Ian how do you prepare for a days hill walking

I put Ian on the thread cause I know he does a lot of hill walking with the dogs, its really open to anyone with any advice, I got the boys with the view to getting back to doing a lot of hill walking again, I love the walk over the Devils Staircase, but am wondering how to prepare for the day, I used to do a lot of hill walking but never had the dogs with me, and looking back I don't know why not !! Help please

Hi, i'm not too sure in which way preparing you mean but this may help. We took Toby out walks in the countryside from him being a pup so he got used to the sights and sounds quite young. Because of this he's totally blase' to sheep and never ever bothers them. We go to the lake district quite a bit and to scotland... when we go out, i always make a little packed lunch of cuts of meat, cheese or tuna for toby (he wont suffer to eat his doggy fbiscuits outdoors ) and a something to put water in if its hot weather incase the streams have dried up.

If you mean preparing yourself, i'm not the fittest person in the world any any means, just make sure you allow plenty of time for your chosen walk so you can have as many rest stops as you wish. We are going to the Lakes in January and wont go any higher than the likes of Cat Bells near to keswick which is about 1400ft. Mainly so we know we will be finished before darkness and it gets to cold, plus our Toby's only a little un and i dont want him to get too cold either but you wont have that problem with your two

Hope some of that helps

Thanks Toby, its the prep for the doggies that I'm worried about, also how long to walk them for, how long did 1400ft take ?

How hold are your dogs? They are NI's arnt they? The first time we took toby hillwalking he was about 14 months old and he loved it, he walks for miles with us and is already to go again the next day, The cat bells walk is quite an easy going walk too, not too steep. the whole walk is about 5 miles and i think it takes us about an hour to get to the top (then we have a sandwich stop).

one of the main things i look at is his pads on his paws, incase they are getting a bit smooth (this is when we are on a weeks holiday), cos i dont want him getting sore feet, a lot of the times of course he has grass to walk on aswell. I'm such a fusspot however when it comes to Toby... i wouldnt care but he's supposed to be one of those Tough Terrier Types

They are only 25 weeks just now so the hill walking will have to wait till they've passed the 9 month stage, yip they are N.Is so I'll have to be careful they don't over heat in the summer... mmmm I'm looking forward to the sandwich stop already lol.

Yes you will have to try and pick places where you know there will be a river/stream or them to go in. At least in the cold weather you wont need worry about them becoming chilly with those lovely warm coats

Elaine... you can ask Ian in person tonight.. He will be at the drop.. which is probably why he hasn't answered you as I think he was planning on spending today in Edinburgh

See you later on..

Louise

Yip Louise I knew he was coming down but I'm on strict scheduel my daughter has warned me I'm not allowed to turn it into a social event, she's coming with me lol

If I was you Elaine I wouldnt be thinking of too much hill walking till your pups are over 12 months old, gentle crags & hills would be good, but they take a good 12 months to finish their growth and would hate you to have problems later due to pressure put on their bones & muscles.
Its hard to keep a good NI down I know I did it with Brodie too young and she hurt her back quite badly, she ended up needing therapy. I just hope I havent done her any permanent damage that will rear its ugly head when she is older.
Ive got my Landywoods order thanks Louise.

Thanks Luz, I had been told 9 months but I will take on board what your saying, I have been so careful with them, I wouldn't like anything bad to happen...so 12 months it is, because of Inkas sore toe at the moment we are pretty much snibbed with the walks...by the time they are a year the weather will be better for walking anyway, Thanks again.