Taking Your Dog On the Trail

Best Tips for Hiking With Your Dog

I’ve always wanted a hiking dog.  One who could run freely on the trails and hang with me at the summit.  Floki is my constant companion and he’s an absolute love.  But there are challenges involved.  

Floki loves to hike but he is not an early riser.  When I try to get him moving before dawn he will forcibly nestle into my sleeping husband, wrapping his paws around his head and snuggling onto the pillow.  It used to be a bit of a fight.  I discovered that if I whisper “lets go get Christy”, he’ll come with me easily, because he loves her.

We think this is hilarious, but it’s a rude awakening for Rob.  Once in the car, he’s geared up for an excellent adventure.    Here’s a review of what it takes for us to hike with him.  

 I will back up this information with external links as much as possible, but some of this is simply my opinion and relevant to my particular dog.  I have learned a lot just through experience and have changed my tactics over the years hiking with him.  Always do your own research and be prepared.

Get started by knowing the National Parks B.A.R.K. rule wherever you hike with your dog.

B.A.R.K. stands for:

Bag your pet’s waste

Always leash your pet

Respect wildlife

Know where you can go

SUPPLIES:

1. Always have your dog checked by a vet before hiking to ensure that he/she is in good health with proper vaccinations.  NYS law requires rabies vaccination for all dogs.  You will also want vet recommended tick and flea prevention.
2. ID Tags- at minimum a tag should have name and phone number.  Include a microchip ID if your dog has one.
3. Harness and/or collar:  I use both.  Floki walks like a proper gentleman when his leash is on his prong collar.  He has been trained to pack walk and respects me as his alpha.  Any other type collar or harness is a struggle because his natural instinct to pull kicks in.  This is exhausting, especially on the trails, so I keep him on the collar most of the time.  However, this can be dangerous when there is rock scrambling or water involved. So I will switch his leash to his harness so there is no risk of choking or neck injury.  Plus, the harness allows us to show off his accomplishments.  Hikers love to see his patches. Collar info:  http://www.dogbreedz.com/dog_articles/dogarticle/dog_neck_spine.htm

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4. Leash- Floki’s leash is actually a lead rope for horses, modified by our dog trainer.  It is super strong and durable, and because it is round it does not bind my hands like a flat strap would.  We’ve been using the same leash for 5 years.  Choose a leash that is the appropriate weight and strength for your dog breed.  NEVER USE A RETRACTABLE LEASH (never ever anywhere IMO but definitely not on the trails). We cannot always anticipate what will trigger a dog and I have witnessed on many occasions, other dog owners having no control because of the retractable leash.  A retractable or too long of a lead can easily tangle around bushes and trees and be a risk to your dog.   I have recently purchased a bright orange leash for extra visibility during hunting season.

5. Hydration and Food-  Always pack clean water for your dog. DO NOT depend on streams and lakes.  There may not be any on your hike, and still water may contain dangerous parasites.  Floki loves to submerge any time he can but I try to avoid allowing him to drink muddy water.  I keep it simple.  Plain old water bottle and a rubber collapsible bowl.  He gets healthy treats along the way and on long hikes I’ll pack his meal in a little cooler.  Learn your dog’s hunger and thirst signs- Floki will circle around me or walk between my legs when he’s really hungry.  I have never experienced dangerous levels of heat exhaustion or dehydration with him, but I now carry a powder packet of Pedialyte with me just in case.  At 65 pounds,  we would have a very difficult time getting him off the trail if he were to collapse.  Prevention is key.  https://www.k9ofmine.com/can-you-give-pedialyte-to-a-dog/

6. Poop Bags- Clean up after your dog.  It’s part of the owner agreement.  If you run out of bags, bury his waste off the trail and 200 ft away from water.  It’s annoying when your dog poops 1 mile into an 11 mile hike.  I’ve thought about putting promise stickers on mine, but etiquette says it’s not proper to leave the bag on a rock with the intention of coming back for it.  Double bag to minimize the smell if you have to and carry on.    
7. For longer hikes and overnights, Floki has an Outward Hound saddle bag so he can carry his own gear.
8. For sunset hikes-reflective harness and/or tiny flashlight hanging from his collar.  

PLANNING:

No matter how much research and planning I do, there are always surprises on the trails and hikes always take longer than I expect.  For example, I wish I’d known ahead of time that the Crane Mountain Loop had steep cliff ladders.  Impossible to do with the dog on a prong collar (pre-harness), so our 3 mile hike was more like 6 because we had to double back to the summit and descend the way we came up.  I’ve been fortunate enough to be pre-warned about certain locations that have strict No Dogs policies. I cross reference several sources to plan our hikes- maps, guidebooks, websites and apps.  Trail reviews from other hikers give the most up to date information.

1. Choose hikes that are appropriate length/terrain/challenge for your dog’s breed/size/fitness level.  Just like humans, start on easy trails and build up skill, strength and endurance.  Easy trails and nature preserves are a great way to test your dog’s gear and trail training.

