Hiking with Dogs: A Complete Guide to Safe and Fun Trail Adventures
September 17th, 2025
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Hiking with dogs is one of the best ways to build your bond with your furry friend, all while offering environmental enrichment, stimulation, and physical exercise. A tired, enriched dog is a good dog, and the more time a dog spends with you doing things, the better your relationship will be.
As a certified professional dog trainer and longtime canine product reviewer, I have high standards for dog behavior, training, exercise, and gear. I believe that all dogs should get outside with their owners, and that they should be trained to be polite members of society on trail. That includes having solid recall, being polite to other people and dogs on trail, and not chasing wildlife.
This guide builds on Treeline’s Essential Gear for Hiking with your Dog guide, adding on extra training tips, things to think about before hiking with your dog, trainer-approved gear recommendations and safety considerations for wildlife, injuries, inclement weather, and more.
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Hiking with Dogs Gear Checklist
| DOG HIKING GEAR | PRODUCTS WE LIKE | MORE OPTIONS |
|---|---|---|
| Basics | ||
| Hands-free leash | Non-stop Dogwear Bungee Leash | Essential Gear for Hiking with Your Dog |
| Multiple dog leash | Non-Stop Dogwear Touring Double | |
| Day pack | Patagonia Refugio 26L | Best Day Hiking Backpacks |
| Backpacking pack | Six Moons Designs Swift X | Lightweight Backpacking Backpacks |
Pre-hike Preparation
Assess your dog's readiness
Age and health considerations: Your dog’s age is one factor that can affect how long your dog can hike for. If your dog is a puppy, it’s generally recommended to wait until your dog’s growth plates have closed, between one and two years old, to begin doing hikes with them—especially hikes with a lot of elevation gain and incline. Hiking with a young puppy before their growth plates are closed can cause injuries and long-term orthopedic issues.
Similarly, if you have a senior dog, you may need to limit their hiking mileage as well—particularly if they suffer from arthritis or other age-related conditions.
Any dog with pre-existing orthopedic conditions, like hip or elbow dysplasia, should be cleared by a vet before beginning to hike regularly.
Breed factors: Some breeds are better suited for longer hikes and hiking in certain climates. Active breeds like GSPs, Viszlas, Huskies, Border Collies, and Cattle Dogs can regularly do long hikes frequently with proper conditioning. Brachycephalic breeds like Basset Hounds, Dachshunds, Pugs, Bulldogs, French Bulldogs are often heat intolerant and may not be suited to long periods of strenuous exercise.
Current fitness level: How often your dog currently exercises will affect how long they can hike. If your pup isn’t used to walking or hiking much, starting slow and building distance gradually will build their endurance. Active dogs who regularly run, engage in dog sports, and hike with their owners will be able to handle longer hikes.
If you complete a hike and your dog isn't showing any signs of being tired (e.g., slowing down, panting, or stopping) by the end they may be ready to add on more distance.
Dogs can carry 10-25% of their body weight depending on fitness.
Health checkup: Check with your vet before hiking with your dog regularly. Your vet will be able to tell you if you should take any precautions with your dog on hikes based on their medical history and conformation. They can also ensure your pup is up to date on all necessary vaccines and regular preventatives, like flea and tick and heartworm medications.
Build your dog's hiking fitness and confidence
Start small: Make sure to start slow and build up your dog’s hiking duration, elevation gain, and difficulty over time. Only make one of these factors harder at a time.
Where to start will depend on your dog’s current fitness level. Talk to your vet or vet physical therapist to create a full fitness plan for your dog.
Watch for signs of overexertion: Heavy panting, excessive drooling, limping, slowing down, planting on the trail, or other anxious behaviors can all be signs that your dog is becoming overexerted. If you notice these, give your dog a break in the shade, offer some water, and let them rest before wrapping up your hike.
If your dog has a black or dark-colored coat, using a dog cooling vest in warm, sunny climates can help protect them from the sun and keep them cool.
Train essential commands before the trail
Whether your dog is on or off a leash, these commands are essential for a stress-free hiking experience with your dog.
Recall ("Come"): A solid, reliable recall is the most important skill you’ll use when hiking with your dog. Your dog should not be off leash without a proofed recall.
Even if you hike with your dog on a leash, calling them back to you can be helpful if you see wildlife, another dog, or people passing by who may not want a dog to greet them.
Practice this skill on-leash first, by calling your dog’s name, marking (saying “yes” or using a clicker) when they turn their head toward you, and rewarding with a treat when they come to you. Carrying high-value treats to reward your dog’s recall is helpful, especially when faced with tough distractions like other dogs or wildlife.
