Naturally we had our usual moment of confusion in finding there trailhead – our signature move – but a quick glance at the map in Katina’s hands led us up the gravel road and to the trail. I had read reviews on their website so was not surprised by the steep 0.5 mile beginning. Nothing like getting started with switchbacks! However we were all surprised – dogs included – with how out of shape for this particular activity the winter had left us. Sheesh!

This first 0.5 mile of steep-ness connects to a loop with the usual terrain and more elevation changes. The best part? Well, don’t tell but the dogs were off leash almost the entire time! Fabulous for all of us! You can relate if you have ever tried to keep three leashes from tangling while navigating a small rock scramble. We only saw one pair of hikers while on our way up and one more on our way down – bliss! I’m pretty sure our story telling was the loudest sound in the woods that morning.

We did the hike at a relaxed 1:50 pace. We cruised through part of the loop but then stopped a couple times to water the dogs. We recommend checking out the website before you go, and we always advise our friends with dogs to go early before the rest of the hikers are done with breakfast. We will definitely be going back!

*Note: For the purposes of this post, I just re-read the website page. Um, it says no dogs allowed. Whoops. OK, so we can’t tell you to take your dogs because that would be wrong. [wink]

Instead, we loaded up the SUV and accepted an invitation from an OBH friend, Pawgevity, to attend their Octoberfest out I-66 at The Plains exit. OBH is a BIG fan of Carol and her Pawgevity raw food and Pawgevity has long shared OBH’s blog with their fans so it was time to meet in person – finally!

The weather was perfect for fall and when we arrived the straw bale maze was already in place along with a few vendors and some farmers’ market yummies (of course we had a carmel apple!). While we did not partake in the costume contest and didn’t stay for the straw bale toss, the day was sprinkled with activities for dogs and their guardians.

Of course it wouldn’t be an OBH story without something mortifying – haha. Indie and Karma were naturally excited to be in a new place with so much going on. As predicted, on two 6′ leashes they always wanted to be 18′ apart and I had a few moments where I threatened like any mom would, “If you don’t behave, you’re going back in the car.” And so on. I was unreasonable (perhaps) about my expectations of my dogs who have earned a sum total of 20 titles and I later apologized to them. (And really, they weren’t so bad)

However … the mortifying part was when some nice, well-meaning woman with a 10-pound dog came up to me to suggest that if I used the harness she had in her hand perhaps my dogs would stop pulling. OMG. Deep breath. I reminded myself she meant well and I came up with some reason why they were pulling and how we were all set without the harness. After she left, I tuned to the dogs, “Do you have any idea how embarrassing that was?” Of course not. Heck, they probably were laughing their tails off!

I wised up and put Karma in the car while Indie played with her new friends and then switched them once Indie was tired and Karma had settled. A much happier experience for all of us.

Thanks again to Pawgevity for a great outing and for reminding me that dogs will be dogs and I love them no matter what.

It’s the first cold fall-like morning here in Virginia. While I’ve bundled up in my robe and slippers, Cannon’s also bundled up.  He had cold ears, so while I sit at my computer he’s trying to nap. And yes… I have blue walls.

The movie Bull Durham has given me some of my favorite quotes, and this one seemed to fit our recent weekend in Shenandoah National Park: “This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains.”

Yup, sometimes it rains and did it ever!

The OBH crew arrived Friday night to the Big Meadows campground and thankfully Katina snagged the last walk-up spot since all the reservation sites were booked. She and Cannon had time for a beautiful walk in the Big Meadow before Karma and I, with new puppy Indie, pulled into the grounds.

The next morning it was a yummy breakfast followed by the Lewis Falls hike we had done before. We laughed as we struggled – as usual – to find the obvious trailhead, but it was smooth sailing from there as Indie completed her inaugural 3+ mile hike like a big girl.

The afternoon was lovely and then the rain came …

It started just before dinner and luckily I had packed a giant (seriously, GIANT) umbrella meant to create shade at the beach but also stave off the light rain shower. Well it was a good thing because all five of us huddled under it and made dinner during a brief “intermission.”

We finally gave up and went to our tents early as we were sitting in the rain, in the dark and Cannon had long since retired. It poured all night. Pounding, glad-I-have-a-good-tent kind of rain. And in the morning, when it was still raining at 8 a.m., we surrendered and packed up, shoving our tents in garbage bags. So much for a morning hike in the Big Meadow!

So it got me thinking about rain gear. Sooner or later it happens to everyone, so what do you pack for these moments?

