# Hiking?



## IWantKaiMarie6

Wanted to know if a German Shepherd could go backpacking? It would be overnight and quite a distance. He would have dog boots to protect his pads. He'll also be carrying a backpack with some food and other doggy things. Thoughts? :help:


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## Cassidy's Mom

How old is he? How much exercise does he usually get?


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## IWantKaiMarie6

Don't have him yet. Don't plan on doing this till' he is at least a year. He'll be exercised everyday.


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## Muskeg

Unless you are hiking exceptionally sharp terrain, like lava rocks or endless scree slopes, you shouldn't need dog booties. Dogs are generally more agile without booties and they don't "need" shoes like we do. I've hiked 15-30 miles a day in the mountains with my German shepherd and she has never needed booties although I do carry them in case she cuts a pad. 

I wouldn't make a dog less than 18 months old carry a pack. Depending on where you are, water for the dog should also be a major consideration. 

GSDs make great hiking dogs and they love it!


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## Cassidy's Mom

As long as he's properly conditioned, there shouldn't be a problem. I wouldn't have him carry much weight until he's at least 18 months old though, and again, I'd build up gradually.


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## RocketDog

Agreed with the above!! If you can start him off leash somewhere safe as a pup, He will grow to love hiking as much as you do. Enjoy!


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## IWantKaiMarie6

Thanks guys! Much appreciated!


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## RowdyDogs

Cassidy's Mom said:


> As long as he's properly conditioned, there shouldn't be a problem. I wouldn't have him carry much weight until he's at least 18 months old though, and again, I'd build up gradually.


Yes, exactly.  Just like anything, you will need to condition your dog appropriately for it. You will also need to have a dog without physical problems--a GSD with severe hip dysplasia, for example, will not make a good hiking buddy.

If you live in a hot area, you'll also have to factor that in. They can still do it, you just need to be sure you keep them cool during the heat of the day. GSDs tend to have heavy coats so it is something to pay attention to.

Boots shouldn't be necessary in general. I've taken my GSD on strenuous 4-day backpacking trips over very rough terrain, and the only time I've had to boot him is when we were hiking over mostly lava rock, which is notoriously abrasive. But just like if you stopped wearing shoes, you do have to condition them a bit...I still remember the time I left my dogs with my (now) ex for 6 months while I was at school, and when I came back immediately took them on a 5 hour hike...well, he hadn't exercised them much and the next day, one of them couldn't walk due to muscle soreness and abrasions on his pads. This was years ago and I still feel a bit guilty.  But once I backed off and conditioned them properly, now he can run all day in worse terrain without a problem.  Boots can also actually cause their own problems if they're not properly fitted or the dog has sensitive skin--I've seen rubs caused by over-reliance on them.

But yeah, overall I think GSDs are fantastic hiking partners. Mine does the La Luz (La Luz Trail - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) round-trip with me once a month when weather permits (so about 15 miles, usually in around 5-6 hours when I have him with me) in addition to our weekend backpacking trips, and we're planning some other strenuous hikes like Nevada's Mt. Charleston and at least one 14'er in Colorado for this summer, all of which he'll come on and carry his own supplies.  On weekend trips I usually have to carry a bit of extra weight for him, but he has a large pack that I fill up and he carries most of his own stuff. I usually just carry a pad for him to sleep on and some additional water in my pack. When we were first starting out I paid a lot of attention and first limited his weight to 5 pounds, then gradually increased it, but now I'd have to weigh his typical pack to tell you exactly how much he carries. I do always test out the pack on shorter but still strenuous hikes before a long hike or weekend trip, too, to make sure that he's comfortable carrying it for long distances (we go shorter distances so I can add his supplies to mine without much problem if it is too much for him).

He's only 2 so we're just starting his serious hiking/backpacking career too. We're very active in between these hikes and he does almost all my conditioning with me, so I think that's really the biggest factor. If I can do it, he can do it.


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## doggiedad

when the dog is old enough to carry a pack i would
start slow. very light weight in the begining and
build up gradually. find out what's a safe amount of
weight for your dog to carry.


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## David Taggart

The booties are for protecting your dog in the town from broken glass or other small sharp objects. Never for hiking - they will serve your dog as good as skates will serve you for the same hiking purpose. Lifesavers do carry backpacks,say, with medication, but nothing heavier than 5 pounds, they are trained to wear harness before any packs placed on their backs, and they don't run backwards and forwards freely. Carrying a backpack is not a physical exercise, but a full time job, your dog should walk close to you all the time.


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## RowdyDogs

David Taggart said:


> The booties are for protecting your dog in the town from broken glass or other small sharp objects. Never for hiking - they will serve your dog as good as skates will serve you for the same hiking purpose. Lifesavers do carry backpacks,say, with medication, but nothing heavier than 5 pounds, they are trained to wear harness before any packs placed on their backs, and they don't run backwards and forwards freely. Carrying a backpack is not a physical exercise, but a full time job, your dog should walk close to you all the time.


I disagree about the boots, although I will agree that in general they are a bad idea. I find them essential for hiking over lava rock for long periods, and they can also be useful for when you have to walk over a cactus patch if you get the really serious ones. But for those who live in areas where the plants and terrain isn't always trying to slice and dice you, I'd agree that they're generally unnecessary for hiking and in most terrain they're a hindrance. 

I do agree that a dog carrying a backpack should stay close to you. In addition to the reason you mentioned, backpacks are very prone to getting hung up on brush. Also, if you're having your dog carry his own food, the pack can attract bears or other wildlife and letting your dog roam can be quite dangerous for him.


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