I would like to have a wee tent for outdoor shows in case of rain. I attend both breed and obedience and often bring friends. I am not sure what size or type to get. I would like on big enough for at least 2 medium to large size dogs and 2-3 people...I've seen ones at shows that attach to the back of vans like berlingos and doblo's (which I have)...but still not sure...what would be best to get.

It would need to be easy enough on the rare occasion I am on my own....and sturdy enough if there is a bit of wind...and obviously waterproof....

Any ideas with links....Don't want to spend more than £100...but will go that bit extra if it's good quality...

Thanks
J

I used to sell tents quite a while ago now but can give some basic advice... you want to go with something that's got a double skin, if it isnt double you will be getting wet, all tents have labels that state how waterproof they are the higher the grade the better. Halfords now have quite a range of tents, look at their website, many are 50% off  and the site has customer reviews so you can have a read of those, (Urban escape are very good Iv never had a customer complaint with one).

Never ever buy an own brand tent i.e. a Halfords or Argos Tents they are pants.

www.halfords.com

What kind of size and headroom should I be on the look out for?

Cheers
J

Both B and Q have an offer on for a four man tent , four sleeping bags plus blow up mattresses for £99.

We tried them out by lying in them ( indigo was mortified that we were doing it as the tent was right in the entrance in full view of everybody and went and hid :-P ) to be honest it was quite 'cosy' but mike is 6'4 and I am 5'8 so not surprised!!

Go Outdoors have a much larger range but not sure if they have any offers on at the mo but they do have a loyalty card scheme which gives you money off offers :-)

Do you want a tent just to use for the day or to sleep in as well?
I have got a Quechua seconds base pop up tent.  It's brilliant!  Fits perfectly on the back of my Berlingo and takes seconds to put up and a couple of minutes to fold up.  It is waterproof and very sturdy in the wind.  I have got the inner tent for it as well, so I can sleep in it, but these are very hard to get hold of now.

We got a great tent half price at MIllets!

They have a sale on now too :)

http://www.millets.co.uk/category/camping/tents.html

If you mean the sort of tent that goes over the back of the van and gives some shelter from the rain and also acts as shading from the sun then you might be interested in looking at the Easy Camper Annexes. These are used a great deal by people who attend agility shows - and they are the type of "tent" I am looking at to buy myself for that purpose.

I did buy a pop up gazebo from Halfords - about £50? - but it has two big disadvantages. The first being that you need two people to put it up and the second being that it is useless in anything other than a slight breeze. I used mine 3 times and when the wind got up - nothing major just a bit more than a breeze - it couldn't stand up to the elements. One of the legs twisted and it is now unuseable so wouldn't bother with that again.

Haven't had time to search on line yet for the EC Annexe but the people I have asked at agility shows mainly bought theirs on line and most have had them for 5 or more years using them regularly throughout the year. They definitely get my vote :-)

Those cheap pop up gazebos are rubbish!

The other type of tent seen at obedience shows is a kyham http://www.khyam.co.uk/products.asp?s=Dog Show Tents

Not sure whether you mean just the ones for the day or for staying over in?  In England, Wales, Scotland you don't see little tents around the ring side and not sure that they'd be allowed, in Ireland they do have them.

No don't need one for sleeping in really...just want one I can put the dogs and myself (and any friends) into should it rain or be too sunny for the dogs.
Was on the Khyam site and  not too sure I can afford one just now even on sale the one most recommended is the Screenhouse and that is 279.99 on sale..:-(

So something like that for cheaper..lol

Will look into the ones mentioned above to go on the Doblo..:-)

Thanks for the suggestions...keep em coming..lol

Cheers
J

Found one that might fit price wise....:-) a little over what I wanted to spend...but looks good...:-)

http://www.khyam.co.uk/detail.asp?p=389&product=Day%20Shelter%20300

Try Amazon  put in the search day tent.

Think you would need to find out the rules over here.  Over here they usually always have wet weather tents where in Ireland they don't.  They are strict re. where cages go so really not sure that a "tent" wd. be allowed ringside or on the grounds other than the campsite? 

They are really common at agility shows - people put them up over their cars not ringside although I understand on the continent they are put up around the rings - but OP was thinking about obedience shows as perrodeagua said so the protocol could well be very different.