I might have mentioned this a million times before: hiking with dogs is our favourite activity, for many reasons. So, the short answer is: YES. Yes, you should! For a slightly longer answer, let me quickly describe some points that you should consider before going on a first hiking trip with your dog:
The golden rule for any extensive outdoor activity is, that if you take your dog with you, your number 1 priority becomes your dog´s well-being.
Zarja (LYO DOG)
As with all outdoor activities that take whole day or half a day, the first point to consider is:
- Do I have enough experience in hiking, to make sure that my dog will be safe?
By experience I mean: do you know the hiking trail already, its conditions and what the terrain looks like, is it likely for you to meet a lot of people, or is it likely that you will meet wild animals on the trail? Is the area exposed to the sun, or is the trail in the shade of the trees for a part of the hike? Is water available along the path? Are you experienced in evaluating the weather conditions? For example, in Slovenian mountains, the weather can change very quickly, so it is important to pack warm clothes even in the summer and stay safe from potential storms and lightning. Good hiking shoes are essential!
So, let´s put our dog first and consider possible scenarios that might occur:
- is my dog fit enough? Will he/she be able to hike for several hours and not be too exhausted to hike back for additional few hours?
- Will the temperatures be too high for my dog?
- Will I be able to carry enough water with me for both me and my dog?
- Will the temperatures be too low for my dog?
- Will my dog be able to safely walk in the snow, without getting injured?
- Are the snow conditions dangerous (avalanche danger)?
- What will I do if my dog gets injured? Am I fit enough to carry my dog back to the car?
- What will I do if I get injured?
- etc. ….
It might sound like an exaggeration, but this is what responsible dog guardianship is.
If you don´t have enough experience, try to get it by joining experienced hikers, perhaps taking a course in hiking and mountaineering, hiring a mountain guide, or just simply start slowly with easy local hikes, to gain experience. It might take a while, but it will be worth it, since you will be able to enjoy the mountains safely – and with it also eventually your dog.
- Is your dog trained and socialized enough to hike with you?
This is a question that I receive often, it seems to be a fear that most new dog guardians have. It is hard to say, not knowing you and your dog personally, but in general, I would say:
– if your dog is pulling you an a leash on your regular every-day walks and is not able to wait calmly, I would firstly work on that.
– If your dog is reactive to other people and dogs, I would work on that first and then return to hiking later.
– if your dog is likely to chase wild animals, cyclists, cars, or similar behaviours, I would first work on managing that in daily life and return to hiking later.
Why? Because any of these scenarios might end up being very dangerous in the mountains and it might end badly for both of you.
I start socializing and training my dogs as puppies and I also teach them behaviours that will come in handy while hiking right away. I can assure you that it is really worth it and it will enrich your life and your dog´s life as well.
This year, we are offering an “Adventure Dog Online Course” which will also cover hiking and training your dog for those specific situations. Here, you can find out more and apply for the course: https://www.lyodog.com/shop/dog-training/adventure-dog-online-course/
There is one big misconception when I use the word “hiking” in my text. In Slovenia, where we live, there are plenty of options for visiting mountains of various difficulties in terms of altitude, steepness, terrain, etc. You should know that hiking is a national sport in Slovenia, it is an activity that most of us are practicing regularly since being children. It is a part of the culture. So when a Slovenian tells you “this is a simple hike”, it might not be. It means that it is simple for him/her, not necessarily for you. A lot of “hikes” in Slovenia should be noted as “mountaineering trips”, because of the terrain and difficulty. On those, btw, I would NEVER take my dogs with me. So, please keep this in mind when you read this and all our future texts. We will try to be as honest and transparent as possible, so that you receive the right information, which will help you to evaluate your experience and fitness level of both you and your dog.
Zarja (LYO DOG)
