I love my dog Barley’s fluffy, silky coat. He’s a sight to behold when he’s enjoying the breeze, tail whipping in the wind as he bounds across a mountain ridge. Unfortunately, that glorious floof has its downside: Barley collects everything on the trail. At times, he may have an entire micro-ecosystem of burrs, stickers, lichens, moss, twigs, and even 6-inch sticks tangled in his coat.
After a long workweek, there is nothing as fun and rewarding as taking a trip with your family. Your four-legged best friend should not be missing, either! Not every destination is suitable for dogs though. Before heading out, make sure that your adventure will be tailored towards accommodating dogs.
There’s a lot of excitement centered on getting that new dog or puppy. We dream of the adventures we’ll pursue together and the deep bond that’ll be built for years to come. As a dog owner and trainer, when I think about what characteristics I want to instill in a dog or puppy, three things come to mind. I want to develop a happy dog, a good dog, and dog that loves me.
I get the opportunity to work with a number of different dogs each year, and I have yet to find two exactly the same. They all have their own personality, quirks, and story. Just like people, they’re all unique, and so I have to customize my training approach to each individual. However, one thing all dogs have in common is they need leadership.
Earlier this week, I was working with my dog, Dot, on some advanced training. Overnight she went from having an awesome training session where I though we turned the corner on some things, to going in the complete opposite direction. One thing we can easily overlook as dog owners is, just like people, dogs have off days.
When we walked into the shelter, a hundred hopeful faces turned our way. Each dog eager to please, to be loved, to find a home. Each kennel holding an adoptable dog. We rounded the corner and found the one who’s online photo had brought us there in the first place — Trigger, the German Shorthair Pointer mix who’s mug shots had made us burst out laughing and jump in the car within minutes to make the hour drive to Salt Lake City.
Bear, Kashi, and I have been traveling the country full time for about three months now. Our journey to get here was not easy, but the puzzle pieces kept falling into place making it possible for us. We try to spend as much time as we can exploring, but we weren’t always the adventurous family.
Camping is always an exhilarating experience; it is even more fun for some when they bring along their pets, especially their dogs or puppies. However, before taking your dog for an outdoor camping trip, ensure your camping checklist comprises the following necessities to make both yours and your dog’s camping experience exciting and comfortable.
We’ve all seen those beautiful photos of a dog majestically balanced on the edge of a stand-up paddleboard.
But for many of us, our first experience paddleboarding with our dog is anything but majestic.
Arguably the most important piece of gear any hiker or backpacker can purchase is a good pair of hiking boots. But what about your four-legged companion? Do dogs need shoes for hiking?
In general, most dogs do not need shoes (or dog booties) for hiking.
In our last article, we discussed the first three main things to know about backpacking with dogs. We talked about your dog’s fitness, the trail, and tent matters. Now it’s time to dig into the other four things to know about backpacking with your dog!
I absolutely love backpacking with my border collie, Barley. There are few greater joys than watching his white-tipped tail flagging through the Minnesota underbrush, witnessing his discovery of an icy Colorado mountain stream, curling up with him in the cold of a Utah desert night.
