Hi all,
I'm not planning a thu hike, but possibly section hikes with my dog in the coming years. I hike locally with him almost every day and I'm an ecologist so I'm always out in the woods working. I love for my dog to accompany me. He is an avid hiker and camper and is getting close to the age where I think he can handle multi day hikes. I would love to take him with me since he is my best friend and we go everywhere together. He is very well trained and a GCG but is very large (140lbs). We pretty much only hike on leash because of the possibility of meeting unfriendly people/dogs but if he is off leash he's in a heel, not running free. He is protective of me (not aggressive, just a little pushy) with strange men. He's been trained to be tied to a tree and stay with my backpack. He has a good down stay and a good recall and he's been trained not to drink from random water, only from his bowl (I'm terrified of parasites!). I have a few questions.
1. For those of you that do longer hikes, how do you get dog food if you need more? What kind of dog food do you bring? I'm considering dehyrated for hiking because it might be lighter?
2. I see a lot of posts where people say they don't like dogs on the trail. Would the same apply to on-leash dogs? If my dog is on leash, should I expect strange dogs to run up to him? Or most people have good recalls? (I don't allow my dog to greet strange dogs typically, especially on leash because of the potential for bad reactions.)
3. If you want to let people pass by you is it hard to get off the trail? I typically always ask for people to pass me and have my dog sit until they do so. But I've read some sections are very narrow.
4. How much water did your dog consume in a day? Currently on a 3 hour hike my boy will drink 2 bottles at least. I want to make sure I carry enough water so he stays hydrated. Were there times when you and/or your dog ran low on water between water sources?
5. Do you use dog boots? I have winter dog boots to protect against ice melt chemicals but I've never used them for hiking because I think it might make him very hot. His pads should be pretty tough since we do hike frequently already. Thoughts?
6. How many people are super scared of big dogs? I don't want anyone to be afraid of my dog. I feel if I control him then he should not bother anyone. But I think some people are just so afraid of dogs that even passing by them may be scary? Is there anything I can do to decrease his scariness?
7. Curious to know if anyone has had a very active dog that's ended up hating longer hikes? I feel that he will like multi day hikes because he's very active already and very used to trails and hiking. He's been highly socialized from 8 weeks and typically handles new environments/situation well. He loves meeting strangers and playing with many different dogs. He's not skittish or shy. My dog trainer calls him a big ham! From this description do you guys think he would enjoy this type of trip? (I feel he would but please be honest! This will only be fun for me if its fun for him!)
8. The one thing about my boy is he doesn't tolerate the heat very well (and neither do I!). My favorite time to hike is fall/early spring. He is the most active and happy on cooler days. Are there any unique challenges for hiking at these times of the year? I feel that in the tent he will keep me pretty warm (he's like a furnace!) but I could be wrong.
I've seen a few people say, leave your dog at home. But this isn't an option for me. Either we both hike or neither of us hike. I have no idea what I'd even do with him if I left him at home, he goes everywhere with me. And my whole hike would be ruined because I'd just be missing him/worried about him the whole time. But I also want to make sure that he is respectful and doesn't bother others and he stays healthy and happy. Those are my top priorities!
Please feel free to answer just one question, some questions, or all the questions. Whatever you like! Or if you have any other input about something else I've said I appreciate it!
Thank you!