Monthly Archives: April 2012

the dog investment

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I think it would be honest to say that dogs are an investment. An investment of the heart, the check book, and precious time.

The minimal investment for a responsible pet owner would look something like this.

  • searching for the right puppy/dog
  • researching the breed or mix
  • purchase price
  • puppy/dog gear: crate, mat,toys, food,leash, harness, collar, tags, bowls, chew sticks, bones, poop bags, brush, shampoo
  • food, bones, rewards
  • veterinary care
  • training classes
  • outings for socialization
  • puppy play dates
  • time for bonding, building a relationship
  • handling
  • time to get to know each other

The investment for someone going into a specialty like search and rescue, dog sports, service work, therapy, or beyond, would be responsible pet owner X 10!

As owner/handlers, we are for the most part, putting our time, energy, money, and efforts into our dogs with the hopes that we get the pay off we are looking for. What are we looking for? I believe that depends on the person.

Some people will tell you they just want to give an animal a nice home, but that persons pay off is the feeling of giving. Nothing wrong with that.

Families investing in a nice pet for their children to grow up with. An investment without controversy is usually the goal.

To a rancher, the dog is part of their livelihood. A solid, balanced, well-trained border collie is no small chunk of change. One border collie is equal to fifteen ranch hands when out working, this is a powerful and wise investment.

Stock guardian dogs don’t seem very lively or interactive for the most part, but they only have to chase away one predator for the owner to know their investment was worth it.

Competitors in the dog sporting world are investing in a potential champion, a team-mate. Learning about structure, temperament, balance, and biddability is just the start. Research into equipment, travel for competition, hotels, and food. Chiropractic, acupuncture and hydro therapy sessions to maintain balance and avoid injuries is common. The ribbons that handlers come home with are hardly free! ;-)

Ask a sportsmen how important a dog is during hunting season? The investment in training, gear, travel, and time are enormous. If someone is willing to sit in a duck blind for hours upon hours with their dog, the investment has surely been worth it.

Search and rescue teams work tirelessly with search problems, scenarios, scent work, article discrimination, and socialization to new and different. The investment is getting to work and hopefully being successful.

So here are some thoughts, I would love to hear yours.

If you don’t want to invest in a dog for twelve years, than don’t invest for twelve minutes. Choose carefully, your dog investment should be long term. Never predict what your investment should look like or act like. Take the crystal ball out of ownership, invest wisely, put in your sweat equity, and always move forward together, honestly. The patient owner who has a plan will almost always turn out with the best investment. And most importantly, don’t invest in a dog just because everyone else is, invest in a dog because it’s what you have been wanting to do.

Nancy

Top 10 tips – training your off leash dog

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We live in an area where the number one goal people have for their dogs is to have them off leash when hiking or in official off leash open spaces. Having a trained and reliable off leash dog is uber different than taking your untrained dog off leash and letting them run around.

When you take your dogs leash off you are making a powerful public statement that your dog is under 100% voice control, under all circumstances and distractions. This is advanced training. Puppies and adolescent dogs should be on a leash while training. Youth is youth, and they will make some pretty youthful choices.

First and foremost, if a sign says ‘dogs must be leashed’ than please use a leash. This advice is for areas that dogs can be off leash legally.

