When I adopted my dog Zora almost seven years ago, I knew that walks in the woods would be an important part of our life together. Like many first-time dog owners, I was overwhelmed by the opinions regarding what I needed to buy for fun and safe trail time with her. Zora is a large dog, extremely intelligent, and full of her own opinions. Through a lot of trial and error, we finally dialed in our ideal setup. Then I adopted a second dog, Tavi, and the process began again.
Fortunately, I'm a true gear-nerd and really enjoy iterating and tweaking my setup. Here are some of the things I've sourced over the years that have made our hikes infinitely more enjoyable.
Leash-splitter: This simple accessory makes walking two dogs much easier once your pair gets comfortable being tethered together. You only need to hold one leash, and when the dogs are linked together, they naturally embody a team mentality. Suddenly you're all part of a unit, no longer three creatures trying to pull each other in opposite directions.
Lumbar pack: For shorter hikes, I'm a big fan of the Mountainsmith Drift Fanny Pack - I have two of these packs, and one is always ready for an impromptu walk in the woods. These packs are large enough to hold my essentials, along with a collapsible dog-bowl and water for all of us. They fit comfortably on my lower back, leaving me with a full range of motion and both hands available.
Leash and carabiners: I've developed a unique setup that can alternate between a casual walking pace and skijoring (fast-paced and hands-free). I use a carabiner to attach the leash handle to a gear strap on my pack, which ensures that my dogs stay attached to me even if I drop the leash accidentally. I have a locking carabiner threaded through a knot about halfway down the leash, so I can take out slack on the leash when we are moving fast or if I need to control my dogs more tightly.
My preferred leash is the Ruffin' It Climbing Rope Dog Leash, which is just the right length for my setup. The rope is dynamic, meaning it has a little give when my dogs pull hard, and it is smooth enough to run through my hands without causing rope burn. Wrapping a dog leash around your hand can lead to injury, and if you break a finger while hiking with your dog, you're gonna have a bad time.
Finally, I like to read about new trails before I head out with my dogs, so I have a collection of guidebooks that cover lots of hikes in the Asheville area. One of my favorite titles is Five Star Trails of Asheville by Jennifer Pharr Davis. The author is a local trail legend, and she writes really helpful trail descriptions, including a "for children" rating for each profiled trail. I've found that if a trail is accessible to children, it is also usually accessible to a dog with mild arthritis. And don't forget to bring a map! I always have my Bent Creek/Arboretum Bandana Map or the appropriate Pisgah Map Co. paper map on me, just in case.
Wherever we go, we hike our own hike and make decisions that allow for many more trail days in the future. Have fun, be safe and see you on the trails!
By Lindsey
Professional Dog Mom