Make sure your dog is healthy and in shape for dog hiking trips

A woman pets Australian Shepherd during a rest break on a hike. The best way to prepare for dog hiking trips is to take your dog on long daily walks to ensure she is healthy and able to handle the strain of hiking. — The best way to prepare for dog hiking trips is to take your dog on long daily walks to ensure she is healthy and able to handle the strain of hiking.

Nothing beats taking your dog hiking to soak up nature.

Getting away from the hustle and bustle of daily life and enjoying life in its natural state — we all should opt for hiking occasionally.

Of course, regular hikes help us remain fit as well and the best companion for a hike is your dog.

Dogs may have been domesticated by man but they still are better than us when it comes to the rough life of the jungle.

You will have a loyal ally by your side if you take your pet dog along. There are many instances where pet dogs saved the lives of their owners after mishaps during hiking.

Use these tips for dog hiking

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There are seven things that you must consider when taking dog hiking trips.

Health check

Take your dog to your veterinarian and get your dog checked. Never take an unhealthy dog on such a trip. You will face numerous problems if your dog falls seriously ill.

Acclimatize your dog

Make sure your dog is acclimatized for the hike. We take many precautions to protect our feet and other body parts from excessive strain during the hike. You cannot get similar shoes for your dog. The next best thing is ensuring the dog is used to the strain.

Condition your dog

The best way to condition your dog is to take it for long walks on a daily basis. Start out with a short distance and keep on increasing the distance until you are sure that the pet is ready for the hike.

Use playtime

You can also resort to activities like jogging, tennis-ball fetch, and swimming to get your dog into good shape.

Protect your dog’s paws

After conditioning your pet’s heart, take care to toughen up the toes. The pads of your dog’s foot should be capable of bearing the strain. A dog with a bleeding foot pad can become a very heavy burden on the hike. If you’re hiking rocky terrain, consider getting your dog booties to protect its feet.

Update ID and vaccinations

Prepare your dog’s ID tag and license and make sure the rabies inoculation is up to date. If you don’t already have your dog microchipped, get your vet to insert a microchip to ensure your pet dog can be found very easily.

Follow the rules

Never forget trail restrictions are for your safety. Ignore them at your own peril. If the trail requires the dog to be put on a leash, obey the rule. Further, make sure you clean up the mess caused by your dog on the trail.

Watch your dog during the hike

Respect the ‘No Dogs Allowed” signs. Do not insist on taking your dog inside. The smarter way out is to simply find a dog-friendly park. These parks allow dogs under voice control to be taken off the leash.

Do not take your dog to such a park unless you have trained the dog well to obey your commands.

If you have a pup, use a 10-foot-long leash to train it to return to you when you call. If the pup refuses to obey, use the leash to keep it under control.

Kelly Marshall is a featured author on Oh My Dog Supplies. For more articles by Kelly visit Oh My Dog Supplies.

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7 tips to prepare for taking your dog hiking