Tails from the trail and tips on training your human

If you are a pet parent, walking your dog must be a regular duty to you. Whether it is early morning or before going to bed, sunshine or snow, and whether you’re tired or not, you have to take the dog out. His health depends on it.

Walking the dog is the single most important chore you sign on when you adopt a dog. Since it is a matter of your dog’s health, there is no way you can compromise on it either.

Life would be so much better if we start thinking of the activity as walking with your dog rather than walking your dog. Walking is a great way to spend quality time with your dog and destress yourself in the cool, open air. You are even getting a bit of exercise along with your dog! It’s a win-win situation for both of you.

So, pick a cool spot, and go have a nice, soothing, and fun evening out with your dog. It will do you both good. Unfortunately, knowing where to take your dog for a walk can often be confusing. Somewhere with a nice view, somewhere with some peace and quiet, somewhere you can get away from the hectic city life.

Here are a few of the best places to take your dog for a nice long walk, if you have access to them.

Beach

Who doesn’t like the beach? Your dog certainly does. Having your daily walk by the beach is one of the best ways to spend the morning or afternoon. The wind in your hair, the salt on your tongue, and nothing besides the sound of the waves in your ears, it is heavenly to spend your morning beside the ocean. On a dog-friendly beach, you will find many others walking their dogs along the coast, so your dog can even have some fun company. You can let your dog go and take a dip in the sea as well if he wishes to.

Hiking Trail

Dogs love hiking as much as you do. It is the perfect weekend getaway to take your dog for a hike up a small hill. You can pack up food, water, and other supplies and spend a night at the top. A good long hike can even serve as the rigorous exercise your dog so desperately needs.

Dog Parks

Dog parks are great places to take your dog. Not only are these parks completely dog-friendly, but they are also filled with other dogs and dog-loving people, ensuring that your dog will get to socialize during his time there.

You can set up a playdate with a friend of your dog or introduce your dog to new pups. You can play a game of catch or fetch or make your dog jump through some loops and rings. Make sure to keep a firm grip on your dog’s leash as dogs tend to get very excited around other dogs and people.

Dog parks are a downright treat for your dogs. If your dog is not used to much company, it can get a bit anxiety-inducing to him, though. If you notice your dog getting uncomfortable or hostile around the crowd, take him away to some peace and quiet.

Woods or Forests

If you have some woods or forests near your place, that could be ideal. You can take your dog for a walk in the woods, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The woods can be a peaceful place to spend your time in, surrounded by trees and chirping birds. You can even sit by a small stream of a lake somewhere or have a small bonfire with your dog.

Empty Parking Lots

Parking lots are enormous. On the weekend, early mornings, or late nights, the grocery store parking lot can also serve well as a walking ground. In the absence of parked cars, your dog has a lot of open space to run and fool around. You can circle through the entire parking lot multiple times or even get him to run from one end to the other.

Though empty parking lots sound great for dog walking, away from traffic and other people, such isolated and empty spots can often be unsafe as well. Keep on the lookout, and if possible, take someone else along with you too.

Neighborhood Streets

The streets around your neighborhood are a good alternative if nothing else is available. Walking your dog up and down your own street is one of the quickest and most convenient places to walk your dog, but the traffic can be a deterrent. Cars, bikes, and bicycles on the road can not only serve to annoy your dog, but they can also possibly be dangerous. If you lose control of the leash for even a moment, your dog can run out in front of the traffic and get hurt. Be extremely careful while walking on the roads and streets.

Many of the beaches, hiking trails, forests, and parks are no source of joy anymore, as you might have noticed if you frequent these places with your dog or alone. They are not the picturesque places of beauty as they were supposed to be. Now, instead of lush green grass and sparkling white sand, you see pieces of litter, plastic wrappers, and trash. From the ocean to the mountains, nowhere is safe and clean from the human touch.

Wherever we have stepped foot, we have managed to destroy and destruct. The gorgeous places which were meant to bring us joy and give us someplace to go to enjoy nature are now merely stressful to look at.

