Backpacking with Dogs...

[Guest Anonymous]

This summer I would LOVE to start backpacking/hiking with Coal.
I'm wondering if anyone out there does this with their dogs?
I'd like to get Coal his own backpack too :lol: :D
I found this... http://www.store.yahoo.com/tailsbythebay/smalpac15.html
But I think the next trip to Prince George I'll check the packs out there too and see what quality they are and the cost :wink:
At every pet store I've been to I don't think I've ever been able to find colapsable (sp?) dishes though. I can check next time I go though. I think those would be a good purchase too for when I get him into agility trials :D What do you guys think? I can see for hiking how they'd be more lightweight and take up less room, but I think for Agility I could pack a bowl too... that'd work...
Just wondering if anyone has bought this stuff, or go hiking with their dogs and what sort of stuff have had to bring along?

Thanks!

[courtnek]

water is a BIG must....as much as you can carry. you can get dog dishes
that fold up and can be put in a pocket, rather than carry big plastic ones. A first aid kit is a must as well, with sunscreen, treats, leash, muzzle (just in case) and cell phone if you have one. IMO, the phone and water are the biggest priorities, for yourself and Coal. If something bad happens (God FORBID) you can call for help.....

I say muzzle, because if Coal gets hurt, he could bite you trying to help him. That doesnt mean he's bad, but when in pain they become very protective of themselves. in a pinch, you can make a muzzle from gauze (which you should carry) but it's not as effective as a real muzzle. And it takes longer to put on. Have fun, and be safe, both you and Coal...

:)

[Guest Anonymous]

Thanks Court!

Yes, water for sure! :D I use to bring two water bottles with me when I took hazel down to the school to go skateboarding. They had a fenced off area that was going to be a tenis court, but they put up basketball nets in it instead. So it was perfect, I was able to let her off and not have to worry, and skateboard with her with me because the place was fenced :D Just from going there for an hour we'd both get really dehydrated, so I'd always pack a water dish and lots of water. I would have loved one of them colapsable dishes then though, the big metal bowl was a bit of a hassel to pack.
I never even thought of a cell phone! Unfortantly, we don't really have cell service. We do, but it's basicly a one mile ratious in town :roll: So would be of no use while out on trails here :-?

I have tons of muzzels :lol: kept one in every area of my house that I thought I'd need to grab one quick when I had Hazel.

As for the first aid kit, I have a human one, but it's only got some basic stuff... bandaids, some first aid burn cream stuff, a larg gauze patch, but not the roll stuff, and a tenser bandage I think that's all that's in it... so what sort of stuff would I need to pack it with to have it usable for doggies and people?

[courtnek]

well, when I used to hike with my dog...

gauze, neosporin (only to be used UNDER the gauze..they should not ingest it) no-pain tape (the kind that you can pull off without ripping the hair out), sunscreen, (for light noses, dark noses dont need it)
water, of course....I can get you a collapsable bowl and send it to you, they're the rave here....neosporin with pain killer is the best..makes the dog comfortable if they get cut or torn.....same for you....treats, muzzle, like I mentioned (hope you never need it) also, for you, some pain-killer
based rub in case you trek too far...an extra slip-leash, just in case...you can use a standard leash for that, but you have to realize that you will have to hold onto the "hook", or use the hook to attach itself to the body of the leash....you can either wrap the hook at your end (which I personally think is better) or wrap it at the dogs end...dont panic, in most cases none of this is necessary, except the water...but to be safe, just in case. it's good to have handy. The lack of cell bothers me. So instead, tell your people where you're going, and how long you intend to be gone.
Tell them if you're gone longer than an hour more than you intended to be back, to call for help. You will have to watch your time, and not wander off.

It's very dangerous to go hiking without someone knowing where you are...remember that Shara...

