training the new dog to hike

[cricket71]

we recently rescued a little one year old lab/hound mix and I was just wondering if there's any good books on training a dog to hike? My last dog was a border collie that was just the best hiking partner, his intelligence level was just unbelievable, and he just loved being with his people which made his training so easy. We'll be doing obedience training with the new girl and we've already started on the basics with her. I've been taking her out on couple mile hikes through the state forest by the house on her leash of course because she's still at the puppy curiosity stage. she's a nice size for hiking too just about 40-45lbs. and really sweet, so here's to hoping she likes hiking.

[rocketsocks]

Don't know of any books Cricket, but just wanted to say good luck with the new pup, my last three dogs have all been strays...best dogs ever, very appreciative to have a pack to take care of....awesome!

[shelterbuilder]

No good books, but a couple of thoughts based on my own experiences (Siberian Huskies - sled teams for a few decades - hiking with a few of my "guys and girls"). Leashed at all times, for the dog's safety (snakes, porkies, and vehicles at roads and parking lots) and for the consideration of other hikers (who may or may not like dogs, who may or may not have a dog with them, who may or may not enjoy seeing canine confrontations). Directional commands ("gee", "haw", "hike", "whoa", and "on by") are extremely useful, as are the basics ("sit", "stay", "come", "down", and of course "NO"). Work on the commands EVERYWHERE, so that she'll be used to them when you get out in the woods (where things will look and SMELL differently). A pocketful of small training treats goes a LONG way towards reinforcing the commands when she does what you want to do. Try out a doggie pack in town and around the house for SHORT periods of time, and build into longer sessions - when you finally hit the trail, she'll be used to it and (hopefully) associate it with fun stuff (walks, and being with YOU). No weight at first, except maybe for some crumbled newspaper to give it some form and a minor amount of weight and sound; later, try letting her carry her own water and bowl, and some TREATS for when you stop for breaks! Start out slow, with short sessions, and ALWAYS end a session after she's successfully completed a skill and been rewarded for it. Be patient, but be firm and in control - she's young, and doesn't speak English too well! Remember, dogs are pack animals and every pack has an Alpha - if the Alpha isn't YOU, then it WILL be HER! Be dominant without being domineering - firmness and love will always accomplish what fear and terror cannot (but you probably already know this). I hope that at least some of this will be helpful. Good luck - have fun with her.

[Spirit Walker]

Most dogs love to walk, and they especially love hiking because of all the good smells and because it's a new place to explore. We use a long leash while hiking with our GR, Ben, so he can explore a bit without getting too far away. Unless your dog is 100% reliable off leash, in high distraction situations, do not allow her off leash. It takes some work to coordinate, but Ben learned very quickly to come back to the trail where he left it. He naturally follows the scent of other hikers, so usually will stay on the main trail, but squirrels and chipmunks will lead him astray occasionally. When we see other hikers approaching, we try to get off the trail and have Ben sit. Carry extra water and train your dog to drink from a dog bowl or something similar (we use a margarine container.) Because our dog doesn't tolerate heat well, we usually hike where there is water for him to get wet in - a stream or lake - once it warms up. We don't let him go into springs. Start with short easy hikes and pay attention to how your dog is doing. She is small, but would still be a heavy load if you have to carry her any distance. With Ben, when he starts getting hot or tired, he'll look for shade and flop. That's a good sign that it's time to back out or find water for him.

[FarmerChef]

No good books, but a couple of thoughts based on my own experiences (Siberian Huskies - sled teams for a few decades - hiking with a few of my "guys and girls"). Leashed at all times, for the dog's safety (snakes, porkies, and vehicles at roads and parking lots) and for the consideration of other hikers (who may or may not like dogs, who may or may not have a dog with them, who may or may not enjoy seeing canine confrontations). Directional commands ("gee", "haw", "hike", "whoa", and "on by") are extremely useful, as are the basics ("sit", "stay", "come", "down", and of course "NO"). Work on the commands EVERYWHERE, so that she'll be used to them when you get out in the woods (where things will look and SMELL differently). A pocketful of small training treats goes a LONG way towards reinforcing the commands when she does what you want to do. Try out a doggie pack in town and around the house for SHORT periods of time, and build into longer sessions - when you finally hit the trail, she'll be used to it and (hopefully) associate it with fun stuff (walks, and being with YOU). No weight at first, except maybe for some crumbled newspaper to give it some form and a minor amount of weight and sound; later, try letting her carry her own water and bowl, and some TREATS for when you stop for breaks! Start out slow, with short sessions, and ALWAYS end a session after she's successfully completed a skill and been rewarded for it. Be patient, but be firm and in control - she's young, and doesn't speak English too well! Remember, dogs are pack animals and every pack has an Alpha - if the Alpha isn't YOU, then it WILL be HER! Be dominant without being domineering - firmness and love will always accomplish what fear and terror cannot (but you probably already know this). I hope that at least some of this will be helpful. Good luck - have fun with her.

This....

I hike with my Husky as well and she is always on leash (that is somewhat breed specific in our case). We worked HARD on obedience training with her down to hand signals and sounds. But the real test was all the distractions she experienced on the trail, especially other dogs. Socialization was key so that she wasn't instantly focused on the next dog she encountered on the trail. Now she barely pays attention unless we give her (and the owner does) permission to greet the other dog properly. A calm, respectful, obedient dog calms everyone down whereas a disobedient, hyper/agitated, carefree dog raises tension almost immediately.

Glad you're getting your dog out there.