... my wife.

We met on the AT in 98 at Neel's Gap, Ga. and have been together ever since. The thing that first drew us together was her awesome dog, a 10 year old Samoyed who by the time they were done had hiked 1700 miles of the AT.

There is no doubt in the mind of anyone who knew this dog, that she loved every moment of her many hikes.

General advice: A dog is a partner on trail, not a pet. Please remember that by choosing to take your dog, you are choosing to take full responsibility for the dog's well-being. This includes health, first aid, diet, and behaviour. Your dog trusts you as the leader of the pack. Please don't abuse that trust. Make the animal your first priority, over and above yourself, a cute new boy/girlfriend, or even the hike itself, and the two of you may have many miles of adventure to strengthen your lives together. I say that you "may" have many miles, because it is important to note that just as with people, NOT ALL DOGS ARE HIKERS. Take the time to find out if hiking suits your dog's personality.

Make sure to break the dog in to the experience at a reasonable pace. Long walks, then short hikes, leading to progressively longer hikes and finally overnighters are the way to go. Not only does this allow the dog to get into hiking shape, but it allows both of you to learn what it really means to be hiking partners. You also get a good opportunity to work out a reasonable pace, what gear works and doesn't, etc. It's also an excellent idea to train together (obedience classes) This gives the two of you a clear system of communication and can go a long way towards avoiding confrontations with some other hikers who don't like dogs so when they see you they get really rude because you aren't living life their way and they have a descending level of consciousness due to the fact that they aren't drinking enough water. Have your dog sit and stay, water them away from the water source, then politely try to get the bitter hiker to drink some water too. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Packs: Our dogs carry packs with their own food, meds, booties, halter collars, etc. Note: an empty dog pack is not a good idea, it will slip around and chafe MUCH more than a pack with gear in it, so in training start out light, but not empty. Take the time to fit the pack. Many gear shops will let you bring the dog in to try on the pack. You probably wouldn't use a pack without making sure it fits, why should the dog? And check it often, no matter how many miles it has been worn. Look for rubbing, hair loss, any signs that it may cause pain or discomfort, take steps to alleviate (moleskin, padding, sometimes you have to carry the pack for a day) Places to look when fitting: The strap under the belly. Make sure it doesn't rub across exposed skin or genitalia, nipples. Padded straps are better than not. Also check the chest strap to make sure it fits the chest and not the neck. Straps should be snug but not tight, two fingers should fit easily under the straps, but the pack should not easily slip around. Packs with mesh across the back are cooler than those with nylon. Finally, when you pack it ,and as you take items from it, care must be taken to ensure a balanced load.
A good resource is this shop in Asheville, N.C. : trailhound.com

Health Note: a dog will walk the protective pads right off of their paws until there is nothing but blood merely because you, the leader, are still hiking. It is imperative that you pay constant attention to the signals your dog is giving out. They will not shout,"Hey Jerkwad, Slow Down, I've got giardia here!" Learn your dog's language. A head tilt can mean something stuck in the ear. Licking the lips can mean thirst (whip out that extra platy bag that YOU carry JUST FOR THE DOG) tail down, slow pace, wandering attention are all signs that the dog is tired and not having a good time. Stop for a break, remove packs, snack, drink, play, check paws. If necessary, abandon your hike. Remember the dog is your highest priority.

First Aid: We carry very little that is dog specific. Just flea and tick preventative, heartworm meds for multimonth trips, and booties for foot protection and as makeshift foot bandages. Anything else we need is available in our kits, or we can improvise.
Do not give your dog human pain killers. Ibuprofen and Naproxen are TOXIC. Aspirin can be given, but really shouldn't be, so don't. IF YOUR DOG IS LIMPING GET OFF THE TRAIL. Rest, see a vet.

Food: We carry high protein Iams for large breeds. Nothing special, just extra food and some good treats and snacks.

Wildlife: Leashes help here, but there is always risk. It is the wilderness you know. As far as black bears go our experience is that they want nothing to do with you and the most you will see is a big black butt. Grizzly and Mt. Lions, well, we have no experience here, so we won't advise.

Misc: We put hunting bells from Cabela's on our dogs' collars. We also recommend having your dog microchipped in case they get separated. Blaze orange is a good idea in hunting season. Collars that have buckles are better than those that slip through a ring. Our dogs' really like their own sleep pad. We use a couple of sections of z-rest cut to fit.

That's all that comes to mind at the moment. If you have any specific questions, post them in this thread and I'll pass along my wife's answers. When getting advice from your Vet, pay attention, but try to find one knows hiking as well as dogs.

-RenMan, hiker
-Buttercup, DVM
-Boogerhead, traildog