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Hiking with your dog

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Author Article
ck1



Joined: 04 Jan 2003
Articles: 9
Comments: 0
Location: Mesa
 Posted: 8/24/2003, 10:59 pm

Rather than submit a lengthy post, I thought I would just create a short article about hiking with your pet. The information contained within comes from my own personal experience hiking with our dog Buffett, from the K9 Hiking Club of Arizona, and from the book Doing’ Arizona with your Pooch! My intent is to summarize the collective knowledge. As you should consult your doctor before starting a new activity, I highly recommend you consult with your vet before taking your dog out for hikes.

Your own person ability as a hiker comes second to the ability of your pet. On more than one occasion, especially in the heat of the summer, I have had to cut short hikes because Buffett was overheating. Dogs will push themselves to please you. Most dogs will push themselves to the point of heatstroke rather than not keep up with their owner. Small dogs work harder to keep up with your stride. Heavy dogs can put undue stress on their hearts. Dogs with thick coats are more prone to overheating. As the one with the larger and more highly utilized brain, please keep this in mind. Consult your vet.

Training. Dogs need to train for hikes as much as people do. If you’ve never taken Spot for a hike, don’t head out to do the Go John Trail in July. You need to build up your pet’s endurance. Start with walks in the neighborhood. Go for short walks at about the same time of day you would be hiking. This allows the dog to acclimate to both the air temperature as well as the temperature of the ground. If you have to lift your hand off the ground after only a few moments, then it may be too hot for your pet. I remember hiking around Bell Rock in August and seeing a dog literally hopping to shady areas. The ground gets hot and vet bills are expensive. Although dog’s pads will toughen, it takes time.

While on the topic of training…we run each morning and Buffett comes with us. When she gets thirsty, she knows to cut us off. When she does so, we give her water from a water bottle we carry with on runs. When hiking, Buffett will do the same thing, cutting in front of us. She give her water from our hydration packs, she drinks till she is satisfied, and then off we go. We have trained her to do this by working with her on walks and our runs. Figure out your own system. The beauty of dogs is how quickly they will learn.

If your dog does not posses basic obedience skills, don’t take him/her to the trail! The most crucial is the “come” command. Since more than likely you will have your dog off leash, it is your responsibility to make sure he/she will come to you upon command. This is for the safety of your pet as well as other hikers. The “sit” and “stay” commands are also helpful when hiking with your pet. Nothing ruins a hike faster than having to chase your pet as it he/she chases lizards across the mountainside.

If hiking away from home, take some precautions regarding your pet’s health and safety. Make a list of vets closest to the areas you hike. In the event of an emergency, this can be crucial. Racing around trying to find an open vet in Sedona after a rattlesnake tags Fido is more stress than needed. Take the time to create a list of vets around the areas of your hikes. Also list their business hours, or only list the 24-hour emergency vets.
The simplest of precautions is the one overlooked the most by dog owners. DOG TAGS. Make sure they are on your pet at all times. Buffett wears two tags on her collar, her I.D. Tag and her Rabies tag. This makes sure she is identified and also works as a pretty effective “bear bell”. We see less wildlife, but that’s ok with me. The ID tag has her name as well as our home and cell phone number. I recommend putting the cell phone number on the tag if you spend any time away from your home area. If you are camping for the weekend and Spot runs away, how will the person that finds him contact you?

Leashes are a personal preference issue. We use a 15-foot length of climbing webbing knotted to a carabineer when we hike or run with Buffett. I have seen hikers use those retractable leashes. I don’t like them, but that’s just me. Use whatever you think is best; just make sure you use a leash. I carry an extra leash and collar with ID in the truck just in case we lose the one she’s wearing. Different public land areas have different leash laws. Check before you head out. Although Buffett spends most of her hiking time off leash, I am always carrying it just in case. A deserted trail can become crowded quickly. Always having a leash is a good rule to follow.

Let’s look at what to bring with on a hike with your pup. First and foremost, bring water. Although your dog won’t drink as much as you, plan for him/her to drink a lot. Better to have too much than too little. I once encountered a dog with his moron owner who only brought a Nalgene on Siphon Draw. His dog drank a great deal from my hydration pack. Be smart with water, it is just as important for your dog as it is for you.

Bring along dog biscuits or extra food in case your pet gets hungry. As nature takes its course, you are going to want to have a few plastic bags along with also. Clean up after your pet, it is your responsibility. Leave No Trace applies to pet crap too. We also bring a bone with on our hikes. It keeps Buffett occupied if her owners require a longer rest break than she does.

