You're sitting around the campfire chatting with your friends when suddenly you realize your dog is missing. Maybe you hear barking, or yelling, from the campsite next door and realize your dog is over there sticking it's nose where it doesn't belong. Or maybe your dog has chased after a chipmunk and you're panicked because he's not coming when you call his name. Whatever the reason - … [Read more...]
Hiking and Camping with Your Dog
Dogs make great hiking and camping partners. Hiking with your dog is a great way for both you and your dog to get exercise, get some fresh air, and provide your dog some mental stimulation. Camping out in the woods with your furry best friend by your site is fun. Here you will find tips and information to get started hiking with your big or small dog and make your trip more enjoyable if you already have some experience.
5 Different Ways to Camp With Your Dog
Summer is here and you are looking for ways to spend more time in the outdoors with your dog. Camping with your dog is a great way to do that. It's like taking your life and moving it outside. Your dog will love exploring all the new sights and smells, it will help clear your mind, and it can improve your bond with your pet. There are several different ways you can camp and each one suits a … [Read more...]
Washington’s Toxic Plants Your Dog Should Avoid
Guest Post by Elena Edwards Moo and I went on a camping trip with some friends in the Hood River area of Oregon over Memorial Day Weekend. We parked our vans in an off-the-grid spot, and enjoyed awesome fellowship and stellar views. The area was super secluded, so I felt good about letting Moo off the leash to explore a little and have some fun herself (Moo’s not much of a wanderer, so she … [Read more...]
Dog Camping Gear: 10 Must-Have Items for Your Next Adventure
Are you new to camping with dogs or have you done it so infrequently that you forget what dog camping gear you should bring? I've been camping with my dogs for years. I've gone through a lot of trial and error and have decided that there are 10 things I won't leave home without. This isn't an exhaustive list but it's our must-have list for every camping trip. To me, it's just not pleasant or … [Read more...]
5 of the Best Dog Breeds for Hiking (for Those Who Want a Small Dog)
While I own and hike with Dachshunds, I've also researched other best breeds for hiking in the small dog category. There are a lot of advantages to hiking with a small dog so I want to help spread the word that they can make great adventure companions. The Best Dog Breeds for Hiking That Are Under 30 Lbs Jack Russell Terrier A post shared by Katie (@trustyourtrail) on Dec 15, 2016 at … [Read more...]
7 Tips for Handling Off-Leash Dogs While Hiking
This is a guest post written by an expert in adventure travel with dogs, Jen from Long Haul Trekkers. Scroll to the bottom of the article to read more about her. Thirteen miles into a 15-mile training run, my dog, Sora and I came upon a group of senior bird watchers stopped on the trail, peering among the trees in search of a bird. Two of them had small dogs along for the walk and Sora … [Read more...]
How to Get Your Dog Ready for Hiking Season
It's no longer healthy for my dogs to be weekend warriors. Truthfully, it never was. When Gretel was young, and I was younger too, we could sit on the couch for weeks, go out and hike 15 miles, and easily do it again the next day. Then age happened. Honestly, though, each time we pulled something like that off, I was risking injury for her. Like with people, in order to reduce the change … [Read more...]
When You Want to Go Hiking but Your Dog Gets Carsick
If you were to ask me what my picture-perfect weekend would look like, it would involve packing up my favorite human, my beloved pup, all my necessary gear, and driving to the mountains. I imagine that there are quite a few people who would agree with this notion. That being said, these outdoor excursions can be cut short, or made incredibly stressful for all involved, when our … [Read more...]
Training Your Dog to Hike: Start Small Then Go Big
You have heard us go on and on about how ingrained the stereotype of small dogs is – of how they are often underestimated and are capable of so much more. We even wrote a guest post about it over at Will My Dog Hate Me? and I compiled a list of the 10 most common comments we hear on the trail (implying they very surprised to see small dogs out hiking). UPDATED: January 20, 2017 On our … [Read more...]
15 Small Dogs Breeds That Make Great Hiking Buddies
Once upon a time I was a cat person. Then, in college, I watched my Geology field trip friends pal around with their dogs. I decided I wanted a canine best friend. Bad. I researched A LOT of dog breeds to determine which was the right one for me. Small dogs weren't even on my radar and I settled on a Rhodesian Ridgeback. Then I ended up living with a roommate that got a Dachshund puppy. I … [Read more...]
