Hiking with your dog


Hiking with Your Dog
Safety Reminders
Always carry water for your dog - Your dog will need a lot of water for summer hikes. Water from streams or ponds is not always available, and not always safe to drink. Carrying a lightweight plastic container. I use a foldable nylon water pouch that clips onto my scooter basket. Restrict exercise in the heat of the day - Hike in the shade, where possible. Heatstroke is a great danger to animals during the summer. Dogs do not eliminate heat as efficiently as humans. When air temperature is close to body temperature, cooling by rapid breathing is not effective. Dogs need cool air to exchange for warm air. If the air becomes too warm, a dog's body temperature, normally 102.5º will continue to rise. If it exceeds 106º, heatstroke could result, causing seizures, organ damage and death. If you come across an animal who is suffering from heat exhaustion (begins with rapid, noisy breathing), lower its body temperature immediately by soaking with cool water. Then, take the animal to a vet as soon as possible. Note: On an average 75º summer day, the temperature in a car can rise to a deadly 120º within half an hour. Leaving the windows open a crack or parking in the shade does little to alleviate the heat. It is against the law to leave animals in parked cars in extreme temperature and/or without adequate ventilation. Check before the hike to see that your dog's nails are medium length - Long nails will make your dog's feet hurt. Short nails interfere with traction. Check for and treat cracking, punctures, or sores on the pads - Your dog needs to have tough pads. If he lives and walks only on soft grass, he might have a problem hiking on trails that may be hard or rocky. A dog's pads should be rough and look like fine sandpaper. Worn down pads that need treatment are smooth and may have little "dots" on them. The dots are nerve and capillary (blood supply to the pad) endings.		Choose a hike within the limits of your dog's ability - Dogs, like people, need to be in condition for exercising. Start slow and remember to stop and give your dog a rest. Do not to ask your dog to do too much too soon. For an older dog or a dog with arthritis, or any other medical problem, a long hike is not fun and can be dangerous. Keep in mind that dogs are sprinters by nature. They are not built for long distance running. Check for ticks after every hike when in known tick country - Check everywhere (see removing foxtails). Pull the tick straight out, without squeezing. Ticks carry a variety of diseases that dogs CAN catch, including lyme disease. The tick needs to be on 24-36 hours to transmit lyme disease, so check again after a few hours for any that may have been missed. Check for and remove foxtails and other weeds - Be sure to check head, neck, ears, eyes, nose, mouth, genitals, and between the toes. If one's dog repeatedly shakes its head, a foxtail may have entered the ear canal. Sneezing may indicate that a foxtail is in the nasal passage. Repeated licking or scratching in the same area may be due to an imbedded foxtail. If a foxtail is suspected, promptly get your dog to a vet. Note - Foxtails can be dangerous. Our dog Bud snorted a foxtail up his nose while camping in Central Oregon. We had to drive to the vet in Sisters, and she put him under to surgically remove it from his nasel cavity!
Trail Manners
Keep your dog on leash - Being off leash in open space is not the same as in a neighborhood park. Dogs may encounter rattlesnakes, bears, coyotes, or even a mountain lion. Dogs not familiar with wildlife may behave inappropriately, thereby placing themselves in danger. For the protection of wildlife AND your dog, keep your hiking companion on leash!		Clean up after your dog - Leave the trail as clean or cleaner than when found. Give other hikers the right-of-way - Many people are afraid of dogs. Communicate with others, and always keep your dog under control. Give horses the right-of-way - Move off the trail far enough to allow horses to pass. Keep your dog quiet and under control. Stay on the trails and out of brush - Dogs can transmit poison oak to you. Avoid ticks, foxtails, and poison oak by staying on the trails. Protect wildlife - Our outdoor recreation areas provide permanent sanctuaries for native wildlife and vegetation. Dogs may attack wildlife. Even if not injured, being chased, perhaps repeatedly, is stressful for wildlife. When dog owners cooperate with the rules, the impact of domestic animals on wildlife is reduced; everyone needs to work together to preserve a healthy and diverse native wildlife population. Be courteous. Set an example as a conscientious owner.

