Dog hikers: What equipment do you need? And, who is going to carry it?

[Alligator]

Does anyone here use dog boots, or do you just rely on the pad tough stuff? My sister convinced me to not use boots for Ed, because he isn't used to them, and they prevent the dog from gripping with his toes. I've read about nasty places that can tear a dog's paws up, though. Initially, I thought of tar - hey, it worked for Scottish cattle drivers' dogs! We are going to try the pad tough stuff, but I was wondering if anyone planned on putting boots in their bounce box or mail drop for certain parts of the trail.

No, I never used them. I thought they might be handy for a tent but expensive to lose. They have what looks to be better fitting ones then when I first considered buying them. They occassionally turn up at www.sierratradingpost.com cheap.

[Bblue]

Skids,

The pic was taken this spring in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness of Southern Oregon. Area was burned a couple years ago and is way under-used. We saw no one in 6 days.

Blue

[Gaiter]

I just finished a 2 month section on the AT! My dog was with me for her the first month. She went home because she was getting to comfortable and her paws were about to split.

she has a mountain smith med. pack
she carried in her pack:
her dog food
the shameful orange trowel
two 1 liter (usually filled up 1/2 or 3/4 of the way each)
and a dog water proof dog bowl.

In my pack i had a leash always on me ready to go for her and I didn't do any special first aid kit for her, but i added extra gauzes for her, a couple of boots for emergency (i had her to wear them for short times before we left so they weren't to wierd for her) and i added super glue for her (it ended up being used for my boots mostly but it was something i used alot while grooming dogs)

she drank straight from my bite valve so I carried a 3 liter and if it was a long day i would take out her bottles when mine ran out. also on hot days i would refilll her bottles when ever there was a nice cold water source and keep those right next to her body.

Coco was on verbal and hand commands. I started out w/ the theory that i wasn't going to let her off her leash, but eventually I let her off, it caused to much stress, she behaved better w/o it anyways. when ever there was someone on the trail she would come back to me and walk in 'stayback' or on her leash, the same thing applyed for when we were coming to roads

[Nean]

Does anyone here use dog boots, or do you just rely on the pad tough stuff? My sister convinced me to not use boots for Ed, because he isn't used to them, and they prevent the dog from gripping with his toes. I've read about nasty places that can tear a dog's paws up, though. Initially, I thought of tar - hey, it worked for Scottish cattle drivers' dogs! We are going to try the pad tough stuff, but I was wondering if anyone planned on putting boots in their bounce box or mail drop for certain parts of the trail.

My dog Cooler wore boots out on the PCT, on the lava and in the snow. I carried a couple w/ me on the LT and AT just in case his pads got tender, but he never had a problem and loved the trail.

[frieden]

Congrats, thickredhair! How much did the packs weigh? How did you do your recall training?

[Two Speed]

. . . I would recommend anyone who plans on spending a lot of time on the trail with their dog(s), to take a basic dog first-aid class. They are offered free of charge through the American Red Cross.

Hey Phreak, can you post a link to that class? I've looked on the Red Cross website and I haven't been able to find that.

Thanks

[frieden]

First aid tips:

http://www.redcross.org/services/dis...,0_10_,00.html

Our Red Cross chapter charges $30 for the Pet First Aid class, and it is 4 hours long.

[Two Speed]

Couple of first aid issues.

First, Frieden, thanks for the link. Still having trouble with finding a class in the Atlanta area, and would appreciate any guidance anyone can offer on that.

Next, was out on a section hike over the weekend, four hikers and two dogs. Ran into two yellow jacket nests and everyone, dogs included, took at least one hit. Unfortunately Barney reacted; puffy eyes, hives all over the place, rapid respirations, etc. Fortunately that was on the last afternoon and Tiamalle was kind enough to drop what he was doing and pick Barney, myself and my partner up early so that I could get closer to help. About 10 mg of benadryl and some fussing and the mutt's OK, but not a good scene for a while.

I've tended to be a winter packer, so I've never carried benadryl and wouldn't have known the dose if my partner hadn't had experience with a dog she'd dealt with in the past. Obviously this is something I'm going to have to discuss with Barney's vet and it may preclude him from hikng when wasps and bees are active.

This may be something the other dog hikers want to think about and take precautions for.

[Gaiter]

Congrats, thickredhair! How much did the packs weigh? How did you do your recall training?

Her pack weighed around 10 w/ full food and water at its heaviest.
I can't take the claim for most of her training, it was done before I got her, I adopted her fully grown and well-trained. I started taking her on my day hikes and she took to the trail. Thats when I started looking into her going w/ me, and I did a lot of research. There isn't any books out there for long term hiking w/ a dog. But one book I bought mentioned a 'stay back' command which was wonderful, she picked it up quickly, and she followed it on and off leash. I also did a 'slow' command which she learned on leash to keep her from pulling, and then I tried it one day and it worked off leash as well.

