elements. Ultimately, it is a great tent for camping with a dog due to these features alone. Yet the rainfly on this tent is adjustable and therefore allows it to be opened up while letting your dog be outside somewhat. The dog will also love the mesh openings so they can see outdoors.
It can be relatively dark in the tent due to the design being made for year-round use, so the mesh openings being present is crucial for dogs that aren't fans of the dark.
The tent also has incredibly durable, high-tenacity nylon fabrics. This is not only what helps the waterproof nature of things but it can also be useful in helping the tent remain warmer during colder periods.
MSR also likes to stand by their products as often as possible. Thus, they will repair pretty much anything that goes wrong with your tent as long as it falls under the window of the listed repairs their Seattle, Washington shop takes care of. We'd recommend reading into that and the warranty before purchasing, so you can know what to expect.