For me, I was happy to be loading up wearing rain pants and my rain jacket with a hood but I was bummed that a baseball hat and/or rain hat was at home. It didn’t bother me that my feet were wet (only because it was already 80 degrees), but rain boots would be nice in cooler weather. I was grateful for large (yard sized) garbage bags, several towels and the fact that I have a seat/cargo cover for wet dogs. The giant umbrella was a bonus because otherwise we would have been forced to retire to our separate tent hours earlier. We are fair weather hikers but I will probably toss a garbage bag in my day pack just in case I need to keep something dry.

“… Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains.”

Lately I have been comparing notes with my friends on this exact subject. I would be curious to hear back from our fans to learn what is – and is not – working for them.

I am especially desperate for a few reasons: 1) I have really hairy dogs! And the odds of finding one on them in time are not in my favor. 2) I have decided I don’t want to apply any more pesticides on my dog (like the liquids applied to their skin monthly – not mentioning brand names). My breed just has too many health issues and I don’t want to add to them. 3) Ticks gross me out. Period.

On our recent camping trip I put a natural/herbal collar on both dogs and sprayed them each morning with a natural flea/tick/mosquito deterrent. Then when I brought them home I gave them a flea and tick bath deciding the harshness to their skin was outweighed by the nastiness of the ticks. I didn’t find any on them, but …

Since then, I have heard a few other tips that I may try:

• Spray a Deet insect repellent on a bandana and tie around their neck.
• Spray them with rose geranium essential oil diluted in water.
• Spray then with garlic oil diluted in water. (Will they smell like pasta?)
• Feed them garlic oil. (watch the amounts per their size!)
• Add brewer’s yeast with garlic to their food.

What are you doing to combat the beasts from hell?

Times like this kindle my already flaming desire to shop! Surely I must need something, right? Well, realistically, probably not as over the years I have amassed quite the camping war chest.

So today we revisit a well-stocked “kitchen.” As you know, we OBH girls don’t eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or spaghetti when we are in the woods. No way! We love to try new recipes on the grill and see just how far we can push camp cooking. My only consistent request: S’mores. Yum!

We have created the attached checklist for you to get started building your “kitchen bin.” My bin stays packed year-round and I just pull it from its place in storage and into the car without worrying I have forgotten something. My bin is air-tight/water-tight so I don’t worry about anything getting dirty during transport or sitting around a dusty campsite.

If we forgot something, please let us know! I will run out and buy it immediately!

As humans, we likely have the all too familiar “get healthy/lose weight” goal listed on our to-dos. As dog owners, we also have a list of resolutions that are Fido focused – with anything from mastering that inconsistent come command to giving your dog the happiest life possible. And if no one else has said this to you yet, I’d like to be the first to say – “you can do it!” Whatever has made it to your list of wants and desires for 2011 it’s yours for the taking.

To get you started, I recommend picking one thing off your list and making a plan for how you can make that resolution/goal a reality. It may take you a day to accomplish or it may take you three months. Don’t worry, it’s not a race J you’ve got all year.

For those of you with fitness goals (you and/or your dogs), you can “get two dogs with one bone” here. The tried and true method, of course, is getting out and walking your dog at least once a day. A recent issue of AKC Family Dog has highlighted some additional recommendations that sound like fun for both you and your pup.

• Running agility
• Practice “doga”
• Participate in the YMCA Power of Pets program (offered locally at the Silver Spring YMCA)

There are also an endless number of outdoor activities, a myriad of which we feature here at Outbound Hound. Are you going for a fitter you and more balanced pup in 2011? If so, please share what activities you will be doing to obtain that goal. Have a different goal? We’d love to read about it so please share!

Lucky for me, Karma could care less. However, my previous dog, Dugan, was terrified. I remember the exact day it started, too. It was July 3 and a neighbor was shooting off fireworks for his son’s birthday. Unfortunately they were practically in the backyard so the noises were up close.

This is when Dugan would sit on my head. Yup. Since fireworks work best in the dark, we were already tucked in for the night and he decided the safest place was by my head. Poor baby literally didn’t know what to do.

Ah, but Dugan was really smart – in this case, too smart. He transferred his fear of fireworks to thunder. And then figured out that lightening preceded thunder so he became afraid of that as well, even if there was no clap to follow. The ultimate transference happened when we moved to San Francisco right outside a (electric) bus stop. If you’ve ever been to SanFran you know that the busses “zap” and create mini “lightening.” Now I had a dog afraid of electric busses.

