| So you want to start to hike with your
| |
| | diamond-shaped head. Unless cornered or
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| dog. Hiking with your dog can be a
| |
| | teased by humans, a rattlesnake will
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| fascinating way to explore America's
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| | crawl away and avoid striking. Avoid
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| great outdoors from a canine perspective.
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| | rocky areas, crevasses, caves, and areas
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| Some things to consider:Dog's
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| | where the ground cover (weed or grass)
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| HealthHiking can be a wonderful
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| | prevents you from seeing the ground.
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| preventative for any number of physical
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| | These are all places where snakes are
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| and behavioral disorders. One in every
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| | likely to hang out.If you hear a nearby
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| three dogs is overweight and running up
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| | rattle, stop immediately and hold your
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| trails and leaping through arroyos is
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| | dog back. Identify where the snake is and
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| great exercise to help keep pounds off.
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| | slowly back away.If you or your dog is
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| Hiking can also relieve boredom in a
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| | bitten, do not panic. Put ice against the
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| dog's routine and calm dogs prone to
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| | bite, tie a rope or piece of clothing
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| destructive habits. And hiking with your
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| | around the leg above the wound (but not
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| dog strengthens the overall owner/dog
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| | so tight you shut off blood circulation)
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| bond.Breed of DogAll dogs enjoy the new
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| | and get to a hospital or veterinarian
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| scents and sights of a trail. But some
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| | with as little physical movement as
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| dogs are better suited to hiking than
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| | possible. In many cases a rattlesnake
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| others. If you don't as yet have a hiking
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| | might give "dry bites" where no poison is
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| companion, select a breed that matches
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| | injected, but you should always check
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| your interests. Do you look forward to an
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| | with a doctor after a bite even if you
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| entire afternoon's hiking? You'll need a
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| | feel fine or your dog looks fine. Keep in
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| dog bred to keep up with such a pace,
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| | mind that snakes fill an important
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| such as a retriever or a spaniel. Is a
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| | function in the ecosystem; without them
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| half-hour enough walking for you? It may
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| | we would drown in mice and other rodents,
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| not be for an energetic dog like a border
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| | so there is no reason to harm them.If you
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| collie. If you already have a hiking
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| | hike where rattlesnakes are common you
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| friend, tailor your plans to his
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| | can look for the services of trainers who
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| abilities.ConditioningJust like humans,
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| | will get your dog "snake-broke" for
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| dogs need to be acclimated to the task at
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| | life.CougarsThese elusive big cats are
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| hand. An inactive dog cannot be expected
| |
| | extremely shy and are rarely seen.
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| to bounce from the easy chair in the den
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| | Cougars are fearful of humans but dogs
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| to complete a 3-hour hike. You must also
| |
| | don't frighten them. Still, they might
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| be physically able to restrain your dog
| |
| | view smaller dogs as prey - one more
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| if confronted with distractions on the
| |
| | reason to always keep your dog close on
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| trail (like a scampering squirrel or a
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| | the trail.TicksTicks can carry Lyme
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| pack of joggers). Have your dog checked
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| | disease, HGE (Human Granulocytic
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| by a veterinarian before significantly
| |
| | Ehrlichiosis) and Babesiosis, all nasty
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| increasing her activity level.WeatherHeat
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| | stuff you want to avoid. To help
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| and sun do dogs no favors. With no sweat
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| | combat,avoid deep grass and bushes. Tick
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| glands and only panting available to
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| | repellant for you and your dog is a good
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| disperse body heat, dogs are much more
| |
| | idea, and always check your dog's fur
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| susceptible to heat stroke than we are.
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| | carefully before heading home. Ticks can
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| Unusually rapid panting and/or a bright
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| | be hard to spot on dogs with dark or long
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| red tongue are signs of heat exhaustion
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| | fur, but a simple comb can reveal any
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| in your pet. Always carry enough water
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| | intruders. If you or your dog gets
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| for your hike. Even days that don't seem
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| | bitten, immediately remove the tick. Use
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| too warm can cause discomfort in
| |
| | your fingers if you have to. Try to grab
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| dark-coated dogs if the sun is shining
| |
| | the tick as close to the head as possible
|
| brightly. In the wintertime, temperatures
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| | and pull straight out. Do not apply any
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| at higher elevations can drop well below
| |
| | oil before or after removal. If any part
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| zero in only a few minutes. In cold
| |
| | of the tick remains, or if swelling
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| weather, short-coated breeds may require
| |
| | itching or other complications develop,
|
| additional attention.AltitudeIf you are
| |
| | contact your doctor/vet.Other Trail
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| hiking in the mountains and you and your
| |
| | HazardsDogs won't get poison ivy but they
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| dog are not acclimated to the altitude,
| |
| | can transfer it to you. Some trails are
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| take it easy, and allow plenty of time
| |
| | littered with small pieces of broken
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| for rest, so your bodies can get used to
| |
| | glass that can slice a dog's paws. Nasty
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| the thinner air up here.BearsThe huge,
| |
| | thorns and thistles can also blanket
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| ferocious bear ripping through a campsite
| |
| | trails that we in shoes may never notice.
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| tent in our imaginations most likely
| |
| | Tumbleweeds are also very thorny and
|
| refers to the grizzly bear. These bears
| |
| | prickly in their natural state, and even
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| are long extinct in most places in the
| |
| | more so when they are dried and blowing.
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| Continental United States, but we do have
| |
| | They can stick in a dog's coat, and cut
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| the considerably smaller black bear. This
| |
| | fingers as we try to extract
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| bear is notoriously shy and hikers can
| |
| | them.WaterSurface water, including
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| spend a lifetime in these woods and never
| |
| | fast-flowing streams, is likely to be
|
| see one. Even so, always check a ranger
| |
| | infested with a microscopic protozoa
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| station for reported bear activity before
| |
| | called Giardia, waiting to wreck havoc on
|
| starting a wilderness hike. If you see a
| |
| | a dog's (and human's) intestinal system.
|
| black bear, stop and stay calm while
| |
| | The most common symptom is crippling
|
| keeping your dog close - bears do not
| |
| | diarrhea. Algae, pollutants and
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| like dogs. Do not shout and quiet your
| |
| | contaminants can all be in streams, ponds
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| dog from barking. Do not run, you cannot
| |
| | and puddles. If possible, carry fresh
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| outrun a bear and you don't want to look
| |
| | water for your dog on the trail - your
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| like prey. The bear will likely leave the
| |
| | dog can even learn to drink happily from
|
| area, but if not, talk in a low tone of
| |
| | a squirt bottle.copyright 2006I am the
|
| voice and slowly back away keeping your
| |
| | author of over 20 books, including 8 on
|
| dog by your side. If you decide to camp
| |
| | hiking with your dog, including the
|
| someplace, make sure to hang anything
| |
| | widely praised The Canine Hiker's Bible.
|
| edible in a tree away from your tent at
| |
| | As publisher of Cruden Bay Books, we
|
| least 10 feet above the ground and 5 feet
| |
| | produce the innovative A Bark In The
|
| away from the tree
| |
| | Park series of canine hiking books found
|
| trunk.RattlesnakesRattlesnakes are found
| |
| | at
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| in every state in America. It is not a
| |
| | During the warm months I lead canine
|
| particularly aggressive animal but you
| |
| | hikes as
|
| should treat any rattlesnake with respect
| |
| | tour leader for tours, leading packs of
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| and keep your distance. A rattler's
| |
| | dogs and humans on
|
| colors may vary but they are recognized
| |
| | day and overnight trips.
|
| by the namesake rattle on the tail and a
| |
| |
|