Be aware and respect NO DOGS ALLOWED policies.  Know before you go and get permission if you have a service dog. Many trails are on private property and accessible to hikers at the owner’s discretion.  I really missed sharing the Adirondack Mountain Reserve with Floki, especially when we passed another group that had clearly snuck their dog in.  Hiking with my dog is a privilege, not a right, and breaking those rules ruins it for everyone.  

2. Plan for the weather.  In the summer, we’ve opted for shorter, less strenuous hikes, or left pre-dawn if the forecast calls for extreme heat and humidity.  In the fall and winter, I carry a doggy raincoat and a Warm Wags fleece coat in my pack.   https://www.etsy.com/shop/WarmWags
3. Some people use dog booties or Musher’s Wax to protect the pads of the feet. We got booties for Christmas.
4. Towels and warm blankets for the car ride home will keep a dog comfy after a long, cold trek.

TRAIL ETIQUETTE:

First and foremost, know and respect the principles of LEAVE NO TRACE as much as possible:

This is what we do to maximize trail enjoyment for ourselves and other hikers:

1. Keep your dog on leash at all times- In many locations, this is actually required by law (which I didn’t know before).  I no longer hike with Floki off leash. It’s disappointing for both of us because I know he wants to be free and it adds to the physical exhaustion I endure.  He was pretty well trained to stay with us and observe commands, but enough negative experiences make it not worth the risk.
   • Northville-Placid Trail- October, gun shots in the distance.  We were not in range for legal hunters but I’ve heard enough horror stories of accidents and with his coloring and being way ahead of me…no thank you.
   • Calamity Brook Trail- trotting along ahead and all of sudden I hear exuberant barking.  We came upon another hiker taking care of business in the brush with her pants around her ankles.  Floki was barking at her from a distance.  I know his different barks and this was not threatening, but she couldn’t know that.  I quickly got him under control, we chatted and she responded to it all in good humor.  But I felt terrible.  No one else should have to experience moments of insecurity on the trail because of my dog.
   • Other dogs- Floki loves to make friends with all humans but he is dog selective.  I keep him on leash and do not do meet and greets for the safety of other dogs.  I wish others would do the same.  When your “very friendly” dog comes charging towards mine, I cannot guarantee that he will appreciate the intrusion into his space.  Not everyone appreciates interacting with an unleashed dog.  This goes for dogs off leash or uncontrolled by an extended retractable leash.  (See #4 Supplies above)
   • Small Children- children get excited to see Floki and many will run towards him because they don’t know it is never appropriate to approach a strange dog.  I have no problem firmly telling a child NO.  I only do meet and greets with children when they ask first, and I am confident that both child and dog are calm and controlled.  It’s just not worth it otherwise.
   • Terrain erosion- Floki got away from me once chasing after a chipmunk.  He was climbing the walls of a cavern like a mountain goat!  Had the rocks and shale given way, he could have been seriously hurt.  There are many dangers for dogs who run off trail.  Keep them on marked trails, just as humans are expected to.
   • Wildlife- although he’s too much of a dingus to catch anything, I felt bad for that chipmunk.  I keep Floki on leash so he can’t harass the wildlife.  Let natural predators do their thing. 
2. Crossing paths with other hikers- trails are often narrow, so I move far off to the side and make him sit so they can pass easily.  This has become an easy habit for most people due to COVID-19.
3. Deal with his waste.  (See #6 in Supplies above)  
4. Develop commands that will help you control your dog- besides the basics of sit and stay etc, we’ve learned to work together navigating trail challenges.  For example, when dealing with rock scrambles or blow downs, I direct him with words like up, down, over, under, go and halt.  This is important for both of our safety, since I keep him on leash.  It’s the same as a parent assisting a toddler.
5. Learn and pay attention to your dog’s stress signals.  This takes time and practice, but your dog will tell you what you need to know about the environment and other people before you get into trouble. 

It seems like a lot, but all of this quickly becomes routine.  I love having my dog on the trails with me. I love his companionship, and seeing his joy in the wild, and the memories of these amazing places.

We finish up with a special treat, and I know its been a great day when the evening looks like this!

Here are some other sources for your reference that I found very informative:

https://www.orvis.com/trail-etiquette-for-hiking-with-dogs

https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/hiking-dogs.html

One more tip … photos.

I love the beautiful photos we take but getting a great posed shot with a dog is tough … it’s actually nearly impossible! I only use an iPhone on the trail, not a “real camera”.  The selfies and candid shots are awesome and hilarious,  but I get real beauties sometimes by cheating.  I set the phone to “video” and stand behind it calling his name, snapping my fingers, whatever I can do to get him to look towards the camera.  It takes a while, but I can screen shot a still out of that video that makes my heart leap.    They aren’t always perfect and clear, but they are full of joy. I use the same trick to get pictures with both Christy and me in them … just without the name calling and finger snapping 🙂

Happy dog hiking!!!

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