How to Prepare Your Dog for Outdoor Adventures

Article by Daisy Becker: 

Preparing Your Dog for Outdoor Adventures

If you love hiking or walking for miles in the middle of nowhere, chances are you want your dog to be like that too. You want your furry friend to find joy in accompanying you all around, whether it’s a five-mile trek through a forest or a loop around a stunning reservoir.

Now, all these things take training. Raising an adventure dog isn’t that easy. Besides, some breeds are predisposed to being naturally lazy. It’s still worth a shot, but don’t get your hopes up if you have a lazy English bulldog.

Anyway, here are a few tips and ideas to prepare your dog for some outdoor adventures together.

Special Background for Training

Here comes the good news, you don’t need any special background or training to be an adventure “parent” for your furry friend. But at the same time, you can’t do it blindly either. You need some preparation and you have to read a little about it.

For example, think about the dog’s age. A puppy is full of energy. A senior dog may not necessarily like the idea of messing about for hours in the middle of nowhere.

Then, research the breed as well. You need your walks and adventures to match your dog’s energy level. Think about the dog’s personality too. A Border Collie might thrive on challenging mountain trails, while a Bulldog could struggle with extended exercise or hot weather.

There’s one thing to remember here. Having an adventure dog means both of you should enjoy these amazing moments together, simple as that. You’re living your best life and that applies to both of you.

The Perfect Age to Start

You can start to train your dog as soon as you two meet. If you hope to have your companion off-leash, you may need to train recall from the beginning. If you have a stubborn dog, don’t hesitate to seek professional help.

As a general rule of thumb, puppies are easier to train than older dogs. Just like children learning languages effortlessly, young pups pick up commands and routines more readily than their adult dogs.

From a different point of view, while training does help, make sure you socialize correctly too. You don’t want to spend your time worrying about your dog while you’re on an adventure. Instead, you two need to feel good together.

Besides, if you socialize your dog correctly, it won’t be triggered by random stimuli, such as people, dogs, campers, cyclists and other things. That’s what you need, a dog who’s comfortable with all these things without needing to react.

How Long Does It Take?

Hard to tell! Honestly, what works for some people and their dogs won’t work for every pair out there.

Some dogs do better with socialization, while others take a long time. Then, positive reinforcement training is a good idea, but it won't work for every dog. Some dogs are slow learners. Others are eager to please their humans, so they'll obey all commands straight away.

You get the point, right? It’s about trial and error. This means you need loads of patience. And if things don’t seem to go on track, don’t let frustration take over, just head to a professional instead. Don’t consider training as a race. It’s more like tending a garden, where growth happens at its own pace.

Someone who trains dogs on a regular basis has dealt with every type of behavior out there, so chances are they know how to handle your dog as well.

The Critical Thing to Remember

There are actually two things you need to remember, not one.

First of all, remember that every dog is different. Just because you’ve had dogs before and you’ve done a great job with each of them, it doesn’t mean you’ll succeed with another dog too. Applying the same techniques may not work. In fact, it could be an absolute failure.

The second thing to remember is patience. Don’t take your dog on a five-mile walk if you two are in your first week together. Don’t take your dog camping if you don’t know how it’ll react when stuck in a tent.

All these things could be new for your furry friend, that’s why you need to take it easy.

Tips and Tricks

Here are a few extra tips to get your dog ready for countless adventures together.

• One thing at a time. Basically, start with a walk. Make it longer the next day. Add an extra loop around a few houses the day after and so on. Go to a park. Go on a field, but don’t make it long. Add an extra mile next week and see what happens.

• Match your energy. Some people think that walking two miles makes them adventurers. Some others do 10 miles. If you barely walk a few miles, don’t get a dog that needs a 10-mile run to drain energy. Basically, any dog can be an adventure dog if your energy levels match.

• Get the right gear. From car chairs and carrying backpacks to harnesses and coats, you’ll need to introduce your dog to the optimal gear for better results. Just like humans need proper hiking boots and clothing, dogs need equipment that fits their size, activity level, and surroundings.

Bottom line, preparing your dog to become an adventure dog requires some research, as well as planning and lots of patience.

Daisy is an adventurous spirit with a deep love for animals and nature. She spends her days exploring the great outdoors, practicing yoga in tranquil settings, and connecting with the creatures she encounters. Whether hiking through forests, meditating by serene lakes, or playing with her animal companions, Daisy finds peace and purpose in the harmony of nature and mindful movement.