An interview with The Canine Hiker's Bible author Doug Gelbert:
Q What led you to write this book?
A Those of us who hike with our dogs are all too familiar with the dreaded "NO DOGS ON TRAIL" sign. More and more people are traveling with their dogs at the same time more and more parks are closing to dogs. I wanted to create a guide of dog-friendly places where active dog owners can enjoy a hike with their dogs.
Q How did you decide what parks and trails to include in THE CANINE HIKER'S BIBLE?
A I started with the assumption that people traveling with dogs will want to go to the same places people without dogs go to - Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone, etc.
Q You include a list of the 101 Most Visited National Parks and their rules for dogs...
A Right. You can still see Yosemite Falls or the Grand Canyon with your dog, although it is an incomplete experience. So I use those kind of parks and then describe places nearby that you can really hike with your dog and maybe see the same sort of things you couldn't see on the national park trails. I divided the United States and Canada into 10 separate destination areas and identified great places to go with your do in each. There are more than 225 parks featured in THE CANINE HIKERS BIBLE.
Q Does the book just cover national parks?
A No, not at all. Most of the destinations, in fact, are state and local parks near national parks since these are generally more dog-friendly. And when we travel, we often want to visit the big city so I have included canine hiking opportunities for 35 major cities. I describe each city's major park as it pertains to dogs and then listed a nearby park for serious day hikes. City parks like Rock Creek in Washington, Fairmount in Philadelphia and Griffith in Los Angeles would be great places to hike with your dog even if you ignored the rest of the city.
Q Do you have any favorites to take your dog?
A Well the Canadian national parks in the Rocky Mountains - Banff and Jasper - would be near the top of any personal list. Unlike the United States, national parks in Canada still allow dogs on the trail so they are all must-see destinations for any canine hiker. In Nova Scotia, you get the benefit of the ocean as well as the mountains in Cape Beton Highlands National Park. In the U.S., Acadia National Park in Maine is the most dog-friendly of the National Park Service's crown jewels. And for extended canine hiking on the beach I like Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
Q Speaking of beaches, you've included beach rules for dogs in THE CANINE HIKER'S BIBLE as well.
A It is hard to find many places where a dog is happier hiking than along a beach. Unfortunately, the "NO DOGS ON BEACH" signs are even more common than signs prohibiting dogs from a trail. So I have given readers rules for dogs on some 1300 beaches in 500 beach towns on the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific Ocean and Great Lakes.
Q I know I was in Florida last year and my dog was hardly ever allowed on the beach.
A Florida, Southern California, the Gulf of Mexico - warm-water places where people can swim most of the year are particularly restrictive to dogs. Northern California, the Pacific Northwest and the off-season on the Atlantic seaboard are generally the best places to walk your dog on the beach.
Q Who are the two dogs in the photographs?
A The Golden Retriever is Ben. He is 14 years old and helped test the suitability of trails for older dogs. The other dog is Katie, a Border Collie-German Shepherd mix. Katie's an athletic dog and she evaluated the tougher trails. Getting your dog on a trail is just the first obstacle for active dog owners. Not every trail can be completed by a dog. On the trail you may encounter ladders or hand holds over boulders or an open grate bridge dogs may not want to cross. Trails guides never point these things out ahead of time so I issue the heads-up in the trail descriptions, if applicable.
Q Is that what you mean in THE CANINE HIKERS BIBLE when you say each trail is described "from your best friend's point of view?"
A Absolutely. I tried to look at a trail as a dog might. Many trails are rocky and can do quite a job on a hiking boot so you can imagine how it might feel on a paw. Creeks and ponds that we may just admire for their beauty can be a needed place to cool off for a dog on a hot day.
Q Does THE CANINE HIKER'S BIBLE just cover places to take your dog hiking?
A Not at all. We tell you how to get started hiking with your dog, outfitting your dog for a hike, things to look out for on the trail, etc. Plus the book includes short articles from experts in the field: Jessica Powers, author of the 45 BEST PLACES TO HIKE WITH YOUR DOG IN THE EL PASO/LAS CRUCES AREA on hiking with your dog in the desert; Robyn Peters, publisher of DOG GONE NEWSLETTER on tips for traveling with your dog; the folks at PetFriendly-Canada.com contributed their favorite places to hike with dogs; Eren Howell, owner of Dog Paddling Adventures, on how to canoe with your dog and more.
Q Is there one inside tip you can leave for new canine hikers?
A While national parks don't allow dogs on trails, the national park service does permit dogs in national historic parks and battlefields. Gettysburg, Valley Forge, Harpers Ferry - all the names we know from history in school. These are wonderful places to hike with your dog. And get a little education along the way. Grab that leash and hit the trail!
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