  1. Know your dog and hope that your dog knows you. If your dog likes you and trusts you than being in your space off leash is reasonable. If your dog doesn’t trust you than you need to spend time working on your relationship before you even attempt off leash work.
  2. Keep your dogs call name valuable. While working in a contained area, every time you call your dog, reward heavily. Repeat this often and vary your rewards (whether it is a game of tug, fetch or food rewards).
  3. As far as value, your call name rewards should be crazy high value, don’t mess around with so so rewards, pull out the meatballs, left over chicken, beef, your dogs wacko favorite fetch toy. Coming to you should mean the BEST possible thing in the world. You build power in their call name by doing this, it’s association and it’s powerful. If there name means that meatballs fall from the sky, well then, WOOP!
  4. Add distractions slowly. If you have a reliable recall in your yard, put a long line on your dog and go into a field and practice, then try a trail with low activity. Slowly build up to more distractions. note – Don’t let your dog fail. If you have your dog off leash in an open/free area before they are ready, and they fail and run away, you are encouraging them to pattern an unsuccessful and potentially dangerous behavior. Stay in a contained area for as long as you and your dog need.
  5. When you move from a contained area to a trail, open space or park, have your dog on a long line, it’s insurance, and it’s cheap.
  6. When you are ready to try off leash, ALWAYS carry a leash or long line in your hand.
  7. When you are ready to be off leash on a trail or open space, keep your dog with you. This isn’t the time to think about your check book, dinner, or pending engagement. And it for sure is not the time to take your phone out and start texting. When you are ready to be off leash, your dog needs your undivided attention. You are working your dog with your verbal leash, your voice. Engage, stay interactive, reward for being in your space.
  8. If there are distractions that are over your dogs skill level, please put the leash on. Stay successful.
  9. If you are out and about with multiple dogs off leash, know all of their skill levels and use their leashes fluidly when distractions change. Off leash with multiple dogs is more management and work for the handler.
  10. Advanced training takes; time, consistency, and maturity. Don’t be in a hurry to take your dog off leash if you haven’t put the time in. Keep your dog successful, they’re your responsibility.

Nancy

when up is down

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This past week was a very good reminder that neighborhoods aren’t always what they seem, for people or dogs. It’s Saturday and I’m just now getting my baring back.

It’s easy to dismiss the minor foibles, not so easy when it involves your children or dogs.

While an idealistic concept for raising children, neighborhoods can also be a source of friction, aggravation, and even aggression. Some neighborhoods for sure function better than others, some are a bit Stepfordish (and frankly those are the creepiest in my book), and some border line the Hatfield & McCoy feud.

I’ll admit, we’re the odd family out in our neighborhood. We moved here from the middle of no place Wyoming and really had no plans other than to raise happy, healthy children and dogs. Conforming and being the same as everyone else has never been a goal of mine. That by the way, upsets people, unbeknownst to me.

My one neighbor and I have shared ten conversations in ten years, all unpleasant but thankfully short. He believes my first name to be Lady You’re A Piece Of Work, and my last name is apparently You People. Charming.

We don’t belong to the same church as everyone else, and in a cul de sac setting that can be a bit rough, although we have been invited numerous times because all sinners are welcome. I can over look that, it was the sand box religious beatings that my kids took that I found unforgivable. We all know where that comes from.

We garden, and have turned our yards into  productive and beautiful spaces, I personally feel they are gorgeous but that’s just me. When they are in full bloom people actually drive down to look at our yard, our space makes people smile.

We apparently missed the memo that Chem Lawns were the only acceptable yard. The Chem Lawn drivers, and all have been nice, are use to me being out in the street on windy days and not allowing them to spray, phone in hand. My one neighbor grinding his teeth through his front windows is almost audible.

The rental house behind us, well I’ll just say the owner must post adds something to the affect of – ‘…House for rent in family neighborhood. It will accommodate four 19 year old boys, only if immature and irresponsible. Slight drinking and drug addictions preferred. Pets OK, only if left in yard unattended and uncared for. Inability to read social cues, like police coming to the front door repeatedly due to out of control parties is a must …’

My dogs play, train, and hang with us at home when they aren’t out for a run with my husband, or on a hike with me. Our space is uber dog friendly. We made it this way because our neighborhood was not. While we are out and about walking again, I take care to choose when and where. Both my dogs and I are over being barked at, chased, and verbally assaulted on walks. The path of least resistance and carrying a cell phone are my new M.O.

We have one neighbor that has adored my children,  loved my dogs, and makes the most wonderful cookies. She is a gem. And we feel the same about her!

I am enjoying the snow today. It will eventually melt and make things fresh again.

Nancy …

sit, really?

