Walking with your dog: what you need to know
So, dummies gentlemen, hiking with your dog is a wonderful, exciting and healthy activity. So unite by interests, by breed and gender, and from one-day to a week-long march!
First of all, beginners should not take dogs to the mountains when they have to walk on rocks. Dogs are not mountain goats, and when moving over rocks, they can panic and behave unpredictably. They can fall on their own and drag a person along with them.
You can take a dog in the foothills. Provided that you stock up on special boots for dogs. Those that are put on the paws of the dogs of the Ministry of Emergencies to work on the rubble.
When descending on kayaks, it is also better to do without dogs. Sometimes in critical situations they can be desperately stupid. Somehow my friends went on a kayaking trip and took their dog with them. When he overturned the kayak a couple of times, they decided to let him go along the river bank, as you understand, without an embankment. As a result, no one got pleasure from the trip.
But if you have a dog up to 10 kg of live weight and you have a special backpack for her, then you can go with her wherever you want. Do not forget to walk the dog in safe places for her.
Beginning lovers of outdoor activities with dogs are recommended to start with hiking through the forest and forest-steppe expanses of our country. Grow your puppy up to ten months old and start with a one-day itinerary or an overnight itinerary. Here you have both training and testing yourself and the dog. It is possible that some of the parties of interspecies tourism will not like the uncivilized pastime.
There are no breed restrictions for hiking, as well as restrictions on height and weight.
It is clear that small dogs get tired faster, but they can be carried in a backpack in case of fatigue. Medium and large dogs can walk long distances and even carry a backpack with their food.
Going on a hike, the owner of the dog must be aware of the endurance and physical fitness of his dog. And either make a route with a large number of halts, or conduct an appropriate training session with the dog. Having reached freedom, the city dog can become legless and turn the next day of the hike into a boring parking lot.
And, of course, the dog must be healthy both in body and soul. Well, everything is clear with the body, but mental health means the absence of panic fear of the forest and some kind of obedience. Hiking with an out-of-control dog is just as uncomfortable as wearing perpetually wet shoes.
What to feed your dog while camping?
The easiest way is the usual dry food for the dog. But by and large – a matter of taste. What to feed and drink? A large number of folding plastic utensils are now produced. Very comfortably. Where can a dog sleep? And where she wants, but with your consent, of course. Be sure to take a suitable piece of “foam” for the dog. It will be a dog “place”. You can also bring a blanket.
It is useful to put on a dog overalls-windbreaker. He will save from thorns and burdocks, and will prevent horseflies-mosquitoes from eating a dog!
Be sure to take a full set of anti-tick, anti-flea and anti-mosquito collars, sprays and drops on your hike. In the first aid kit, add something to care for hair and claws.
If you have to use transport to the starting point or from the finishing point of the route, prepare yourself and the dog for this. Take care of the relevant documents and a muzzle, make sure that the dog is able to endure travel in public transport. Does the dog show aggression, is it stressed, is it rocking? If necessary, take the time to correct unwanted behavior.
Just in case, hang a token with a phone on the collar, where they can call you and return the dog if it gets lost.
Successful route!
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