# Hiking with a puppy



## donwe (Jun 10, 2014)

Hey!

We have 5 month old vizsla male puppy. Healthy, active and adorable. 
Next week we are planing to have a trip to Norway. We'll be traveling by train/car. However, there will be few active days. 
One of them is climbing to Trolltunga - 11km there and 11km back. 
I know that such long hikes are not healthy for growing puppies and we are planning to leave him at a dogs hotel for 1-2 days.
However, I had some conversations with other dogs owners this week and they made me rethink this plan. They said that 10-20 km a day sometimes is not so harmful for 5month old vizsla (of course they are not talking about such daily exercise  ).
What would be your opinion? I read lots of posts here and find them really useful.

Another option: maybe we could do 11-14km a day, and build a tent on the mountain then rest during a night and come back next day. Would that be not too much?

Thank you!


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## donwe (Jun 10, 2014)

Ant this is my first post, so I though it's a good idea to introduce you with our lovely Bravo.
He is 4month old in this pic.


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## emilycn (Jul 30, 2013)

When your pup's a bit older (say 12-18 months) distance isn't such a concern because their joints and ligaments are much stronger and less susceptible to both acute and long-term injury. So yeah, I'd say 13-14 miles in a day is too much for an unconditioned, young vizsla. That being said, if your pup is off-leash and can go at his own pace, that makes a huge difference in how much distance you can travel. Still, I think your planned hike is too much for 5 months. 

(But you can take me instead!)


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## donwe (Jun 10, 2014)

Hey, you are welcome to travel with us 
Thank you for your opinion.
I believe our puppy would be off-leash during the hike.
And what about our plan B, to walk 10km (6 miles) up, spend the night there and then 6 miles back ?



emilycn said:


> When your pup's a bit older (say 12-18 months) distance isn't such a concern because their joints and ligaments are much stronger and less susceptible to both acute and long-term injury. So yeah, I'd say 13-14 miles in a day is too much for an unconditioned, young vizsla. That being said, if your pup is off-leash and can go at his own pace, that makes a huge difference in how much distance you can travel. Still, I think your planned hike is too much for 5 months.
> 
> (But you can take me instead!)


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## MilesMom (Jun 21, 2012)

We took Chase on some long hikes at 5 months because we had Miles already. We would let him walk/ run off leash for a bit, then take turns carrying him to give him rest so he could come on the whole hike with us. My husband and another male friend did most of the carrying in all fairness


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## emilycn (Jul 30, 2013)

ehhhh... I still don't know about that. Borderline, I'd say. Forum folks like MilesMom, TexasRed, and RedBirdDog might be able to provide more guidance---they are big runners, hunters, and/or hikers who have a wealth of experience conditioning their vizslas. 

On a six-mile hike, I'd say be prepared for lots of breaks for snacks and water, and be prepared to carry him if he gets too tired on you. It's not like Norway in the summer(?) has an extreme climate, but people have reported overheating and exhaustion when their dogs are running around in fairly mild weather, and a 5 month-old only has so much energy in reserve and self-control.

I would also say, however, that if your puppy was a person, he'd be kicking me under the table and telling me to shut up because he'd really like to go and he'd be, like, totally fine.


*ha, and as I was typing, MilesMom replies


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## organicthoughts (Oct 9, 2012)

Hike off leash, always off leash. If the pup is tired stop for a while and have a picnic.


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## MilesMom (Jun 21, 2012)

My other little bit of advice is to carry lots of water, light snacks for a picnic break (I make doggie trail mix bars for ours, fed in little pieces on a break to avoid gastric torsion in small quantities, but they do often need some calories on a long hike). If your puppy hasn't spent much time on the trails, keep an eye on his pads, I have had a lot of friends have their pups rip up their pads running downhill on a trail surface for the first time. Mushers Secret is a staple in our house. Also keep a first aid kit on you for dogs in case of a cut or bite of some sort. 

And as organicthoughts mentioned... off leash is best. If you can't trust your pup, take a 20 foot lead and let him make his own pace.


