Hiking With Your Dog — Trail Guide & Checklists (Printable)

A 20-page printable guide for taking your dog on the trail and doing it right: building up distance, water and paw care, trail manners, heat, cold and wildlife, where dogs are and are not allowed, plus a dog first aid kit checklist, pack lists, an ID and emergency card and a dog hike log. $5.99, instant PDF download in US Letter and A4.

Hiking with your dog is one of the best parts of having one. This guide helps you get the two of you trail-ready step by step, know the rules before you arrive, and pack the right things for both of you.

What is inside (20 pages)

• Start with your vet: age, breed and health come first
• Is my dog trail-ready? A self-check for recall, leash manners and fitness
• Build up slowly: a 4-week start plan in miles and km, and signs your dog needs a rest
• Where dogs can hike: national parks vs national forests vs state parks, leash rules, the BARK Ranger program, and checking each park's pets page
• Trail manners: leash, yielding, other dogs, horses and people who are nervous around dogs
• Water and food on the trail, heat and cold (hot ground, paws, signs of overheating and when to stop)
• Paw checks and the after-hike tick check for dogs and people
• Wildlife, streams, lakes and crossings, and why to carry clean water for your dog
• Poop and Leave No Trace with a dog
• Fill-in pages: dog first aid kit checklist, dog hiking pack list, your own pack list, a dog ID and emergency card, a trail plan for the two of you and a 2-page dog hike log

Good to know

• 20 pages, US Letter and A4, color and printer-friendly versions included
• Instant PDF download, no physical item is shipped. Download buttons arrive in your order confirmation email right after checkout
• Units in both imperial and metric, for hikers in the US and Canada
• Not a substitute for your vet. Ask your vet before starting longer hikes, and keep your vet's and the nearest emergency clinic's numbers with you
• Pet rules differ by park and change, so always check the official pets page of the park or forest before you go
• For personal use

Questions

Can I take my dog on trails in US national parks? Most national parks only allow pets on a few trails, roads and campgrounds, and some allow them on more. The guide explains the differences between national parks, national forests and state parks and shows you where to check each park's pet rules.

How far can my dog hike? It depends on your dog. The guide has a 4-week plan to build up slowly and the signs that tell you it is time to rest or turn around. Ask your vet first.

Can I print it? Yes. It comes in US Letter and A4, in full color and a printer-friendly version that uses less ink.

Is anything shipped? No. It is an instant PDF download, and the download buttons arrive in your order confirmation email right after checkout.