Unleashing the Fun: Dog Adventures this Summer (with special guests!)

As summer approaches, it’s the perfect time to embark on exciting adventures with our furry friends. Dogs are natural explorers who thrive on new experiences and outdoor activities.  So, why not make this summer unforgettable by participating in exciting dog-friendly activities such as paddleboarding, hiking, and camping? In this blog, we’ll delve into the wonders of these outdoor pursuits and provide you with tips and insights to help you and your four-legged buddy have a memorable and safe journey. But first, let’s hear from two exceptional guests who have generously given their knowledge and experiences.

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Special guests

We are honoured to have @cockapoofudgeandkatie, an adventurous duo on Instagram, join us for a Q+A session. With their zest for life and love for exploring, they have mastered the art of paddleboarding, hiking, and camping not only for humans but for dogs too. Their invaluable views and firsthand experiences will inspire you to create unforgettable memories with your own pup this summer.

And that’s not all! We’re also privileged to introduce Kla, our dear friend and Mold store manager, who is a true petplace explorer. With years of expertise in the pet industry and a boundless passion for outdoor activities, Kla has an abundance of knowledge to share. Her tips and advice on camping and hiking with dogs will ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for your furry friend.

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Katie and Fudge

How do you travel with your dog? 

Most of our adventures start with a car journey, and Fudge rides in the back seat with his seatbelt attached to his harness. If we are travelling in someone else’s car and have forgotten Fudge’s seatbelt, we feed the car seatbelt through the traffic handle (right next to the harness end of his lead) on his lead, which works well as a backup. I always have a thick blanket for him to sit on too, as he’s often bringing lots of mud, sand or water back with him!

Where is your favourite place you’ve taken fudge?

We love going down to Shropshire and staying at ‘Sunrise Pods’ – I think we’ve been 4 times now, with our 5^th stay already booked again too; that’s how much we love it! They are the perfect little dog-friendly escape – with a hot tub, fully enclosed garden and walks from your door. We head here when we want some time to relax together but also with many options for lovely scenic walks.

What kinds of food do you bring for your dog when travelling long distances?

Fudge has cold-pressed food, and this definitely lends itself to travelling well as we just pack his bag of food to take with us. I always make sure I pack a chew for each day to keep him happy when we go out for meals or to give him some chill time when we’re at a holiday place. And I have to make sure I pack some bite-size treats as well, as we tend to visit lots of new places, and I want it to be a good positive experience for him too. 

When we are backpacking, I tend to portion his cold pressed food by a meal in our Adios poo bags (one meal per bag) ready to pour into his bowl, and then the bags are ready for use after meal times too!

What are some must-have essentials for dog camping?

Our first must-have for camping is a sleeping mat or bag (Fudge has the Hurtta Outback Dreamer sleeping bag, and it’s great for sleeping in when it’s cold or on top of as a general mat) so that they have a place to settle and somewhere that will be warm and cosy for them to sleep.

Our second must-have is a place or a bag that will keep their food sealed or out of reach. We measure Fudge’s food out for the duration of our trip, and we pack it in a kibble caddie. It seals like a dry bag, so Fudge can’t help himself. This also means we don’t need to pack his big bag of food and carry unnecessary things we won’t need – I always pack one extra meal, though, in case we get delayed etc.

Our final must-have is a lead that easily clips onto things. Most campsites require dogs to be on a lead, so it’s handy to have a lead that can easily attach to things such as your camping chair, a fence right next to your tent or around your waist. I like a leash for this as the handle can be easily clipped onto things and adjusted to be waist worn around my waist, which is handy when I’m walking to the washing up station, and I don’t have a free hand.

How do you prepare your dog for sleeping outside?

Fudge is a proper outdoor lover like me, so it didn’t take too much preparation for us for him to be comfortable enough to sleep outside, thankfully. However, he can be easily distracted and not properly chill out (unless he is super tired after a long hike) unless he is lying on a mat or a blanket. I always pack something for him to lie on because it makes it much more relaxing for me not to worry about what he’s eating or digging, and he’s happy to chill out then. Practising your ‘down’ command and rewarding them for relaxing on a mat can help prepare for this before your trip.

How did you get into running?

