Both humans and dogs need equipment to make sure we’re safe and prepared in the mountains. This is a list of our favorite hiking gear for dogs that we bring on every hike to make sure we’re both ready to have fun on the trail. You may not need everything on this list, but I highly recommend always having a first aid kit, a rescue harness, a water bowl, and extra dog food to ensure you and your dog could get out of a troubling situation unharmed if need be.

Ruffwear Singletrak Backpack

This Rufwear pack is one of our favorite pieces of gear that we own. Lucy used to use their Approach Pack, but we found that the large storage compartments hung down too far and got stuck in tight areas and the rugged terrain of the Whites was too rough on the fabric. When we found an awesome deal on the Singletrak Pack I was skeptical, but I’ve since found that this pack is perfect for her! It’s tight to her body so there’s much less rubbing against rocks and I don’t worry as much about her getting caught on branches and other stuff in the woods. It doesn’t have as much storage space, but we prefer it over everything else we’ve tried!

Lucy’s First Aid Kit

I always bring this in addition to my own first aid kit. It’s just a few extra tubes of blood stopper, disposable Pawz booties. gauze, and a self adhesive wrap. These boots have no traction, but they are very effective in keeping out snow. I don’t think they’re great for using for a whole hike because they’re so tight I worry about decreasing her circulation and causing frostbite to her toes with prolonged use. That being said they’re great in a pinch in case of injury or as a last resort if her boots get too icy. With the wrap, be careful not to wrap it too tight and wrap from the toes up towards the thigh as to not compress too much. Again, you don’t want to cut off circulation! First aid is essential hiking gear for dogs, just like it is for humans.

Biothane Leash

Any leash will do but we love the biothane leashes from Cody’s Creations. They are waterproof but easy to grip and they don’t get tangled. The best part is that no matter how muddy they get they never smell! We use the 8:1 so that it can be hands free when we’re on our regular walks and it clips around my body for easy access while hiking. Plus you can customize them with tons of different colors!

Mountain Dogwear Pack-a-Paw Rescue Harness

This is our most important piece of safety equipment. The Pack-a-Paw Harness is designed to be used if your dog is ever injured on the trail and unable to hike out. Lucy and I had an incident where someone with crampons kicked her in one of her back feet and sliced her paw open down to the bone. We’re extremely lucky that we were only a quarter mile from the trailhead and she could walk out, but had this happened any further from the car it could have been an incredibly bad situation. I’ve heard horror stories of people leaving their injured dogs in the wilderness because they were unable to carry them out. CCL injuries are very common in hiking dogs, so having this as a backup method for rescue is a necessity. Mountain Dogwear is also a local New Hampshire company run by fellow hikers, so we love supporting them!

Collapsible Water Bowl

This is pretty self-explanatory but a water bowl is an underestimated piece of hiking gear for dogs that is often overlooked. I sometimes have trouble getting Lucy to hydrate on the trail in the winter though, so I usually float her food in a cup or two of water before we hike and float some more food in water mid-hike to get her to drink it. Hydration is key for both dogs and humans so make sure you pack enough water for both of you especially on hot, humid days on the trail.

High Value Treats

Whatever your dog loves most is great for rewarding recall and focus on the trail. Lucy loves Blue Buffalo treat sticks, Stella and Chewy’s Freeze Dried Raw Meal Mixers and their Weenies, and Spot Farms Wild Shreds. Often I’ll mix these in with a little bag of kibble so that it’s coated in a yummy high-value flavor without adding too many extra calories to her diet.

Poop Bags

To do our part as responsible dog owners it’s super important to carry out all of your waste including your dog’s poop! We love these Give a Shit poop bags because they are made out of 100% biodegradable compostable material and 10% of the proceeds go to charity. Help do your part to leave no trace!

24 Hour Supply of Food

This should always be in your pack when you go out with your dog just in case of emergency. We bring extra human food to be prepared, so make sure your dog has some too! Also, if you plan to be doing longer hikes and backpacking trips think about talking to your vet about how much you should be feeding your dog when you’re doing extra activity. Again, humans need more calories when they’re being active and so does your dog!

Raincoat

I carry a raincoat for Lucy in the spring and fall when rain can come more unexpectedly. It’s pretty lightweight and keeps her dry for those unexpected storms that chill her to the bone on a 40-50 degree day. If your dog has a thick, fluffy coat you may not need this, but Lucy can get really cold when she gets wet so I like to have it just in case. We love the Ruffwear Sun Shower because it’s lightweight and keeps her dry without being too hot on spring and summer days.

Cooling Jacket

Lucy wears the Ruffwear Jet Stream cooling jacket on hot summer days to prevent her from overheating. She doesn’t do well when it’s over 80 degrees outside, so we usually don’t plan long hikes for those days. Even on short hikes she can get too hot! We also like to try to do hikes with water sources on those days so she can cool off in streams and brooks. The cooling jacket does wonders to keep her cool even on the hottest summer days, and we love its minimalist vest design which makes it easily fit underneath her pack.

Dog Boots

Lucy sometimes has trouble with her foot pads in the rugged terrain of the White Mountains, so I always have some sturdy dog boots for her just in case her feet get worn out. She doesn’t love to wear them all the time, but I find that she’ll tolerate them in a pinch if her feet are experiencing some wear and tear. We’ve tried multiple different kinds of dog boots including the Ruffwear Griptrex, but our favorites are the dogbooties.com 1,000 denier booties because they stay on and don’t give her blisters.

When it comes to hiking with your dog, being prepared is of utmost importance for your safety and your pup’s. These items are what we usually bring for three season hiking, but the hiking gear for dogs is different when we’re out in the winter, so check out Lucy’s winter gear list if you’re interested in winter hiking with your dog. I also have a list of all of the gear I bring with me on three season day hikes, so check that out as well before you hit the trail. And don’t forget to check out our post about how to prepare your dog for the trail so that you can both have a great time in the mountains. Happy hiking!