The Essential Guide to Hiking with Your Dog
It’s a beautiful day for an outdoor adventure – and what dog doesn’t love an outdoor adventure? So, strap on your boots, pack up the pooch, and hit the hiking trails! But, before you head out into the wild, it’s important to plan ahead, know your dog’s limitations, and be prepared for whatever may cross your footpath.
In this guide, we’ll cover the basics from planning to packing, to basic first aid, and trail etiquette to ensure that your day ends just as beautifully as it began!
Planning Ahead
Before stepping foot outside with your dog, be sure he’s wearing a collar and identification tag, that vaccines are current, and that he’s protected against fleas, ticks, and parasites. If your dog is microchipped – and this is highly recommended – remember to periodically check that all contact information is accurate and that the registration is up-to-date. It’s always a good idea to discuss your hiking plans with your veterinarian before hitting the trails.
Once you’re confident that your dog is protected and healthy enough for your adventure, begin planning your hike.
Double check with your local parks department, state park, or hiking trail office to be sure that dogs are allowed. Many national parks, for example, do not allow pets on the trails. If dogs are allowed, review the layout, rules, and amenities of the trail you plan to hike. Some trails require dogs to be on fixed leash that is no longer than 6’ in length at all times. Some trails have a maximum of 2 dogs per hiker. Does the trail you plan to hike have water stations or resting areas? Also check for any special alerts and warnings on the day of your hike.
Packing for the Trails
Hydration is absolutely essential for an active, hiking dog. If water is not available at stations along your hike, you’ll need to pack enough to last the entire trip for both you and your dog, then add a little extra in case of delays or unforeseen circumstances.
When you’re sure you’ve packed enough water, add some collapsible food and water dishes, enough food and treats to keep your pup well fed and energetic along your journey, waste disposal bags, appropriate bug repellent, and a small first aid kit.
Remember, when you stop for snacks along the trail, don’t let your dog scarf down a huge meal. It’s both unhealthy and very dangerous to perform rigorous exercise on a full stomach. Instead, dish out small, snack-sized meals more frequently and offer your dog high-protein treats along the hike.
While it seems like a lot to pack, the good news is that your dog can help carry the supplies in a specially designed hiking pack for dogs. Just don’t put too much weight on your dog’s back (young, healthy, experienced hiking dogs can carry about 25% of their body weight in a pack – start your dog with an empty pack at first and work your way up to a heavier pack over a few weeks), and make the sure pack fits properly to avoid chafing or painful irritation, particularly in armpits and on the chest.
Basic First Aid for the Hiking Trail
When hiking, you’ll want to keep your first aid kit as light as possible, but still include the essentials. You should already have a Pet First Aid Kit at home from which you can pull supplies.
Being prepared for an emergency on the trail absolutely vital. Be sure your travel kit includes: sterile gauze, wrapping bandage, scissors, styptic powder, antiseptic, booties, a muzzle, dog-safe electrolyte replacement, liquid capsule antihistamine and a safety pin (explained in detail below), and a book on basic pet first aid. An excellent choice is Field Guide to Dog First Aid: Emergency Care for the Outdoor Dog from Wilderness Adventures Press. This pocket-sized, spiral bound guide will give you easy instructions for dealing with first aid on the hiking trail. The book covers everything from snake bites, to broken bones, heat exhaustion, lacerations, and more.
Trail Etiquette
Trail etiquette for dogs isn’t much different than the same considerations you take when walking around the neighborhood. Always pick up after your dog. Make sure your dog is always either on a leash or under your complete control at all times. Remember that not everyone is a dog lover, so when you pass other hikers on the trail, make sure your dog doesn’t approach them (unless of course they want her to!). Don’t allow your dog to disturb other hikers, wildlife, or plants along the trail. If your trail of choice is shared with mountain bikers, have your dog step aside and out of the way when they pass through.
Other Tips
• Ease your dog into a hiking routine. If your dog has never hiked before, start with short, easy trails and work your way to longer, all-day adventures and tougher trails.
• If your dog is nervous or fearful of other dogs or strangers, plan to hike trails that are less frequented. Or, plan your hikes for the off-season when the trails are less busy.
• For your dog’s safety, always keep him on a leash, and never let him drink from areas of standing water as these often harbor bacteria and parasites that could be very harmful.
