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Hiking with your Dog(s) Hiking with your K9 friend can be described in one word: joyful. Dogs have the capacity to enjoy and appreciate everything about their natural surroundings, from the putrid to the beautiful! Their energy is infectious. They also can be very useful as an early warning system; where your eyes/ears/nose do not detect the presence of other hikers or wildlife, your dog will let you know! They are the best of company, listening to your daily diatribe or just soaking in the silence. Whether you are day hiking, as we do, or planning a longer excursion, please ensure your pet is fit, vaccinated and has identification. This is a basic precaution. It is important to prepare for the needs of your hiking K9 just as you prepare for yourself. First and foremost: WATER! Dogs get dehydrated faster than humans, because they expend much more energy in a short time. The higher the altitude, the drier they get. Plan your hike: if there are streams and lakes for the dog to drink from, you can relax (although if giardia is a problem, you do not want your pet to be infected, therefore you must carry water AND prevent your dog from sampling the streams). But if not, you must carry enough water for your dog (and yourself), as well as a bowl for the dog to drink from (I’ve tried cupping my hands: not too effective! - there are great collapsible bowls available). A dehydrated dog is not a pretty sight, and a dog can die quickly when in that state. No joke. I pack a small amount of dog food. Even though I may only plan to be out for a couple of hours, there could be an emergency and the time extended. Same for people food! I also have some first aid supplies which can be adapted to my dog. What are the most common injuries? -- cut paws and bites. I have a tensor (ACE) bandage, gauze bandage, athletic tape, small towel, moleskin (a blister aid for people but can nicely be adapted to covering a cut paw) and antiseptic lotion. I also carry tweezers (for ticks), small nail scissors, a razor, and a SAM splint; this may seem like a lot of gear, but I am also carrying it for human first aid response! I also have some kind of plan, depending on where I am hiking, to get help in case of a more serious injury. (I always have a cell phone, if within the range, or a telephone-equipped radio). I also carry bear spray, which might be useful in selected circumstances to protect my dog (from another dog, say). These days, it is important to check if the trail you are planning to hike will allow dogs. Many parks have prohibited dogs, because they tend to chase wildlife. Which brings up another point: you are responsible for controlling your dog, and not letting it harass wildlife, other dogs, or people. This can be tricky, because you want your dog to frolic and be joyful and be free. But you must balance this freedom with your knowledge of your dog and what "trouble" it may get into. For example, on one particular trail, I always put one of my dogs on a lead for a certain distance, as I know he will go and bug the dog who lives in the area. Also, if my dog warns me of someone coming, I put him on a lead until we can assess the situation. As well, if I sense that the dog is being particularly irresponsible on a day (they have their moods too, and hormones), I may keep him on a lead more than usual. I take advantage of "lead time" to practice heeling, and other commands which my dog would rather forget and relegate to his distant past of obedience classes. Just as a reminder! And, it is hard to believe, but dogs do get tired! Not as much a problem with hiking, as they can almost always outdo you, but I sometimes see cyclists with dogs "giving them some exercise" for many many miles. A dog will run, in order to please you, until it drops dead. Literally. At Mountain Trek, we stress the importance of preparing yourself well for hiking. This goes for your dog too! Be prepared, be knowledgeable, be well. Now go hiking! Equipment List for your Dog:
And now, if you've got the stomach for it, here are the Mountain Trek dogs:
Here's gentle BEN, a shepherd/ husky/ ? cross. Ben is a good time Charlie, Mr. Live-for-today, Party Boy. He is 5 years old. Ben is usually NOT the one selected to guide our guests on nearby trails, as he says "have a good walk, I'll see you later", and does a wild thing romp through the woods. He loves to be scritched and petted. He occasionally will provide serenade vocals if things get too quiet.
This is LOKI, a highly trained purebred German Shepherd. Actually, we have been highly trained via many obedience classes, and Loki remains purebred. He is 3 years old. Loki is usually selected to guide guests if they want to take a short walk on the surrounding trails. He is very attentive and protective of his charge. Fee for services = 2 biscuits and 5 pets.
This is TASHA, a shepherd/
husky cross. She is 8. Tasha is big mama, head honcho, and a great watch
dog. She also loves guiding guests, and will hold her tail up high all day
when she has had the chance to interact with guests. Due to knee surgery,
we have to somewhat limit her activity, but she pretty much can keep up
with any human.
Tasha and Loki keep watch, while Ben flakes out and takes a nap.
See what we're doing to help the animals in our area: www.homes4animals.com
Mountain Trek Fitness
Retreat & Health Spa, |
Loki
(far left), Ben, and Tasha are the K9 crew at Mountain Trek. They reside
on the property, and are allowed to interact with our guests if it is
desired. Occasionally we do have guests who are fearful of dogs, or just
not into them, and we do our best to keep our distance. The dogs are not
allowed in the guest lodge or vehicles; they have their own deluxe
accommodations elsewhere on the property.