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## MeandMy3 (Feb 27, 2013)

Just my own learning experience...keep in mind that if he hikes the first day just fine, he may slow down the 2nd day. Especially since it isn't an activity he is used to. 

When our dogs start swimming for the summer, the first day they swim like fish. The 2nd day, the lounge around - all tired.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Just by doing a quick search on Trolltunga 

Trolltunga is one of the most spectactular scenic cliffs in Norway. Trolltunga is situated about 1100 meters above sea level, hovering 700 metres above lake Ringedalsvatnet in Skjeggedal. The view is breathtaking. The hike goes through high mountains, takes 8-10 hours in total (to Trolltunga and return) and the ascent is about 900 meters.

My best advice is don't take the pup.
A dog off lead is going to cover at least 2-3 times as much ground as you will, some do even more than that.
Even if you split it up into two days, your still talking 4-5 hours each day. 
Instead start taking the pups to fields and trails where you live. When he starts to slow down, you know the hike is over.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I agree its a beautiful place, but not one I would take a pup.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

I would say @ 5mo your V is 2 young 2 go on a mountain hike - going up hill puts a whole new dynamic on the pups body - as does going down hill for long diatances - @ a year old mayV - only if the pup is conditioned and you know there abilities - when in DOUBT - leave the PUP out of activities that are more planned 4 you and not the pup !!!!!!!


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## Rbka (Apr 21, 2014)

Welcome to the forums! Bravo is a very handsome boy!

My personal experience and input would be that 5 months is way too young for a long hike let alone a long mountainous hike! My spouse and I are avid mountain bikers and we bring Nico trail building with us if the hike in to the section of trail that we'll be working on isn't long.

We call how Nico behaves in this scenario "monster-trucking" because he ploughs up & down the area we're working in jumping, dodging, digging, barking, swimming, etc... He gets so excited and happy he just can't help himself! Usually he does this for about an hour or two and then lies down (we always bring a blanket for him) and sleeps hard for the rest of the day. I'm sure if we were hiking or biking he would monster-truck just the same way and run himself into the ground!

Have you been with Bravo in the woods off leash yet? It might give you more insight as to whether he would go hard then burn out (like Nico) or pace himself with you.

Enjoy your vacation! Looks like a beautiful hiking destination


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## sillybluecreature (Oct 6, 2013)

I've gotten a Vizsla for the main purposes of finding a hiking dog that won't tire on me so waiting through the puppy stages is hard! From the hiking standpoint, 10km is maybe doable through a day (with many breaks) on flat land but no way on mountain terrain. Whiskey is 4 months and we can do 5km on a mountain trail with a break along the way. She tires out towards the end (slowing down but not sitting). Of course, she's running up and down off-leash and covers at least twice the distance. She's also too excited and young to get her to calm down and "rest", so planned breaks don't seem to help us increase distance yet. I'd vote for the dog hotel!


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## donwe (Jun 10, 2014)

Wow,

thank you guys for replies. 
Received lots of useful information and advises. Knowing you are experienced vizlas' owners, I made final decision - puppy stays at the hotel for 1-2 days. If somehow it is not going to be available, I will stay somewhere in a nice place with my puppy while others go on a hike. 
We live in Sweden, in a really rocky area, he goes 2x1h a day off-leash in a woods. Lots of climbing up and down and he is ok, still have some energy to play when back home or to play with other dog's in a park. However, when he was 4month old we had 5-6 km slow hike (with 4 year old girl, so you could imagine the pace). And afterwards he slept 4 hours in a tent and then after spending some time with us he slept all night long (11 hours). So he was tired.

We want to have healthy vizsla, a great companion for future hikes and a friend for morning jogging, but I realize 100 % that I have to be patience and I will be. Thank you so much again. What a wonderful, friendly people are vizlas' owners


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## CatK (May 29, 2013)

Have an amazing holiday, it looks incredible! Me and my partner constantly battled on this one, and you've chosen the course I would have. When he was 5 months mine tired quickly running up and down hills likes a nutter, and occasionally when the OH won in these arguments, he paid the price carrying a surprisingly heavy puppy for miles!

Have a brilliant time.


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