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I’ve been pondering this question for quite some time, why is teaching our dogs SIT so high on the priority list? The reality is, they know how to sit long before we ever meet them, in fact when they learn to walk and move around, they also learn to sit, all on their own without help from us.

Out of all the things I teach, SIT is still the number one requested behavior, hmmm. I don’t think it’s because we lack creativity, but we have, somewhere along the line, received information that it’s necessary and part of dog ownership. I’m not so sure.

Sit is part of obedience competition.

Start line stays in agility are generally in the sit position, not always but mostly.

Sit before the door opens.

Sit before friendly handling.

Sit before crossing the street.

Sit because I have asked you to sit.

and so on …

And then there are the old school hunters that forbid sit. Yes, there are people under the impression that, if sit is taught it will override 100′s of years of genetic instinct bred into their hunting dog to point or flush.That will be for another post.

Do I train my dogs to sit? I’m not sure?! They all ready know how to sit, I just make them feel better about doing it when they are puppies and offer great rewards for doing it, shaping, capturing and conditioning. When they are older they will generally offer sit, or sit easily when asked because their conditioning was positive, never in punishment.  I think it would be arrogant for me to assume I taught them something that they came to the planet with. Does that make sense?

About three years ago I went to a training/behavior conference in Oakland and was treated to some amazing speakers, one was Turid Rugaas from Norway. To say she is both loved and debated in the dog world would be an understatement. Her whole philosophy and focus is on raising a dog that is emotionally balanced, not a bad way to approach training at all really. But that we need to stop working on sit, down, stay and come. We need to work on balance and the relationship.

And then there is Alexandria Kurland, a horse trainer. I saw her in Portland at another conference. About five minutes into her lecture she said, “you cannot train an emotionally unstable animal, you need to work on stability first, balance”, so here it was again.

I’m a healthy skeptic. I tend to listen, take in information, sit on for a while, roll it around in my head, try it out if it makes sense on some level, and then decide.

What I found was that my philosophy isn’t so different. $eeker, our almost five year old border collie is a great example. He was the least balanced puppy I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. During his first year we worked on breathing, capturing calm, my space being a safe and friendly space, desensitizing noises like barking, playing nicely with our other dogs, and so on. Life was a trigger for him, that gets a bit tricky.

I did not work on specific positions, like sit, until he was over 1 year old. Did he sit? Yes, all dogs know how to sit, and he loves to offer that position, and I rewarded him for it. But we had bigger fish to fry, emotions to balance, and skills that were more important for a healthy life. Does $eeker have any formal behaviors under his belt? You bet, 100′s of them, and they came quickly after he had more balance. He loves to learn, trusts learning, and he breathes rather well.

Do I train sit in my classes? I train people how to get a SIT on cue and reward it so their puppy will continue to offer it as a polite behavior. But honestly, we spend a ton of time on body awareness, calm, socialization, tricks for fun, and trust in team. Relationship work and variety is balance in motion, in my opinion. Once you have this I think sky’s the limit.

So the next time you are showing your friends what your dog can do, be proud, show everything, you and your dog deserve kudos for working together, just don’t tell anyone you trained your dog to sit.

Nancy, who is currently sitting in a chair!

know your trainer

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When I first started my business, my clientele for the most part were friends and friends of friends from dog agility. I was a competitor, that was my world, and those were my people.

It was awesome because we all shared the same philosophy for the most part; make training fun and purposeful, build a healthy relationship, no corrections, and encourage a thinking dog that knows how to offer behaviors. For those of you that don’t compete in agility, it will suffice to say that a thinking dog is able to CYA (cover your ass) when you make a handling error, or two, or three. Yes it’s true, people make mistakes and our dogs don’t freak out about it, we need to learn from this! It’s true team work, trust on both ends of the leash, and a dance of sorts when it all comes together.

My strength at the time, and why my friends trusted me with their dogs, was being able to add balance to a high energy dog, one with opinions and fire in the belly, without crushing their enthusiasm for dog sports. They were my cup of tea!

