Planning an Outdoor Adventure with Your Pit Bull

Pit Bulls love the outdoors. Running trails, romping through the woods and then cooling off in a nice stream is an ideal adventure for any healthy Pit Bull.

Before you plan your adventure there are some things you should pay attention to so you can insure a safe adventure.

You don't want to end up with a hurt dog because you didn't plan properly.

Bring a First-Aid Kit

Having a first-aid kit for your adventure is an excellent idea. Your first aid kit should contain these basic items:

• Medicated powder
• Gauze bandages
• Adhesive tape
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Cotton and cotton swabs
• Tweezers
• Petroleum jelly
• Bacitracin-neomycin ointment
• Plastic bandages
• Boric acid powder

Should your dog get diarrhea or eat something that is poisonous a few things to carry along to help are:

• Kaopectate: two tablets every 4 to 6 hours
• Milk of magnesia: one tablespoon every 6 hours
• Charcoal: one tablespoon in 4 ounces of water
• Mineral oil: two tablespoons every 8 hours

In the event of an injury or ingestion of an unknown substance get to the vet as fast as you possibly can to ensure your dog gets immediate and proper care.

The Essentials

Bring plenty of water and food for you and your dog - You can buy a collapsible water bowl for easy packing.

Make sure to bring more than you think you need because you never know what you might need it for.

You may need to wash out a wound or wash off something funk your dog rolled in. And if you like me you will most definitely want to wash them immediately.

Make sure your dog is shape for the activity - Older pets should be monitored and given plenty of chances to rest during your outdoor adventure.

IMPORTANT - Learn how to spot and treat heat exhaustion. Even if it's cool outside your dog can over heat.

Warning signs include: excessive panting, drooling, dark gums and poor balance. If they start wobbling and acting goofy this is a serious danger sign. Take cool water and pour it over their belly and groin areas and fan them with a towel to help cool them down quickly. If you are near your car put them in front of air condition and turn it on high.

Taking frequent breaks and given your dog a chance to rest will help prevent any possible heat exhaustion problems from occurring in the first place.

Flea and Tick Preventives - There are some nasty little bugs in the outdoors. Having your dog up on their shots and bringing along some flea and tick repellents will help keep those nasty critters down to a minimum.

Every once in a while check your dog over for ticks. I always check their ears first then under the base of the tail and the rest of them from that point on.

TIP - I bring a long a little squirt bottle with some garlic in it. I spray them down pretty good before we take off into the woods. From time to time I give them a little squirt as well. You might not like the smell of garlic, but it will help keep the fleas and ticks off your dog and it's all natural.

You might want to use some on yourself as well.

Outdoor Gear

Doggy BackPack - A doggy backpack is a great idea. Having your dog wear their own backpack will allow you to bring extra water, food, toys, your first aid kit and items you may need that are small.

Put everything for your dog in their backpack so when you need something you won't have to search for it. You will be able to find whatever you need easily and fast.

Backpacks cost roughly from $30-$100 depending on the size and quality

Doggy Boots - Depending on the terrain and/or the time of year some doggy boots are also a good idea. These are fairly affordable and stop things like splinters, cuts from sharp rocks, and will keep your dogs pads safe and healthy.

Have them on lead - I can't stress this one enough. Even if your dog obeys voice commands near perfect you should still restrain your dog for safety reasons.

Especially if you are walking in areas with cliffs or drop offs. You never know when your dog might take off after a critter and end up in a serious situation before you have time to recall them.

A 30' lead will give your dog plenty of freedom and you can rest assured they are safe and under your control at all times.

Some Parting Tips

Bring your cell phone - If you have a cell phone make sure it is fully charged and keep it in a safe place for emergencies. Normally I would say leave this at home but these days you can never be too careful so bring it along. I would also bring along an extra battery as well.

Make sure your dog is wearing their collar with ID tags. This way in case of some weird accident and your dog gets away from you they can be identified.

Collars can come off as well so having your dogs micro chipped is another way of ensuring they can be identified and returned to you in case they get away some how. This is a good idea even if you aren't going on an outdoor trip.

Consult your vet before you take your trip and have your vet do a check up on your dog to ensure they are in shape and ready for your outdoor adventure.

For great deals on outdoor gear for your dog including those items mentioned here visit YourActivePet.com

Finally, have a safe and exciting adventure with your Pit Bull!

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