2020 Best Dog Hiking Gear
If you have a dog that matches your adventurous spirit, then exploring trails is probably not very new to either of you. If you love hiking with your canine companion, you might want to check out some of these items that other hikers and their dogs swear by.
Hands-Free Leash
When you’re in the wilderness hiking, your hands are usually pretty occupied (checking maps, taking photos, dishing out snacks & water, etc.) – and holding onto a leash can sometimes make your adventure a bit difficult. A hands-free leash like Ruffwear Roamer allows yo to keep Fido leashed while freeing up your hands.
How it works is the Ruffwear Roamer wraps around your waist or wrist with an adjustable stretchy loop of webbing. The webbing allows enough give for Fido to sniff sides of the trail without jerking you off your feet. The waist clip is also one-handed, so if needed, you can quickly take the leash off your body and control the nonstretchy section. Then as quickly and efficiently as you took it off, you can put it right back on.
Doggy Backpack
When looking into a doggy backpack, something that needs to be at the top of your priority list is comfortability for Fido and a supportive harness. Backpacks that your pooch wears help store some of your pup’s food and other related items, so they’re easy to grab when you need them – and they lighten your load a bit. Mountainsmith’s K9 Pack is an excellent example of a doggy backpack that caters to all of these needs.
The Mountainsmith’s K9 pack comes with a four-point adjustable chest harness that connects to an independently adjustable back harness. This pack is also made with breathable mesh panels and a water-resistant treatment.
Doggy First-Aid Kit
Keeping a dog-related first-aid kit on you is essential when you’re out and about in the great outdoors. You never know what could happen, so it’s always best to come prepared for just about anything. You can DIY this and make your own first-aid kit, or you can purchase a pre-made pack. An exceptionally good choice for that would be the Field Dog First Aid Kit from Orvis. It not only comes with a variety of items that will help treat your pooch if needed. But it also comes with a 98-page quick reference guide, filled with an abundance of dog emergency scenarios and how to go about treating them.
GPS Tracking Dog Collar
If you have a pooch that is off-leash trained, then a GPS tracking collar is especially essential. However, just because you walk your dog on a leash does not mean they won’t somehow get loose when you’re on a hike – so it can be just as crucial for leashed-pups as well. With a GPS collar like Fi Dog Collar, you’ll be able to know precisely where your canine is as long as there’s some sort of cellular signal.
Now you can gear up and hit the trails with your pup prepared for just about anything.