It’s 2019! After what seemed like the rainiest fall and holiday season on record (seriously, we almost had to board the Ark), the sun came out and Mother Nature graced us with a warm, 65-degree day right after the start of the year.
After being cooped up for so long, we couldn’t wait to hit the hiking trails (along with the entirety of Upstate South Carolina, it seemed!). And it was time for us to introduce Rosco, our 6-month-old mini golden doodle puppy, to the wonderful world of hiking.
Since this was our first time out on the trails in a while – and Rosco’s first time ever – we wanted to choose a path we’d all enjoy. We dusted off our trusty hiking books and researched a few tried-and-true trails perfect for our four-legged friend.
Here are a few tips we put together before, during and after our hike. If you haven’t taken your puppy out on the hiking trails yet, use this guide to help you get started!
- Know your puppy’s personality
Rosco is a high energy puppy – always wanting to run and jump! He’s been taking long walks around the neighborhood (up to about 30 minutes) for a few weeks now, so we thought he’d be able to handle a moderate hike. If your puppy is more low energy, or doesn’t like to exercise much, take that into consideration when choosing your trail.
- Channel your inner Boy Scout – always be prepared
Just like preparing to leave the house with your toddler, so should you prepare when taking your dog on a hike. Pack a backpack with a small bowl, extra water, treats, a small towel or wipes to clean paws when you’re finished, your leash and disposable poop bags. (Also, if your pup does decide to do his business on the trail, do the responsible thing and clean it up. Yes, this happened to us, and yes, my husband took one for the team and hiked the whole way back with a smelly bag of dog poop in the backpack to dispose of once we got home).
- Be aware of your surroundings – including other dogs
Just like keeping a watchful eye on your children at all times, be on the lookout for things in the wild that might not be safe for your pup. Be careful about letting them chew wild plants or drink out of streams – while they might look serene, you don’t know what kind of bacteria are in there that could make your dog sick.
Keep your dog close to you when encountering other puppy friends on the trails. Hopefully the owner on the other end of the leash will be careful about letting dogs interact before knowing whether they’re aggressive or not – but to be safe, always keep your dog close until they can sniff out a safe greeting point. We came across one couple – each with a German Shepherd on a leash. The dogs became very agitated and barked loudly when little Rosco came near them on the trail. Luckily, the owners stepped off to the side and worked to subdue their dogs until we quickly passed.
- Know your – and your dog’s – limits
We hiked Raven Cliff Falls in Upstate, South Carolina. It’s a moderate 4.4 mile roundtrip hike, with a well worn, mostly flat trail. Since Rosco had never walked that far before, we weren’t sure if he would be able to make it. We made sure to take plenty of water and rest breaks, slow down our pace and we’re proud to say, he aced the whole hike! If anything, we had to work hard to keep him from pulling and running.
We’re excited our first hike with Rosco was a success. We love being out on the trails, and we hope to take our puppy on many more outdoor adventures with us!
Do you hike with your dogs? What are some things you’ve learned along the way you can share with us? Happy hiking, friends!