First aid. Your dog requires different first aid than you. The Red Cross offers a dog CPR course that would of course be beneficial to any pet owner. Likewise, your first aid kit should include some items for the dog. Better yet, create a first aid kit for your pup. Some items you may want to include, in no particular order:

Vet wrap this clingy wrap comes in a number of colors and does not adhere to your pet’s hair, but rather clings. It’s the same stuff the Red Cross uses when you give blood. In the event of a scrap or cut, this is much better to have than an adhesive bandage

Betadine this is a simple cleaning solution. Use it to clean out wounds or cuts

Comb a cheap black plastic comb works wonders for removing Chula spines

Non-stick pads placed on a cut and wrapped with the Vet wrap

Benadryl works well if pooch gets stung

Peroxide this will induce vomiting in the event something is ingested that should not be


Septic powder stops bleeding

Dog first aid field guide…just in case


Now, you can carry your pet’s first aid kit, or you can have him/her carry it. It’s not a bad idea to train your dog to wear its own pack. This is especially true if your dog doesn’t drink from your hydration pack. If you carry extra water for the dog, perhaps a dog pack could be of benefit to you. Keep in mind a few things. First, it will take time for your dog to get used to wearing the pack. Again, practice at home before heading out on the trail. Limit the weight of the pack to ¼ to 1/3 of your dog’s weight. There are a lot of packs to choose from, investigate the options before purchasing.

And now for a few final thoughts:

Don’t bring a dog to the trail unless you and the pooch have trained and are prepared.

Pay attention to trails that are closed to dogs. For example, at Camelback, dogs are not allowed on the Summit Trail, but are allowed on the Chula Trail.

Pick up a copy of Doing’ Arizona with your Pooch! It is an excellent resource both for dog information as well as trail info. Joe recommends it on his reviews page. The book lists pet friendly lodging as well as provides insight into leash laws for each hiking area. I don’t know Eileen Bearish (author) and am not getting a kickback; I just think this is a good resource.

Don’t buy those stupid doggy bootie things. Train your dog to become accustomed to the surfaces it will hike on. If you are worried about the ground temperature, don’t take the dog with you! Those bootie things are difficult for dogs to get used to, they inhibit the dog’s footing, they slide off in water, and lets face it, they look stupid. The other dogs will make fun of your pet, and then you are looking at expensive psychological counseling.

Be smart and be safe when hiking with a pet, you are responsible for its actions as well as its safety

Ck1
Rating: 0.00/5.00 [0]

Author Comments
Daryl



Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Articles: 2
Comments: 2
Location: Everett, Washington
 Posted: 8/27/2003, 12:15 pm  Post subject:

Another great article.

More notes; in national forest land it is required by law that your dog be on a leash. This is for qute a few reasons:
Some people are afraid of dogs and shouldn't have to meet your dog face to face off leash. Be respectful.
A dog on a leash is naturally protective of their owner. If an unleashed dog approaches a leashed dog, the possibility of a dog fight is high.
An unleashed dog will chase and kill wildlife. They will even chase a bear, and when the realize that the bear can kick their butt, guess who they will run back to, with an angry bear behind them?
I'm sure there are a million more reasons, just be aware of the rules and follow them. A few people hiking with there dogs off leash give the rest of us a bad name and results in areas being closed to dogs all together.

Colin said not to use the dog boots, and he's 100% correct. The dog boots are intended for working dogs that need to be in areas where the ground may hurt their feet. Don't bring your dog in an area like that if you don't have to.

Last note; when backpacking with your dog, if you are cold they are cold. Their fur coat isn't that great for keeping them warm. Let them crawl in your sleeping bag with you, or lay on top of or near you. Forcinf them to sleep outside the tent, on their own is just plain mean.
Rating: 0.00/5.00 [0]
Daryl



Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Articles: 2
Comments: 2
Location: Everett, Washington
 Posted: 8/27/2003, 12:15 pm  Post subject:

Another great article.

More notes; in national forest land it is required by law that your dog be on a leash. This is for qute a few reasons:
Some people are afraid of dogs and shouldn't have to meet your dog face to face off leash. Be respectful.
A dog on a leash is naturally protective of their owner. If an unleashed dog approaches a leashed dog, the possibility of a dog fight is high.
An unleashed dog will chase and kill wildlife. They will even chase a bear, and when the realize that the bear can kick their butt, guess who they will run back to, with an angry bear behind them?
I'm sure there are a million more reasons, just be aware of the rules and follow them. A few people hiking with there dogs off leash give the rest of us a bad name and results in areas being closed to dogs all together.

Colin said not to use the dog boots, and he's 100% correct. The dog boots are intended for working dogs that need to be in areas where the ground may hurt their feet. Don't bring your dog in an area like that if you don't have to.

Last note; when backpacking with your dog, if you are cold they are cold. Their fur coat isn't that great for keeping them warm. Let them crawl in your sleeping bag with you, or lay on top of or near you. Forcinf them to sleep outside the tent, on their own is just plain mean.
Rating: 0.00/5.00 [0]
 

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