Solid recall is the most important safety skill for trail dogs.
"Leave it" and "Drop it": Teaching your dog a “leave it” command is helpful if they see another dog, see wildlife, or attempt to eat anything on the trail. “Drop it” is helpful if they have something potentially hazardous in their mouth.
My dog, Dashi, loves other dogs and will often look at another dog on the trail when they come into sight. Asking her to “leave it” when she does this lets her know the other dog is off limits. You never know if other dogs are friendly or not, so ensuring your dog is under your control and doesn’t go up to other dogs helps keep everyone safe.
"Wait" or "Stay": It’s helpful to have a reliable stay or wait command to use while other hikers pass you, at trail junctions and stream crossings if your dog is off leash ahead of you, and for wildlife encounters.
“Heel”: A heel command is useful whether your dog is on or off leash. Use it when passing other groups of hikers, or if you need to keep your dog close to you on a narrow trail.
Backpack training: If you’re going backpacking with your dog, getting your dog used to a Dog Hiking Backpack will help them carry their gear comfortably while hiking.
Troubleshooting common issues
Fear-based behaviors: Slow desensitization with high-value treats can help. Seek the assistance of a certified professional dog trainer or dog behaviorist to help with moderate to severe fear behaviors.
Overexcitement: Practice neutrality around other dogs, people, or other triggers your pup is excited about. Build value in interactions with you instead of interactions with other dogs and people.
Inconsistent recall: If your dog has inconsistent recall, they should be on a leash 100% of the time. Practice recall on a leash, and reward your dog with high-value food or toys when they come back to you. You can increase difficulty by using a long leash before taking them off the leash completely.
Gear rejection: Slow desensitization can also help here. If your dog doesn’t like their gear, try putting it on, rewarding, then taking it off. You can slowly build the amount of time your dog wears their gear, while rewarding frequently. If your dog tolerates it, you can play with them with a favorite toy or offer an enrichment toy like a lick mat or stuffed kong while they wear their gear to help with desensitization.
Trail planning and research
Choose dog-friendly trails
Research regulations: Make sure that you’re taking your dog to a dog-friendly trail. If you’re looking for relaxed leash rules, BLM land, National Forests, and other non-national park federal lands usually have relaxed leash laws—though ensure that your dog is under your voice control if they’re off-leash.
Check local guidelines for dog-specific guidance, especially if you’re in a state or national park. Over the years, I’ve taken my dogs to quite a few national parks. Though the amount of trails you can do with dogs in most national parks is limited, some are dog friendly. Acadia National Park has miles of carriage roads available to dogs, Joshua Tree National Park has plenty of unpaved 4WD roads open to dogs, and plenty of other parks offer B.A.R.K. Ranger programs for something fun to do with your dog while visiting.
If you’d like to do more strenuous hikes and you’re visiting a national park, my go-to is to spend a day driving around the park and doing the short dog-friendly nature walks (usually on paved roads). Then, research local federal lands outside of the national park boundary. BLM or forest service land surrounding national parks usually has similar scenery as inside the park, but is more dog-friendly. Depending on trail conditions, you may want to consider dog goggles.
Check leash laws: Check online for local leash laws. Trails vary from on-leash to off-leash friendly, and some will have seasonal restrictions. For example, in Boulder, Colorado where I hike with my dogs regularly, there are usually seasonal closures on certain trails during Peregrine Falcon nesting season.
Consider difficulty: Make sure to pick a trail that’s appropriate for your dog’s fitness level. Consider elevation gain, distance, weather, and rocky surfaces. Also consider the local wildlife. Areas with lots of wildlife (elk/moose/bears) may not be suitable for off-leash dogs.
Weather and seasonal considerations: If you’re hiking with your dog in the summer, ensure you have gear to cool them off if needed, and be aware of hot pavement that can burn your dog’s paws. Check out our Best Dog Cooling Vests, Best Dog Water Bottles, and Best Dog Shoes guides for our recommendations.
In the winter, the same applies for cold weather gear and icy conditions that may hurt your dog’s paws. In addition to the Best Dog Shoes guide linked above, you may want to check out our Best Dog Coats and Jackets, Best Dog Raincoats, and How to Ski and Snowshoe with Your Dog guides.
If you and your pup are hiking in an area where hunting is legal, ensure you and your dog wear something highly visible, like a bright orange vest.
