Days are getting a little short, there is a slight chill in the air, Autumn is here. The cooler temps provide a great opportunity to get outside and take in the beauty natuer without the crowds and heat and humidity of summer. This is a great time to take up a new hobby – hiking with your dog!

Prepare for Your Hike:

Bring water for you and your dog and doggie water bowl

Dress in layers – wear non-cotton wicking layers closest to your skin and windbreaker as your outermost layer

Bring snacks – for you and treats for your dog (think tasty tidbit for your dog, not full meal)

Try a hands free leash – they keep your dog safety on leash and let you use your unencumbered hands for balance

Wear proper footwear for the terrain you are hiking on – Eastern Mountain Sports is my go-to place for hiking footwear

Take pictures – if the scenery, your dog having fun, and of course a dog-mom/dad/kids selfie!

Get a map of the area you are planning to hike (and make sure you know how to read it :))

Make sure your dog has a secure collar with identification tags and a sturdy leash

Getting Started

Check with the Park Ranger – if hunting is allowed in the park, consider finding a park that does not allow hunting or wear bright orange and stay on well known and marked trails, hike as part of a group if possible

Make sure dogs are allowed in the park or area you are planning to hike – not all parks allow dogs

Even if the park or area allows off leash dogs, consider keeping your dog on leash the first few times (and ALWAYS on leash if your dog doesn’t have a rock solid recall)

Start on easy terrain for your first few hikes. Starting easy and gradually hiking more challenging terrain will make the experience more fun for you and your dog – give yourself and your dog time to learn to maneuver on steep inclines, over rocks, and around obstacles – a hike really can be more than just a walk in the woods!

Don’t over do it – too many miles too fast can result in injury/excessive soreness for you and your dog. It is no fun to realize halfway through a hike that you over-did it and now have to limp back to your car.

Remember to take breaks for water. Stop at least once per hour for a water break. Let your dog drink until he says he’s done – and while he’s drinking water your should too!

While on the Trail

Remember not everyone likes dog – be respectful of people who don’t want your dog to come say “HI!”

Not all dogs like other dogs – don’t allow your dog to visit other dogs that are overly excited, barking aggressively, or cowering away from your dog. The purpose of the hike is to bond with you, not every dog that comes down the trail.

Be prepared for the unexpected – look ahead down the trail you are on – if another dog comes, what is your plan? Have treats ready to distract your dog if needed. If you see an over-excited dog coming towards you on the trail, plan an exit strategy – don’t wait until the dogs are nose to nose to decide you need to get your dog out of there.

Watch your footing – take your time – learning to hike with a dog who may be pulling in the beginning and be over excited or distracted requires a different level of skill and coordination than just walking your dog down the street.

Post Hike

Cool down – don’t go from full exertion to dead stop. Gradually decrease your pace and incline so that by the time you and your dog get back in the car both of your breathing has returned to normal. Drink more water during this time too!

Water, water, water

Depending on where you hike you may need to clean your dog’s paws. Use a wet, warm towel to remove mud, debris, snow, etc. from your dog’s paws.

Take a minute to jot down a few notes about your hike – Did your dog like it? Did you? Too easy/hard/just right? Ideas for next time you hike there? Do you want to take a different route or direction next time? Anything else you should bring (or leave home)?

Share your picture on social media! You just may inspire someone else to take a hike with their dog – or you may find yourself with new hiking buddies! If you have taken a hike with your dog and want to share your pics feel free to post them on our Facebook page

Pepper’s Paws Dog Training, LLC provides in home dog training in Rehoboth Beach, DE. We also offer Zoom dog training lessons for people who do not live in our in home services area.

Head trainer Deb Murray, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA is certified by the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers, an AKC Evaluator, a Distinguished Graduate and Mentor Trainer of the Catch Canine Academy, and APDT C.L.A.S.S. Evaluator and Instructor.

Halloween can be a time of costumes, candy, and fun and games for kids. For dogs? Not so much. For dogs, Halloween can mean scary looking people, people carrying strange things in their hands, the over-stimulating and sometimes over-whelming sounds of children’s laughter and screams, and the ever-ringing door bell and lots of strange people visiting their home. Unexpected surprises and sounds can rattle even the most socialized dog. So what is a good dog owner to do?

1. Take you dog for a nice long walk or training session – before the sun goes down and the Trick-or-Treaters come around. Or better yet – take your dog on a long walk that includes some basic manners training along the way. Have your dog Sit, Down, Stay, or do a hand touch at each mail box or driveway you come to. Mix up the rewards for the doing the behaviors too – sometimes a Sit gets a treat, sometimes some pettings, sometimes the reward is “Let’s go!” and the walk continues. The goal is to mental tire your dog out while he/she is exercising – a great way to twice the bang for your dog walk buck!

2. Arrange for your dog NOT to have access to the Treat-or-Treaters. Set up a secure area for your dog – a crate in a room far away from the door, behind a bedroom door, on a leash with a person in another room are all good options. To help your dog want to stay away from the excitement at the door, turn on the TV or radio for your dog and give him/her something yummy to chew on – a Kong stuffed with a yummy treat (Kongcompany.com has some great recipes!), a long-last dog treat, or a fun toy that your dog loves. The idea is to remove your dog from the action of Halloween and reward them for doing so!

3. Prevent Trick-or-Treaters from using the doorbell! Cover the doorbell and hang a sign saying “Please Knock – Doorbell Broken” – or plan to hang out outside your home during Trick-or-Treat time. Reducing this one excitement inducing sound can make the difference between your dog having a bad night or a great night!

4. Make sure your dog has ID tags on at all times around Halloween – if he/she does manage to slip out in all the commotion of Halloween, you have a better chance at having a swift reunion if your phone number is on your dog’s collar.

5. If you insist on taking your dog out Trick-or-Treating (and by the way, we suggest you do not) don’t take your dog to each house, have the dog holder wait on the street while the Trick-or-Treaters go door to door. This will keep everyone safer (imagine your dog’s surprise is a scary monster answers a Trick-or-Treaters knock – it could be scary for all involved).

6. Remember Halloween costumes can be scary for dogs. When people don’t look or sound like the dog expects (i.e. sans masks, carry fake swords, or walking like the Hunchback) – dogs don’t know what to make of it – so he/she may bark, lunge, growl, jump, or all of the above at the costumed person. Wouldn’t it be a better idea for your dog to think Halloween is just a day for him/her to get a great treat and some quiet time?

7. Halloween candy – in a word: NO. Chocolate, artful sweetness, and all the other goodness that ends up in Trick-or-Treat bags can spell trouble for dogs. Keep all candy, sweets, gum, and their wrappers away from dogs. Top of the fridge or in the hall closet are great places to store them (and it makes it harder for kiddies to over-indulge as well!)

Halloween is a fun time for kids and adults – let’s make it fun for dogs to by following these 7 Ways to Keep Your Dog Safe on Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

Pepper’s Paws, LLC provides in home dog training at the Delaware Beaches – Rehoboth, Lewes, Bethany and surrounding area in DE.

Head trainer Deb Murray, CPDT-KA is certified by the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers, an AKC Evaluator, a Distinguished Graduate and now Mentor Trainer of the Catch Canine Academy, and APDT C.L.A.S.S. Evaluator and Instructor.

PeppersPaws.com