Hiking with Angel has taught us that the most useful trail gear isn’t necessarily the gear we use on every hike. It’s the gear that gives us options when the trail doesn’t go exactly as expected.
Sometimes Angel walks most of a trail herself. Sometimes steep terrain, rocks, fatigue, crowds, darkness, or nearby wildlife mean she spends part of the hike in her carry pouch. Heat is different because putting her in the pouch can actually make her warmer, so on hot days we’re much more willing to shorten a hike, change our plans, or skip it altogether.
We’ve hiked with Angel throughout the mountains, and Poinsett State Park has become one of our favorite places to return to for hiking. Our recent trip to Oconee County was another good example of why we don’t approach every trail the same way.
At Issaqueena Falls, the terrain became much too steep for Angel, so we carried her in her dog carry pouch down toward the waterfall and carried her again for the climb back up. We didn’t stay at the viewing platform, and after seeing how steep the terrain becomes beyond that point, we may stop there with her the next time we visit.
Station Cove Falls was completely different. Angel walked about half of the hike to the waterfall, rode in her pouch for the rest, and then had a great time walking through the water and relaxing with us at the falls. On the way back, she again walked about half before being carried the rest of the way.
Those two hikes reminded us that a successful hike with Angel doesn’t mean she has to walk every mile.
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We Don’t Expect Angel to Walk Every Mile
One of the biggest changes we’ve made over time is letting go of the idea that Angel needs to complete every part of a trail on her own.
We let her walk while she’s comfortable and enjoying herself. Then we adjust.
That might mean picking her up for a rocky section, putting her in the pouch for a steep climb, carrying her when she gets tired, or keeping her closer to us when we see more wildlife than usual.
If wildlife is unusually close, we don’t wait to see how Angel or the animal will react. We would rather get her off the ground and continue moving.
Our Oconee County trip is probably the clearest example of how differently two hikes can go with the same dog.
We share the full experience here:
Dog-Friendly Things to Do in Oconee County, SC With Our Schnauzer
https://travelersandaschnauzer.com/dog-friendly-oconee-county-sc/
Angel’s Harness, Leash, and Identification
Angel hikes in a harness with a leash. We like having better control of her when the terrain changes, a trail narrows, another dog approaches, or we need to move her away from something quickly.
Dog Harness (paid link):
https://amzn.to/4xr1gjA
Leash (paid link):
https://amzn.to/43CSEc9
We also make sure she has identification on her whenever we’re away from home. It’s a small item, but it isn’t something we want to realize we’ve forgotten once we’re already on a trail.
Personalized ID Tag (paid link):
https://amzn.to/4vlsZ3L
A lot of these items also live in our larger dog-travel packing system. For everything we keep ready when we’re traveling with Angel, we have a separate guide:
Our Dog Travel Bag: What We Pack for Angel
https://travelersandaschnauzer.com/dog-travel-bag/
Water Is One Thing We Don’t Try to Stretch
Angel’s travel water bottle is what we use most often while hiking because we can give her a drink without unpacking much.
Dog Travel Water Bottle (paid link):
https://amzn.to/4eiaWFC
We also carry a collapsible bowl. Sometimes we’re moving and the travel bottle is easiest; other times we’re stopping long enough that setting out a bowl makes more sense.
Collapsible Bowls (paid link):
https://amzn.to/4oAfSJj
In addition to Angel’s water, we always bring an extra bottle of water that can be used to refill anyone’s bottle if we start getting low.
That backup isn’t specifically hers or ours. It’s simply extra water for whoever needs it.
We’ve never regretted finishing a hike with water left over.
The Carry Pouch Is Probably Our Most Important Backup
If there is one piece of hiking gear that has changed what we’re comfortable doing with Angel, it’s her carry pouch.
We don’t pack it because we expect to carry her for an entire hike. We bring it because we don’t know exactly what we’ll find farther down the trail.
At Station Cove Falls, Angel was able to walk roughly half of each direction. At Issaqueena Falls, the steep terrain made carrying her the better choice much sooner.