Winter Hiking With Dogs: Watch for Hypothermia
Chester and Gretel venture out in colder temperatures than most small dogs do. Or, at least, they are outside in cold temperatures longer than most dogs. Our average winter hike is in snow, at 25-30o F temps, and 3-4 hours long. I've never had a serious problem with Chester and Gretel in the many years we've been braving the elements. However, I would be lying if I said they never got … [Read more...]
Does My Small Dog Need to Wear Boots in the Snow?
I've received these questions a lot over the years: Does my dog need to wear boots in the snow? Do your Dachshunds wear boots in the snow? What boots do you recommend? Well, today I'm going to answer all of these questions in one blog post so the information is easy to find later. I'm going to share what I've learned here. But first, let me tell you a little about our experience and … [Read more...]
How to Keep Your Waterproof Dog Jacket Working Like New
For our regular readers, you know I'm a gear snob. I want only the best, highest quality stuff for myself and my dogs Summit and Gretel. While they still have several different jackets for traveling and walking around the City, I only use super warm and breathable waterproof ones for their hiking and outdoor adventures. If you are looking for a waterproof jacket for your dog, please see my … [Read more...]
4 Lessons Learned During My Dog’s First Snow Adventure
This is a guest post from my friend Elena and her Dachshund Moo. She recently moved to Seattle from Texas so this winter was Moo's first experience in the snow. Elena wanted to share what she learned. Being from the South, Moo’s exposure to snow was minimal… very, very minimal. There was once a few years back when a light dusting of snow covered the ground in the town I grew up in, and I … [Read more...]
Does Your Dog Hike? They Might Need a Lepto Vaccine
Last fall, one of our friend's dogs - Jeffie - died from leptospirosis (lepto for short). He got it from the back yard and he went suddenly. Jeffie's owner wanted to educate people about lepto and get the word out about the risk. I got curious and asked my vet about the vaccination. She shrugged it off and said dogs don't really need it in Washington State unless they hike. Of course, in my … [Read more...]
11 Secrets to Snapping the Perfect Instagram Photo of Your Adventure Dog
Updated: May 14, 2019 I've always loved photography. My mom was an amateur photographer when I was a kid and I remember sitting for hours looking at slides with her (yes, I'm that old). I started playing around with landscape photography when I discovered hiking. I switched to "landscape with pets" photos when I started this blog 5 years ago but, for the most part, I just stuck with the … [Read more...]
Don’t Be THAT Guy – Good Etiquette When Hiking With Your Dog
Search the internet and you will find that dogs on hiking trails is a subject that is hotly contested. There are very passionate voices on either side. I am of the belief, obviously, that it is ok for dogs to be out on the trails. However, bringing your dog along comes with great responsibility to both people and the environment. I admit, I did some things that weren't cool when I first started … [Read more...]
7 Reasons to Hike With Your Dog
People are increasingly finding the desire to get back to basics, simplify and connect with nature. We are surrounded by so much stuff competing for our time – our cell phone, Facebook, Twitter, Email, people who need something from us, etc. Getting out in the woods and unplugging, even for a few hours, can get us away from that stuff and allow us to relax and spend time connecting with nature and … [Read more...]
Hiking With Dogs: How to Know When Your Dog Has Had Enough
As you know, I'm all about hiking with dogs. I believe that almost any dog in good health can do it. However, it IS true that not all dogs can go the same distance or over the same terrain. If your dog has never been hiking before, you should start them slow on easier trailsand work your way up to more difficult hikes. Even dogs that love hiking and have been hiking for years have their limits … [Read more...]
Exercises to Strengthen a Dachshund’s Back and Improve Balance
UPDATED: May 10, 2020 Whether you are looking for ways to help prevent, or minimize, your Dachshund's back injury, or are looking for exercises to help your dog recover from Intervertebral Disk Disease (IVDD) , you have come to the right place. A big part of my Dachshund Gretel's active recovery from her back injury, caused by IVDD, were the strength-building, body awareness, and balance … [Read more...]
