Running with the pack is mighty popular

GILFORD — Carolyn Larocque loves to hike with her dogs. When she’s out in the woods, she often sees other people doing the same thing. So, she wondered, why not get together with them?

That’s why she started a group on the website Meetup.com, which is designed to leverage the internet to create face-to-face interactions. She created a page for the group Gilford Dog Hikes last week.

“I started last Wednesday just because I see people out hiking with their dogs all the time, but most of the time I’m alone,” Larocque said. “Sometimes I think it’s nice for the dogs and owners to get out with other dogs and owners.”

She wasn’t alone in her thinking, it turned out. By the end of the week, the Meetup page had collected more than 30 members, and by Monday the group had already gone on two hikes.

“I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback and private messages,” Larocque said. “It’s really encouraging people to have more face-to-face time and stop living in the virtual world.”

Larocque said she plans to schedule hikes that vary from 30 minutes to 2 hours, from flat, easy walks in the woods to moderately challenging climbs. The group is open to adults with reasonably well-behaved dogs, who want to get more excercise and socialization and work on their off-leash skills.

She said she’ll wait for the weather to warm up before she posts her next hike.

“I think we’re going to keep it going,” Larocque said. “It’s kind of nice to get to know people who really care about their dogs and getting their dogs out for exercise.”

Best case scenario

Getting together for group hikes provides opportunities for both the dog and its owner that aren’t available when hiking alone, said Diane Hanley, a dog trainer in Gilford.

The dogs get the chance to meet and interact with other dogs while engaging in an activity – roaming the woods – that is more natural than a fenced-in dog park.

Dog parks are a good solution for dogs that wouldn’t otherwise have the chance to play and socialize with other dogs, but the confined nature of the situation can lead to more confrontation, she said.

“Taking them for a hike, it’s more in keeping with what they would do naturally, they’re not just staring at each other and seeing who has the ball and who’s going to give up the ball…. It’s a little bit better mentally for the dog,” Hanley said.

Her dog training company, Treat ‘em Right, has been partnering with a dog walking company, Homeward Bound, to lead free group walks for the past two seasons. If the weather’s nice, they might get 10 people and dogs to show up for a walk together.

“We’ve just been helping people get their dogs out and have a good time,” Hanley said. “What we do is we start everybody out on a leash, because the dogs don’t know each other.” Once the dogs become comfortable and relaxed on-leash, owners can let them off to run and play.

“Timid dogs can actually do pretty well with this,” Hanley said. She’s seen several times a reserved dog start hiking at the back of the pack, only to gain the courage to enter the crowd by mid-hike.

When all the dogs are playing together, owners have a unique opportunity to practice recall. With the distraction provided by all the dogs playing together, call the dog back to you, she suggests.

“If you call them back to you, give them a little cookie and let them go back to keep playing.” This way, Hanley said, the dog won’t necessarily associate the “come” command with the end of play time.

“Having lots of distractions with other dogs and people is a really great way to practice,” Hanley said.

Further benefits for the owners include spending time in a natural setting, where the dog is more likely to be relaxed and fun to be with. And, seeing other dog owners and their dogs, their skills and their flaws, will help them to see their own abilities in perspective.

“People get to see each other and hopefully not judge themselves too much,” Hanley said. “You take a bunch of dogs out for a walk, you get to see how people interact with their dogs… It helps you build your confidence about your dog. It’s kind of a best case scenario of hanging out with your dog and seeing what they can do, not judging yourself.”