• Keep an eye out for rocky and uneven terrain, debris, broken glass, and other animals, hikers, and mountain bikers at all times.
• When your hike is done, take a few minutes to thoroughly examine your dog for cuts, scrapes, bug bites, and ticks.
• Be sure a close friend or family member is aware of exactly where you’re going and when you plan to be back. You can’t always rely on having cell service, especially in mountains and remote trails. Someone needs to know where to send help if you don’t return when planned.
Do you have any other hiking tips or advice not mentioned above? We’d love your feedback in a comment below.
I visited many blogs except the audio feature for
audio songs present at this web page is really excellent.
At Kangwon Land, almost all visitors are South Korean and 99 percent arre non-VIPs,
according to eBEST Investmet & Securities.
Feel free to visit my web page – 카지노친구
We located that Cafe Casino accepts all significant debit cards, as properly as
Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, and Tether.
Sttop by my web page :: casino79.in
communist country.
Also visit mmy blog post :: Online Casino
The two holdouts that ban it in its entirty are Utah
and Hawaii.
Look into my website Casino Bonus
Bitcasino doesn’t give anonymous gambling, and pplayers are expected to input their age ahead of registration.
Feel free to visit mmy blog – casino79.in
The lenders and loans to take intro account
whgen yoou have to have a quick-term loan.
Check out my site; 대환대출
As a accountable income lender with an Australin Credit
Licence, we want every little thing fair.
Lookk into my web site … 정부지원대출
Pairin Thai Massage supplies lots of massage solutions to
get optimum health care and healing.
Also visit myy webpage – 울산 스웨디시
You simplpy will need to develop an account and head to the casino’s
reside chat to request the bonus.
my page; 카지노사이트
Lemon balm ooil blends effectively with other essential oils, which includes valerian, as described previously.
My homepage; 스웨디시
For a speedy pick-me-up without the need of the fuss oof a fll spa therapy, cease into Skoah in the South End.
Here iis my wweb page … 스웨디시마사지
For some perspective, a 1 percent dilution is
3 drops of important oil per tablespoon of carrier
oil.
My homepage: 스웨디시 인기순위
The New Yoork State Gming Commission will regulate the on line casinos
in NY.
Feell frede to visit mmy web site; casino79.in
I smiled sweetly and stated, uh no, I had been in thhe Air Force for 18 years and I was prepared to move on.
Here is my web-site – site
Understand extra about the job (if you cann even contact it that),
its duties, and all the fine print at aruba.com.
Also visit my webpage website
For extra facts, please visit SBA’s 7(a) Loan Plan Swift Overview page.
Also visit my blog post – 신불자대출
Some banks, like Wells Fargo Bank, demand you to be a presen buyer
in order tto access personal loan goods.
My web page: 소액대출
All withdrawals are processed instantly and there are no transaction costs.
my website; 카지노 순위
Evaluation of all trits influenced job decisions for female
candidates.
Also visit my web blog; web page
Moost people consiider you have to have to be living abroad
in order to teach English to foreign students.
Also visit my web blog; ezalba.co.kr
My relatives all the time say that I am killing my time here at net, but I know I am getting knowledge daily by reading thes fastidious posts.
bookmarked!!, I like your website!
We are a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community.
Your website provided us with valuable information to work on. You’ve done a formidable job and our entire community will be grateful to you.
Hello! This is my first comment here so I just wanted to
give a quick shout out and tell you I really
enjoy reading through your blog posts. Can you recommend any other blogs/websites/forums that deal with the same subjects?
Thank you!
There are undoubtedly possibilities for that as either a public security officr
or a correctional officer.
Herre is my homepage; 미수다알바
It’s a shame you don’t have a donate button! I’d most certainly
donate to this brilliant blog! I suppose for now i’ll settle for book-marking and adding your
RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to fresh updates and will talk about
this site with my Facebook group. Talk soon!
Right here is the right web site for anybody who would like to find out about this topic.
You understand so much its almost tough to argue with you (not that I personally will
need to…HaHa). You certainly put a new spin on a topic which has been written about for a long
time. Great stuff, just wonderful!
Good post. I learn something new and challenging on sites I stumbleupon every
day. It’s always helpful to read articles from other authors and practice a little something from their sites.
It’s in point of fact a nice and useful piece of info.
I am satisfied that you just shared this useful information with us.
Please stay us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.
