Dog hiking adventures are an hour and a half, plus pick-up and drop-off, keeping your pup out for 2-3 hours depending on the day.

No more than 5 dogs are taken at a single time to ensure that each dog gets the training, space and attention he deserves. Doggy seat belts are a must when the pups are on the road to keep them as safe as the humans. On trail, humans carry a First Aid kit that is made especially for dogs.

Leash laws are always followed. However, we work very closely with the pups on off leash work by using longer leads, once they master the 6 foot lead. 15, 30 and 50 foot leads are used as an introduction to being off leash.

Basic training is enforced and basic commands are continuously used and practiced on trail. Every dog hikes with a dog trainer, and training helps to exhaust our happy hikers. Training is imperative to the dog adventures, as each dog needs to be responsive in the case of an emergency (i.e. dogs getting loose, other animals on trail, hurt human hiker). Dog training is often times more exhausting than physical exercise for our furry friends, which is an added bonus.

Hiking groups are balanced between different behavior types (opposites attract, even for dogs!), similar sizes, and scheduling requests. We are always aware of the comfort level of each and every dog, so we work hard to properly group our happy hikers.

At the end of every hike, photos and summaries are sent to the owners describing Fido’s adventures that day, and how he did. Nothing is more comforting than feeling like you were there alongside him throughout his exciting exploration in Rock Creek Park!

 

Benefits of Hiking

Hiking offers more stimulation for our furry friends than regular city walks. Dogs are able to explore their natural instincts even more on trail, as they interact with unfamiliar animals, smell new plants, and experience a simulated off-leash environment. These are all activities that they would do in the wild, before domestication. Hikes are a great alternative to the regular walk because they offer a more challenging course, and can even lead to the occasional swim if the weather allows it!

On hotter days it is beneficial (and more responsible) to send your pup into the woods where it is usually 5-8 degrees cooler than walking around the city. Not only is the air cooler, but the trails themselves do not get very warm at all. The ground is shaded all day resulting in a nice cool path for your pup to walk on. Sidewalks and blacktop in the city can be extremely harmful to your dog’s paws when it is as cool as 75 degrees (that is most of the time, here in DC!). Keep Fido’s paws safe and healthy by choosing to send him into the woods.

These dog adventures also help with behavioral issues which is why Happy Hikers was founded in the first place. Many dogs suffer from general anxiety, separation anxiety, not being socialized, etc. Hikes help redirect the pups’ energy into a positive experience by socializing them, and keeping them busy. Anxiety is amplified when a dog (or anyone) is bored, so we try to eliminate the boredom completely by tiring out each and every dog, leaving him with nothing to do but nap when he gets home!

These behavioral issues can also stem from pups who are not able to do “their jobs.” Terriers were bred to catch rodents, Pointers were bred to catch birds, Labs were bred to retrieve, etc. Now that so many of our furry friends are mixed, they have these natural inclinations to do all sorts of jobs. Being out in the woods allows the dogs to feel as though they are doing a job, and what is more rewarding to a pup than being told he is a good boy for something his instincts told him to do? Probably being brought on another hike.

For information on scheduling and pricing, please inquire below.

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