We also use the pouch when she becomes tired, when rocks or slippery terrain become difficult, when an area is unusually crowded, when we’re somewhere dark, or when wildlife is closer or more active than we’re comfortable with.
That flexibility has allowed Angel to join us on outings where expecting her to walk every step wouldn’t have worked.
The Dog Sling We Now Use With Angel
Our previous dog carry pouch is currently unavailable. We’ve since purchased and tested a Noah & Paw dog sling with Angel after finding one that could accommodate her weight. She had outgrown our earlier slings, so we were especially pleased with how this one fit her at 17 pounds.
The soft fur lining reminds us of a blanket. We can fully open the sling so Angel can climb in, then button it around her once she lies down. We also attach the safety clip inside to her harness.
The wide, adjustable strap lets us change how the sling sits so it feels comfortable for the person carrying her and for Angel. Fit was our biggest concern because she’s close to the upper end of the listed 5–18-pound weight range, but this sling has fit her well during our use.
That’s our experience with Angel’s particular size and build. Check your dog’s measurements and the manufacturer’s sizing and use instructions before choosing a carrier.
Noah & Paw Dog Sling Carrier (paid link):
https://amzn.to/4yoQhaz
Heat Is the Exception
Many trail obstacles can be solved by carrying Angel.
Heat usually can’t.
Because Angel is against us while she’s in the pouch, she can get warm in it. That means our normal solution of “we’ll just carry her if she gets tired” doesn’t work the same way on a hot day.
We carry a cooling towel when conditions make it useful.
Cooling Towel (paid link):
https://amzn.to/4euUcKk
But we don’t look at cooling gear as permission to keep going when the temperature isn’t comfortable for her.
Heat is one of the main reasons we’ll change the timing of a hike, shorten it, choose a different activity, or skip the trail completely.
We Have Used Boots, but They Aren’t Our Normal Answer
We’ve used dog boots with Angel in the past, but they aren’t something we normally rely on to get her through difficult terrain.
If we reach a section where we feel like she really needs boots before she can safely continue walking, we’re generally more comfortable putting her in the carry pouch instead.
That’s simply what has worked better for us.
Other dogs and families may handle that decision differently, but we don’t want protective gear to become a reason to keep Angel walking over terrain we’re already questioning.
What We Carry Everything In
We keep the smaller trail supplies together in a hiking backpack so we’re not searching through the vehicle or several bags when we reach the trail.
Thule Backpack (paid link):
https://amzn.to/4gqTU9G
The exact arrangement changes depending on the hike and weather, but the things we expect to reach most often stay easy to get to.
Angel’s water, waste bags, treats, and cleanup items aren’t very useful if they’re buried underneath everything else.
First Aid Comes With Us
A pet first-aid kit is one of the things we don’t leave behind simply because we’re planning a short hike.
Pet First Aid Kit (paid link):
https://amzn.to/4vmig9r
We’ve already had trips where small problems such as a splinter or sand spurs made basic emergency supplies useful. Hiking adds even more opportunities for paws to encounter rocks, sticks, thorns, or other things we’d rather be prepared for.
We don’t treat carrying a first-aid kit as a substitute for veterinary care. For us, it’s simply part of being prepared until we can get Angel whatever additional help she may need.
Our separate emergency-kit guide goes deeper into what we keep ready:
Pet Travel Emergency Kit Checklist: What We Keep Ready for Angel
https://travelersandaschnauzer.com/pet-travel-emergency-kit-checklist/
Waste Bags and Treats Stay Easy to Reach
Waste bags are another item where we would rather carry too many than discover we don’t have enough halfway through a trail.
Poop Bag Carrier (paid link):
https://amzn.to/3SMn4pW
Waste Bags (paid link):
https://amzn.to/4vVPJHE
We also carry treats for Angel.
Treats (paid link):
https://amzn.to/3QQi3fs
A treat pouch keeps them where we can get to them without digging through the hiking bag.
Treat Pouch (paid link):
https://amzn.to/4eyoGLt
That becomes especially helpful when we want Angel’s attention quickly or when we’ve stopped for a break.