As my business grew so did my skills to those outside of the competition world, new services, new certifications, lots more in depth knowledge of applied behavior and conditioning. I started working with people who didn’t know me, but had heard of me. Word of mouth was powerful, but there didn’t seem to be consistency on what these words were.

Some fit right in when they entered my classes, some were put off, some inquisitive, and some over joyed. I couldn’t put my finger on what they were hearing, but it taught me how to work with a wide variety of personalities, and I developed skills in new and unexpected areas.

And my business continued to grow.

Every once in awhile though, I would receive a call from a potential client that wanted to know more about my training style. I was happy to answer these questions, and have learned how cool this is!

So here is a list of questions that I am most commonly asked. I think they are good and valid questions for a professional trainer to answer. It would be irresponsible for me to say any trainer as I believe there are some seriously misinformed and sometimes abusive people calling themselves trainers, or even worse, self taught experts. Word of mouth is great, but so is knowing who will be working with you and your puppy/dog.

  1. What method of training do you offer and/or use? Please be specific. For example, my answer is positive reinforcement, reward based training. If you receive catch phrases such as natural, fun yet effective, our secret method, etc, please hang up and move on. A professional trainer will tell you up front what they do, in detail, without masking it.
  2. Do you use special collars or gear on the dogs? Please explain. For example, I recommend that all of our puppy people buy a harness so we have no tension on the neck, it isn’t a requirement but a recommendation. If a trainer is not willing to tell you what they use, or states that they will supply their special collar when you arrive, move on. If they can’t be honest with you over the phone, they won’t be honest with you during class.
  3. What age puppies or dogs do you work with?
  4. Can I come and observe part of a class? A trainer with nothing to hide will say yes. This will give you an idea of how a class is managed, what a class might feel like (although the dynamics from class to class are so different depending on the chemistry of the people and dogs), and the training methods used. Most importantly you can see if the dogs and people are enjoying the work, uber important!
  5. Do you have any videos on line I can see? Many trainers don’t have this, but if they do it’s a bonus in my opinion. Watch how they interact with a variety of people and dogs. Does their method gel with what you are looking for?
  6. Do you have a website? Most trainers do, some don’t. Again this is helpful to browse through at your leisure and gather more information.
  7. Is your business on Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn? If so, and again not all trainers do this, go and check it out, it’s public. What are the saying, and promoting. What are others saying and doing on their site/s?

I am grateful to every person and dog that has allowed me to be part of their experience.

You are your dogs voice in the human word and their advocate. Make educated choices when it comes to their education and socialization. Your dog deserves your efforts…

Nancy

Top 10 tips for puppy owners

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This article received a DWAA nomination, February 2013!

There are more tips than this, but these are the Top 10 that have come up over the past nine years, working with almost 400 puppies each year.

A helpful reminder to puppy owner’s who want to grow their puppy into a balanced and loving adult dog. Whether you’re goal is competition, hiking, awesome family pet, or beyond.