We joined a local Canicross club, and this was the best thing we could have done to get us started! By joining a club, they had a kit we could try out before we committed to buying anything, and this helped us work out what type of kit worked for us as there are lots of variations in the kit depending on you and your dog. Fudge also picked it up really quickly as he had lots of other dogs to copy and was straight out in front – something I had struggled to get him to do when we went for solo runs together. The club is also very social, and we’ll stop and have a chat with everyone (sometimes cake too!) after our club runs which is lovely. If you really enjoy it, there are lots of Canicross races that you can enter too.

Reasons to run with your dog? 

I have never been much of a runner – nor did I think I would become one but I was searching for things for us to do together one day, and I came across Canicross (cross country/trail running with your dog attached to you by a waist belt). 

I love running with Fudge; he distracts me from the fact that I’m actually running as I often concentrate on what he’s doing more than what I am, and because he’s attached to me around my waist, he gives me a bit of pull to go a bit faster (or just too keep going in general). When he needs to stop for a bathroom break, it also gives me a great excuse for a breather!

Must have products for running?

Our must-have products are specific leashes, belts and harnesses for Canicross. I wear a ‘Non-stop Dog Wear’ belt that is a bit similar to a climbing harness with leg loops and a belt around your waist – this helps support you as a runner and enables you to gain the most from your dog’s pulling power. We have a good bungee line (currently using an Arctic Wolf Canicross line) that runs between Fudge and me to minimise jolting movements for both Fudge and me. Fudge has a specific Canicross harness that is designed to allow him to pull with minimal restrictions – having a specific harness also means Fudge knows what that harness means in particular and what job he’ll be doing.

Any commands that my dog should know?

I don’t think there was anything that I taught Fudge in particular for hiking, but a few that we taught for other reasons that have been handy have been; wait, steady (for going downhill), left, and right.

What would you love to try next?

We have a couple of things planned for this year; we were hoping to head back up to Scotland to take on a couple more of their long-distance trails, but I am excited to plan a SUP and camp trip around the islands of Loch Lomond – did you know they have wallabies living wild on one of their islands?

If you could only pack three items on your adventure with your pet with you, what would they be?

• Snacks (for both me and Fudge!) – it’s not an adventure without snacks.
• A mat or sleeping bag – we can both share it on a short hike as a nice place to rest, and it’s an essential for our hike and camp trips.
• Our paddleboard because there’s never a place I’ve been that I’ve not wanted to paddle together

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Kla

Is paddleboarding easy to learn? 

Paddle boarding is a relatively easy sport/hobby to learn. I have no centre of balance, but I’ve learnt to stand up and paddle around in confidence.

If you want to try it out, make sure you pick a nice calm day. This will mean the water is nice and still. I started by kneeling and paddling about the lake that way. Once I got a feel for the board, I began to stand up and could stay stood up for longer periods before feeling wobbly and having to kneel back down again. When I realised the dogs enjoyed tagging along, I had to start from the start again as I had to get used to the board feeling a bit different.

How do you train your dog to paddleboard?

Training your dog to paddleboard is relatively easy, but this also depends on your dog’s characteristics; if they are calm, it will be easier, but if they are a bit more excitable, it’s going to take a little bit longer, but it’s not impossible. Also, they need to like the water; you want them to enjoy themselves too. 

I’d start by inflating the paddleboard in your garden (or spare room if you don’t have a garden) and get the dog happy and comfortable on the board. Get them happily standing, sitting, lying down and staying on the board, make sure you are using lots of positive encouragement (Get your treat ready! We recommend the Blue Pet Go Fuel Energy Bars). Once they are happy and comfortable around the board, the next step is getting into the water, get them comfortable with the board on the water as it will move (float) now, and that may feel a bit strange; again, lots of positive encouragement. Then the more and more you go, the further you will get. You will know when your dog is happy or not, so make sure you pick up on their signals. Don’t rush them into it. Stay calm and positive, and they will too… Enjoy! Oh, and don’t forget a doggy life jacket! 

Where is your favourite place to take your pets in North Wales?