Rain and Cold Change What Goes in the Bag
Not every weather item goes with us on every trail.
When rain is possible, we bring Angel’s raincoat.
Dog Raincoat (paid link):
https://amzn.to/3QaaNek
When it’s cold enough to justify another layer, we bring her cold-weather coat.
Ruffwear Coat (paid link):
https://amzn.to/4es8F9z
We don’t automatically pack cold-weather gear just because we’re going to the mountains. We look at the actual conditions and adjust.
The mountains are still where we most enjoy spending time outdoors with Angel, especially when cooler weather makes hiking more comfortable.
For more about the mountain areas we’ve explored with her:
Exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains With Our Schnauzer
https://travelersandaschnauzer.com/blue-ridge-mountains-with-dogs/
Our Hike Usually Isn’t Finished When We Reach the Car
This is one of the parts of our trail routine that’s easy to overlook when thinking about hiking gear.
Before Angel gets back in the car, we normally stop and check her over.
We look at her paws and paw pads, check for ticks and burrs, wipe her legs and feet, clean her beard, and rinse her feet when needed. Most of that happens before she ever gets into the vehicle.
Travel Wipes (paid link):
https://amzn.to/3SN5QJ1
Muddy Paw Towel (paid link):
https://amzn.to/4xEcFwv
Paw Cleaner (paid link):
https://amzn.to/4vREvUe
Part of the reason we’re so consistent about that routine is Angel’s environmental allergies. Hiking means she’s walking directly through grass, leaves, dirt, water, and whatever else is along the trail.
Once we’re home, that routine is followed by her medicated bath when needed as part of the care routine established for her.
For more about how we handle Angel’s allergies while we’re away from home:
How We Manage Our Schnauzer’s Allergies While Traveling
https://travelersandaschnauzer.com/manage-schnauzer-allergies-while-traveling/
We also have a separate guide to the grooming routine we follow around our trips:
Our Travel Grooming Checklist Before Every Road Trip With Our Miniature Schnauzer
https://travelersandaschnauzer.com/travel-grooming-checklist-for-dogs/
Our Dog Hiking Gear Checklist
Before leaving for a trail with Angel, this is the checklist we work from:
- Harness
- Leash
- ID tag
- Angel’s travel water bottle
- Extra water for refills
- Collapsible bowl
- Dog carry pouch
- Hiking backpack
- Pet first-aid kit
- Waste bags and poop-bag carrier
- Treats and treat pouch
- Travel wipes
- Muddy-paw towel
- Paw cleaner
- Cooling towel when appropriate
- Raincoat when rain is possible
- Cold-weather coat when temperatures call for it
- Emergency whistle
- Boots when appropriate, although we normally carry Angel if the terrain becomes difficult enough that we feel she needs them
We don’t necessarily use everything on that list during every hike.
That’s the point.
A lot of the gear is there so we have another option when something changes.
What We’ve Learned From Hiking With a Small Dog
We’ve stopped judging a good hike by how many miles Angel walks.
At Station Cove Falls, the right balance was letting her walk part of the hike and carrying her for the rest. At Issaqueena Falls, carrying her through the steep sections was the better decision. At other mountain trails and during our return trips to Poinsett State Park, the balance can be completely different.
We pay attention to Angel, the terrain, the weather, and what’s happening around us.
If she’s comfortable and the trail works for her, she walks.
If the terrain becomes more than we want her navigating, she rides.
If the heat makes both of those choices questionable, we change the plan.
That approach has been much more useful to us than trying to find one rule that works for every trail.
Angel doesn’t need to hike every mile for the hike to be worth taking.
She gets to sniff around, walk through the woods, explore new places, rest when she needs to, and spend the day outside with us. The gear simply helps us adjust the adventure around the dog we actually have instead of the hike we imagined before we arrived.
For our broader approach to traveling with Angel:
The Ultimate Guide to Traveling With a Dog
https://travelersandaschnauzer.com/ultimate-guide-to-traveling-with-a-dog/
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