Awesome Tips For Hiking With Your Pet

• 5 Great Tips for Hiking with Dogs
• How to take your cat on a day hike (Yes, you read right)
• Day hiking with pets in national parks
• Dogs also can suffer from weather injuries
• Should you bring family dog on a day hike?
• BONUS: "Every aspect of Nature reveals a deep mystery and touches our sense of wonder and awe."

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Day hiking with pets in national parks

Pets are important members of many families, and a vacation with them at a national park is possible, albeit with limitations.

Dogs and cats typically are only allowed in the park’s developed areas, such as drive-in campgrounds and picnic areas, but rarely on trails. They also must be on a leash as well.

So if heading on a day hike, what to do with Rover or Queenie? Some parks offer kennels; short of that, a member of your party will have to stay behind with the pet.

National forests surrounding the national park usually have more lenient rules regarding pets, so if camping you may want to consider pitching a tent there instead, though one of the party will have to stay with the dogs while everyone else hikes the national park.

More tips about hiking national parks:
• What are best times of the year to visit national parks?
• Kid-friendly programs plentiful at Grand Canyon National Park
• Keep hungry bears from breaking into vehicle

Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks guidebook.

How to take your cat on a day hike (Yes, you read right)

Yes, a cat can go day hiking, too. Photo courtesy of Photoree.

Okay, you’re a cat lover. And you’re tired of always reading tips for taking dogs on the trail. It’s long past due for some equal time, isn’t it?

Though some may laugh, the reality is a leashed cat can go day hiking with you. Cats can be trained to do many of the things that dogs are capable of, such as play fetch. Because of a cat’s size, though, we usually don’t do that (Ever see a cat try to catch a Frisbee? Doesn’t work. But a crumpled scrap of paper? She’ll love the game.).

To get your cat to be a great day hiking companion, follow these basic guidelines:
g Start young – A friendly kitten that travels a lot will be more willing to go on a hike. Not so with an older cat that finds new situations uncomfortable.
g Train ‘em like a dog – Use the same principles of reward and association to get a cat to stay in a leash and to follow you commands.
g Keep Max and Chloe safe – Your cat should remain on a leash and in sight at all times. Eagles and coyotes will have no problem making lunch out of your cat should it scamper off.
g Slow down – Unlike a dog, a cat can’t make the long steps to keep up with a human. That means a slower pace and shorter distances. If you want to get quickly to a specific point, you’ll need to get a cat carrier that you place atop your backpack.
g Don’t forget the kitty treats – Just like a dog, your cat will need water and a snack for the trail. Be sure to bring some. Just don’t mix up the treats with your trail mix.

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Dogs also can suffer from weather injuries

All too often when day hiking, we think our dogs are impervious to the warm or cold weather. A body covered in hair and the general belief that animals are hardier than humans both lead to this faulty conclusion.

Warm weather
Indeed, as soon as temperatures hit the high 80s, dogs are vulnerable to heat exhaustion and heatstroke on the hiking trail. This is especially the case when humidity is high.

The problem is dogs don’t sweat like humans and instead must cool themselves by panting. Short-faced dogs such as pugs and bulldogs particularly can suffer from heat exhaustion and heatstroke as they don’t pant or breathe very efficiently, and so have trouble cooling themselves down. And contrary to what one might think, athletic dogs also are quite vulnerable, primarily because they don’t realize they’re overdoing it.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke in dogs include dizziness and heavy panting that doesn’t subside. Of the two, heat stroke is more dangerous, as it can result in fainting, a hemorrhage, and even death.

To prevent heat exhaustion and heatstroke, limit hikes with your dog to the cooler morning and evening hours. While on the trail, ensure your dog rests in the shade for a while and that she has cool water to drink. Should heat exhaustion set in, get them into shade where a breeze is flowing, provide them with water to drink, and wet their coat.

Cold weather
Dogs actually are better able than humans to handle cooler temperatures. The cut-off point is when temperatures hit zero or colder.

Frostbite can occur, especially on the extremities of the nose, feet, ears and tails. Floppy and upright ears particularly are vulnerable to frostbite. The good blood flow of athletic dogs, however, generally means they’re less likely to suffer from it.

Another cold weather issues for dogs is paw irritation due to salt and de-icing chemicals.

To prevent frostbite, don’t hike with your dog when temperatures are zero or below. For paw irritation, avoid walking on sidewalks and roads where salt and de-icing chemicals are used. For both ailments, dog boots also ae beneficial.

Find out about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Ensure family dog knows trail etiquette

For most of us with dogs, Rover and Queenie are family members. So why leave them behind on a day hike with kids? They appreciate and enjoy the run in the wilds just as much as you and your children.

Still, dogs – like children – can misbehave. Just as we should teach our kids to act properly on the trail and model that behavior, so we should teach our dog as well.

Some basic trail etiquette rules for dog include:
g Trained dogs only, please – Your dog should know how to sit, stay and heel. This will ensure it behaves safely when crossing roads or coming upon other people.
g Don’t allow wildlife chasing – Domestic dogs are an unnatural introduction into a wild animal’s habitat; chasing will cause great stress to the wild animal and potentially injury to your pet. You’re fighting instinct, but your dog should come back within two commands if called.
g Familiarize your dog with other dogs – Dogs meeting on a trail sometimes will fight, which can lead to injury. Be friendly to other hikers with dogs to let you pet know that there’s no threat.
g Keep on leash if all else fails – This is especially necessary if your dog has a habit of jumping on others, which can be a frightening experience for children unfamiliar with dogs, if it continually chases wildlife, or if it regularly wanders off.
g Pick up your dog’s waste on trail – Sure, it’s natural, but it’s also smelly and offensive. Kids (and even adults) easily can step in it, making it a health hazard.

Read more about day hiking with children in my Hikes with Tykes guidebooks.

Leave this at home when hiking with kids

Leave the stuffie at home, not in the wilderness.

There are a number of items I’d recommend leaving at home.

Among them: toys, stuffies, hand-held video games, music-playing devices, the kids’ mobile phones (or at least they shouldn’t be allowed to use them except in the case of an emergency), cigarettes/pipes, purses, and pets (other than dogs) as they’ll have to be left in the vehicle and then run the risk of overheating.

All of them distract you from nature, potentially create dangerous situations, or can be lost. A lost object means recovering ground to look for it, and if children are involved you’ll be the one doing most of the looking.

Parents do differ on many of these objects. Some never would leave the trailhead without ensuring their toddler has some toy in hand. Some believe it’s best to let their teenager take his music-playing device rather than get into an argument about it – after all, you got him outdoors, and into nature at that, so what’s the fuss?

I must admit that I, too, have not followed my advice and let my preschooler take his favorite stuffie on a 10-mile hike through the wilderness. I discussed with him before leaving that he needed to always know where his bunny was and that if he grew tired of carrying it, to give the stuffie to me. He held it the entire way, never dropping it once while riding in the baby carrier. The hike was a great topic of discussion between him and his bunny for the next week.

As a parent, you have to pick your battles.

Read more about day hiking with children in my Hikes with Tykes guidebooks.