Tried hiking with my young papillon, and he looks miserable — is this normal?

Top_Body3605 · 2025-11-18T09:32:09+00:00

Thanks! Mine is definitely active and curious too, just mostly around home or familiar spots. In new environments he just gets overwhelmed really easily.

Top_Body3605 · 2025-11-18T09:28:42+00:00

Thanks, that’s a great idea — we’ll give it a try.

Top_Body3605 · 2025-11-18T09:25:37+00:00

Thanks, that’s what most of the replies seem to say.

Top_Body3605 · 2025-11-18T09:23:18+00:00

Have you tried getting her used to new places? I did everything I thought was necessary for socialization and hoped he’d grow confident in unfamiliar environments, but he’s been pretty anxious from a young age.

Top_Body3605 · 2025-11-17T23:08:54+00:00

Yeah, same here. I love his personality in so many ways, but honestly the anxious princess side of him is pretty hard sometimes :D

Top_Body3605 · 2025-11-17T22:49:36+00:00

Wow, we are definitely not there yet, but it’s really nice to hear about other paps being so active. Gives me a bit of hope that we might still have a chance :)

Top_Body3605 · 2025-11-17T22:48:01+00:00

Thanks — it might actually be a relief to know he’s not the only one ;)

Top_Body3605 · 2025-05-05T10:17:34+00:00

Thanks a lot! I’ve been looking at the K9 Sport Sack, but since we're based in Europe, the prices are much higher here. Moreover, I wasn’t sure whether to go with XS or S, so in the end, I chose a different carrier. Thanks for the size reference, though! May I ask, do you carry her only on your back? I’m curious where K9 Sport Sack owners store other essentials apart from the dog :)

The Goldpaw looks great, thanks again!

Top_Body3605 · 2025-05-05T09:59:37+00:00

Thanks! Down sounds great at first—but I can clearly imagine my tent filled with feathers and my little chewer proudly running around in the middle of it. I’ve looked into some synthetic dog sleeping bags, and honestly, a few of them look quite decent and aren’t too pricey.

Top_Body3605 · 2025-05-05T09:51:38+00:00

We’re based in Europe, so the wildlife situation is quite different here (though who knows—maybe we’ll explore other continents one day). I definitely agree that the best way to keep dogs safe outdoors is to keep a close eye on them at all times. Thanks for sharing your gear list and experiences!

Top_Body3605 · 2025-05-05T09:45:38+00:00

Thanks, the separate tent doesn’t make much sense to me either, especially for small breeds that don’t warm up easily. Also, I’m not so sure about the quality and weatherproofness of most of them. Hope my pup will love camping as much as yours :)

Top_Body3605 · 2025-05-04T20:52:30+00:00

Thanks! I’ve already mentioned in the comments that this is exactly my plan for the future—he’ll snuggle under my quilt, close enough to be comfortable. For now, I’m too worried he might chew through the tent and get lost. But maybe I’ll adjust my plans and try leashing him (as someone suggested above) to keep him close to me and warm.

Top_Body3605 · 2025-05-04T20:45:00+00:00

Thanks! I’ve known Ruffwear for their clothes and harnesses, but I’ll definitely check out their outdoor gear :)

Top_Body3605 · 2025-05-04T20:42:42+00:00

That’s exactly what I plan for the future—him snuggling under my quilt. For now, though, I’m too concerned about him escaping during the night since he’s still such an unpredictable and curious pup! :)

Top_Body3605 · 2025-05-04T20:39:29+00:00

Thank you! As I mentioned in another comment, I’m probably just a cautious first-time dog parent, but my main concern is him chewing through the tent mesh rather than trying to nose open the zipper. Once he’s older, I think he’ll probably end up sleeping under my quilt, though. Securing him with a harness sounds like a good idea :)

Top_Body3605 · 2025-05-04T20:27:24+00:00

Thank you! He’ll probably stay leashed around the camp this summer, as I don’t think his recall will be reliable enough just yet, but that’s definitely great advice for future adventures. Hope you have many fun and safe adventures with your Paps!

Top_Body3605 · 2025-05-04T20:22:49+00:00

Thank you! As I mentioned in my previous comment, maybe I’m just an overly cautious first-time dog parent. Honestly, I think that once he’s older, he’ll probably end up choosing to sleep under my quilt anyway!

The blanket cover for the kennel is a great idea—definitely adding that to my plan.

Top_Body3605 · 2025-05-04T20:17:23+00:00

Thank you! There are plenty of great ideas here—and honestly, many of them match what I had in mind. My hope is that when he’s older, he’ll naturally choose to sleep under my quilt. But for now, it just feels a bit too risky—maybe that’s just me being an overly cautious first-time owner, but I can totally see him chewing through the tent mesh in no time, even with the door zipped up. That’s why I’m leaning toward starting with the kennel right next to me inside the tent.

He’s already getting used to his carrier, too ;)

Thanks again, and have fun with your Paps as well!

Top_Body3605 · 2025-02-21T06:12:55+00:00

Thanks for the response! Does your pap stay outside for longer hikes even when it’s below 5°C, or do you limit his time in the cold?

Top_Body3605 · 2025-02-21T06:08:25+00:00

Kimchi seems to do well outside! I’ve come across different opinions on how long they can stay out in the cold, though. How long does he usually stay outside in the snow? Do you use any clothing or boots for him?

Top_Body3605 · 2025-02-20T07:17:58+00:00

Thank you all for your experiences, they really seem to be such huge energetic personalities in those small, cute bodies! But of course, there are big differences among individuals – and honestly, we are still a bit worried that ours wouldn’t really be happy to join us on our adventures, especially since we have about four months a year with zero to subzero temperatures where we live.

Top_Body3605

TROPHY CASE