[lindy]

does anyone have paw and pad care tips that they would like to share? also some pad toughening ideas? Boom, my border collie, logs quite a bit of miles with me on the road and trail and her pads are looking a bit worn.

I am also concerned about my dog eating on the trail. She just does not seem interested in kibble. Perhaps it is because we have done day hiking and car camping and she knows if she holds out she will get goodies after everyone eats (hotdogs meat etc). I am thinking about bringing puppy food when we start overnight hiking and then trying to put some bullion on top of it with water. I guess she will eat if she is hungry She is the type that just will not eat unless she needs to. I wish I had that "problem" lol I used to offer her food all the time but I have decided only to offer it to her twice a day and if we are day hiking just to bring a bit. Then one time she was raveonus on a day hike and I felt bad lol. Mom's can't win! Always the guilt. heh

She is very low maintance and getting her to drink on trail is difficult so she has her own water bottle. I put her water back into the bottle when we are on dry sections to save it for later and if we are on a trail where there water is readily available I just have her drink out of the streams. She prefers that anyway and kinda turns her nose up at water that has been in a plastic bottle and loves to cool her pads in streams. Of course I would be a lot more cautious if these streams were also water sources for humans and she is good about waiting for permission to drink and wade

[Rouen]

this is how I keep my dogs feet tough.. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ck/bikerig.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...Dingprance.jpg
as for pad care, for small cuts or what have you carry booties, some type of ointment to make sure it doesn't get infected, if you're going to keep the dog moving stop to change the bootie every few hours, dogs feet do sweat(or atleast my dogs feet do) and it can get really nasty in the bootie.

[Alligator]

...I am thinking about bringing puppy food when we start overnight hiking and then trying to put some bullion on top of it with water. I guess she will eat if she is hungry ...

I did this with my dog. What you want to watch though is that boullion is very salty. Try looking for something that is low sodium. Another option is watered down gravy.

[Gaiter]

does anyone have paw and pad care tips that they would like to share? also some pad toughening ideas? Boom, my border collie, logs quite a bit of miles with me on the road and trail and her pads are looking a bit worn.

There is stuff out there made for 'working/hunting' dogs to toughen up their pads, I forget what the kind i use is called but it has a green lid/handle and a green camo on the label. a hunting store or vet would be your best places to look for it. and like i've said on several other post, the best thing to do is check with your vet to figure out what is best for your dog.

[Gaiter]

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...866&id=0005402

this link has the paw stuff i was talking about in my last post.

Hanna

[lindy]

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...866&id=0005402

this link has the paw stuff i was talking about in my last post.

Hanna

thanks
I am going there right now.

~L

[LIhikers]

I was doing some cleaning in our gear closet the other day and came to realize that our dog has almost as much hiking gear as me and my wife do.
1. Small backpack, good for day hikes or 1 night.
2.

[LIhikers]

Not sure why the above unfinished post submitted itself, but let me try again.


I was doing some cleaning in our gear closet the other day and came to realize that our dog has almost as much hiking gear as me and my wife do.
1. Small backpack, good for day hikes or 1 night.
2. Larger pack, good for multi night trip
3.

[LIhikers]

Dang, what's goin on?

I was doing some cleaning in our gear closet the other day and came to realize that our dog has almost as much hiking gear as me and my wife do.
1. Small backpack, good for day hikes or 1 night.
2. Larger pack, good for multi night trip
3. Rain coat
4. Fleece sleeping bag
5. Ground pad, fluffy material on both sides with a center layer of the same material space blanets are made of.
6. Blaze Orange collar and vest for use during hunting season
7. A set of booties

[Alligator]

Dang, what's goin on?

I was doing some cleaning in our gear closet the other day and came to realize that our dog has almost as much hiking gear as me and my wife do.
1. Small backpack, good for day hikes or 1 night.
2. Larger pack, good for multi night trip
3. Rain coat
4. Fleece sleeping bag
5. Ground pad, fluffy material on both sides with a center layer of the same material space blanets are made of.
6. Blaze Orange collar and vest for use during hunting season
7. A set of booties

Is this a complete list ?

[The Weasel]

I noticed, in reviewing this thread up to the present time, that no one listed (unless I missed it) as necessary "equipment" -

- Proof of vaccinations (carried)
- Microchip implants (embedded)
- Current license (from home location)

I think it's important to have the vaccination proof in case of accidents or illness, and carried since a bounce box may be a long way from a place where an animal needs treated. Many vets will insist on seeing vaccination proof to do any treatmeant at all.

Microchips are pretty well known. So are "lost dogs".

Current license (on collar) can also serve to help in the event your animal gets away, and has other advantages.

The Weasel