Nick and I love to get out on hikes with Mauja and Atka. We’re not the “spend all day hiking through the woods” kind of people, but we like to hit up trails that will have us hiking for a few hours. Mauja and Atka absolutely love putting their double dews to work as we hike through new terrian with interesting smells.
This past weekend we took a fun family trip before Nick leaves town for training. We took the pups to a dog-friendly farmer’s market, on a hike, and to PetSmart to get some birthday toys for Atka (PS – he turns 2 tomorrow!).
Hikes can be a great way to bond with your dog and offer him some stimulation to keep his brain and body youthful. However, there’s more to hikes than just grabbing your pup and hitting the trails. Here’s a few tips to ensure a safe experience:
- Ensure your dog is wearing a well-fitted collar with tags. You can never be too careful when you’re out hiking with your dogs. In case the unthinkable happens and you get separated from your dog, you want to make it easy for him to get back home.
- If your dog isn’t 100% reliable, use a leash. An off-leash pyr is a “disapyr” so Mauja and Atka are never off-leash for our hikes. Not to mention there are just too many unpredictables. We live in Montana with all sorts of wildlife that the fluffies might be too interested in warding off. We want to “keep the peace” in the woods. Plus, I always worry about poison or ledges that they wouldn’t be paying attention to.
- Pack the essentials. Pack plenty of water, poop bags, and a basic first aid kit. If your pup is used to wearing a backpack, he can help carry the load! Kaeto loved wearing his backpack for walks – it gave him a job to do and helped him mellow out.
- Keep your dog’s fitness level in mind. Just because your dog enjoy walks through the neighborhood or zoomies in the yard doesn’t mean he’ll be ready for a hike. Start slow and gradually work up to longer hikes as you and your dog feel comfortable.
- Tell someone your plans. Let a friend or family member know where you’ll be hiking and when you expect to be back. In case something happens and you’re out of cell service, someone will know if you need assistance.
If you plan ahead and prepare for your hike, you and your dog should have a fantastic time. Do you like to hike with your dog?
Great tips!
I used to hike with my last dog, Howie. We loved hiking. With my current dogs, we don’t go on hikes because they are both slow and they are not good for walking distances. I have so many friends who hike with their dogs. It is a great activity and can be a lot of fun especially when you plan with safety tips like the great ones you shared here.
That is great advice. When we only had one or two dogs, we used to hike a lot. Then when we got up to 4, we stopped. I really wish we hadn’t…I still miss it now. So I occasionally take the girls out for easy hikes (they both have arthritis so we like to keep it fairly flat). I’d like to take Luke more but so many people around here hike with their off leash dogs, I’m really afraid we’d run into a problem with his reactivity. I just wish people would at least have a leash with them so they could keep their dogs close to them when encountering others.
I usually go hiking with another person just in case something happens and for safety reasons. Another (bigger) dog is also a plus! Sage will sometimes ward off dogs that are being too rough with Mr. N.
Awesome tips – each and every one is important information for ALL dog owners! Oh, and I literally LOL’d at the “disapyr”!
Those are excellent tips! We are the same way about our hikes. I don’t like doing super long ones. Just a few hours in the forest is good!
Happy Birthday Atka! TW used to love to walk when she was your age about 60 years ago. She still walks a lot and she saw plenty of dogs on today’s walk.
I love going hiking with my bipeds. I hardly ever get let off my leash because I am a true Disapyr!
Beau, our 11 week old Pry went on his first long hike yesterday. He loved it. We live near a big state park and lake. He saw waterfowl, squirrels, and EEK!! other humans. He really loved the kids and they loved him. Beau walked a whole 1/2 mile up and down lake shore lands before he started to show any tiredness. Not a bad start for a little big man.