Water access: If you’re hiking near natural water sources and don’t want to carry you and your dog’s water for the entire trip, bring along a water filter to purify water. Don’t allow your dog to drink out of natural water sources without filtering the water—they could pick up harmful pathogens or bacteria from drinking out of rivers, streams, puddles, or lakes.
Plan for your dog's needs
Turnaround points: Sometimes, dogs get tired or injured and a hike may not go according to plan. Plan bailout options for tired or injured dogs, and be prepared to turn around if your dog is telling you that they’re done.The same goes for weather: even if your dog isn’t showing signs of fatigue, prepare an alternate option for hot-weather days.
If your dog injures a paw pad, gets a foxtail, or starts limping, plan to abandon the rest of your hike and head home or seek veterinary care if needed. We also recommend bringing a dog first-aid kit on your adventures.
Emergency considerations: You may not have cell service on a hike, so tell a friend or family member where you and your dog are hiking and what time you’re planning on being back in case of an emergency. For long backcountry camping trips, consider a GPS communication device, like the Garmin inReach Mini 2.
Pack an emergency dog sling, like the Ruffwear BackTrak Dog Evacuation Kit, so you can carry your dog if they get injured while hiking.
Keeping a dog GPS collar on your pup is also a useful security precaution in case they get lost while hiking.
Looking for a complete checklist for camping with your dog? See our Dog Camping Essentials: What to Pack for a Safe and Fun Trip
Essential hiking skills for dogs
Leash etiquette and safety
Whether you leash your dog or not while hiking will depend on your local trail regulations, safety concerns (like local wildlife), and your dog’s training level. Off-leash dogs can be a nuisance to other hikers and wildlife if they aren’t trained or managed properly, so pups should only hike off leash if the trail allows it and if they have extensive, proofed recall training, are friendly/neutral with other dogs and people, and won’t chase or disturb wildlife.
Hands-free leash benefits: If your dog needs to be on a leash while hiking, a bungee leash like the Non-stop Dogwear Bungee Leash is the best option, since it absorbs shock when your dog pulls or switches directions. A hands-free leash can also be helpful, but if you hike with a daypack or backpacking pack with a hip belt, sliding the handle of your dog’s leash through the hip belt strap is an easy hands-free workaround (and is usually what I do to prevent bulk).
Preventing tangles: Teaching your dog how to “fix” their leash when it goes under a front leg is helpful. To teach this, tap your dog’s front foot where the leash is tangled. Then when they pick up their foot, slide the leash under, mark with “yes” and reward.
If you hike with multiple dogs on leash, using a splitter like the Non-stop Dogwear Touring Double can make it easier to walk two dogs at once (though you’ll still need to teach them to walk side by side on it).
Stream crossings and water safety
Safe crossing techniques: Whenever crossing water with your dog, scout it out first. This is best done with your dog in a sit or down stay or tied to a tree or your backpack with their leash. Check if any rocks, logs, or bridges over the water are non-slippery and sturdy enough for your dog. If the water is shallow and slow moving, your dog may want to walk through it (especially if they enjoy splashing around).
If any crossing points seem unstable for your dog or if your dog is nervous, support them. I like using a harness with a vertical handle down the back for these purposes, since you can grab your dog with one hand and cross over together. My favorite dog hiking harnesses with handles are the Ruffwear Web Master Harness and the Ruffwear Flagline Harness.
Support your dog using the handle on their harness during water crossings, especially in current.
Post-crossing care: Check your dog’s paws for injuries or debris after every water crossing.
Swimming safety: If there’s a lake or deeper water source on your hike, bringing a dog life jacket will ensure your dog stays afloat, especially if they’re not an extremely strong swimmer.
Weather-specific considerations
Hot-weather hiking:
Paw pad protection: Check the hiking surface by putting your hand on it for 10 seconds. If it’s too hot for your palm, it’s too hot for your dog. Consider dog shoes, like our pick for hot pavement, the Canada Pooch Hot Pavement Boots.
Cooling strategies: Ensure you bring enough water for you AND your dog, and consider bringing a Dog Cooling Vest if your dog tends to overheat in warm, dry climates.
Shade breaks and water management: Offer your dog water every 30-60 minutes. Shade breaks can also help cool your dog down if you’ve been hiking in exposed areas with direct sunlight.
Keep an eye out for symptoms of heat stroke and heat exhaustion: If your dog is panting heavily, drooling, is lethargic, has reddened gums, is vomiting or experiencing diarrhea, seek emergency veterinary care immediately.
