5 Tips for Hiking with Your Dog

This article is to help you in the choice of the hikes where your dog can accompany you, to make an overview of the characters and aptitudes of the different breeds, to inform you about the regulations and your responsibilities.

Know your dog’s skills

Obviously, all healthy dogs can hike. It is however necessary to put in parallel the difficulty of the targeted hike and the intrinsic skills of your dog.

Indeed, small dogs will often have difficulty following you on steep terrain while the larger ones will suffer from joint problems and a lack of endurance on the longest hikes.

It is commonly accepted that medium-sized dogs (50 to 60 cm at the withers) with long snouts are the most suitable for long walks.

Indeed, their size allows them to have good endurance and very good skills for crossing obstacles.

Conversely, you should avoid entering an altitude trek with a 90kg mastiff or a small Yorkshire terrier. Rather, set reasonable goals based on the capabilities of your most loyal companion and yourself.

With or without a leash, your responsibilities in all of this?

Apart from the prohibitions mentioned before, and specific regulations as one can have in regional natural parks (where dogs are tolerated, provided that they are kept on a leash), there is no text of law that requires you to keep your dog on a leash in the wild.

You can only be blamed for your dog’s rambling. A dog is considered as rambling when it is no longer within sight or voice of its master.

It is very important to note that, whatever the situation, if your dog causes damage or damage to a third party, you will be criminally responsible.

Whether your dog has been on a leash or not, whether he is in your care or not … whatever you are responsible for.

Better to keep him on a leash if you are not sure of your authority over him!

Equip Your Dog with a GPS Tracker

If you ready to let your dog walk free, you have to keep a close eye because you don’t want to lose your precious buddy. As you know, dogs are curious in the outdoors and wander around, so it is necessary to have a GPS tracker to always know your dog’s location wherever your dog goes.

Some hiking trails do not have cellular service, so you want a GPS tracker that does not rely on cell coverage. In situations like this, you may definitely need some gadget that makes your job easier. GoFindMe is one of those gadgets that perfect for hiking.

The best thing about GoFindMe is that you no longer have to pay over the Internet or subscription. GoFindMe devices do everything for you. It has internal map to lead your way and keep track of your dog. GoFindMe will make things easier for you.

Know the character of your dog

You should know that each dog has a character of its own. It is therefore difficult to assert that a breed has such or such character. One can however notice certain character traits more marked in one race than in another.

Indeed, some dogs will have in their genes a higher propensity to hunt, others will be rather runaways, still others will be little sociable or not very obedient.

The table below gives an idea of ​​the advantages and disadvantages of each type of dog for hiking.

Dogs are prohibited in some national parks and nature reserves

Whether in national parks or in nature reserves dogs, even kept in leashes may be prohibited, and this, for the sake of tranquility for the fauna of these preserved territories. Violating this prohibition exposes you to a large fine, so be sure to check the info online before going hiking with your dog.

Conclusion

So you are ready to take your most faithful companion on your getaways. One last tip, however, do not forget to take care of it, to provide adequate logistics for it depending on your hike (sufficient water and food, dog treats and other treats). The goal is obviously to live with him an unforgettable hike.

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