These days it seems that every adventure brings its own etiquette – from Twitter to hiking with your dog. While I haven’t personally encountered it, there apparently is a growing contingent of people who want to ban dogs from trails – can you imagine?
So what is our responsibility in all of this? We all have to demonstrate that our dogs can be well behaved on the trails and give others we encounter only positive experiences sharing the trails with our best friends.
Myths & Misunderstandings
Some believe that dogs on trails will discourage wildlife from using the area. So long as dogs are trained not to bark and don’t chase the animals, they actually can alert you by pointing in the direction of wildlife and providing a heads up.
Another myth is that dogs spread disease through feces and waterborne illnesses. Actually, there isn’t any real science behind the feces argument. However, good trail etiquette says you should either pack out your dogs business or bury it off the trail at least 10 feet. As for waterborne illnesses, usually people are talking about glardia which is a real issue but actually humans are the biggest spreaders of the disease. Best for both you and your dog to drink the water you bring with you or trust a high-quality filter system. Ticks can also spread disease, but again, dogs do not worsen the problem.
Some believe dogs can damage sensitive environments, but certainly less so than humans. It is important to keep dogs on the trails and not to let them wander off into fragile areas. Both you and your dog need to respect the environment and keep all six feet on the trail (Um, that’s your two, plus Fido’s four – get it?).
Finally there is an argument that trails are already too crowded and some trails are too narrow or restrictive for dog passage. First of all, if trails are too crowded for dogs, who else will soon be banned? Kids? (The people, not the goats.) This is a silly argument. And if a trail is wide enough for a person, it’s wide enough for a dog.
Responsible Hiking with Fido
We are responsible not only for our actions but also for those of our dog. Simple. We want to make sure that everyone that encounters us has a great experience. Here are some reminders:
- Keep your dog on a leash or under very tight voice command. Most trails require leashes anyway, plus it’s just safer for everyone.
- Be sure to yield to everyone else – horses, hikers coming in the other direction, people passing you. Pull off the trail slightly if possible and make sure people can pass without getting “sniffed.” Remember, some people are deathly afraid of dogs like others are of spiders or clowns.
- Speaking of yielding, when hikers meet other hikers, the group going uphill has the right of way for safety reasons so keep that in mind as well.
- Stay on the trail and minimize your impact in general and obey all rules specific to the trail you are on. Don’t know the rules? Get a guidebook or ask a ranger if there are any special guidelines of which you need to be aware.
- Do not disturb wildlife, creatures or any aspect of the land. Leave it as you found it and try to minimize your impact at all times. This is the only way we will preserve these spaces for generations to come.
- Don’t roll rocks – or anything else – off of overlooks or cliffs as you have no idea what (or who!) may be below you.
- Some advise that your dog should wear a bandana, reflective vest or pack because it helps to make them look friendlier. I guess that could be true. Also, a reflective vest could be especially smart during hunting season; a pack really useful; and a bandana could be soaked with water to help keep you dog cool … so sure, why not?
- Your dog should have basic obedience and listen when you tell him/her to sit, lay down, stay, etc. It’s also really helpful if they have a “no barking” command as they will for sure see or hear something they want to talk about! If you normally have treats to reward/reinforce good behavior, then by all means, bring some along!
At the end of the day, it’s about being a steward for our environment and realizing that not everyone thinks your dog is as perfect as you do. We should all try to convince those we encounter that having dogs on trails is a perfectly pleasant experience!