Cold-weather hiking:
Paw protection with booties or balm: For snowy or icy hikes, use a pair of dog shoes or boots, like the Non-stop Dogwear Long Distance Booties, to keep your pup’s paws from getting too cold. Musher’s Secret Paw Wax is an alternative if your dog doesn’t like booties, but it’s not as protective against icy surfaces.
Insulation: If your dog tends to get cold in chilly weather, consider bringing a dog jacket or coat along for your hike.
Keep an eye out for signs of hypothermia and frostbite: If your dog is shivering, lethargic, has cold ears and paws, muscle stiffness, or difficulty walking, seek emergency veterinary care.
Wet weather considerations:
Waterproof gear: Keeping your dog dry in rainy conditions will keep them warm (and prevent you from having to give them a bath. Bring along a dog raincoat, especially if you have a coated breed that gets dirty easily.
Post-hike drying and care: Dry your dog off with a towel after a rainy hike. For double-coated dogs, consider blow drying them thoroughly to reduce the risk of hotspots in areas that may stay wet.
On the trail: safety and etiquette
Trail etiquette and Leave No Trace with dogs
The golden rule: If you're bringing your dog, it's your dog's hike, not yours. Adjust your hiking speed and distance to accommodate your dog, stop to give them water frequently, and let them sniff!
Yielding protocol: Note that dogs yield to horses, bikes, and sometimes other hikers. When in doubt, yield.
Controlling excitement: Don’t let your dog greet other people or dogs without permission. It’s best to move to the side and ask your dog to sit/stay while other hikers and dogs are passing.
Reading other hikers: If it’s clear that an oncoming hiker doesn’t want to interact with or be near your dog, recall your dog, step to the side, and allow the other person to pass.
Leave No Trace essentials:
Pack out all dog waste (never leave on trail or bury unless specifically allowed). Never leave a dog bag on the side of the trail to pick up on your way out.
Keep dogs on designated trails to prevent vegetation damage.
Don't let dogs drink from or disturb fragile water sources.
Prevent chasing wildlife or disturbing natural features.
Control barking to respect wildlife and other visitors.
Always pack out dog waste–it doesn't decompose like wildlife waste.
Wildlife encounters
Prevention strategies: Keep your dog on a leash in areas where wildlife sightings are common.
Specific wildlife protocols:
Bears: Keep dogs leashed, avoid surprising them.
Mountain lions: Maintain eye contact, appear large, back away slowly.
Snakes: Keep dogs on trail, know local venomous species.
Smaller wildlife: Prevent chasing to protect local ecosystems.
Emergency gear: Always carry bear spray if you’re hiking with your dog in bear country. I typically put bear bells on my dog’s harnesses as well, so they’re never a surprise to wildlife.
Nutrition and hydration on the trail
Water management
Hydration needs: Generally, plan to carry around 8 ounces of water per dog per hour you plan to be out. Bring along a water bladder in your daypack, a running hydration vest, or a dog water bottle on your hike, or plan to filter water for your dog from natural sources along the way.
Pack a collapsible dog water bowl too though, especially if you plan on sharing your water bladder with your dog.
Carrying systems: If you don’t want to carry your dog’s water, they can carry it themselves with a dog backpack. Check out our guide to the Best Dog Backpacks to read up on how much weight your dog can carry and how to train them to carry a pack.
Signs of dehydration: Keep an eye out for excessive panting, dry or sticky gums, lethargy, or vomiting, and seek immediate veterinary care if you think your dog may be dehydrated.
Trail nutrition
Calorie needs: Some dogs will require increased food servings on long hiking days. Generally, a bit of extra food at breakfast and dinner on a long hiking day will suffice, but some small breeds and dogs with certain conditions may need midday meals. Check with your vet on specifics for your dog.
Portable options: Always bring treats on your hike to reinforce your dog for recall and good behavior. My dogs’ favorite high-value treats are the Full Moon Chicken Apple Sausage treats and the Vital Essentials Freeze-Dried Mini Nibs, but experiment with various freeze-dried foods, jerky treats, and other options to see what your dog likes best.
Using a dog treat pouch like the Wilderdog Utility Pack is a good way to keep your treats organized. If your hiking pack has a zippered hip belt pocket, that’s also a good place to store treats (just make sure to take any extras out before camping for the night or storing your backpack).
Food safety: If backpacking with your dog, make sure to store their food and treats just as you store your meals—in a bear can or odor-proof bag.