Today I would do what I do best and throw money at the problem. My friends at AgileDogs Rock!! sell a great new product called “Thundershirts” that the dog wears like a type of dog coat. It works by gently applying pressure and creating a “squeezing” effect which is scientifically proven to calm animals and people. (Think Temple Grandin and her squeeze shoots)

Other ways to help

• Keep you dog physically away from the fireworks or thunder as much as possible. A quiet place in the house, a safe corner, a favorite bed in just the perfect spot can all help to reduce anxiety.
• Turn on the lights, turn up some soothing music and create other distractions. Try playing games or doing other activities the dog enjoys.
• Incorporate Bach Flower Remedies which have formulas for specific situations like this.
• Be sure your pet is wearing ID in case he decides to make a run for it.

What about Dugan? Well since he was such a smarty-pants, he eventually figured out that “bus lightening” didn’t mean that thunder would follow. As a matter of fact, that micro-climate rarely has thunderstorms so he came to decouple the lightening from the thunder. Once that happened, he sort of just let the thunder go. Of course, he was 12 at the time!

Yet so often we put our pets’ needs ahead of our own. Truth is, there are ways to save and your pooch will never be the wiser!

Coupons | look for coupons, discount codes and free samples everywhere – online, magazines, stores, facebook, twitter and in the mail. Also, with a little effort you can often find free samples of your favorite products.

Bulk Up | Whenever you can buy in volume or buy packages. Some places offer deals for buying quantity and some service providers (like groomers) offer packages which will offer savings.

Shop Smarter | Look around for deals. Chances are you have gotten into habits about where you shop when in fact, there may be a better deal out there is another store or online.

Join Up | Loyalty programs reward repeat purchases so check to see if the brands you buy or the stores you frequent have such benefits.

Time It Right | Pay attention to when the sales occur. Join mailing lists to find out about sales at your favorite stores or of preferred brands.

Ignore the Calendar | Your dog doesn’t know that it’s not cool to play with a Santa toy in April so look for items post-holiday – they will be on sale.

Share | Often what you’re eating for dinner is a great treat for your pooch. Treats don’t have to be dog cookies, they can be blueberries or apples – anything healthy. Just don’t create a beggar – be sure to feed “people” food away from where you eat and certainly not while you’re eating it.

Tell Your Friends | Get in the habit of telling friends about the deals you find. Pretty soon they will be telling you about deals, too!

Most importantly, remember that it all adds up. Just $15 pays for a night at a great campground! I’m sure your dog wouldn’t mind playing with Santa if he knew he could be in the woods!!

My very favorite reason to build this type of engagement with your pup is just that – engagement! Working together builds that all-important bond while increasing confidence in both of you!

Here are several ways you can amp-up your exercise regime. Hopefully it will give you even more ideas:

Active commands | “Pushups” or “Puppy Pushups” are a great example of combining physical movement with thinking and general control. Have your dog begin in a “sit” then ask for a “down” then have him push up back into a sit. You’re conditioning muscles and mind while creating a great distraction behavior to use next time you’re waiting in the vet’s office.

Aerobics | Maybe not Jane Fonda style, but your pup needs to get his cardio on regularly. Just like you, your dog’s body gets used to the usual lap around the neighborhood and it can cease to be much of a workout over time. Vary the lengths, speed and intensity regularly.

Fun in the rain | Well not in the rain but while the weather is yucky bring a little agility indoors. Jumping through a hula-hoop started close to the ground can be another way to combine physical and mental challenges. Just watch the breakables and do not do this on bare, slippery floors!

Tag, you’re it! | Want to strengthen those recalls and improve cardio? Work distance recalls and increase the speed at which your dog returns to you. Leave the dog in a sit/down/stay position and go out only as far as you think your dog can be successful. Call your dog (or whatever your recall command is). Only when he starts to come and get closer do you turn and run, increasing distance and speed over time. Reward the dog only when they run to you, not by you! You’ll get faster and more consistent recalls and get those hearts beating (both of you!).

Get into the box | One of the best “shaping” exercises you can do – indoors, too – is interacting with a plain ol’ cardboard box. With the top of the box open, reward your dog for stepping in it – front feet, back feet, all feet. Then flip the box over and have him put his front paw(s) on it, then back feet then (depending on the size of your latest UPS delivery) all feet. The idea is to reward the dog for interacting with objects on his own. Not until they reliably do a behavior do you start to name it. The hardest part is not luring them, but letting them offer up behaviors in an attempt to earn the treat. Now if Karma even sees a box he will start offering me behaviors with it.

I work a bunch of these things into our daily lives. Often I will “announce” one of these ultra-short sessions with the question, “Do you want a chance to earn?” Guess what the answer is?