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Hiking with Your Dog

Safety Reminders

Always carry water for your dog - Your dog will need a lot of water for summer hikes. Water from streams or ponds is not always available, and not always safe to drink. Carrying a lightweight plastic container. I use a foldable nylon water pouch that clips onto my scooter basket.

Restrict exercise in the heat of the day - Hike in the shade, where possible. Heatstroke is a great danger to animals during the summer. Dogs do not eliminate heat as efficiently as humans. When air temperature is close to body temperature, cooling by rapid breathing is not effective. Dogs need cool air to exchange for warm air. If the air becomes too warm, a dog's body temperature, normally 102.5º will continue to rise. If it exceeds 106º, heatstroke could result, causing seizures, organ damage and death. If you come across an animal who is suffering from heat exhaustion (begins with rapid, noisy breathing), lower its body temperature immediately by soaking with cool water. Then, take the animal to a vet as soon as possible.

Note: On an average 75º summer day, the temperature in a car can rise to a deadly 120º within half an hour. Leaving the windows open a crack or parking in the shade does little to alleviate the heat. It is against the law to leave animals in parked cars in extreme temperature and/or without adequate ventilation.

Check before the hike to see that your dog's nails are medium length - Long nails will make your dog's feet hurt. Short nails interfere with traction.

Check for and treat cracking, punctures, or sores on the pads - Your dog needs to have tough pads. If he lives and walks only on soft grass, he might have a problem hiking on trails that may be hard or rocky. A dog's pads should be rough and look like fine sandpaper. Worn down pads that need treatment are smooth and may have little "dots" on them. The dots are nerve and capillary (blood supply to the pad) endings.

Remember to give your dog a rest.

Choose a hike within the limits of your dog's ability - Dogs, like people, need to be in condition for exercising. Start slow and remember to stop and give your dog a rest. Do not to ask your dog to do too much too soon. For an older dog or a dog with arthritis, or any other medical problem, a long hike is not fun and can be dangerous. Keep in mind that dogs are sprinters by nature. They are not built for long distance running.

Check for ticks after every hike when in known tick country - Check everywhere (see removing foxtails). Pull the tick straight out, without squeezing. Ticks carry a variety of diseases that dogs CAN catch, including lyme disease. The tick needs to be on 24-36 hours to transmit lyme disease, so check again after a few hours for any that may have been missed.

Check for and remove foxtails and other weeds - Be sure to check head, neck, ears, eyes, nose, mouth, genitals, and between the toes. If one's dog repeatedly shakes its head, a foxtail may have entered the ear canal. Sneezing may indicate that a foxtail is in the nasal passage. Repeated licking or scratching in the same area may be due to an imbedded foxtail. If a foxtail is suspected, promptly get your dog to a vet.

Note - Foxtails can be dangerous. Our dog Bud snorted a foxtail up his nose while camping in Central Oregon. We had to drive to the vet in Sisters, and she put him under to surgically remove it from his nasel cavity!

Trail Manners

Keep your dog on leash and on the trail.

Keep your dog on leash - Being off leash in open space is not the same as in a neighborhood park. Dogs may encounter rattlesnakes, bears, coyotes, or even a mountain lion. Dogs not familiar with wildlife may behave inappropriately, thereby placing themselves in danger. For the protection of wildlife AND your dog, keep your hiking companion on leash!

Clean up after your dog - Leave the trail as clean or cleaner than when found.

Give other hikers the right-of-way - Many people are afraid of dogs. Communicate with others, and always keep your dog under control.

Give horses the right-of-way - Move off the trail far enough to allow horses to pass. Keep your dog quiet and under control.

Stay on the trails and out of brush - Dogs can transmit poison oak to you. Avoid ticks, foxtails, and poison oak by staying on the trails.

Protect wildlife - Our outdoor recreation areas provide permanent sanctuaries for native wildlife and vegetation. Dogs may attack wildlife. Even if not injured, being chased, perhaps repeatedly, is stressful for wildlife. When dog owners cooperate with the rules, the impact of domestic animals on wildlife is reduced; everyone needs to work together to preserve a healthy and diverse native wildlife population.

Be courteous. Set an example as a conscientious owner.