Top 10 – PLEASE DO THIS

  1. Handle your puppy with safe and trusting human hands. Prepare your puppy for handling of the body, ears, back, belly, and paws. Pick your puppy up from time to time during the day and give them small treats or a nice kiss and then put them down. Holding should be a positive experience. Massaging puppies right before they drift off to sleep is a great way to make touch a positive thing!
  2. Socialize your puppy kindly and considerately. NOTE – you are their voice in the human world, you always choose their environments. When taking your new puppy out and about, introduce them to people (children, men, women, elderly…), places, things, events and other well socialized appropriate dogs (always ask, “is your dog friendly with puppies”). Socialization starts the day you bring your puppy home, not when they are done with their vaccination schedule. Invite puppies over to your home that are in your training classes and have play dates on a regular basis.
  3. Have a managed and structured environment. When you have a routine for your puppy, you eliminate much of the guess work. Potty, feed breakfast while working on play with a purpose or specific behaviors, potty again, possible short walk or socialization outing, potty again, and then crate or have your puppy in a gated managed space for a nice long nap. Repeat throughout the day.
  4. All Food and Rewards should be healthy choices. Saving your left over meat in little baggies and freezing is the Best training reward you can offer. Water should be available from the time your puppy wakes up until they go to bed at night. Not necessarily in their crate during nap times, but anytime they are active and moving about. A dehydrated puppy is not a place you want to visit. If your puppy is thirsty, believe them!
  5. Have items available on the floor at all times for teething puppies. VIDEO. If your puppy grabs onto your hand, exchange with a bully stick or raw bone. Always exchange, even if it feels like you’ve done it for the bazillionth time. Be honest in the fact that your puppy is loosing, pushing and setting teeth until 13 months or so. Always give their mouth a job for a successful teething season!
  6. Always carry rewards in your pocket, always! Because you live with your puppy you are in fact training and teaching 24/7. Everything you do in your home or yard teaches your puppy something new about their life with you. If you see your puppy offer a behavior that you like and want to keep, please reward it. You are giving your puppy awesome information this way! This is not active training, but more life skills teaching.
  7. When actively training new behaviors make sure you have a plan. Take a class or read up on, getting a behavior + marking a behavior + rewarding a behavior. That pattern will take you from the basics all the way to pushing a ball across a field. Be a good consistent teacher.
  8. Playing and interacting with your puppy is vital in growing a socially and emotionally balanced dog. Playing together with toys, hide n seek, recall games, find it, etc. Play with a Purpose is the foundation for structured play, building team, trust, and a great relationship. Puppies should bring out your creative side!
  9. Crate or a fenced manged space is very important for a successful household. It eliminates so much conflict and stress with an active puppy, helps with house training, and keeps puppies successful in a human environment. These managed spaces should be used after you have met your puppies needs (please refer to #3), for down time, or managed time while you are away. In general, a puppy should never be crated more than 3 1/2 to 4 hours at a time. Their crate should be in a space where they feel safe, isn’t to cold or hot, and where they enjoy just hanging out. The families bedroom tends to be that space more times than not.
  10. Love your puppy. Let them know how much you love them. Talk to your puppy, touch your puppy, lay down and cuddle on the floor together. Bonding is a large part of a healthy trusting relationship.

Top 10-  DON’T DO THIS

  1. Rough housing, while fun in the moment, teaches puppies that human hands can’t always be trusted. You are also encouraging inappropriate play with will eventually get you a small ding on your hand or face, and your puppy a good correction.
  2. Don’t take a young puppy to a dog park, this is for health and safety reasons.
  3. Don’t get busy with your day and let your puppy guess what their job is with you. If you give a puppy lots of freedom without supervision they will fail and then you will correct them.
  4. Don’t give junky food to your puppy. No corn, wheat, soy, sugar or food dyes. Read the labels. Don’t restrict water, ever!
  5. Don’t ever grab your puppies mouth and hold it shut and scream NO BITE. Frankly this creeps me out, but it’s just poor handling and will clarify to your puppy that you cannot be trusted. Puppies need to explore with their paws and jaws, it’s up to the handler to provide the appropriate management and items to chew on besides human body parts. Some puppies are more mouthy and grippy than others, in those instances, you will need to be even more vigilant to management and giving your puppies mouth a job with items to chew on.
  6. Don’t ignore behaviors that your puppy offers just because you are not in an active training session. Being a good observer is part of being a good puppy owner.
  7. Don’t demand that your puppy obey your commands, again so creepy. Your puppy is not a minion, robot or thoughtless piece of property. Most puppies that have crossed my path can out reason most people I know. Know the behaviors that will be important in your household and beyond, and make a plan to teach them in a positive way.
  8. Don’t put your puppy in the back yard to entertain themselves while you go about your day. You will teach your puppy that they are on their own and the relationship will not be a strong one. You will also get one if not all of the following; barking, fence running, property guarding, and/or digging.
  9. Don’t leave a puppy unattended in the home while you are working in another room or when you go out. Puppies will make puppy choices and they are generally destructive. Manage first so you don’t fall into correcting later. Don’t use a crate for extended periods of time with a puppy, or as a place of punishment.
  10. Don’t withhold affection or love. To be an authoritarian, bossy and/or domineering will ding your relationship with your puppy. I have never seen an emotionally or socially balanced puppy who grew up in this type of environment. There is no healthy relationship I know of where one living being dominates over the other living being and it’s good to go!