If a group is neverthelss on a power play at thhe finish of a regulation period, or at thhe finish of a playoff overtime period,
the energy play will continue ingo tthe following period.
my web page Jackpot
Continues to be in a prime position to repeat in the eytes of the oddsmakers.
Feel free to visit my site :: Winning numbers
These are really great ideas in concerning blogging.
You have touched some fastidious points here. Any way keep up wrinting.
Truist and its representatives ddo not supply tax orr legzl
suggestions.
Here is my site: Cash option
magnificent publish, very informative. I’m wondering why the
other specialists of this sector don’t notice this. You should proceed
your writing. I am confident, you have a huge readers’
base already!
I’m no longer positive the place you’re getting your info, however great topic.
I needs to spend a while studying more or figuring out more.
Thank you for wonderful info I used to be searching for this info for my mission.
A mentor can be everyone willing to introduce a mentee to hunting
or hunting a particular species.
Here is my webpage: Jackpot
Hey! I’m at work surfing around your blog from my new iphone!
Just wanted to say I love reading through
your blog and look forward to all your posts! Carry on the excellent work!
Bridgeport nevertheless also has a separate finance director,
Kenneth Flatto, who has run that departmernt for the previous 7.5 years.
Check oout my homepage … 유흥알바
As an adult, Lego has rekindled my love for storytelling
and imaginative play. It reminds us that we are never too old
for imaginative play and storytelling. top-rated Lego builds To own The Lego City series allows kids to create their own urban adventures, complete with buildings, vehicles, and minifigures.
These Lego sets are a testament to the designers’
talent. Their ability in bringing iconic characters like Mickey Mouse into life through bricks, is truly extraordinary.
I have a shelf full of cuteness after buying the Baby Yoda LEGO Set.
I have no regrets. drawn Lego blocks I
am in awe at the huge Lego sculptures created for events and exhibitions.
They’re true works. The seller recommended the Taj Mahal
LEGO Set as a must have for any architecture enthusiast.
This post will help the internet users for building up new weblog
or even a weblog from start to end.
These are really enormous ideas in concerning blogging.
You have touched some good factors here. Any way keep
up wrinting.
My partner and I stumbled over here by a different web
page and thought I might as well check things out. I like what I see so now i am following you.
Look forward to going over your web page repeatedly.
Hi there! I’m at work browsing your blog from my new iphone 4!
Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look forward to all your posts!
Carry on the excellent work!
Amazing! This blog looks just like my old one! It’s on a completely different subject but it has
pretty much the same layout and design. Excellent choice of colors!
May I just say what a relief to uncover a person that actually understands what they’re talking about on the net.
You definitely understand how to bring a problem to light and make it important.
More people need to look at this and understand this side of your story.
I was surprised that you’re not more popular given that you most certainly have the gift.
My brother recommended I might like this blog. He was totally right.
This post actually made my day. You can not imagine just how much time I had spent for this info!
Thanks!
Wonderful goods from you, man. I’ve understand
your stuff previous to and you’re just extremely great. I
really like what you have acquired here, really like what you are saying and the
way in which you say it. You make it enjoyable and you still
care for to keep it wise. I can’t wait to read much more from you.
This is actually a tremendous website.
I have read so many content concerning the blogger lovers
however this paragraph is genuinely a good paragraph, keep it up.
Hi it’s me, I am also visiting this web page on a regular basis, this
website is genuinely fastidious and the visitors are in fact sharing fastidious thoughts.
I’ve been exploring for a little bit for any high quality articles or blog posts on this sort of space
. Exploring in Yahoo I finally stumbled upon this website.
Reading this information So i’m happy to express that I’ve an incredibly good uncanny
feeling I discovered exactly what I needed. I most undoubtedly will
make sure to do not omit this website and provides it a glance on a continuing basis.
Heya i’m for the first time here. I came across this
board and I find It truly useful & it helped me out a lot.
I hope to give something back and aid others like
you aided me.
Hey there! Someone in my Myspace group shared this site with us so I
came to take a look. I’m definitely enjoying
the information. I’m bookmarking and will be tweeting this
to my followers! Outstanding blog and amazing style and design.
Why people still use to read news papers when in this technological globe
all is available on net?
I love what you guys are up too. Such clever work and exposure!
Keep up the superb works guys I’ve you guys to blogroll.