Oh, the joy of scrambling at the last minute to find a dog sitter.  Or the feeling of guilt as you sneak Fido into the hotel room, hoping you don’t get caught.

Why bother? Camping with your dog is hassle-free, and your pet would rather spend its holidays with you anyway.

What’s the solution? Go north!  Pack up the dog kibble and head to a less-crowded, dog-friendly provincial park in northern Ontario. Most are equipped with dog walking areas, special beaches where you can swim with your pooch, and even specific campsites, for dog owners only.  Not only that, but there are free Ontario Parks poop-and-scoop bags.  Talk about accommodating!

 According to author (and dog-owner) Kevin Callan, dogs are just like people.  “Some are well behaved and considerate, while others are just a plain nuisance. A lot depends on the owner,” says Callan.

“I saw someone’s beagle harass a cow moose by leaping out of the canoe and swimming after the poor beast. A golden retriever at the take-out of a portage once gobbled half my food pack up. And more than once I’ve set my tent on top of a mound of fresh dog doo-doo and didn’t realize it until I packed up the next day.”  Callan blames the the owners – not their dogs – and says if you show a little respect to the people and wildlife around you, then you and your pooch can have a vacation you’ll both enjoy.

The choices of dog-friendly northern provincial parks are endless, but here are the top four favourites of Callan – and his Springer spaniel, Bailey:

Halfway Lake Provincial Park - This park gets full marks for campsite design.   Each site is spacious and there’s lots of room between sites …  making them perfect for dogs and their owners.  There are great hikinh trails and a beach with a separate dog-walking area. And if you’re in need of an emergency visit to the vet, Sudbury is less then an hour away.  You can even paddle to a series of smaller lakes for a quick overnight trip with your dog.  If you want to see how Fido fares in the wilds, this is the best choice all around.

Martin River Provincial Park - Martin River is the gateway to Temagami’s network of canoe routes.  It’s made up of clear blue lakes, bordered by giant old-growth white pine. But it’s also possible to experience the spectacular features of Temagami by staying put at the main campground and a dog-paddle at nearby Wicksteed Lake, part of the Nipissing Crown Game Reserve, offers just that. There are even interior campsites on the lake where you can spend a night or two and let Fido run and swim to his heart’s content.

Kettle Lakes Provincial Park - Kettle Lakes has been promoted as an overnight base camp for vacationers taking part in Timmins’ famous gold mine tour. The visit to Timmins mine is not the only reason to camp at Kettle Lakes. The main attraction is the park itself.  It features a total of 22 lakes, nestled in a true northern boreal forest -- all perfect for swimming, fishing and even backcountry camping. Since 21 of those lakes are “motor-free,” the park is a paddler’s or angler’s dream.  Kettle Lakes is unquestionably a hidden northern Ontario gem if you’re a dog owner looking to explore the true north from the comfort of a campground. The main campground boasts six different beaches on six different lakes.  You can visit a different one each day of your trip!

For more information about Ontario Parks, contact Ontario Parks, P.O. Box 7000, 300 Water Street, Peterborough, Ontario K9J 8M5, Canada. The phone is 1-800-ONTARIO, the Web site is www.ontarioparks.com. To keep up to date on the latest information form Ontario Parks and to receive exclusive offers, sign up for the Ontario Parks Insider at www.ontarioparksinsider.com.

Don’t forget your First-aid kit for your dog:

• Ace self-adhering athletic bandages
• Cotton Balls or Q-tips
• Vet rap bandage - the kind used for dressing a horse’s leg
• Sock – great for keeping a foot bandage on
• Gauze sponges
• Liquid Bandages – works great on patching mild cuts on pads
• Antiseptic towelettes
• Hydrocortisone acetate -- one per cent cream
• Rubbing alcohol
• Eye rinsing solution
• Small container of Vaseline
• Hydrogen peroxide – a good way to induce vomiting (1-3 tsp. every 10 minutes until dog vomits).
• Benadryl (1-2 tablets every 8 hours for average size dog)
• Pepto Bismol tablets (1-2 tablets every 6 hours for average size dog)
• Buffered aspirin - 1-2 tablets every four fours for an average size dog. Tylenol or ibuprofen (Advil, Nuprin, Motrin, etc.) is toxic to a dog’s liver.
• Kaopectate tablets (1-2 maximum strength tablets every 2 hours for an average size dog)
• Emergency ice pack
• Ear syringe
• Antibiotic ointment
• Bandage scissors
• Tweezers
• Blanket
• Dog’s health record and phone number of your vet

Please check out or image bank to find the perfect shot to accompany your story.