It is still not too late. For every irresponsible person on the planet, we have ten responsible ones who want to save the planet, who want to restore it to its formal glory, who want to protect nature. Together, we can. If we come together as small groups and societies and take charge of cleaning up spaces near our homes, we can have a cleaner neighborhood, cleaner state, cleaner country, and a cleaner planet eventually.

If not for yourself, do it for your dog. He wants to swim in a clean, unpolluted ocean and walk on grassy, green land.

If you can’t help physically, you can always donate. By giving away a small portion of your wealth to the organizations in charge of cleaning and protecting nature, you can contribute proudly to saving the planet.

by Bobby J Davidson

We are in business to provide great products for the outdoorsy hikers, campers and their dogs; and to help clean our parks, rivers and oceans for a better planet earth for hikers and their dogs.

Parks Clean

Parks are high-traffic areas in most cities. This means that trash is bound to show up in and around your park and playground.

When discussing ways your family can help clean your local park, don’t overlook a literal cleanup! Picking up trash will make a huge difference in the appearance and vibe of your park. A clean area will encourage others to keep the park pristine. When picking up trash and debris, make sure to wear gloves to protect yourself, and put trash in appropriate receptacles or lawn bags. You can also contact your local trash company to schedule a pickup when you are finished.

Rivers Clean

The storm drain on your street collects the water from your roof, driveway, and sidewalk and funnels it directly in your local lake or river. Nutrients from grass and leaves, pet waste, and fertilizers “enrich” our lakes and streams — feeding algae blooms and harming fish. Chemicals from washing your car in the drive and household chemical spills add up, taking a nasty toll on our favorite swimming areas and fishing spots. Soil can also be picked up by runoff, reducing the clarity of water and hurting fish.

So as you prepare your lawn and garden, here are a few helpful tips to keep our lakes and rivers beautiful and safe for all of us.

Use mulch and vegetation to keep soil from washing away.
Sweep or rake grass and leaves away from street curbs.
Mulch and compost grass clippings and leaves.
Keep paved surfaces to a minimum.
Capture water runoff with a rain garden and rain barrels.
Wash your car on the grass, where the water will get filtered.
Keep chemicals away from storm drains.
Collect your pet’s waste.
Aim your rain-gutter downspouts onto grass.

Beaches Clean (do it for the ocean)

In 2007, the United States Senate and House of Representatives passed the National Clean Beaches Week Resolution to recognize the value of beaches to the American way of life and the important contributions of beaches to the economy, recreation, and natural environment of the United States.

Clean Beaches Week, celebrated annually July 1-7, offers the perfect opportunity to encourage stewardship and volunteerism along our coastlines. But where do you even begin? Follow these tips to get started.

Identify a clean-up site. Choose a place that needs some TLC, making sure that volunteers can safely access the site. Get permission, if needed, for your clean-up event, perhaps from the local parks agency.
Choose a site coordinator. (That might be you!) A beach clean-up takes a lot of work and needs an organized person to keep everything on track before, during, and after the event.
Visit the site in advance. The coordinator will need to know where to set up a volunteer check-in station, where to leave trash and recyclables, and what area(s) volunteers will clean.
Gather supplies. Depending on your location, you’ll need supplies such as trash bags, a first aid kit, hand sanitizer, wipes, and large coolers of water. You should also provide (or ask volunteers to bring) items such as reusable work/garden gloves, reusable water bottles, sunscreen, and bug spray.
Plan how to handle the recyclables. Reach out to recyclers in your area (and perhaps your community’s solid waste departments) to make arrangements for accepting any glass, plastic, and aluminum that you collect.
Line up event partners. Contact local businesses for donations of drinks, food, and supplies. Ask a local solid waste hauler to donate their services for trash removal.
Plan for handling hazardous waste. Determine how you’ll dispose of any medical and sewage waste you might find. One solution: A wide-mouth container with a tight-fitting lid, such as an empty laundry detergent bottle. Clearly label that it contains hazardous waste.
Get volunteers to help. Recruit friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors. Create an event on Facebook and ask volunteers to sign up online. This will give you an idea of how many people to expect and will help communicate event details.
Stay safe. Be prepared for a variety of health emergencies, from minor cuts and scrapes to heat stroke.
Take photos! Post pics online to share the success of your event and recognize volunteers for their hard work.