My favourite place would have to be Ynys Llanddwyn (Newborough Beach). You’ve got the forestry, the beach, the sea and the lighthouse, with stunning views of the Snowdonia mountain range too. Just be careful of hide and low tides from the island.

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Any tips on how to start taking your pets with you hiking?

Just like us humans, dogs need to gain fitness and stamina too. Start with a nice short easy walk, and then over time increase the distance and/or the difficulty. 

How do you know when it’s too much and they start getting tired?

You will know your dog better than anyone, so make sure you pick up on signals and also other factors such as age, weather, and fitness levels. Spaniels like mine don’t have an off switch even my 13year old still thinks that she’s a spring chicken, so be mindful of their breed nature too. All my dogs are able to stay out for relatively long times comfortably, even the sausage dog! Tan is now deaf and a bit wobbly at times, so I tend to do easier/flatter walks when she comes along. Eira and Pwt will heal much easier when tired, and as for Izzy, she’s a lot quieter, that’s for sure (Typical sausage dog!)

Any precautions you take regarding wildlife?

Always make sure you respect your surroundings and the time of year in which you are out and about. A lot of places have livestock out either seasonally or all year round, so it’s important that your dog is on the lead and under control. Places such as The Eglwyseg (Worlds End) have floor-nesting birds (grouse), so we want to make sure we stick to the paths and also keep dogs on the lead. I’m aware that Adders emerge at this time of year as well. These are the only poisonous snakes in the UK; they are shy creatures that like to stay out of the way and will only attack if threatened (a pooches nose where it shouldn’t be, for example). Lots of Nature Reserves and beaches will have information boards that will say when it’s a ground-nesting season or what wildlife they have in the area for you to be mindful of, so it’s always really good to have a quick read. And, as always, leave nothing but pawprints.

Do you take any hiking gear for yourself or your dogs that you recommend?

I always have a small rucksack with a water bottle and water bowl. Snacks for the dogs and for me, spare lead (you never know!) and also spare poop bags. I love the Kurgo foldable water bowl. It’s so compact, so it doesn’t take up any room. Poop bags I use Adios as they are plastic-free and compostable… I also like the bright colours. The dogs wear the Twiggy Tags adventure harnesses when on the bigger/technical walks the Meltwater Ruffwear Harness with the Handle was a great help when walking down a very blustery Devil’s Kitchen with Pwt this one time.

What’s your favourite outdoor activity to do with your pet?

Running. I enjoy getting out there and running, and the dogs do as well. We do a lot of fell running when we have the chance, so there are a variety of terrains and heights to keep us on our toes.

What’s the funniest thing that’s happened while adventuring?

When we go to the beach, we put the Meltwater Ruffwear Harness on Izzy, and if we pick her up, she thinks she’s swimming and pretends to swim in the air.

What would you love to try next?

I’d love to get into Canicross. I enjoy running, and the dogs enjoy running with me, so I should give it a try. Some running events I’ve taken part in also do a Canicross event too.

If you could only pack three items on your adventure with your pet with you, what would they be?

• A Kurgo foldable Water Bowl
• Carnilove Treats
• A phone to make sure I take pictures to capture the views and the memories

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As we conclude our dog adventure guide for this summer, we hope you’re excited and inspired to embark on thrilling experiences with your furry friends. From paddleboarding on tranquil waters to hiking through breathtaking trails and camping under starry skies, the possibilities for unforgettable adventures are endless.

We sincerely thank our special guests, @cockapoofudgeandkatie, and our dear friend Kla @we3cockers for sharing their experiences.

Always prioritise safety and well-being while embarking on your dog adventures. Take the time to prepare properly, including vet check-ups, training, and packing the necessary supplies. Stay hydrated, be mindful of wildlife, and leave no trace behind. We can continue to enjoy the great outdoors while appreciating and maintaining its natural beauty by doing so.

Most importantly, cherish the moments you share with your dogs. These adventures are not just about the destinations but also about the bond you strengthen and the memories you create together. Whether it’s the joy of paddling side by side, conquering challenging trails, or snuggling up in a cosy tent, these experiences will forever hold a special place in your heart.

So, gather your gear, leash up your dogs, and let the summer adventures begin! Embrace the freedom, laughter, and wagging tails. Unleash the fun! Happy exploring!