Hiking with a pet

[Annabellam]

This year I've decided to be more of an outdoor person and to just try out different things I've never done. So about hiking, has anyone of you gone out with a pet? I have a dog and was wondering how to prepare it. Mostly worried about it wandering off while we are out hiking.

 

[Grandpa]

Hi Anna, hiking with a pet is very rewarding. For both of you. But leash laws are in place nearly every where. Keep your dog on a leash until you are sure you can trust him, and then continue to keep him on a leash in a lot of the places you will hike. We use the long leashes on the retractable handle. With love and training your dog will soon learn the rules of the trail.
HAPPY HIKING

 

[Annabellam]

Thanks for the tips. Sounds like you go out with your buddy quite often? Definitely rewarding and stimulating i agree. I think i'll keep him on a leash, wouldn't know what his reaction would be for a first

 

[Northern Dancer]

My dog Reese was well trained and rarely did I have any trouble. Because I canoe tripped he was not leashed. He had his own dog pack [life jacket, vest and coat] and often carried lunch for both of us when we explored the terrain. When in a group he carried the first aid kit. He responded to silent, verbal and sound commands. The best ever...

 

[Annabellam]

Reese sounds like an awesome buddy! Even helped you carry stuff around? Awesome. Good that you made sure he had a life jacket and all. Never canoe tripped but it sounds fun.Not sure my little buddy would swim if anything happened. He does not seem to love water at all but am working to change that.

 

[Northern Dancer]

Reese sounds like an awesome buddy! Even helped you carry stuff around? Awesome. Good that you made sure he had a life jacket and all. Never canoe tripped but it sounds fun.Not sure my little buddy would swim if anything happened. He does not seem to love water at all but am working to change that.

================== >
Reese was a Labrador and loved the water. I've always had Labs or Golden Retrievers. It's all in the training. There is the regular stuff that one would expect, then there is the wilderness/camping training that is required.

For example Reese was taught canoe ethics - the last thing you want in a canoe is a dog that cannot or will not obey instantly. So he was trained not to get in or out without specific command. "In" meant just that and "out" meant that he could get out. "Down" was another command and stay. "Leave it" had to be obeyed. He could not eat without "grace" being said. He understood "two claps of the hand" and the "right hand going across the chest" as well as the two clicks. He would not receive food given from a right hand but only the left.

In all these areas and more he was terrific. Though I always carried a leash - I never had to use it on a trail or in a wilderness sight.

 

[Annabellam]

Hi Anna, hiking with a pet is very rewarding. For both of you. But leash laws are in place nearly every where. Keep your dog on a leash until you are sure you can trust him, and then continue to keep him on a leash in a lot of the places you will hike. We use the long leashes on the retractable handle. With love and training your dog will soon learn the rules of the trail.
HAPPY HIKING

So I started looking for a good leash for our hike and came across these Dog collars I'm thinking the water walker might be a good option since it holds water and is retractable. I also wonder about the gentle leader since it looks like its made to guide your dog, but I've never used anything like it. What do you guys think?

 

[Hikenhunter]

The gentle leader is a great way to train your dog not to pull. I used one to teach Copper to to stop pulling and it worked the very first time I used it. In time Copper did not need it but,. I have a friend who always uses his because when he doesn't his dog goes right back to pulling.

 

[Hikenhunter]

Anna, let me say this also: I have had some of my greatest hiking and backpacking trips with just myself and my dog. Buy him a pack and let him carry his own food, water , and supplies. It'll save weight in your pack and it'll give the dog a little bit more of a work out so when you get to camp he will be more prone to hanging out with you rather than wandering about. Have fun.

 

[Northern Dancer]

"...a year of patient training will bring a life time of joy."

 

[Annabellam]

Anna, let me say this also: I have had some of my greatest hiking and backpacking trips with just myself and my dog. Buy him a pack and let him carry his own food, water , and supplies. It'll save weight in your pack and it'll give the dog a little bit more of a work out so when you get to camp he will be more prone to hanging out with you rather than wandering about. Have fun.

Sounds like a great idea. Thank you for all the tips and advice. I appreciate.

 

[Hikenhunter]

"...a year of patient training will bring a life time of joy."

True True But remember training,( or at least testing,) never really ends.

 

[Cappy]

Well my hiking days are over I am old fat and have bad ankles. But I can't imagile not anywhere we camp and fish and do tons of stuff out side and so do our dogs.

 

[ppine]

I love to take Ruby Begonia a 3 yo Border Collie out. She went on her first week long canoe trip at the age of six months. We were out camping and running the power boat last week. In mid July we are headed up to Oregon for a raft trip on the Umpqua River. She wears a life jacket just like I do in rough and aerated water. She likes hiking and backpacking best.

A couple of weeks ago I was out in the mountains behind the house the Pine Nuts for a short overnight. There is no water there in the summer so we packed in our water and had the place to ourselves. We watched two falcons doing their mating ritual. At about 0300 Ruby and I were rolled out on a ridge and we heard a loud pack of coyotes coming toward us. The wind was down canyon like it normally is at night and they caught our scent and left. We were not in a tent. Ruby was on alert but calm throught the whole thing.