There's a specific anxiety that comes with towing a fifth wheel with a large dog: you've driven 400 km, the kids are done, and you're pulling up to a campground that might — just might — have a 30-lb weight limit written in fine print.
We've been that family. Here's how we now filter camping before we book.
The questions that actually matter
Most campground booking sites let you filter by "pets allowed." That checkbox is the floor, not the ceiling. Ask these instead:
1. Is there a weight limit? Many private parks cap dogs at 20-40 lbs. A large dog — think 70+ lbs — gets silently disqualified.
2. Are all sites pet-friendly or only some? Some parks confine pets to a "pet loop" of sites. The map matters.
3. Leash rules. Most require leashes, full stop. A few have fenced dog runs — those are gold for a tired dog after a long towing day.
4. Breed restrictions. Some parks exclude breeds, full stop. Better to know before you pay.
Where large dogs are welcome
- KOA campgrounds are generally dog-friendly and explicitly say so on each location's page — look for the pet policy before you click book.
- Provincial and national parks in Canada are typically relaxed about size, but they enforce leash rules hard and sometimes restrict dogs from beaches and trails.
- Campspot listings show pet policies per campground — and importantly, per site — so you can filter before booking rather than gambling at check-in.
- Harvest Hosts locations are farms, wineries, and breweries — most are dog-welcoming by nature, though you're a guest on active land, so check each host's rules.
The dog-at-campsite rules we never break
- Never leave a large dog tied and unattended. Raccoons, food smells, and passing dogs are the trifecta. In a crate in the RV, fine. Chained up outside, never.
- Walk the perimeter first. Ten minutes at arrival, before the kids get out — the dog needs to claim the space.
- Keep a "dog budget." A tired dog is a quiet dog. A 2-km morning walk pays for itself in camp manners all day.
- Bring a long line (15-30 ft), not just a 6-ft leash. In open areas it gives the dog freedom without breaking park leash rules.
If the park says no large dogs
Some of the best nights of our trips came at Boondockers Welcome stays and public land — no booking site, no size limit, just a message exchange with a host. For planned stops, we build the itinerary around campgrounds we've already vetted, which is why the planner's overnight notes include pet policy details.
The takeaway
A large dog narrows your campground options, but it doesn't have to shrink your trip. Filter early, call when in doubt, and plan a rest day after the long hauls. The dog will be happier — and so will everyone else in the trailer.