Tails from the trail and tips on training your human

Mountain Hiking With Your Dog | If you want to spend quality time with your dog and enjoy the fresh air, there is nothing better than mountain hiking with your dog. But if you don’t prepare properly, it can also be one of the most dangerous activities for you and your four-legged friend.

Most dogs, regardless of breed, love spending time outdoors and going for walks in nature but there are some things you need to keep in mind. To ensure your best bud’s safety on any outdoor adventure, here are some important considerations before you grab some gear from your garage and hit the trail.

Pre-Hike Training and Physical Fitness

Dogs were migratory pack animals. They are built to walk alongside their masters for long periods and have very tough paws to handle tougher terrain. However, they do not excel in more strenuous hikes due to shorter legs, making climbing up hills or mountain sides difficult.

Thus, breeds with longer limbs would be better suited for those types of hikes instead.

You may also be tempted to take your little buddy on a hike right away, but that’s not such a good idea. Your dog needs some pre-hike training before you can even start the walk.

Make sure they are around other dogs and people to become comfortable with them. This will make for an easier trip later on down the line when there are new things they experience along their journey.

Before taking any trip, it is recommended that you get some training because this could help prepare you and your dog for what lies ahead once you are out exploring your surroundings together.

Look For Suitable Mountain Hikes

Hiking with your pup is one of the best ways to get them to exercise, and it’s a great human-animal bonding opportunity. But some trails may not allow pets or are poorly maintained for animals on four legs.

Before you head out there, you should research first. There should be plenty of articles mentioning hiking routes around your area that will give both you and your pup ample opportunities to explore new terrain together.

Ensure that your pup’s fitness and skills match the needs of any trail before setting out. If you are looking for hikes in an area with rugged terrains like steep hills or boulders, they may not keep up well even if they have strong muscles.

Trail Etiquette For Dogs

When hiking with your pup, always check beforehand if the location is dog-friendly. Due to ecological sensitivity or high traffic trails, some areas do not allow dogs where pets could get lost in crowds of people and wildlife.

For that deemed canine-friendly, be sure to abide by any leashing regulations required for safety reasons. If you’re allowed off-leash, make sure your dog stays close to you at all times while exploring nature’s beauty. Teach your dog to be polite and well-behaved on a hike by rewarding them with treats for sitting patiently as new people approach. Dogs can sense other peoples’ moods, so make sure you smile when someone greets you.

Food And Snacks

When you go hiking with your dog, it’s essential to make sure they have the same provisions that a human would. As long as you’ve come prepared for yourself and are carrying food and water for them, you will face no problem in keeping both of you from getting dehydrated or hungry when on an extended hike.

When going out and exploring nature together, never forget what might happen if things don’t work well. Remembering this tip can help keep everyone safe while having fun.

Poo Bags

You should always follow the most important rule when out and about in nature, particularly when hiking up mountains, to ‘leave no trace.’ That means making sure that any rubbish generated by your journey, such as dog poo bags, is cleared away properly, so the land or environment stays pristine for everyone else.

Familiarize With The Local Wildlife

Wolves and Coyotes are not the best friends of domesticated pets. Pet owners often try to get forestry commissions to remove coyotes from their neighborhoods, which might seem like a good solution. However, that’s completely counterproductive and just causes more problems for everyone involved because it doesn’t address the issue at hand.

When going on hikes, it is essential to remember that you are in the wildlife’s territory. Always stay out of their way, and if there are any trails with large land predators, steer clear of them.

Consider The Weather

Unless you want to be stuck in a national park on a bad day without any information, always check for local weather conditions before leaving. Knowing just a little bit about cloud formations is important because it can help prevent getting lost or stranded when there’s no way out of your current location. Making sure that you plan ahead will keep this from happening by checking the forecast days beforehand.

Conclusion

The great outdoors is a magical place, filled with all sorts of beauty, from the sounds of nature to the feeling you get when you’re out for an extended period. But before you go mountain hiking with your dog, be sure to follow these tips so that everyone has an enjoyable experience and no one gets hurt.

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.