| So you want to start to hike with your dog. | | | | striking. Avoid rocky areas, crevasses, |
| Hiking with your dog can be a fascinating way | | | | caves, and areas where the ground cover (weed |
| to explore America's great outdoors from a | | | | or grass) prevents you from seeing the |
| canine perspective. Some things to | | | | ground. These are all places where snakes are |
| consider:Dog's HealthHiking can be a | | | | likely to hang out.If you hear a nearby |
| wonderful preventative for any number of | | | | rattle, stop immediately and hold your dog |
| physical and behavioral disorders. One in | | | | back. Identify where the snake is and slowly |
| every three dogs is overweight and running up | | | | back away.If you or your dog is bitten, do |
| trails and leaping through arroyos is great | | | | not panic. Put ice against the bite, tie a |
| exercise to help keep pounds off. Hiking can | | | | rope or piece of clothing around the leg |
| also relieve boredom in a dog's routine and | | | | above the wound (but not so tight you shut |
| calm dogs prone to destructive habits. And | | | | off blood circulation) and get to a hospital |
| hiking with your dog strengthens the overall | | | | or veterinarian with as little physical |
| owner/dog bond.Breed of DogAll dogs enjoy the | | | | movement as possible. In many cases a |
| new scents and sights of a trail. But some | | | | rattlesnake might give "dry bites" where no |
| dogs are better suited to hiking than others. | | | | poison is injected, but you should always |
| If you don't as yet have a hiking companion, | | | | check with a doctor after a bite even if you |
| select a breed that matches your interests. | | | | feel fine or your dog looks fine. Keep in |
| Do you look forward to an entire afternoon's | | | | mind that snakes fill an important function |
| hiking? You'll need a dog bred to keep up | | | | in the ecosystem; without them we would drown |
| with such a pace, such as a retriever or a | | | | in mice and other rodents, so there is no |
| spaniel. Is a half-hour enough walking for | | | | reason to harm them.If you hike where |
| you? It may not be for an energetic dog like | | | | rattlesnakes are common you can look for the |
| a border collie. If you already have a hiking | | | | services of trainers who will get your dog |
| friend, tailor your plans to his | | | | "snake-broke" for life.CougarsThese elusive |
| abilities.ConditioningJust like humans, dogs | | | | big cats are extremely shy and are rarely |
| need to be acclimated to the task at hand. An | | | | seen. Cougars are fearful of humans but dogs |
| inactive dog cannot be expected to bounce | | | | don't frighten them. Still, they might view |
| from the easy chair in the den to complete a | | | | smaller dogs as prey - one more reason to |
| 3-hour hike. You must also be physically able | | | | always keep your dog close on the |
| to restrain your dog if confronted with | | | | trail.TicksTicks can carry Lyme disease, HGE |
| distractions on the trail (like a scampering | | | | (Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis) and |
| squirrel or a pack of joggers). Have your dog | | | | Babesiosis, all nasty stuff you want to |
| checked by a veterinarian before | | | | avoid. To help combat,avoid deep grass and |
| significantly increasing her activity | | | | bushes. Tick repellant for you and your dog |
| level.WeatherHeat and sun do dogs no favors. | | | | is a good idea, and always check your dog's |
| With no sweat glands and only panting | | | | fur carefully before heading home. Ticks can |
| available to disperse body heat, dogs are | | | | be hard to spot on dogs with dark or long |
| much more susceptible to heat stroke than we | | | | fur, but a simple comb can reveal any |
| are. Unusually rapid panting and/or a bright | | | | intruders. If you or your dog gets bitten, |
| red tongue are signs of heat exhaustion in | | | | immediately remove the tick. Use your fingers |
| your pet. Always carry enough water for your | | | | if you have to. Try to grab the tick as close |
| hike. Even days that don't seem too warm can | | | | to the head as possible and pull straight |
| cause discomfort in dark-coated dogs if the | | | | out. Do not apply any oil before or after |
| sun is shining brightly. In the wintertime, | | | | removal. If any part of the tick remains, or |
| temperatures at higher elevations can drop | | | | if swelling/itching or other complications |
| well below zero in only a few minutes. In | | | | develop, contact your doctor/vet.Other Trail |
| cold weather, short-coated breeds may require | | | | HazardsDogs won't get poison ivy but they can |
| additional attention.AltitudeIf you are | | | | transfer it to you. Some trails are littered |
| hiking in the mountains and you and your dog | | | | with small pieces of broken glass that can |
| are not acclimated to the altitude, take it | | | | slice a dog's paws. Nasty thorns and thistles |
| easy, and allow plenty of time for rest, so | | | | can also blanket trails that we in shoes may |
| your bodies can get used to the thinner air | | | | never notice. Tumbleweeds are also very |
| up here.BearsThe huge, ferocious bear ripping | | | | thorny and prickly in their natural state, |
| through a campsite tent in our imaginations | | | | and even more so when they are dried and |
| most likely refers to the grizzly bear. These | | | | blowing. They can stick in a dog's coat, and |
| bears are long extinct in most places in the | | | | cut fingers as we try to extract |
| Continental United States, but we do have the | | | | them.WaterSurface water, including |
| considerably smaller black bear. This bear is | | | | fast-flowing streams, is likely to be |
| notoriously shy and hikers can spend a | | | | infested with a microscopic protozoa called |
| lifetime in these woods and never see one. | | | | Giardia, waiting to wreck havoc on a dog's |
| Even so, always check a ranger station for | | | | (and human's) intestinal system. The most |
| reported bear activity before starting a | | | | common symptom is crippling diarrhea. Algae, |
| wilderness hike. If you see a black bear, | | | | pollutants and contaminants can all be in |
| stop and stay calm while keeping your dog | | | | streams, ponds and puddles. If possible, |
| close - bears do not like dogs. Do not shout | | | | carry fresh water for your dog on the trail - |
| and quiet your dog from barking. Do not run, | | | | your dog can even learn to drink happily from |
| you cannot outrun a bear and you don't want | | | | a squirt bottle.copyright 2006I am the author |
| to look like prey. The bear will likely leave | | | | of over 20 books, including 8 on hiking with |
| the area, but if not, talk in a low tone of | | | | your dog, including the |
| voice and slowly back away keeping your dog | | | | |
| by your side. If you decide to camp | | | | widely praised The Canine Hiker's Bible. As |
| someplace, make sure to hang anything edible | | | | publisher of Cruden Bay Books, we |
| in a tree away from your tent at least 10 | | | | |
| feet above the ground and 5 feet away from | | | | produce the innovative A Bark In The Park |
| the tree trunk.RattlesnakesRattlesnakes are | | | | series of canine hiking books found at |
| found in every state in America. It is not a | | | | |
| particularly aggressive animal but you should | | | | During the warm months I lead canine hikes |
| treat any rattlesnake with respect and keep | | | | as |
| your distance. A rattler's colors may vary | | | | |
| but they are recognized by the namesake | | | | tour leader for tours, leading packs of dogs |
| rattle on the tail and a diamond-shaped head. | | | | and humans on |
| Unless cornered or teased by humans, a | | | | |
| rattlesnake will crawl away and avoid | | | | day and overnight trips. |