Hiking with your dog | Alpenwuff Guide to leisure activities with your dog

May 23, 2022

By Lea Reich

The days are getting longer again, the sun is shining brightly even on weekends, and both dogs and humans are drawn to nature. With the lockdowns of the past few years in mind, there's currently growing interest in taking longer walks and hiking instead of short walks. But is that possible with a furry friend?

In this blog post, you'll learn how to prepare your dog for short and long hikes. We've also put together a packing list for hiking with your dog.

Preparing for hiking with a dog

First, you need to ask yourself the fundamental question of whether your furry friend enjoys hiking and is suited both physically and temperamentally for it . Smaller dogs like Chihuahuas, Pugs, or Dachshunds tend not to be endurance runners due to their physical stature. Furthermore, your furry friend should be at least one year old to hike long distances with you, as their bones and joints are still in the growth phase beforehand. Even with older dogs , you should carefully consider whether and which hiking routes are still suitable, considering possible age-related issues.

Once you have considered these things, there are three things you need to prepare:

Conditioning training for good fitness

A hike is just as strenuous for your furry friend as it is for you. Always remember: When your dog is off the leash, they'll walk about twice as much as you do. Therefore, it's very important to slowly get your dog used to longer distances. You can achieve this by gradually and steadily increasing the distances on long walks. Alternatively, you can also use a bike . However, your dog should always trot and not speed up while cycling, so you build stamina rather than train for speed. For longer hikes, your dog should be at a fitness level that allows you to easily walk 15 to 20 km.

Obedience and unfamiliar situations

While hiking, you, as a dog-human team, will encounter unfamiliar, new situations. One time you might have to master a steep, narrow rocky passage, another time you might have to cross a stream on a thin wooden beam, and another time you might have to walk through a herd of peacefully grazing cows. These situations require two prerequisites:

First, your dog should have mastered the basic commands "sit, stay, stop, here, and heel" perfectly. If you're venturing into more challenging mountain hikes, it's essential for your dog, for you, and for other hikers that these commands are reliably retrievable.
On the other hand, you should have consciously practiced more difficult situations , thus ensuring greater surefootedness during the actual hike. For example, you can repeatedly do small climbing or balancing exercises with your furry friend during your fitness training, get to know the cows calmly from the trail first, or carry your dog across a stream on his harness without him fidgeting.

In addition to conditioning training, you should practice basic commands and difficult situations together in a safe environment. This will help you establish a certain routine in stressful hiking situations and reinforce your surefootedness.

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Organizational matters: Local regulations, season and route planning

Hiking with a furry friend requires a bit more organization in three ways: You should observe local regulations, choose your hiking time carefully, and plan your route thoroughly.

Route planning

When planning your route, you should first carefully consider where you can stay overnight with your furry friends. Accommodation options are often the limiting factor when hiking with a dog. For example, few mountain huts allow dogs to stay overnight. However, in most regions, there are very good guesthouses where you can stay with your furry friend. A second factor to consider when planning your route is not the length of the route, but the elevation gain . Especially when hiking with a furry friend, make sure that neither you nor your furry friend are overtaxed. Third, it's a good idea to look at the key sections of the hike online. There you'll usually find pictures of steeper sections of the hike, suspension bridges, or narrow passages, which will help you assess from your computer whether the hike is suitable for you. Finally, you should look for water sources along the trail that your furry friend can use to cool off and drink . If there are no natural water sources on the tour, plan enough water for you and your furry friend.

Season: Spring and autumn are ideal

In addition to route planning, the season you plan to hike is crucial. Spring and fall are the perfect seasons for hiking with your dog. Summer is less suitable, as the trails are much more crowded and your dog is at risk of heat shock . At the same time, rocks get very hot in summer and can cause unpleasant burns on sensitive paws. If you do decide to hike in summer, be sure to set off early to avoid the midday heat. Dog boots can also be helpful as effective paw protection.

Local rules and regulations

Finally, you should check local regulations . If you're traveling abroad, be sure to bring your dog's vaccination certificate with all current vaccinations. In addition, hikes often lead through nature reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, and cable cars with special regulations for dogs . Check these in advance so you have all the necessary equipment, such as a leash and muzzle, with you.

Packing list for hiking with a dog

But what should you pack for a hike with your furry friend? To make sure you don't forget anything, here's a short packing list for day hikes and long-distance hikes with your dog. We've compiled it for you based on our experiences in the Alps.

Checklist for hiking with dogs - day hikes

Checklist for hiking with dogs - multi-day hikes

Tips for long-distance hiking with a dog

*Dog food recommendation: dry food

Dry food is best for long-distance hiking with your dog . Carrying fresh ingredients or cans for several days is quite laborious. The easier option is to use high-quality dry food. You can pack the daily rations in airtight bags and keep a good overview of your reserves during your hike. Make sure you feed your dog about two hours before the hike and not immediately after the hike in the evening. Otherwise, there's a risk of an upset stomach.

Timely feed change

Additionally, if you don't normally feed dry food, you should switch to the dry food you prefer well in advance of your hike. Here you'll find instructions for switching to cold-pressed dry food. If you only start feeding dry food on the day of the hike, diarrhea can occur. This deprives your dog of valuable energy and electrolytes that they actually need for the hike.

Conclusion: Hiking is the dog’s joy

Whether high up in the rocky Alpine landscape or through the wooded, hilly German low mountain ranges, hiking is becoming increasingly popular – especially with furry friends! Whether you're just out for a weekend or an entire hiking vacation, you'll experience an unforgettable team experience with your dog while hiking, and bond more closely with each step.

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