More of Our Favorite Dog Hiking Gear: Winter Edition
As everyone knows, we love hiking Boulder’s Open Space & Mountain Parks with our dog Loki. Even in the dead of winter, it’s one of our favorite ways to have some fun and get some exercise. Over the years, we’ve tried out a ton of great dog hiking gear and love telling people about our favorite products. (Read our previous blog post with recommendations here.) But come winter time, there are few other must-haves on our list.
And as always, if you’re looking for a great trail, you can check out our blog post on the best off-leash dog hikes, the interactive map on our Resources page, the map board on our Pinterest page, or the City of Boulder’s Open Space & Mountain Parks dog regulations map. Happy hiking!
RC Pet Venture Dog Coat
With freezing winter temperatures, it’s important to know how your dog responds to the cold and whether he could use a coat for outdoor activities. Many dogs are perfectly fine without one, but certain breeds with thinner fur or low body fat can be especially susceptible to the cold and even hypothermia.
RC Pet’s Venture dog coat is one of our favorites and features a waterproof shell, integrated leash access, and a warm and lightweight fleece liner. When buying a dog coat, it’s important to have them fitted properly, just like you would with a harness or backpack. Stop by the store to check out coats and make sure you pup gets a perfect fit.
Dog Moccasins
Similar to dog coats, there are many dogs who can benefit from a little extra protection against the winter elements. These 100% leather moccasins from Dog Mocs help protect your dog’s paws from cold, icy and rough conditions. Stop by the store to check them out; available for dogs of all sizes.
Pet First Aid Kit
A pet first aid kit is good to have all-year round, but especially important in the winter when a cut or scrape can easily become wet and cold and lead to greater problems. You can read our previous blog post to learn more about pet first aid, including other supplies that we recommend stocking in your kit.
Microfiber Towels
Loki has a tendency to get really dirty after hitting the trails, and in order to keep our car free of mud, we always towel him off with a Soggy Doggy microfiber towel. These towels are the absolute best at getting dogs nice and clean after a wet, snowy, or muddy hike. Microfiber helps dry your dog’s fur faster, attracts dirt, and dries quickly between uses.
Kahtoola MICROspikes®
This product recommendation might be a bit of a “cheat” since it’s not really for your dog, but when you’re wearing these awesome Kahtoola MICROspikes®, you’ll be able to keep up with the most fleet-footed of canines. We’ve tried several brands of spikes and these are by far the best for winter hiking and trail running. They’re super durable (we’ve had ours for over five years!) and feature 12 stainless steel spikes per foot and an easy-to-pull-on rubber “sleeve” that fits over almost any footwear.
