Hi, Finley here!
It’s spring and for me, that means one thing: HIKING! I love going on hikes with my human because it’s time we get to spend together plus we both love the exercise. Sometimes our hikes are more….oh what’s the word…”spur-of-the-moment,” those are fun, but most of the time we plan our hikes ahead of time. Today, I’d like to share with you MY tips for hiking with your dog.
FINLEY’S HIKING TIPS
- Make sure the hike isn’t too hard for your dog: Make sure you have a pretty good idea of how hard or easy the hike is. Nothing’s worse than getting to the hiking spot only to find that it’s really too hard for you AND your dog.
- Make sure your dog has a good harness and leash: It’s important for humans and dogs to have good hiking equipment. Since my human has discovered Ruffwear, my hikes have been lots more comfortable. I wear a harness and my leash hooks to a clip on my back, so I don’t have that yucky pull on my neck with my leash.
- Take plenty of treats and water for your dog: Make sure to have a container of water for your dog. My human always packs an extra water bottle for me, plus a portable water bowl since I don’t know how to drink out of a bottle very well. Ruffwear has some really cool things to make this easy, like their Quencher bowl and their Kibble Kaddie which is a really cool way to carry our food.
- Towel, waste bags and first-aid kit: I always like it when my human brings a towel for me once the hike is done. It feels good to get the dirt wiped off, plus it’s a soft, cozy place for me to lay down for the trip home; I’m usually pretty tired at that point. Waste bags are another essential; you gotta clean up after us! It’s also important to have a first-aid kit. Humans seem to get hurt on the trail more often than us dogs but it’s good to have a first aid kit for us dogs too!
- Other extras: Depending on where you live, some people like to put boots on their dogs to protect them from rough roads; I don’t have those but I have friends who do and they like them a lot. Check out Ruffwear for those too! Also, there are some trails that have SNAKES!! YIKES so having a snake-bite kit might be a good idea.
Well, I hope you found these tips to be helpful and I hope you and your humans will enjoy some great hikes this spring!
Until Next Time,
Finley
Executive Canine Quality Control Officer