Emergency preparedness and first aid
Common trail injuries and how to treat them
While you can build your own dog first aid kit, buying a pre-made kit and adding a few essentials to it is much easier. Check out Treeline’s guide to the Best Dog First Aid Kits for the best options for hiking.
Paw pad cuts: Clean the area with a wipe from your first aid kit, trim away any excess skin that’s flapping around, and put a bootie on to protect your dog’s paw pads.
Broken nails: Clean the area of dirt and debris, stop the bleeding with styptic powder, and wrap your dog’s foot in vet wrap or a bootie.
Bee stings and allergic reactions: If your dog gets stung by a bee, monitor the site for pain and excessive swelling. Some dogs will have mild symptoms, while others will have severe allergic reactions that require emergency vet care. When in doubt, end your hike and seek vet care.
Cuts and scrapes: Stop any bleeding using pressure or styptic powder. Clean the area, bandage with gauze or vet wrap as needed, and keep it clean. If the injury is minor, use a wound spray once you’re at home to prevent infection. Take your dog to the vet if any cut or scrape seems like it’s not healing.
Post-hike care
Immediate post-hike checkup
Paw inspection: Check your dog’s paws for any cracked or broken nails or slipped paw pads. If your dog has a slipped/damaged paw pad, follow the steps above to treat it. Keep a bootie on your dog’s damaged paw for up to a week and limit activity to help it heal.
Overall health check: Be aware of any limping, soreness, or unusual behavior that may indicate your dog is injured. If your dog regularly hikes big mileage with you, consider seeing a vet rehab specialist or canine massage therapist to keep your dog in tip-top shape, prevent injuries, and help recovery from big adventures.
Tick checks: Go over your dog with a fine-toothed comb or a force drier to check for ticks after hiking. Ensure you check in the armpits, behind the ears, at the base of the tail, and between the toes.
Keep your dog on a flea and tick preventative medication year round to help prevent ticks while hiking.
Hydration: Your dog may need some extra hydration assistance after a long hike. Consider offering them a bowl of water with some chicken broth powder or a small amount of dog-specific goat’s milk to it. The tasty additions will encourage them to drink more liquid than they might normally.
Recovery and rest
Next-day assessment: If you notice your dog is moving slow, or is stiff when getting up and laying down, the hike may have been a bit too much for them. Modify their activity to leashed walks only for the next few days to give them time to recover. See your vet physical therapist or massage therapist if the soreness persists.
For the next hike, plan to decrease mileage and difficulty to reduce your dog’s risk of soreness and injury.
Building endurance: If you don’t notice any soreness or stiffness after your dog’s hike, your pup may be ready for longer, harder adventures. Plan to give them 1-2 rest days between hikes before heading out on the trail again.
Build endurance by making one thing harder at a time. Either increase distance, elevation, or terrain on your dog’s next hike, but try not to increase all of them at the same time.
Long-term health: Joint care, weight management, and ongoing fitness are all important to keep your dog in top hiking shape. Talk to your vet about getting your dog on a high-quality joint supplement like Cosequin to keep their joints healthy.
Keeping your dog at a healthy weight will also ensure there’s no extra pressure on their joints.
In terms of ongoing fitness, cross training your dog for hiking is also helpful. Consider teaching your dog some canine conditioning exercises or joining a local or online canine conditioning class to build up your dog’s strength, balance, and endurance.
Why you should trust us / About the author
Jae Thomas has camped, hiked, and backpacked with her two dogs, Miso and Dashi, everywhere from Colorado to the Oregon Coast, and at more than 15 national parks. As a Boulder resident, she and her dogs regularly take advantage of the off-leash hiking program in Boulder County, and often explore the mountains and front range of Colorado.
Jae is an e-commerce journalist, editor, and dog trainer based in Colorado. She graduated from the New York University journalism program in 2020, and has written and edited commerce content for publications like Mashable, Apartment Therapy, Bon Appetít, Whole Dog Journal, Chewy, CNN Underscored, and more.
Jae is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Knowledge Assessed, and teaches agility, rally, and other dog sports at Canine Athletics Training Center in Boulder County. Jae uses her background in dog sports and behavior to test outdoor-focused dog gear focused on fit, comfort, safety, and functionality for dogs and their owners.
Jae shares her life with two dogs: mixed breed Miso, and Rough Collie, Dashi. Jae competes in conformation, agility, rally, herding, barn hunt, Fast CAT, and other sports with her dogs and is a pro at traveling, camping, hiking, and adventuring with canine companions in tow.
