Karlie LOVED hiking and going on adventures. As soon as she saw me gathering our hiking gear, she would get excited. Although I’m sure she didn’t think too much about appropriate hiking etiquette, she knew what made for a good adventure. Below are her tips for the best hiking experience; her hiking etiquette.
Be patient on the car ride there, the good stuff is coming.
Sniff everything – every leaf, tree stump, rock, and random spots on the trail. The woods are smelly and it’s important to take time to take it all in.
Don’t walk up to random people and dogs. Not everyone wants to meet you when they are exploring in the woods.
If you see a dog reacting or a person trying to create space between them and you, be respectful and keep moving.
Always try to find a spot to put your feet in the water. The best hikes are to places that have creeks, ponds, lakes, or some body of water. If it’s off limit to dogs, it’s not worth visiting.
Look for critters and let people know when you see them. Those interesting smells are from a variety of critters and they usually are lurking somewhere in the woods.
Try to stick to the pace of your humans. They can be slow, but it’s much nicer to be near them on the hike than dragging them behind you.
Make sure your people bring treats and water and sample them often.
Be patient when your person picks up your poop. It’s important to not leave anything behind.
Explore everything, especially downed trees and rocks on the trail. These make for great photos too.
Always smile when your person takes pictures of you while hiking. You never know you may become famous and have a book written about you like our book, Adventures with Karlie.
Enjoy every second you get to be out in nature. It’s simply the best.