Nancy

hiking tip #6 – special considerations

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This is the final post in this series. Happy and safe hiking!

tip #6 -

  1. Right of Ways – when you are out hiking with your dog always pull off the trail (as far as you need) to anything, bigger, faster, or louder. If in doubt, pull off the trail with your dog anyway, be the polite trail user.  If anything on the trail is above your dogs skill level, please clip their leash/long line on, and step off. Enjoy the back country, but always be safe and avoid conflict.
  2. Predator Country – If you live in an area with predators (bear, mountain lion, wolf, coyote, etc) please carry a can of bear and/or pepper spray, hopefully you’ll never need it, but it’s relatively cheap insurance. If you are on a trail and see fresh bear scat or mountain lion tracks, please turn around and consider that all the information you need to end your hike with your dog for that day. Be aware of who you are sharing the trail with, and be respectful and responsible. Predators in the wild will not greet your dog with long lost affection, your dog is nothing more than competition and can antagonize an otherwise neutral moment . I don’t suggest hiking with your dog in known denning areas, especially in the spring or fall.
  3. Trapping areas – If you live in an area where trapping is prevalent, you have some tough choices to make. It is a true danger to your dog unless they are on a leash next to your side. Traps are generally baited with stink bait, which is irresistible to dogs, especially those that are used to running off trail and having distance from their handler. Montana for example is open for trapping on public and private land 365 days a year. While there are quotas on fur bearing animals for pelt sales, there are no specific seasons. To learn more about trapping and the hazards to non-targeted or incidental animals please visit FootLooseMontana. Releasing a dog from a trap isn’t  simple, especially with a thrashing distressed dog. Leg hold is considered a non lethal trap, while the conibear and neck snare are lethal. I would recommend first and foremost learning about your area and if trapping is prevalent, watch as many VIDEOS on how to release, or attend free demonstrations. Carrying wire cutters is not a bad idea if you are hiking in a known trapping area. Bottom line, keep your dog with you!
  4. Prey – dogs chasing prey as part of their hiking experience is not recommended, and in most areas illegal. If your dog has practiced and rehearsed chasing prey, its time to step out of the back country and revisit your training plan. This is a handler and management issue that needs change.
  5. Signs – always stop at the trail head and read the postings and/or signs. While some offer little to no information, many will have current postings for seasonal considerations, sections of the trail that are closed or dangerous, or corridors closed to off leash dogs or packing animals because of migratory animals in the area. Be informed.
  6. Photos – carry a camera! There will be moments or experiences in the back country with your dog that you may never see again!

When out and about with your dog, please care enough to do the right thing! Everyone, including your dog, will be grateful!

Nancy

hiking tip #5 – wilderness first aid

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The best first aid tip I ever received was, “be prepared & prevent accidents with good choices”. And it should be just that simple.

If you’re an avid hiker it’s a good idea to take a Wilderness First Aid course. So far my experience has been that they are all really fun, have great instructors, and there’s always something new to learn. Usually a two day course, and worth it! The two companies that offer the most extensive courses are AERIE and WMI NOLS.

