The Trail Hound's Handbook. Ellen Eastwood
The Trail Hound’s Handbook
1st EDITION 2012
Copyright © 2012 by Ellen Eastwood
All interior and back cover photos, except as noted on page 71, by Ellen Eastwood, family, and friends
Front cover photo © Alaska Stock/Alamy
Cover design: Scott McGrew
Interior design: Ellen Eastwood
Editor: Amber Kaye Henderson
Veterinary Consultant: Emily Boothroyd, DVM
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Eastwood, Ellen.
The trail hound’s handbook : your family guide to hiking with dogs/Ellen Eastwood. -- 1st ed.
p. cm.
ISBN-13: 978-0-89997-703-4
ISBN-10: 0-89997-703-0
1. Hiking with dogs. 2. Family recreation. I. Title.
SF427.455.E37 2012
796.51--dc23
2011047236
Manufactured in the United States of America
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| c/o Keen Communications | ||
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| Birmingham, AL 35243 | ||
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Disclaimer
The Trail Hound’s Handbook is designed to engage and encourage the young dog owner to hike and explore nature with his or her pet at his or her side. It is not intended to be a comprehensive hiking and/or pet care guide. As with all outdoor activities, and especially those involving dogs, the full responsibility for safe practices and supervision belongs to the adult dog owner/parent. Wilderness Press/Keen Communications and the author in no way accept liability for any direct or indirect consequences that arise from following suggestions made in this book; readers are advised to use their own personal judgment.
CHAPTER 1
UNLEASH THE INNER TRAIL HOUND
SCIENTISTS NOW BELIEVE THAT APPROXIMATELY 95% OF ALL DOGS DESCENDED FROM JUST THREE ORIGINAL FEMALES.*
The Call of the Wild
A lot has changed in the 15,000-plus years since that first “domestic” canine sidled up to his human and with patient, soulful eyes begged for a treat.
Or has it?
Today, more than 400 different dog breeds exist worldwide (not all breeds are officially recognized). Yet down to the last Peekapoo and Chihuahua, pureblood and mixed breed alike, every dog can trace its lineage back to the earliest wolves. It’s no mystery, then, why every breed, every size, everywhere,
Every Dog Begs to Go Outside!
Acting on Instinct
No amount of breeding or training can completely erase the numerous instinctive behaviors and characteristics written into your dog’s DNA. In one way or another, these actions contributed to the survival of your dog’s ancestors in the wild.
How many of these habits do you see your best friend repeating every day? What purpose do you think they serve wild mammals?
Your dog responds to nature’s call, and then stands to his full height and paws the ground furiously, grass flying, as he wipes his feet. Compulsive hygiene?
Actually, it’s instinct. For his wilder ancestors, this routine was another way to mark territory, using the scent/sweat glands in the pads of their feet. This primal instinct establishes your dog’s turf.
Plus, it makes even the smallest Chihuahua look large and in charge.
FIDO, AN ENDURING FAVORITE AMONG DOG NAMES, COMES FROM THE LATIN WORD FOR “FAITHFUL” OR “FIDELITY.”
Prepare to Walk on the Wild Side
Social, territorial, predatory—any of your dog’s naturally inherited Canidae family traits can be intensified by the stimulation of an outdoor environment. That’s why, in your early wilderness adventures together, you should never assume that you know exactly how your dog will behave. Prepare yourself by mastering basic dog obedience skills. Practice, praise, and repeat.
With preparation, consideration, and a few choice tricks, this guidebook can give your pack the confidence to set out on new adventures and enjoy countless hours of discovery on the trail.
*Christine McGourty, “Origin of Dogs Traced,” BBC News (2002).
CHAPTER 2
YOU SCRATCH HIS BACK …
Does your dog get enough exercise? Has it been weeks since he’s chewed on a good problem? Is he begging for more time at your side? Take your dog hiking! Every shared adventure promises more than just an afternoon of fun.
Chewing, Barking, Marking, Grazing, and General Mayhem
Misbehavior from good dogs (and they’re all good dogs) is most often a sign of loneliness, boredom, frustration, or feelings of neglect.
Ironically, daily exercise and togetherness may be all it takes to squash a host of destructive behaviors.
Good Hike, Good Dog
Treat your dog to a day in the sun, and you’ll appreciate the beauty of it long after you’ve returned home.
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