Tips for an Enjoyable Hike

I love going hiking with my dogs, but there are some things that make that experience more enjoyable for us both.

Teaching Loose Leash Walking

I find hiking so much more enjoyable when my dogs aren't pulling me down the trail!  Although it can be frustrating when you just want to go on a hike, I highly recommend taking the time to train your dog to walk nicely on a loose leash.  These two things aren't mutually exclusive, I taught Tristan how to casually walk on a loose leash on trails, however, I had to go out knowing that I'd be stopping and turning if he pulled so I wouldn't cover as much ground, or if I stuck with a predetermined route, it would take us longer to complete it.  Consistency is the key here - if your dog gets to explore by dragging you along behind them, that's what they'll do in the future.  

Here is how I taught Tristan not to drag me down the trail:

Casual Leash Walking
The first stage in teaching loose leash walking is to teach your dog to pay attention to the feeling of tension on the leash, and that if she feels tension on the leash that she should ease up.  To do this we need to pay attention to the amount of tension on the leash, and only move forward if the leash is loose.  I really like this for informal walking, when you don’t mind if your dog is in front.

• Start moving in one direction with your dog.  If she starts to pull forward, cue your dog that you are moving (“this way”) as you turn and walk in a circle yourself, with your dog on the outside of the circle.
  • If your dog’s leash is loose once you are facing the original direction, you can move forwards.
  • If your dog’s leash is still tight when you are facing the original direction, circle again.
• Repeat as needed if the leash tightens.
• Helpful hints:
  • Some dogs that are very excited at the beginning of the walk may need to circle quite a bit until they calm.  Think about a young, excited horse settling in.  They are getting out a bit of their excess energy.  If this is frustrating for you, consider if you have access to an alternate way to allow your dog to move and expend some energy prior to walking.
  • Think about your walk in terms of time, rather than how far down the road or trail you walk.  Your dog will walk just as far in the same amount of time, whether they walk in a straight line to a point further down the road or in circles to a point closer to your home.  And, as they learn, you won’t need to circle as much and you won’t get pulled!
  • If your dog is pulling towards something safe, such as an interesting place to smell, try to arrange it so that your dog can reach that place on a loose leash as they complete a circle.  That will provide a great real life reward for loose leash walking.
  • Adjust your circles if needed.  Sometimes your space may dictate an oval.  Sometimes you may need to move further away from something before turning around if your dog is too excited.

You can also add in an "easy" cue, said just before your dog will reach the end of the leash, then follow it with "This Way" as soon as the leash tightens.  Your dog will soon realize that "easy" means they're about to run out of leash, and slow down.  This means less circling!

Moving Over / Passing

If you are going to be hiking in public places, odds are good you're going to meet other people also out for a walk, or on multi-use trails perhaps a jog or bike ride.  It is a good idea to teach your dog to move to the side with you, or come and walk close beside you while you pass other trail users.  I have gotten many thanks, especially from joggers and cyclists when I move over to let them pass.  It's a courtesy, and lets them not worry that my dogs will jump at them or chase after them.
To teach pulling over:

• Step to the side of the trail or slightly off the trial, calling your dog to come with you
• Give a cue "scatter" and scatter a few treats in the grass/leaves at your feet (assuming no oncoming dog will try to rush over and eat them).
• Once the other trail user has passed, tell your dog it's time to go and resume your hike.

You will find that with practice as soon as you start heading to the side of the trial, your dog will join you for their courtesy snack!   You could also choose to have your dog sit and stay while others pass, I just find that staying is boring for many dogs, and dogs excited by movement find it particularly hard while a cyclist whizzes by, so starting with a little treat scatter first is easier, and once your dog is used to the routine, you can start adding in the stay if you want.

Going Off Leash?

Before you consider having your dog off leash in public, you will want your dog to be comfortable hiking within a certain radius of you, and to have an excellent response to you cue to come when called especially in the face of distractions, since you never know when you may encounter another trail user, and the considerate thing to do when that happens is to temporarily put your dog on leash while you pass.  We never know if the person we are encountering is afraid of dogs, is worried they may be chased, etc. so it is just kind to demonstrate that you are considerate and your dog will not impact their enjoyment of the trail by calling them back to you, putting their leash on, and either pulling off and waiting while they pass or having your dog walk on their loose leash while you pass.

• Long lines are a wonderful training aid.  It's easier to get used to handling them in more open areas first, but they can give you 20-30 feet of leash to work with, so you have a safety net if your dog doesn't respond because you can stop them from running off, but if your dog is remaining within that radius and responding to you the line will just drag along behind them.  (Biothane is great for this as it is easy to clean.)
• Teaching your dog to come when called while they are looking away from you, then adding in distractions (i.e. a margarine container with some treats inside, a tug toy hanging from a branch, a helper tossing a ball up in the air) making sure to have a great reward when they return.
• Playing hide n seek.  One of my favourite games for teaching your dog to keep an eye on you, it can be played off leash or on a long line.  When your dog is ahead of you, duck behind a tree.  Either call, or just wait quietly until your dog notices and returns to figure out where you've gone.  Have a reward party when they find you!  I did this with Tristan as a puppy, and at 4 months of age, I couldn't hide anymore without him immediately running to find me.
• Reward any Automatic Check-ins.  If your dog comes over without you calling, go ahead and reward them.  That behaviour of automatically checking in with you will keep them closer and keeping track of where you are.  If your dog barely leaves your side, you can stop rewarding this, but especially when starting out, or with dogs that tend to range away from you, this is very helpful.
• Make yourself part of the experience, not just the chauffer.  Show interest in things your dog likes.  Point out a particularly fun stick.  Play a little game when they return to you.  That way they are hiking with you, instead of you just being the person that drove them there while they find all the fun out in the bush.
• Consider a GPS tracker such as Tractive, that can help you locate your dog should something happen.  Airtags work on Bluetooth, and need iphones to be in close enough proximity to work, so if you're hiking in the bush instead of walking in town, I recommend something that doesn't rely on the proximity of other devices.

Cautions:

Young puppies often tend to stick close to their people, then once they become adolescents, they become more independent and feel more comfortable ranging further away from you.    This is normal, but we often get a false sense of security when our 12 week old puppy won't go more than 3 feet away, only to get shocked when our 5 month old puppy takes off out of sight.  So please, be aware that this can happen.  Often teenage dogs need some help making good decisions, so some time on a long line until their brain matures is helpful to keep them safe and prevent them from undoing the foundation you've laid.  Then once they are socially mature adults, they will be more likely to remain closer to you again.

All things come with some element of risk.  You will need to weigh the risk/benefit ratio for each situation and make a decision you are comfortable with.  Off leash risks include wildlife chasing/encounters, road crossings, encounters with other dogs/people, etc.  Here's a porcupine I got surprisingly close to before I spotted it - thankfully the dogs were on leash and didn't get any quills!

Happy Hiking!