Colorado Springs, Colo. — It’s hard to beat having a canine companion by your side for your favorite outdoor recreation activity. However, if you’re out on trails with the pup, it’s important to follow a few important rules to keep the experience safe and fun.
1. Pick up your dog’s poop
Leaving your pet’s poop behind for nature to take care of can introduce all sorts of non-native bacteria and other things to the ecosystem. Plus, it’s nasty and stinks up the trail for other hikers.
2. Don’t leave your filled poop bags behind.
Remember that you also need to bring the poop bag with you. Many hikers seem to forget this, likely operating under the assumption that they’ll remember to snag the bag on their return trip. However, judging by the number of filled poop bags often seen on the trail, many hikers are a bit forgetful. Don’t leave it behind, pack it with you immediately instead.
Pro tip: Bring a larger zip-lock bag for your filled poop bags to help prevent bad smells from lingering.
3. Follow the posted leash laws
Leash laws exist for a number of reasons and following them could save your dog’s life. If a leash law is required, it might be to protect nesting wildlife; it might be due to a hazard such as a poisonous plant or an unseen cliff drop; it might be to protect other dogs on a crowded trail. Keep your dog on a leash if you’re told to and use a leash that allows you to maintain control of your animal.
Remember, just because your dog is well-trained and well-behaved, other dogs they might encounter may not be.
4. Don’t harass the wildlife
Don’t let your dog bark at, chase, or threaten wild animals you might encounter on the trail. Not only is this illegal, it’s also very bad for the wild animals. It’s stressful and can lead to death in some cases.
5. Keep off the grass and out of the water, when asked
If there’s a sign posted requesting that you keep your dog off of a certain terrain feature or out of a certain water source, there’s probably a good reason for that. Whether it might be due to a dangerous pesticide that was recently applied or the presence of a deadly algae, a number of concerns can prompt these warnings.
6. Yield the right-of-way
A lot of different people head to trails for outdoor recreation, including runners, bikers and hikers. If you’re got a dog on a leash, yield the right-of-way to passersby. Make sure your dog and the leash aren’t in the way of someone else and when possible and responsible, step slightly off the trail to allow for safe passing.
