Wilderness and Pets

Man hiking with his dog in Colorado

3Neus, Flickr

Hiking trails with your dog is a great way to spend time in nature, but doing so can impact both the land and your pet.

When hiking in the wilderness with your dog, consider these seven tips:

Make sure Fido is wearing identification tags. Every dog owner’s nightmare is losing their pup in the woods.
Keep your pup up-to-date on all vaccinations and other medical requirements. Your four-legged friend could contract diseases and parasites out in wilderness.
Be a responsible master and learn the rules. Depending on who manages the land you’re exploring, there can be an array of dog-related regulations.
Practice Leave No Trace. Strive to leave only paw prints on the trails.
Condition yourself and your dog before a trip. Don’t assume that because Fido runs around the yard a million miles an hour he will be able to hike upwards of 10 miles a day.
Let Fido carry his own provisions. If you’re worried about the weight of your hiking gear in addition to carrying food and water for your pup, consider purchasing a dog pack.
First aids kits aren’t only for humans. You may want to carry these just in case: tweezers for pulling out ticks or thorns in paws, adhesive tape and a sock to wrap an injured paw in and a disposable razor for shaving fur around a wound.

At a Glance

Some key take-aways from this article include:

Nothing beats sharing wilderness with your pup, but dogs can have an impact on wildlands.
We've selected a few tips to help you and your pet go light on the land.
Don't forget to take precautions to keep your dog safe while visiting wilderness.