How To Get Started Hiking With Your Dog

You already walk your dog every evening, so you must be ready to start hiking
with your dog as you travel this summer, right? Perhaps, but a deep-woods nature
walk isn’t always a stroll around the neighborhood block…

START WITH YOUR DOG

Before you plunge down any trail, make sure you tailor your plans to your
dog’s capabilities. Are you mapping out a 12-mile day hike that will tag the peaks
of three mountains? Not all dogs are bred for that kind of long-term exertion. It is
especially important not to overtax your dog on a hike because she will soldier on in
an effort to please you and never let on to any pain.

Hiking can be a wonderful preventative for any number of physical and
behavioral canine disorders and running up trails and leaping through streams is
great exercise for that one in every three dogs that is overweight. But just like us, a
dog used to being a couch potato can’t be expected to easily complete a five-mile
loop trail. Have your dog checked by a veterinarian before significantly increasing
his activity level.

OUTFITTING YOUR DOG FOR A HIKE

Every canine hike should include such basics as identification tags (get one
with your vet’s phone number on it as well) and a bandanna that can help
distinguish a dog from game in hunting season. If you are pushing off on a long
hike with your dog there is no reason you should shoulder all the supplies.

Wearing a dog pack is no more obtrusive than wearing a collar. Introduce the
pack by draping a towel over your dog’s back around the house and then have her
wear an empty pack on short walks. Progressively add crumpled newspapers and
then bits of clothing. Fill the pack with treats and reward your dog from the stash.
Soon your dog will associate the pack with an outdoor adventure and eagerly look
forward to wearing it.

A dog can comfortably carry 25% of her body weight. Low density items such
as food and poop bags are good choices to include in a dog pack. Ice cold bottles
of water can cool your dog on hot days. Don’t put anything in a pack that can break
since you will soon see your dog banging into rocks and trees as he wiggles through
tight spots on the trail. Seal items in plastic bags for when your dog jumps into a
creek.

Always pack a “doggie first aid kit” that gives you quick access to gauze pads,
cling-type bandaging tapes, topical wound disinfectant cream and tweezers. Also
have a veterinarian’s phone number handy.

LOW IMPACT HIKING WITH YOUR DOG

Every time you hike with your dog on the trail you are an ambassador for all
dog owners. Some people you meet won’t believe in your right to take dogs on a
trail. Be friendly to all and make the best impression you can. Practice low impact
hiking with your dog by:

* packing out everything you pack in.

* not leaving dog scat on the trail.

* hiking only where dogs are allowed.

* staying on the trail and not allowing your dog to trample vegetation.

* not allowing your dog to chase wildlife.

* stepping off the trail and waiting with your dog while horses and other

hikers pass.

* not allowing your dog to bark – people are enjoying the trail for serentity.

One of the best ways to practice low impact hiking is to use a leash. This will
guarantee that your dog will not unnecessarily disturb the environment or other
people – and keep her safe on the trail.

TRAIL HAZARDS

Dogs are naturally curious and left to their own devices will almost certainly
stick a nose where it doesn’t belong. Dogs can’t get poison ivy but they can
transfer it to you. Other nuisance plants include stinging nettle that lurks on the
side of many trails and even the slightest brush will deliver troublesome needles
into a dog’s coat. Nasty thorns can also blanket trails that we in shoes may never
notice. If your dog has tender paws, dog booties are available to prevent pads from
cracking while trotting across rough surfaces. Used in winter, dog booties provide
warmth and keep ice balls from forming between toe pads when hiking through
snow.

Canine hikers, especially if you confine your adventures to well-trod paths, can
spend a lifetime in the woods and encounter little more than deer and squirrels. The
wildlife is there but the presence of a dog will keep most animals deeper in
seclusion. Shy creatures such as rattlesnakes are found in every state in America. If
your dog is bitten by a snake it won’t be necessarily fatal but get him to a
veterinarian with as little movement as possible as soon as possible.

A more likely meeting is with porcupines. They won’t run from a dog and any
encounter can wind up with your dog impaled by quills that will work into the skin
and easily cause infection. Less dangerous, but equally distressing, is a rendevous
with a skunk, another animal that feels comfortable standing up to a dog.