[Guest Anonymous]

Thanks Court!! :D :angel:

Yeah, I actually have a bad habbit of goin places without telling my rents. I usually never went further then the lake, or if I was going through the bushes I always though "I know them like the back of my hand" because I've been wandering through the brush since i was 6 :lol: :wink: But I HAVE gotten lost in the woods, TWICE actually :o Never tell a dog that doesn't like to listen the "HOME" command! :lol: She led us the OTHER way :roll: Although whenever I was out with Blue, if I felt I was lost I'd tell him "HOME" and he'd find our way home, he was very well trained and awsome dog :D And because of that is the reason every time i take Coal for a walk, I let him off his lead when we get to the drive way and tell him HOME and encourage him to go home and praise like crazy. Trying to teach that to him :D And other then walks and bush wacking :lol: the only other place I go is Jared's. So I usually don't tell my rents, but when I start taking him hiking I will DEFFENTLY let them know first :wink: I plan on takin him through the quad trails, and I know NONE of them.. maybe I should get Jared to come the first couple times cuz he knows them! :)

I'm tryin to convince my rents to go to PG next weekend, so if I can't find a colapsable dish there I'll let you know! Thanks a bunch!! :D :D

[kendalyn]

I haven't been backpacking with Buck but we used to go with Kody. All Courtnek's suggestions were good. If you really want to have cell service you need GPS as most backpacking areas are too far out to get reception.

You need EXCEPTIONAL recall if you're going backpacking and you want Coal offleash while you are hiking. You have to be able to call him back if he sees a bear or other dangerous animal. Also make sure he can handle sleeping in a tent. Some dogs don't like it.

[Guest Anonymous]

Yeah, I don't think I'll be able to take him off leash for a while :D But I'm fine with that :D

[imported_Cassie]

I hike with my dogs often. I have collapsable dishes...I think I got them from the pet supply house (where we order our shampoo's, brushes, etc for the grooming shop) they are basically a water proof material which you can punch out the bottom to form a dish...they are light weight and can be easily carried in a back pack. One more thing, if you have Coal wear a back back...only let him carry things you can afford to loose :lol: honestly, I used to have one of my Newf's years ago carry most of my stuff when out hiking, I bought him a specially designed carry all for his back...we experienced an accident which involved him spotting water in a deep cavern which resulted in him trying to get to the water and falling down a 40 foot drop...I was able to help him get back up, but, we lost the back pack...it was quite a scary experience. With my current dogs I have them all trained to the whistle...when they hear the whistle blow they know I have some thing wonderful for them...they all come running...and its also good especially if they have gotten aways away or if you are by a falls etc. the sounds may drown out your voice...but, they won't drown out a whistle :wink:
Another thing to be careful of is wildlife....you can rig up a bell or some thing on Coals back pack to warn wildlife that you are coming...nothing worse than having your dog spot a rabbit and take off on you...I have my Rottie (shes the only dog I have which has any drive to chase) trained to an emergency down...but, this only works if you catch them in time...if your off in a day dream and your dog is behind you, then some times it can be too late by the time you turn around to see she has split. :wink: it's also a good idea for Coal to alert any dangerous wildlife with a bell as well...when you surprise a bear etc. it can lead to a bad situation...you have grizzleys in your area don't you??? we only have black bears...but, I did have one time where one of my dogs, a standard poodle suprised a black bear, the bear was frightened and ran out of the bushes and up the trail towards my other dogs...he trotted beside one of my Newf's for a while then veared off into the woods again....my Newf didn't even acknowledge the bear, but, have a dog with a chase drive and it could have been a very unpleasant afternoon.
Make sure also that Coal wears proper identification.
With my dogs as well, especially with my newest addition Beau...I have played hide and seek with them while on short strollss...this prepares them for a long hike to not let you out of sight off lead. My dogs always stay in close range to me....even when they are playing and running they keep me in sight...I just have to step out of their line of vision and they freak out and run back to where I am licking at my hands and excited as if they havent seen me in months :o I always found this to be the best way to train a dog to keep within your sight and not run off. :wink:
What I have done when hiking in unknown areas with confusing trails or lack of trails...I carry some string with me, the type I can break with my teeth...every so often I tie a peice of string to a branch of a tree....this way I won't get confused when trying to find my way back...when your lost every tree looks the same and every rock etc. :lol: