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Best
Hikes with Dogs-Western Washington
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1. Obedience training. Before you set foot on a trail, make sure your dog is trained and can be trusted to behave when faced with other hikers, other dogs, wildlife, and an assortment of strange scents and sights in the backcountry. If they can’t behave, don’t take them.
2.
Doggy
backpack. Let the dog carry his own gear.
3.
Basic
first-aid kit.
4.
Dog food
and trail treats. You should pack more food than your dog normally consumes
since it will be burning more calories than normal, and if you do end up having
to spend an extra night out there, you need to keep the pup fed, too. Trail
treats serve the same purpose for the dog as they do for you—quick energy and
a pick-me-up during a strenuous day of hiking.
5.
Water and
water bowl. Don’t count on there being water along the trail for the dog. Pack
enough extra water to meet all your dog’s drinking needs.
6.
Leash and
collar, or harness. Even if you dog is absolutely trained to voice command and
stays at heel without a leash, sometimes leashes are required by law or just by
common courtesy, so you should have one handy at all times.
7.
Insect
repellent. Be aware that some animals, and some people, have strong negative
reactions to DEET-based repellents. So, before leaving home, dab a little DEET-based
repellent on a patch of your dog’s fur to see if he reacts to it. Look for
signs of drowsiness, lethargy, or nausea. Remember to restrict repellent
applications to those places the dog can’t lick—the shoulders, the back of
the neck, and around the ears (staying well clear of the ears and inner
ears)—which are also near the most logical places mosquitoes will be looking
for exposed skin (at the eyes, nose, and inner ears) to bite.
8.
ID tags
and photo identification. Your dog should always wear ID tags, and I’d
heartily recommend microchipping her as well. If your dog gets lost far from
home, you can use the photo to make flyers to post in surrounding communities.
9.
Dog
booties. These help protect the dog’s feet from rough ground or harsh
vegetation. They are also great at keeping bandages secure if the dog damages
its pads.
10.
Compact
roll of plastic bags and trowel. You’ll need the bags to clean up after your
dog on popular trails. When conditions warrant, you can use the trowel to take
care of your dog’s waste. Just pretend you are a cat—dig a small hole
several inches deep in the forest duff, deposit the dog waste, and fill in the
hole.
--Adapted
from Best Hikes with Dogs in Western
Washington by Dan A. Nelson,
published by The Mountaineers Books