THE WEATHER AND YOUR DOG

Hot, humid summers do not do dogs any favors. With no sweat glands and
only panting available to disperse body heat, dogs are much more susceptible to
heat stroke than we are. Unusually rapid panting and/or a bright red tongue are
signs of heat exhaustion in your pet. A good rule of thumb is to carry 8 ounces of
water for every hour of planned hiking – your dog can even learn to drink happily
from a squirt bottle. Beware of allowing her to drink too generously from surface
water since even fast-flowing streams can be infested with a microscopic protozoa
called Giardia, waiting to wreak havoc on your dog’s intestinal system.

Some of your most rewarding hikes with your dog will be in the mountains
where the weather can change in a moment’s notice. It may be cooler at higher
altitudes but the sun will burn more intensely. When hiking in extremes of
temperature remember that a hike is not a race and rest often – for both your sake
and your dog’s.

WHERE CAN I HIKE WITH MY DOG?

While most hikers head first for America’s National Parks, as a general rule,
dogs in national parks are welcome only “anywhere a car can go.” This means your
dog can hike only along roadways and walk around parking lots. In most national
parks dogs can also go in picnic areas and stay in campgrounds. If you are hiking
in Canadian national parks, bring your dog along – there are few prohibitions
against dogs there.

You will find National Monuments are a mixed bag for active dog owners.
Some, like Dinosaur National Monument or White Sands National Monument, allow
dogs on most trails while others, Devil’s Tower or Cedar Breaks for instance, ban
canine hikers from all trails.

National Forests, under the stewardship of the Department of Agriculture and
not the Department of the Interior like national parks, offer the meatiest hiking
opportunities for dog owners. Dogs are permitted on most national forest trails,
although access can sometimes be remote. Many times national forest lands
surround national parks so you can get your dog on a trail after being cooped up
there. National Grasslands are cousins of national forests and you can expect to
have your dog accompany you on your hike. Hiking opportunities are limited,
however, as there typically aren’t many trails in a national grassland.

National Recreation Areas, as the name implies, are managed to maximize
public use – for humans and dogs. Many trails in national recreation areas are open
to off-road vehicles, mountains bikes, and horses. These types of trails will
invariably be open to dogs as well. You can expect to find good canine hikes in
almost any national recreation area.

Dogs are seldom allowed on trails at National Seashores but happily most (the
southeastern national seashores are an exception) allow dogs on the beach year-
round. National Lakeshores are good bets for canine hikers as dogs are allowed on
many trails in these parks along the Great Lakes.

National Historical Parks are hidden gems for canine hikers. There are few bans
on dogs in national historical parks. In addition to learning a thing or two about
American history, these parks often feature interesting hiking: the rolling hills of
eastern Pennsylvania in Valley Forge Historical Park, the mountains of Harpers Ferry
Historical Park, the wild Potomac River of the Chesapeake & Ohio National Historical
Park to name a few.

State Parks are always a good bet for canine hikes; California being the most
critical exception. Dogs are not allowed on trails in California state parks. With
spectacular state parks like Ricketts Glen in Pennsylvania, Hocking Hills in Ohio and
Custer in South Dakota, your dog can vacation happily without the national parks.

So grab that leash and hit the trail! And have as much fun as your dog.

I am the author of over 20 books, including 8 on hiking with your dog and the
widely praised The Canine Hiker’s Bible. As publisher of Cruden Bay Books,
we produce the innovative A Bark In The Park series of canine hiking books found at
http://www.hikewithyourdog.com. During the warm months I lead canine hikes as tour
leader for hikewithyourdog.com tours, leading packs of dogs and humans on hiking
adventures. Tours, ranging from one-day trips to multi-day explorations,
visit parks, historical sites and beaches. My lead dog is Katie, a German Shepherd-
Border Collie mix, who has hiked in all of the Lower 48 states and is on a quest to
swim in all the great waters of North America – http://web.mac.com/crudbay/iWeb/Katies%20Blog/
Katies%20Quest.html. I am currently building a hikewithyourdog.com tours trailer
to use on our expeditions and its progress can be viewed at http://web.mac.com/crudbay/iWeb/Teardrop%20Trailer/Building%20A%20Tour%20Trailer.html.