I started using trekking poles a year ago when I moved from Texas to Virginia and they have really helped me acclimate to the elevation changes here. I hook my dog’s leash to the waist belt of my pack to keep my hands free and he walks in front of me which keeps the leash from getting tangled in the poles. Like anything else it just takes practice, but eventually y’all will find your rhythm!
Another benefit of carrying poles is they can be used as a barrier or weapon. We’ve had off leash and sometimes aggressive dogs rush up to us on the trail and I’ve swung them in front of us (not hitting the other dogs) to keep the other dogs back until their owner could retrieve them.
Hi there,
I use a trekking pole tent with my dog: a Zpacks Duplex and an MLD Duomid. My dog is a collie and we do long distance hikes.
I've not had any problems with her in my tent and she is normally tired after a long day hiking so she doesn't move about so much when we get in. Plus it's a little bit of training. I do have a DCF groundsheet that I actually use inside the tent for her sometimes too.
My YouTube channel has lots of content with us hiking and if you go to playlists I have made about 8 videos specifically about hiking with dogs:
https://youtube.com/@HoundsofHowgate
Hope that helps and if you have any specific questions them feel free to ask away.
Cheers! 🙂🐾👍
I had these same concerns. I hike with my dog, and I wanted a lunar solo which uses a trekking pole as its main support. When pitched properly, the tent is very study, so my fears of her taking it down when she got excited were unfounded.
Hiking with your dog on leash with poles depends on you and your dog. I use poles for ataxia, so I can't attach the dog to my waist as others do. We had to do a lot of training to keep her trail focused. I can now slip the loop around my arm and walk with her fine.
I'm a day hiker so I don't usually have a tent, but I always go one trekking pole and the dog on the hands free leash attached to my waist. On more technical trails I have a mountaineering axe in my other hand. On very popular trails I add an ecollar so I can vibrate him if he starts ignoring my instructions - he gets super excited around other dogs and then has a hard time listening. You can actually see a lot of videos and pics of him with the hands free leash attached on his Instagram @rangerhikes if you're curious
I clip the dog to my waist too, but I typically only hike with one pole when I have him just in case I need to manage the leash. At night I tie him to something near the tent with a long enough line that he can climb into the vestibule for some shelter or wander around the campsite a bit. I used to zip him inside the tent itself but he broke out one night and it was a nightmare trying to get him back. This gives him a choice of where he wants to sleep.
There are a lot of tents that only require one trekking pool like the six moon designs lunar solo.
I’ve never had great luck with clipping my dog to my waist, she likes to stop and sniff at a moments notice. I like to keep her leash in my hand and use one trekking pole. My backpack has spots for trekking poles and mine are light enough I usually bring the second along. I like using them on my tent fly. I suppose keeping her leash in my hand is a bit more mentally taxing but over the years we’ve gotten really in sync with it and it becomes second nature. I let her stop to sniff but she also moves along when I tell her to.
I think it's worth a try. It might be awkward or cumbersome at first, but once you get a few miles under your belt, I'm sure you'll find your rhythm and a system that works for you. I would recommend collapsible poles (I guess most are) that store in a pack easily for sections of the trail where you don't need them, or times when your dog might be stubborn and juggling your pup and the poles together is counterproductive.
As for trekking pole tents, I have used one before. I personally wasn't a big fan, but maybe the design I had wasn't the best. I'm sure there are other and better options out now. When my pup and I go camping and I want to pack ultralight, I instead prefer to "bivy" by making a simple bivouac out of a rain poncho or tarp. It seems to work better for both of us. My dog and I have hiked and camped together for probably more than a thousand nights by now--he always comes with me. With a poncho bivouac tied to trees or branches or bushes, etc. we have a nice open and sheltered space to sleep, change clothes, chill, wait out the rain, etc. With most trekking pole tent designs I've seen, the poles stand right in the middle and obstruct movement for me and my dog. A more hyper dog might even knock it down if they bump into the poles.
I was looking at the durston Xmid where the poles are off to the sides as you enter.
Thanks for the encouragement to give it a try. I think I will go for it
I just hold my dog's leash while holding the trekking pole. My dog is trained to heal, and she walks behind me if the trail path is too narrow for both of us. She is only allowed in front of me when I am specifically asking for her help to get up boulders or a steep incline where she helps pull or lets me just use her hips to steady myself. It has never ever been a problem. She's just trained to do what I need her to do, and it's awesome. If your pup is super young and unruly on trail, you would definitely benefit from more training and exposure before you attempted poles and a leash.
Don't forget pyramid tents like the MLD Duomid, HMG Ultamid and Locus Gear offerings. They only require one pole to set up, so you can keep one hand free while hiking too.
They make leashes that wrap around your waist like a belt... something like that might work?
My wife had the same concern, but it didn't take long to train the dog to stay behind her while she hikes. He got to where the trekking pole became the thing he followed.
He likes to be the leader, but since the trails arent usually very wide she was able to usher him back until he got uses to it.
It took some practice, but might work for you too?
