I get a lot of questions about hiking with dogs. I have hiked with dogs and without and taking your furry friend on trail makes EVERYTHING substantially harder, no matter how well behaved they are.
Logistics are a nightmare.
It’s harder to find a place to stay and more expensive when you do find one.
You go at your dogs pace, not yours.
You rest when they need a break and for as long as they need.
If they get injured, be prepared to spend time and money in town and at the vet.
Dogs on trail is a 24/7 supervision and caretaker position. A calm, meditative walk in the woods is impossible when you have to constantly watch your furry friends to make sure they don’t step on a cactus, chase a rabbit into the woods, get too far ahead, or left behind sniffing deer poop.
You will wake up when they need to go out which can be multiple times in the middle of a freezing night because they ate a plant and now have explosive diarrhea. Also they will pop your sleeping pad at least once a week.
You will carry more weight because even if they have a pack, they can’t carry 10 lbs of dog food plus water and other dog supplies.
IMO, despite all of this, the sacrifices that come with bringing dogs on trail are WORTH IT. Hiking with Cooper and Truman has made this hike more enjoyable and rewarding than I could have imagined. I would choose the complications of hiking with dogs over crying every night missing them.
You can’t have a bad day on trail when you look up and see two silly dog butts wiggling down the trail in front of you. You can’t cry too long when you are attacked by dog kisses. You can’t wake up cranky when you’ve been cuddling a fuzzy puppy in your sleeping bag all night.
I hike because it brings me joy and it makes me a better version of myself. This is the same reason I have dogs. On or off trail, dogs have lessons to teach us through their bravery, tenacity, and humor. They inspire me to persevere despite setbacks. Hiking with dogs is not for everyone but if you prepare, it will make your hike 10x more fun.
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