Hiking with dogs

Out on the trail your dog moves all day over varied ground, with new smells everywhere and you right beside it. For a lot of dogs that's about as good as it gets. Still, pick the route based on how fit your dog really is. Excitement at the trailhead tells you nothing. Check the distance and how much climbing there is. Then the temperature, water along the way, the type of ground, the places where you can turn back if you need to.

A dog that only does short walks around town isn't automatically ready for a full day in the mountains. Fitness builds up step by step. Start with easy routes, see how the dog recovers the next day, and only then add time and difficulty. Take breaks before the dog is worn out, not once it has already flopped down. Offer water regularly. Fit meals and treats to the plan you've made for your dog.

Out in the wild you can run into wildlife, livestock, guarding dogs, cyclists or runners, plus exposed sections. A leash or long line protects your dog. It protects the wildlife and everyone else on the trail too. A solid recall isn't a licence to let your dog off anywhere. Stick to the local rules, even when they seem over the top.

Before you set off, check parasite prevention with your vet. When you get back, go over the dog from nose to tail: pads and the gaps between the toes, the nails, the spots where ticks like to latch on. Then let the dog rest. If stiffness doesn't wear off, or the dog is limping or listless, get it checked out.

Hiking is worth considering for healthy dogs that have been built up to exercise gradually, families who want time outdoors and teams that can handle the leash and the recall.

A dog looking keen at the start doesn't make a long hike a good idea. What counts is stamina and the state of the paws, plus how well the dog copes with heat. All of that matters far more than its energy in the first mile.

Pick the route to match your dog's level, and check the weather and access beforehand.

On the way, keep the pace in check. Take breaks, offer water. Once you're back, check the paws, then keep an eye on how the dog recovers.

The day runs on the dog's terms. Slowing down, seeking shade, limping or losing interest in exploring all tell you how the dog is finding the hike right now, and the plan changes to match.

Pack water and a bowl. Bring a leash and spare kit too, ID for your dog, a first aid kit. If you're going with a group or an organiser, you'll also want details about the route.

On an organised hike, start by looking at the group: it should be small enough to manage. The organiser should have a plan for wildlife and unfamiliar dogs. The pace should change with the temperature and the ground. Each dog's level gets checked before you set off, and after a warm-up the effort builds gradually.

Recall, a solid wait, passing people or animals under control, good leash handling: all of it makes a hike safer. Planning the route is still on you, however well trained your dog is.

Don't jump straight into long distances, and some health conditions mean exercise has to be limited. Risks to talk through beforehand: the dog getting lost or running off, paw injuries, overheating. Then there are run-ins with dangerous animals or plants.

Start from your own dog. One kind of hike won't suit every dog, so base the call on your dog's age and health, and on how fit it is, rather than on what other people do in the mountains.