As Colorado is a place to take in the great outdoors, my husband and I like to bring our dogs along to enjoy it as well. It’s a great way to get our pups out of the house for some exercise and socialization with other people and dogs.
Let me introduce our fur babies first. We have two pups, Juno and Bailey. I know, I know, they’re adorable! Juno is 8 years old and Bailey is about a year and a half.
Juno 
Bailey
Here are some tips that we’ve learned from our trail adventures with Juno and Bailey that will help you have fun and keep your pup safe if you’re planning your own hike. And although we live in Colorado, these tips will work for almost anywhere you decide to hike with your dog.
Let’s start out basic. Will the dog you plan to bring actually WANT to go on a hike with you? If you’re not sure, best to start with a small hike and work them into longer hikes. If your dog is aggressive, not going to be able to walk on rougher terrain like an older pup, or a small breed that just expects to be carried the entire time, it may be best to leave Max at home and just take a walk around the neighborhood. Also, depending on where you plan to hike or what time of the year it is, the trail may be too hot on their paws or the snow may be too cold. Generally heat isn’t as big of a problem if you’re hiking a dirt trail as opposed to a sidewalk. You can always do the back-of-the-hand test, just to be sure. Just like it sounds, place the back of your hand on the ground. If it’s too hot for your hand, it’s too hot for their paws.
However, it is good for puppies to be socialized when they are young, and meeting other people on a trail is a fantastic way to do it. You do need to be careful though. If your puppy may not be fully vaccinated yet, make sure to not let other dogs get too close. She will also probably be intimidated by other dogs at first, so it will be a slow process. Also, puppies are not going to be able to walk the whole trail by themselves, especially if it’s rocky or rough. So expect to carry the little guy. When Bailey was a puppy, I got a dog carrier for the first couple of hikes until she grew up enough to walk the whole trail on her own.
Here’s a link to the carrier we got for Bailey. I went with a large for Bailey so she would have room to grow. She was about 2 1/2 months old in this picture and almost 10 pounds.
Since it was chilly that day, her little feet got cold… so this works also…
The next biggie is to know the rules of where you’re hiking. Do they even allow dogs? Does your dog have to be on a leash? If dogs are allowed off-leash, do you need a license of some kind for them? If there is a stream or pond, can your dogs take a dip? Know the rules and follow them or you could get a ticket or fine.
One rule that nearly every park has in common is the clean up after your pet rule. First of all, it’s just common decency. No one wants to accidentally step in your dog’s you-know-what because you were too lazy or unprepared to pick up after him. Also, leaving the doo behind can spread diseases to other dogs or even kids if they mess with it. Gross, right?! So make sure you bring some rolls of poop bags with you for cleanup. Many parks have clean up stations available, but it’s always best to be prepared. Like I’ve had to clean it up with a leaf before…. Not fun! Do not recommend it! Most trails have trash cans at the start, but usually not many along the trail, so you may have to take it with you for a little bit. But it’s not that bad. Trust me, I’m there all the time! Usually we just tie the bag to our backpack until we find a trash can. And besides, if you have a dog, picking up their poop on a trail is not the grossest thing you’ve ever experienced. So just be courteous, and scoop the poop!
Here’s the bag dispenser we got for Juno from PetSmart. It attaches to the leash which is convenient.
One of our best purchases since we started taking our pups on hikes is the harness. I had no idea until we bought them, but it really does make all the difference. We use them not only on hikes, but on simple walks around the neighborhood as well. Game changer! First of all the harness is easier to control than just a leash, especially if your dog is a puller, like my pups. They won’t choke themselves as much and it’s easier to hold them back, if need be. The other reason we got our dogs harnesses is to be able to pull them up onto harder places for them to reach on a hike. I made sure the harnesses we bought had a handle for that reason. For example, if there is part of the trail that goes onto a rock that is too high for them to jump on, we can use the harness to easily pull them up and get them down without injury.
We actually got Juno and Bailey different kinds of harnesses. Bailey’s harness is Kong brand and a little sturdier since she is younger and more rough on well… everything. Juno’s is a little more basic one I found on Amazon, but it’s good quality and gets the job done. And of course Bailey is sporting her usual purple and Juno’s is her usual pink.
Here’s a link to Juno’s harness. Juno weighs about 35 pound and is in a large. I would never consider Juno a large dog, more of a medium dog. But when sizing things, she seems to fall into that category. Just make sure you read the sizing charts to help you decide which size is best for your pup. Luckily, this harness comes in several different colors and sizes.
Here’s Bailey’s harness. She weighs about 45 pounds. The harness is Kong brand from PetSmart, nice quality and sturdy. It comes in 4 different colors and sizes. I originally bought a Large and an X-Large for her because she was in between sizes. The XL was huge on her, so we ended up keeping the Large. So again, just make sure to check the sizing chart. Although it’s a large, it would still be way too big for Juno since Bailey weighs about 10 pounds more than her. Another great feature about this harness is that is comes with a few zipper pockets and a waste bag holder.
PetSmart also released a line of outdoor dog equipment, Arcadia Trail, that looks great for hiking. This line has harnesses, life jackets, booties, even tents for your pup and much more. I haven’t had a chance to check the line out for myself yet, but it looks like it has some fantastic gear for your next adventure with your pup.
This next one might be a given, but make sure to bring water for your dog. And bring the appropriate amount for the hike length you’re planning. We like to pack our’s an extra water bottle or two and bring a collapsible bowl that fits easily in the backpack. When there’s other thirsty dogs whose owners accidentally forgot water, we like to share with them too.
Which brings me to my next point. Make sure your pup is up to date on vaccines and get that Bordetella vaccine! Although Bordetella is used mostly when boarding to avoid kennel cough, dogs in social settings can also get it too. This means dog parks and hikes and anywhere else your pup might interact with other dogs. Better to be safe than sorry. And generally it’s only about $20 for a dose. Make sure to talk with your vet about the vaccine if you have questions, as they’re the experts.
And here’s my own two cents about off-leash dogs. Other than making sure it’s allowed and you have the proper license for it, just be smart. I know in some counties, your dog has to be able to pass a voice test, where they just come to the sound of your voice. Honestly, that doesn’t seem like a bad rule to go by overall when going off-leash. Do you KNOW your dog will come when you call or do you just THINK he will? It’s okay if you’re trying to train your dog to be off leash. But remember to stay close. I can’t tell you how annoying it is to have some dog all over your dog and no owner in sight. For us personally, Bailey is always on leash, except at the dog park. We’re trying to work her up to be off leash. She is just way too hyper right now and still a puppy. Juno on the other hand, we can trust to be off leash occasionally. Most of the time she is on a leash, mainly just because it makes me feel better. Every time she’s off leash on a trail, I make sure she is where I can see her at all times and if she starts to not listen or come when I call, back on the leash she goes.
We love hitting the trails with our pups, and they love it as much as we do. We want to make sure our dogs and everyone else’s dogs are as safe as they can be while hiking. So make sure you know the rules, be smart and be courteous!