Tips for the Trail
Start slow- slowly increase the length and difficulty of hikes you and your animal take especially if they were less active during the winter months.
Bring plenty of water- Offer Water often (15-30 minutes depending on temperature and difficulty) and bring enough for both you and your pet. For a usual day hike, a large dog will need approximately 3L of water, 2 L for a medium sized dog and 1L for a small dog.
Avoid Foxtails- Be on the lookout for foxtails- Check your animal after every hike for foxtails. These are grass seeds that like to get lodged in animals’ fur especially around the paws and in the ears.
Tips for the Beach
Use a life jacket- Life jackets are important to keep your dog safe in the water. Some dogs enjoy swimming so much they will stay in the water past the point of exhaustion.
Avoid raw paw pads- Sand is hot AND rough and can cause burns or abrasions. Routinely check your dog’s paws throughout your beach outing for raw pads.
Bring fresh water- Even though you are near a body of water don’t forget to bring fresh, clean water for your animal.
Apply sunscreen- Animals can get sunburned just like humans especially those with short or lighter colored fur. Make sure you use pet specific sunscreen as common human sunscreen can be toxic to animals.
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