Hi everyone. I am a keen hill walker/wild camper and often go to the Lake District or Scotland for a few days to hike and camp, carrying all the gear on my back. Guinness my black lab is a year old now and I would love to take him walking next year. Has anyone got any experience/advice for me in terms of special gear needed for hiking or the logistics of camping with a dog! Look forward to your replies Tom
Re: hiking and camping with dogs in tow Hi there, no I don't have experience, but I want to do hill walking with Poppy next year too. We thought of buying a harness - just in case she were to slip, or we needed to help her up a steep incline, or whatever. I'll be interested to hear any other suggestions, too! Not camping though. Need my warm shower after an eight hour hike, I'm afraid... :
Re: hiking and camping with dogs in tow Well, I live in Canada so things are possibly different here? But this is my experience from previous dogs (present pooch is a little to uncivilized to think about this just yet...)... Most places that are for hikers require dogs on leash, at least in the national parks here, and dogs also must be on leash in the campsite. So your dog would have to be okay with always being on leash or tied up in your campsite. Dogs also can't be left tied up in campsites if you are not there. So you couldn't go for a hike without him, for example. But like I said, that's the way it is here. Not sure what it's like in the UK - but I'm sure someone on the forum will know!
Re: hiking and camping with dogs in tow Hi Lisa thanks for that. Whereabouts in Canada are you, I have family in Banff, Alberta and I have been lucky enough to go hiking there. It is an incredible part of the world. I think Guinness would be OK to be on a Lead when camping. Ideally we would be wild camping so we wouldn't be on a site as such....the further away from other, noisy human beings, the better!!!
Re: hiking and camping with dogs in tow I live about 4 hours from Banff in central Alberta....lucky me! Yes, the Rockies are gorgeous.... Great hiking anywhere in the mountains. We're just in the beginning of the foothills here.
Re: hiking and camping with dogs in tow I think camping/walking with a dog is great & as you are probably aware there are a great number of people who take their dogs. I used to take my old dog fishing with me & there is nothing finer than having your companion with you. Night fishing for 4 days was an experience as I used to carry all the gear & my dog carried his water bowl!!! Having just recently come back from Derbyshire everywhere we went people had their dogs. We noticed it more this time as we knew we where getting Charlie. They where on all kinds of walks & even a huge amount of pubs are dog friendly so you ca nip in for a quick pint or 3 As Lisa rightly said even over here in the UK allot of campsites ask for dogs to be kept on a lead but hey that's no hardship. Gone are the days when you would struggle to find a campsite, even caravan parks are getting there ;D & I just love your dogs name, so cool ;D Go for it & have fun Cheers Dave