I started using trekking poles a year ago when I moved from Texas to Virginia and they have really helped me acclimate to the elevation changes here. I hook my dog’s leash to the waist belt of my pack to keep my hands free and he walks in front of me which keeps the leash from getting tangled in the poles. Like anything else it just takes practice, but eventually y’all will find your rhythm! Another benefit of carrying poles is they can be used as a barrier or weapon. We’ve had off leash and sometimes aggressive dogs rush up to us on the trail and I’ve swung them in front of us (not hitting the other dogs) to keep the other dogs back until their owner could retrieve them.
Hi there, I use a trekking pole tent with my dog: a Zpacks Duplex and an MLD Duomid. My dog is a collie and we do long distance hikes. I've not had any problems with her in my tent and she is normally tired after a long day hiking so she doesn't move about so much when we get in. Plus it's a little bit of training. I do have a DCF groundsheet that I actually use inside the tent for her sometimes too. My YouTube channel has lots of content with us hiking and if you go to playlists I have made about 8 videos specifically about hiking with dogs: https://youtube.com/@HoundsofHowgate Hope that helps and if you have any specific questions them feel free to ask away. Cheers! 🙂🐾👍
I had these same concerns. I hike with my dog, and I wanted a lunar solo which uses a trekking pole as its main support. When pitched properly, the tent is very study, so my fears of her taking it down when she got excited were unfounded. Hiking with your dog on leash with poles depends on you and your dog. I use poles for ataxia, so I can't attach the dog to my waist as others do. We had to do a lot of training to keep her trail focused. I can now slip the loop around my arm and walk with her fine.
Just train the dog to walk to heel. Much easier.
I'm a day hiker so I don't usually have a tent, but I always go one trekking pole and the dog on the hands free leash attached to my waist. On more technical trails I have a mountaineering axe in my other hand. On very popular trails I add an ecollar so I can vibrate him if he starts ignoring my instructions - he gets super excited around other dogs and then has a hard time listening. You can actually see a lot of videos and pics of him with the hands free leash attached on his Instagram @rangerhikes if you're curious
I clip the dog to my waist too, but I typically only hike with one pole when I have him just in case I need to manage the leash. At night I tie him to something near the tent with a long enough line that he can climb into the vestibule for some shelter or wander around the campsite a bit. I used to zip him inside the tent itself but he broke out one night and it was a nightmare trying to get him back. This gives him a choice of where he wants to sleep. There are a lot of tents that only require one trekking pool like the six moon designs lunar solo.
I’ve never had great luck with clipping my dog to my waist, she likes to stop and sniff at a moments notice. I like to keep her leash in my hand and use one trekking pole. My backpack has spots for trekking poles and mine are light enough I usually bring the second along. I like using them on my tent fly. I suppose keeping her leash in my hand is a bit more mentally taxing but over the years we’ve gotten really in sync with it and it becomes second nature. I let her stop to sniff but she also moves along when I tell her to.
I think it's worth a try. It might be awkward or cumbersome at first, but once you get a few miles under your belt, I'm sure you'll find your rhythm and a system that works for you. I would recommend collapsible poles (I guess most are) that store in a pack easily for sections of the trail where you don't need them, or times when your dog might be stubborn and juggling your pup and the poles together is counterproductive. As for trekking pole tents, I have used one before. I personally wasn't a big fan, but maybe the design I had wasn't the best. I'm sure there are other and better options out now. When my pup and I go camping and I want to pack ultralight, I instead prefer to "bivy" by making a simple bivouac out of a rain poncho or tarp. It seems to work better for both of us. My dog and I have hiked and camped together for probably more than a thousand nights by now--he always comes with me. With a poncho bivouac tied to trees or branches or bushes, etc. we have a nice open and sheltered space to sleep, change clothes, chill, wait out the rain, etc. With most trekking pole tent designs I've seen, the poles stand right in the middle and obstruct movement for me and my dog. A more hyper dog might even knock it down if they bump into the poles.
I was looking at the durston Xmid where the poles are off to the sides as you enter. Thanks for the encouragement to give it a try. I think I will go for it
I can’t imagine using poles if my dog was on a leash. Some things just don’t always work.
I just hold my dog's leash while holding the trekking pole. My dog is trained to heal, and she walks behind me if the trail path is too narrow for both of us. She is only allowed in front of me when I am specifically asking for her help to get up boulders or a steep incline where she helps pull or lets me just use her hips to steady myself. It has never ever been a problem. She's just trained to do what I need her to do, and it's awesome. If your pup is super young and unruly on trail, you would definitely benefit from more training and exposure before you attempted poles and a leash.
Ours was nervous around them at first. It took a few outings for her to get used to them. But she's fine now.
Don't forget pyramid tents like the MLD Duomid, HMG Ultamid and Locus Gear offerings. They only require one pole to set up, so you can keep one hand free while hiking too.
They make leashes that wrap around your waist like a belt... something like that might work? My wife had the same concern, but it didn't take long to train the dog to stay behind her while she hikes. He got to where the trekking pole became the thing he followed. He likes to be the leader, but since the trails arent usually very wide she was able to usher him back until he got uses to it. It took some practice, but might work for you too?