When hiking with your dog, there are additional considerations when it comes to first aid. If some of the information below seems like ‘a lot’, then truly you should enroll in a wilderness first aid course. This is minimal!

tip #5

  1. Know who you are hiking with, and let them know you. Any health considerations or medications you carry should be shared, if it is something that could come up on a hike (low blood sugar, high blood sugar, seizure, severe allergies, etc). If you or a friend carries an EPI pen please share the location in the pack where it will be carried. Surprisingly, this is not uncommon. 90% of all of our clients carried one on hikes, peanut and stinging insects were the two most common reasons.
  2. If you are hiking alone with your dog always leave a note at home, or text a friend and let them know where you will be hiking that day, and approximate time of return
  3. Check the weather before leaving
  4. Have a pack that is prepared for your hike, for you and your dog
  5. Enough water for the day – preventing dehydration is a great first aid tip!
  6. Know your dogs health inside and out. When hiking with your dog mobility is the key.
  7. Before you ever leave the house, check your dogs paw pads. How are they? Are there any weather splits, slices, cuts? If so, tend to those for a couple of days, at least, before you hit the trail. PAW HEALTH translates to a safe and enjoyable hiking adventure. If you are not paying attention to your dogs paw health, it could get you into a situation in the back country that could put both of you at risk. Mobility!
  8. Check your shoes, are the right for your feet? Blister free is the key!
  9. Carry a small first aid kit in your pack, even if you are going for a short 1 hour hike.
  10. Make sure the surface of the trail is compatible with your dogs paws. Sharp razor edge scree is not dog friendly, nor is 106 degree sand trails. Know what they will be walking on.
  11. If anyone or any dog gets injured, no matter how minor, ALL DOGS go on leash. There should not be dogs milling about when tending to yourself, another hiker or dog. This is good management.
  12. If a dog is injured and truly in pain and thrashing, please use your dogs leash and create a half hitch around the dogs muzzle to prevent any bites. The worst injuries I have seen when out hiking are caused by lack of management. Dogs running or chasing a mountain biker and getting kicked, dogs running after a skier and getting a ski pole in the face, dogs chasing wildlife and getting the snot beat out of them or worse yet never returning. Train and have a plan before you go, almost all big accidents like these are avoidable.
  13. If there is an injury to person or dog, please think in terms of – stabilize and get out. Do not try to do a surgical procedure, chop down trees to make a splint, stitch a wound (especially on a dog!), etc. There is no stay and play when an injury occurs, even if you’re 10 minutes from the peak or your personal goal. Be responsible and do the right thing for you and your dog.
  14. If your dog is injured to the point of limited mobility, and too big for you to carry, DO NOT leave them tied up on the trail and go get help, DO NOT do this. You are making them bait for all animals in the area. Use your cell phone, blow on your whistle, send a friend for help.
  15. The most common injuries to hikers and dogs tend to be blisters, small cuts, stinging insects, sun burn, and frost nipped paws, tips of ears, nose and fingers.

Items for basic first aid kit

  • kit should be in something small and water tight, zip lock bags are great
  • small scissors
  • bandana (multi use)
  • two large band-aids
  • 4 x the amount of Benadryl you would ever need for you and your dog. Check with your veterinary and your doctor for the correct dosing for you and your dog. Any insect sting, allergic reaction, or snake bite, get Benadryl on board and keep everyone breathing.
  • Covex, Vet Wrap, PowerFlex, Pro Wrap – this is better than duct tape in the back country. Carry a full roll. You can find this at any ranch/home store in the equine section. (multi use)
  • whistle – essential to call attention to your location
  • brightly colored rain poncho (multi use and super light weight)
  • mole skin for blister

Nancy,

note – I am a huge fan of prevention and good choices. In over thirty years hiking around the world, half of those with my dogs, we have never had a serious injury. Bee stings and blisters, and cold fingers have been the worst of it, and I would like to keep it that way!

hiking tip #4 – your day pack

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When hiking with your dog you don’t need a lot of gear, in fact I prefer lite hiking. But you should consider carrying the essentials if you are going out for an hour or more.

