Kevin Judy and Emma
Well-known member
New Book! DogHiker: Great Hikes With Dogs from the Adirondacks through the Catskills"
So. I want to share this with you if you are a Doghiker, that is, a person who likes to “hike” their dog. You know, into the woods and over hills and even mountains. Hiking. Yes, as the title indicates, it is geared towards those with dogs who wish to explore these areas, BUT, it is also just as useful to someone who never plans to have a dog, and wants a good guidebook for this region!
I have had the recent pleasure of receiving an advanced copy of Alan Via’s new book “Doghiker: Great hikes with dogs from the Adirondacks through the Catskills”. I had been looking forward to this as Alan had invited me to share some of my pictures of Emma, our 22lb Pom-mix who got quite a reputation for trotting the NH48 last decade. I could hardly wait to see which pictures, if any, they chose to use.
All that aside, I wanted to read this book, cover to cover, to learn about new places to take our new dog “Wicket” hiking, you know, over hills and mountains and stuff. Alan has provided us with a list of no less than 77 Day hikes that are not only chosen to be enjoyable for both dog and human, but have the added value of this book as resource to make each hike even more dog-friendly.
Even if you are a dog hiker who may never aspire to go to the Adirondacks or Catskills, this book has value. The first 6 chapters are full of information about what the human may need to get started with hiking their dog, or just a great discussion and refresher for those who already do. Alan has had a lifetime of having dogs and has a huge wealth of first-hand experience and knowledge to pass along, all of which was screened through his own dog’s veterinarian before ever going into print.
Topo maps of each hike have been created showing trails mentioned, elevations, etc. Each hike has a written description including valuable things to know, such as reliable water sources for hot, thirsty dogs. There is a chart for each hike with ratings for elevation, mileage, elevation gain, difficulty, views, and swimming/hydration.
As I read each trail description I became more and more eager to visit these places, a good guidebook does that! As I came across each photo, 3 in all, of our little dog Emma, I felt that heart pang we all have for the ones we have lost, but it brought such a joy to know she was being remembered in this way! Besides Emma, the book is full of wonderful photos of dogs enjoying the outdoors with their people. There is also some beautiful artwork sprinkled throughout the book, much of it created by Alan’s wife, Barbara.
All in all, I found this to be a fantastic resource not only for it’s suggested hikes, but also for its gentle reminders of what make good dog trail manners. This book is a creation of love by a man who has spent his life loving dogs. Who better to write such a book? Once again I thank Alan for this great resource, and I hope that this will bring joy to many dog hikers for many generations to come!
People can order by calling 877.204.6073, emailing [email protected], or by visiting their website: http://www.sunypress.edu/p-6853-doghiker.aspx.
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So. I want to share this with you if you are a Doghiker, that is, a person who likes to “hike” their dog. You know, into the woods and over hills and even mountains. Hiking. Yes, as the title indicates, it is geared towards those with dogs who wish to explore these areas, BUT, it is also just as useful to someone who never plans to have a dog, and wants a good guidebook for this region!
I have had the recent pleasure of receiving an advanced copy of Alan Via’s new book “Doghiker: Great hikes with dogs from the Adirondacks through the Catskills”. I had been looking forward to this as Alan had invited me to share some of my pictures of Emma, our 22lb Pom-mix who got quite a reputation for trotting the NH48 last decade. I could hardly wait to see which pictures, if any, they chose to use.
All that aside, I wanted to read this book, cover to cover, to learn about new places to take our new dog “Wicket” hiking, you know, over hills and mountains and stuff. Alan has provided us with a list of no less than 77 Day hikes that are not only chosen to be enjoyable for both dog and human, but have the added value of this book as resource to make each hike even more dog-friendly.
Even if you are a dog hiker who may never aspire to go to the Adirondacks or Catskills, this book has value. The first 6 chapters are full of information about what the human may need to get started with hiking their dog, or just a great discussion and refresher for those who already do. Alan has had a lifetime of having dogs and has a huge wealth of first-hand experience and knowledge to pass along, all of which was screened through his own dog’s veterinarian before ever going into print.
Topo maps of each hike have been created showing trails mentioned, elevations, etc. Each hike has a written description including valuable things to know, such as reliable water sources for hot, thirsty dogs. There is a chart for each hike with ratings for elevation, mileage, elevation gain, difficulty, views, and swimming/hydration.
As I read each trail description I became more and more eager to visit these places, a good guidebook does that! As I came across each photo, 3 in all, of our little dog Emma, I felt that heart pang we all have for the ones we have lost, but it brought such a joy to know she was being remembered in this way! Besides Emma, the book is full of wonderful photos of dogs enjoying the outdoors with their people. There is also some beautiful artwork sprinkled throughout the book, much of it created by Alan’s wife, Barbara.
All in all, I found this to be a fantastic resource not only for it’s suggested hikes, but also for its gentle reminders of what make good dog trail manners. This book is a creation of love by a man who has spent his life loving dogs. Who better to write such a book? Once again I thank Alan for this great resource, and I hope that this will bring joy to many dog hikers for many generations to come!
People can order by calling 877.204.6073, emailing [email protected], or by visiting their website: http://www.sunypress.edu/p-6853-doghiker.aspx.
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