Most dog coats fail before the first snow — not because the fabric is bad, but because the dog was sized by weight instead of by back length. Two 60-pound dogs can carry three inches of difference between collar and tail, and a coat that is three inches off either slides sideways into a saddle … Read more
Losing cell signal in the backcountry used to mean you were on your own. A broken leg six miles from the trailhead meant a very long night, or worse. Satellite messengers changed that equation, and the category just got a jolt of new energy with Garmin’s Mini 3 Plus landing this fall. But here is … Read more
The first hard freeze of the year changes the trail for your dog the same day it changes it for you. Snow packs between the toes, ice cuts pads that spent all summer on soft dirt, and road salt burns through everything by the end of the driveway. I have watched a confident dog turn … Read more
Best Dog Hiking Harnesses 2026: 6 Harnesses Tested on Real Trails Last updated: June 2026 | By GearHound I have gone through more dog harnesses than I care to count. My first hiking harness was a cheap pet store special that chafed my dog’s armpits raw after one weekend on the Appalachian Trail. The second … Read more
Is Your Puppy Ready for the Trail? Taking your puppy on their first hike is a milestone moment — the kind of memory that makes you reach for your phone camera a dozen times. But before you lace up your boots and clip on a leash, there are some practical things to sort out. Puppies … Read more