The first step in prevention is being prepared.

tip #4

  1. a day pack – a simple top loader or a fancier back country climbing pack. It’s your choice. If you are carrying a toddler in a pack, the extra pouches can carry the gear you need, no need for an additional pack. Lite is always a nice option. How to choose!
  2. water – dehydration is not a place you want to visit. Stay hydrated. If you are hiking in a wet area your dog can drink from the streams. If you are hiking in a dry area you will need to carry enough water for you and your dog.
  3. snacks – hi energy snacks for you, always carry a bit more than what you will need. Rewards for your dog if you are still in active training mode, want to reward a stellar behavior, or are going to be out for a long day hike.
  4. Leash or long line – I recommend carrying the leash or long line in your hand so you can use it fluidly throughout the hike. ON when the distraction is too big, OFF when all is good. Never go hiking without a leash or long line, be responsible.
  5. sunscreen, sunglasses, sun hat if the weather requires.
  6. gloves, extra layer sweater, warm hat, if the weather requires.
  7. rain jacket if weather in your area requires
  8. small first aid kit (contents will be posted in tip #5)
  9. guide book if necessary – some trails are straight forward, others a bit tricky.
  10. cell phone
  11. a form of ID

Nancy, who is currently in need of a new pack!

hiking tip #3 – trail/seasonal choices

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Just because you live near a trail doesn’t necessarily make it the right trail choice for you and your dog. When considering where and when to go hiking with your dog you need to make some thoughtful choices.

Well meaning friends and family might ask you to come hiking with them, always consider what’s best for you and your dog.

tip #3

  1. Buy a good guide book for your area. Day hiking books should offer information on; how to get to the trail head, the difficulty of the trail, the length of the trail (intended hike) a small map, any special considerations. Bozeman Book, Western Montana Book
  2. Know you and your dogs physical capabilities. If either one of you is not in the best of shape, take it easy and start with shorter and flatter trail choices. Get in shape together.
  3. Age is also a consideration. If you’re at the peak of health but your dog is twelve years old, please be honest in your trail choices. A short hike with your dog, then home for a long afternoon nap for your furry friend, while you go and bag a peak with one of your friends.
  4. If you are visiting a new area please consider the elevation, and the elevation gain during a specific hike. Again, a good guide book will point this out for your safety. Spend a couple of days hiking flat in a new area, and then go for the big elevations once you have acclimated.
  5. Know your trail choice from the ground up, literally. Your dog is going to be intimate with the surface and you need to know if it will work for them. Scree, dirt, ice, cacti, post hole deep snow, water, thick gombu mud, etc. Consider paw/leg health as part of a trail choice.
  6. Busy verses the path of least resistance. Know your dog and how much traffic they can handle on a trail. Sometimes the most popular trails are the least successful for young dogs or easily aroused dogs.
  7. Consider the weather seasons – what is best for you and your dog. Cold, hot, dry, wet, storm cycles. Weather is ever present and you have to be honest about what you and your dog can handle. A black Newfoundland is not going to do well in the middle of summer on a seven mile hike, and conversely a Greyhound isn’t going to appreciate back country skiing in -10 degrees. A sound sensitive dog that panics at thunder is not going to be successful on a trail during certain storm cycles. Check the weather before you leave the house.
  8. Consider other seasons – besides weather it’s important to know what is going on in your area during certain times of the year. Hunting season, when does it start and end. If you truly want to hike when there are people stalking animals and shooting then please dress yourself and your dog in bright orange from head to toe, no joke! I believe it’s best to stay on front country trails during hunting season. Wolf, bear, elk, moose, and coyote denning/mating/rutting season is usually spring and fall, not a good time to hike in those areas, especially with a dog. Check with your local FW&P for more information on those areas.Fire season is so specific to an area, so please know your area and your typical fire seasons. You don’t want to be caught in the deep back country during a big blaze. Air quality alone can be dangerous, but so is the reality of getting caught in a no exit area. Again, a great time to stay safe in the front country trail systems. Snake season is a biggy for anyone hiking with a dog. If a guide book says anything pertaining to ‘snake area during the summer months, carry a snake bite kit’, consider the translation to be “STAY AWAY DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS IF YOU ARE HIKING WITH A DOG”. Bug season unfortunately comes at the peak of wildflower season. If you or your dog has a problem with stinging or biting bugs, this is not a good time to go hiking. An allergic reaction in the back country is not something you want to risk.

Happy Hiking, Nancy