We have taken Jaxon on many hiking and camping trips over the years. He’s an excellent hiker and a slightly nervous camper. We worked with Jaxon for a while before we took him out overnight. If you want to take your dog out hiking out with you, here are some things to consider. Our posts will mostly be about dogs because that is what we know, but much of it applies to any pet.
Am I allowed to take my pet to this location?
Some places have very specific rules on whether and where pets are allowed. For instance, Olympic National Park allows dogs on specific trails but not on other trails or in the wilderness. You can read more about it on their website here. Your pet must always be on a leash and you must pack out all of your pet’s waste. Some National Parks do not allow dogs on trails at all.
Indiana state parks have rules as well. Your pet must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet unless it is a licensed hunting dog during season. Pets are excluded in several areas, like beaches and public buildings. You must clean up after your dog and pack out waste. The parks also have rules about pets in campgrounds.
I have written about my leash system I have for Jaxon here. The system allows me some flexibility for different locations.
Is this a good location to take my dog?
Knowing the terrain and the trail surface is important when deciding to take your dog hiking. Going back to Olympic, they recommend keeping your dogs off of the tidal rocks as there is danger of cut paws due to sharp stone, barnacles, and mussels.
We’ve hiked in many of the state parks in Indiana. Turkey Run State Park has some amazing hiking in ravines and along riverbeds. It also has trails that have “ladders” on them. You can read more about their trails here. They can be slick and challenging for people to go up. For a dog without training to use a ladder like these, it can be next to impossible. We wouldn’t consider trying to take Jaxon up them.
Getting to the trailhead
We had a dog that loved to go for walks but was terrified of riding in the car. It made it next to impossible for us to go anywhere with Brownie. Even driving to places he loved, like the lake where we fished or the kennel he stayed at when we traveled were challenging. He was also absolutely terrified of loud noises like thunder and fireworks. Brownie never got to go backpacking with us.
For car travel, having a comfortable, safe way for your pet to ride is important. A seat belt or travel crate is best to ensure the animal doesn’t become a projectile in an accident. The crate should be secured in the vehicle. Plan on extra rest breaks to allow your dog exercise and bathroom breaks. Provide water during the trip but be careful about feeding them shortly before or during a drive to reduce the chance of motion sickness.
A seat cover is a good idea to help reduce the chance of a mess on your seats. Some pets have a lot of drooling and occasional accidents when traveling. Changes in food and routine can be upsetting to your pet. Having a few towels to clean up muddy paws and messes is very useful.
When you are traveling with a pet, it is important that your pet has had all of its vaccinations and is microchipped. A microchip is vital to help provide the best chance of your pet being returned to you if they are lost during travel. Many locations require you to provide a copy of your pet’s vaccination record to allow them to stay.
Travel by plane
Rules and regulations vary both by destination and by airline. Within the continental US, all pets must be vaccinated to travel on a plane and must be at least 8 weeks old. For travel internationally or to Hawaii, there are often quarantine periods both on the way out and the way home. For Hawaii, there is a 30 day period from clear test results before the animal can be released. And sometimes it takes a while to get the test results! You can read more about it here.
This is the first post in a series about taking you dog out hiking with you. Future posts will cover care and safety and gear.
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