Dog hiking tips? Harness, leash, pack?

[dougalcorn]

I saw someone highlighting their harness and some shock-cord lead they clipped to their belt. I should remember who it was, but I'm sorry I don't.

I've been doing some hiking with my dog but struggling with controlling her. She mostly wants to stay right in front of me on trail, but sometimes goes too fast. If I let her drag a leash, she does well and will come when called until she's tired. Then she just wants to get back home. After losing her a couple times, I've quit letting her drag a leash.

I've tried a 6' and a 20' leash. I much prefer the longer leash, but it tends to get tangled more. I tried clipping to her buckle collar, a pinch collar, and a slip collar. Today I used a harness we have for buckling her in the car with a seat belt. I think I like that option best.

Those who regularly hike with dogs, what do you do?

Edit: oops, looks like I posted to the wrong sub-forum. Moderators, can you move this to the appropriate place? I don't see how to move it or delete it

[Floridahanger]

That's probably Fronkey.

Check him out on youtube. Many great vids with his pups.

[Jayson]

My dogs is only allowed to walk beside or slightly behind me when on leash. Off leash is free time but he is trained to basically walk with no tension on the leash...it can be held with 2 fingers, even meeting another dog.

[Fronkey]

Yep, that sounds like Tala and myself. At the end of this video you can hear me talk about my dog's gear. I do like having the pull cord leash and my dog is extremely well trained while on it. I also trained her while wearing it too.


Fronkey

[dougalcorn]

Looking at Mountain Ridge's web site, the seem to indicate the tracking harness would be better than the x-type if it's attached to your waist. Have you notices any problems? That x-type harness looks more comfortable for the dog though. I don't really know anything about it.

Do you have any issues with the line getting tangled? Does she lead with the line taught? What suggestions do you have for training the dog to hike with you?

[grannypat]

Maybe some obedience lessons and then new harness?

[Sailor]

I'm taking the dog's POV on this...imagine you're blind and everything has to do with smell and its all new..I've taken several dogs hiking, but...I only do it for them...meaning, I try to figure out where their head's are at.

Generally, I've trained them to walk with and slightly behind me in town. In the woods. I reserve that for specific situations. The rest of the time, I let them loose to sniff While moving, I let them drift, to enjoy all the new smells. At night, a leash and we're close.

Gotta give them their due, and out camping, what trouble the cause being free is owed them, because its the time they really get to be dogs. I owe 'em.

[dougalcorn]

Sailor,I get that. We're hiking for both of our enjoyment. Hers primarily comes from sniffing the trail, but also running. I think that's why I like the harness vs. some collar. But I really feel I need to keep her on leash and attached to me. She's about a year and a half, and I don't yet have a good recall (or a good loose leash either). I guess I've been too lazy with her and haven't done enough training.

[sliver]

The first problem you need to solve with your dog is pulling on the leash. Get a short one with no stretch and yank on it every time they start to pull. An easy dog will learn to stop pulling after the 10 yanks or so. A stubborn dog will take 20-30. Yeah, I know... it takes patience. Keep those numbers in mind because they apply to just about all of the other things you want to teach dogs as well.

The second problem you need to solve is teaching them to "heel", which means having them walk beside you without having any tension on the leash. Use a 6 ft leash.

If they tend to fall back, drape the leash just below your knees so that every time they get too far behind your knees start hitting the leash.

If they tend to get ahead of you, spin the leash like a propeller just in front of you so it hits their nose every time they get too far ahead of you.

Another trick you can use once you have graduated from using a leash is when they get ahead of you, turn left abruptly so you run into them. Walk in a short tight circle until you're heading the original direction. That will usually remind them where they should be and who the leader of the pack is.

The proper place is no farther ahead of your leg than they can see you from the corner of their eye. They should be watching you, the leader, to follow where you go, not the other way around. They should also be no more than 2 ft behind your leg.

Dogs should be trained to heel on the left side. Why? Because you walk on the left side of the street facing traffic. If they are on the right side, they are in the street by the traffic. Bad idea.

Here are some general dog training rules:
o 5 minutes twice a day is a lot better than 20 minutes once a day.
o Dogs are much easier to train at the end of a walk or romp when they've had a chance to burn off energy.
o Rewards work a lot better than punishment.
o Don't give them a command unless you intend to enforce it.
o Give the command, like "Heel." once. Then, enforce it if they aren't responding. Otherwise, you're just teaching them to ignore you.

Inevitably, your dog is going to challenge you for dominance either by getting aggressive or by ignoring your commands. The best way to respond to that challenge is by rolling them over on their backs, forming a "C" with your hand, pressing the ends of the "C" on either side of their windpipe, and yelling "NO!". You don't need to choke them or hit them. When they look away from you they are signaling submission. Hold them down until that happens, then let them up. They can't resist that - it's instinctive. That's how the wolf pack leader disciplines the pack.

I don't use a leash except in the infrequent, but inevitable, instances where they decide to test who is the leader of the pack and they need a little leash time to remind them that their freedom is mine to give or take away based on their behavior. Usually, 2 minutes is all it takes.

You may be thinking why all of the dominance games. Dogs are not people. They are more governed by instinct. Knowing their place in the pack not only gives them confidence but, more importantly, keeps them safe. If they don't think you are the pack leader, they will assume they are. Not good. Especially, when it comes to aggression. It's up to you to establish how much aggression is allowed and when, not the dog. BTW, it's not cute when small dogs are allowed to get aggressive w/larger dogs. That will get them killed one day when you're not around.

Imagine an animal that can run nearly 30mph and has to go through the torture of being on a 3ft leash while you're walking at 5mph. That's what it's like for an untrained dog.

Think about what that would be like.

HTH

[Kaycee]

This is the best picture I can find of the leash I made. It is flat tube web strap that has 1/4 elastic cord sewn inside. It will stretch out to about 7', and clips to my belt with a biner. I like to have both hands free. The stretch is great on trails when on steep or rough terrain keeps the dog form pulling you off balance. Molly wears a ruff gear harness with a handle on the back so I can lift her over obstacles on the trail.