Hiking

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Sharing The Load

What dog doesn’t enjoy a good walk? Not one that I’ve ever met, I mean, I have come across “fair weather dogs” who need to be literally kicked out of the door with their legs crossed if it’s raining, preferring to leave a puddle on the kitchen floor and accept the wrath that goes with it, rather than having to brave the cold and wet for even the shortest minute.  It is important though, for dog owners to remember that there’s a big difference between walking and hiking. Okay, so it’s kind of the same, but then again, it’s also completely different. A walk around the park for 30 minutes is far removed from a two or three day hike in the mountains, even day hikes can be pretty tough on your legs . . . so don’t forget that your pooch might need a little conditioning too, as well as some special hiking dog gear.

Planning Your Hike

The plain fact of the matter is that dogs are not allowed on all hiking trails, so you’d better make sure that you know all about it before you get Fido all excited about his hiking adventure. You also need to know about the rules and regulations regarding keeping your dog on a leash along the trail. Some trails do allow you to let your dog run freely but many require you to keep your dog in a leash which is a maximum of six feet. I know that it’s nice for dogs to have a little bit of freedom, but realistically a good days hiking should be plenty of exercise for the pair of you.

Is Fido Fit Enough

This is another thing which you need to think about very carefully, dogs need to be conditioned for hiking just like us humans . . . so start off small and see how you get on. I myself actually got an emergency telephone call earlier this summer, when some friends had set off for just an afternoon hike in the mountains close to our house . . . not realizing how hot it was and how much it would affect one of their dogs in particular. Fortunately they were close enough to a track which was just about roadworthy and I had to collect the poor dog, drive her home and sit her in a cold shower for the best part of an hour. If I hadn’t been able to do that then it would have been impossible for them to get her home safely . . . she is pretty large! You have been warned!

Hiking Dog Gear

Alright, so you’ve found a dog friendly hiking route, you’ve done your conditioning training and now you’re ready to tackle a good hike, maybe even an overnighter. Now you’ve got to think about packing the supplies your dog will need for his hiking adventure. He’s gonna need food (and if it’s a strenuous hike he’s gonna need a lot more of it than he eats when he’s laying around at home all day being teased by the neighbors cat), he’s gonna need water . . . and lots of it, so make sure that you can carry and have the filter necessary to keep you both hydrated throughout the duration of the hike. Here’s one good thing . . . if your dog is big enough . . . and strong enough . . . he can carry his own food and water.

Hiking Dog Bowls – you can buy collapsible dog bowls which are specially designed for hiking pooches, extremely lightweight and take up next to no space in your (or your dogs) backpack. Many people don’t even worry about taking a food bowl and opt instead to feed their dog on a nice flat rock or similar. Dogs aren’t so fussy you know, especially if they’re hungry after a long day on the hiking trail. You will need something to put their water in though!

Sleeping Arrangements for Hiking Dogs – this depends largely on the type of weather you’ll be hiking in. If you are hiking in the summer time then your dog should be happy to curl up in your tent or beside your hammock and sleep under the stars . . . if, however, you’re hiking in cold weather conditions you might want to consider buying him his own sleeping bag (maybe a childs sleeping bag will do the trick), otherwise you might find it a little bit squashed in yours! Maybe you’d prefer to buy a sleeping bag big enough for two, that should keep you warm and cozy on a cold winters night on the hiking trail. Alternatively, your dog might do very well as long as he has his own pair of PJ’s.

Hiking Doggy Clothes – whether or not your dog needs a jacket for his hike will largely depend on the breed. Short haired dogs do feel the cold, just like we do, but some breeds of dog have their very own built in fur coat and don’t need any extra layers. There’s even a hot weather dog vest available designed to keep your dog cool on a hot weather hike . . . simply soak it in water before you put it on.

Hiking Dog Boots - can be very handy if Fido’s toes get cold, or if you’re hiking in an area which can dry out and damage his doggy paws.  Cracked paws are very painful.

Brilliant – she soon got the hang of it didn’t she?

Fitting Fido With His Own Doggy Pack

Hiking dog packs are a fantastic way for your dog to carry his own supply of food and water, but you have to be sure that your dog is fit enough and strong enough . . . don’t overdo it. As a general rule, a young, fit dog should be able to carry around 25% of his own body weight, some breeds can only manage 10% or 15% and some are not up to the job of carrying a dog pack at all. It’s a good idea to get your dog used to his dog pack at home before embarking on some mammoth hiking journey.

Fitting your dog pack is quite simple, measure around the circumference of his chest and then buy the appropriate size. The middle of the pack goes onto the dogs back and there are straps usually around the chest, waist or neck. Make sure that you don’t fasten the straps so tight that your dog will have trouble breathing, but on the flip side, if the dog pack is not tight enough it can slip around and cause trouble while you’re hiking.

So that’s about it really. Check out the dog hiking gear at your local hiking equipment store . . . you might be surprised at some of the other ingenious ideas there are for hiking dogs. Taking your dog hiking can be a real treat for the both of you . . . trail name “Fido” . . . hey, I thought that was his real name! Nope, at home we call him Twinkle . . . sssssh!