Dog Hiking Pack List
$5One printable page of everything I carry for a day hike with a dog, and what I leave behind.
Dog hiker
Hiking mountain trails with my Shiba, from the harness to the tent
I’m Daichi. I hike the mountains of Nagano with my Shiba, Mugi, and film what works: the harness, the water, the pace, the paws and a first night in a tent. I sell guides, planners and two video courses.
From $5
One hike, in five parts
Every hike with Mugi goes through the same five parts. Pick a part to see what it does, what usually goes wrong and where to learn it.
01 / Fit harness
Fit harness
What it does
A good hike starts at the front door: snug behind the front legs, clear of the shoulders, and checked again at the top of the first climb.
The one thing that goes wrong
It looks fine in the hallway and rubs raw after three hours.
- Video
Fitting a harness so it does not rub
Harness Fitting Guide
$8
Buy nowFit the harness
12 min
02 / Carry water
Carry water
What it does
Water for the dog as well as for me: a bowl that folds flat, a bottle I can pour from and a sip every time we stop.
The one thing that goes wrong
You carry water for yourself and trust a stream to do for the dog.
- Video
How much water I carry for a Shiba on a ridge
Trail Water and Rest Planner
$7
Buy nowCarry the water
10 min
03 / Set the pace
Set the pace
What it does
An easy pace that suits the dog’s legs and the day’s heat, with short climbs, long flats and a turn back when the afternoon gets warm.
The one thing that goes wrong
You walk at your own speed and the dog is panting by noon.
- Video
Setting a pace we can keep for six hours
Trail-Ready Training Plan
$14
Buy nowSet the pace
14 min
04 / Check paws
Check paws
What it does
A rest every hour: shade, water and a look at every pad for cuts, grit and burrs, before there is a limp.
The one thing that goes wrong
You notice the limp when you are two hours from the car.
- Video
Rest stops and paw checks every hour
Paw Care Guide
$8
Buy nowRest and check the paws
13 min
05 / Camp out
Camp out
What it does
A small tent, a mat for the dog, a lead tied to a stake and an early night, on a campsite that allows dogs and a short walk from the car.
The one thing that goes wrong
You go too far on the first night and nobody sleeps.
- Video
Our first night in a small tent
First Overnight With Your Dog Plan
$12
Buy nowCamp for the night
16 min
Take it further
A guide to keep at hand, and a course to follow one lesson at a time.
Trail Water and Rest Planner
$7How much water to carry by dog size and weather, and a plan for rests along the route.
Paw Care Guide
$8Checking pads on the trail and at home, when to use boots and what to do about a cut.
First Overnight With Your Dog Plan
$12A short route, a packing list and a timetable for your dog’s first night in a tent.
YouTube
Latest videos
A new hike video every Saturday: the harness, the water, the pace, the paws and the camp.
18 min
Our first night in a small tent
A short walk in, a mat for Mugi, a lead tied to a stake and what we both did when it got dark.
About me
I live in Nagano and walk a trail most weekends with Mugi, a red sesame Shiba who is five years old and has strong opinions about hills. We started on a flat boardwalk across a moor, and I have been writing down every hike since.
I film the lessons on the trail with a phone on a small tripod. They are the things I check before every hike, in the order I check them. If I am not sure about something that touches Mugi’s health, I ask my vet before I post about it.
Newsletter
Trail Notes
A short letter every Saturday from the trail: where we went, how Mugi coped and one thing I changed.
Merch
My designs, printed to order and shipped by Printful.
