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The Canine Hiker’s Bible

By Kathleen Ganster

My brother, Jack, is a real outdoorsman – this guy is a through hiker on the Appalachian Trail and owns an outdoor equipment store. He is also the proud parent of Maggi, an English bulldog. Whenever he can, Jack takes Maggi with him on his outdoor excursions. The Canine Hiker’s Bible (Cruden Bay, $19.95) is the perfect book for folks like Jack.

The Canine Hikers’ Bible provides a wealth of information for outdoor and dog lovers. To spare dog owners the agony of discovering their dog is not wanted in a park AFTER they get there, this book identifies “dog friendly” parks as well as trails ideal for bringing Fido (or Maggi) along.

The book is well organized into chapters on preparing your dog for a hike, to hiking in the desert, hiking at attitude and dealing with other animals on the trail. I particularly like how author Doug Gelbert divides the information on trails and parks into regions.  As a resident of Pennsylvania, I know that I can take my dog to state parks (as long as they are on leashes) but what about nearby West Virginia? Yep, can take them there but if we go to the other nearby Ohio, we may have to pay a pet fee.

Lest you think that only parks and more rural areas are covered, Gelbert also covers major U.S. cities. He provides a brief history and synopsis of the city along with dog friendly parts and nearby recreation areas for you and your canine friend to enjoy.

There is something romantic about having your dog trotting along the beach. I particularly like Gelbert's extensive section on dog friendly (or not so friendly if the case may be) beaches. Since we all know rules can change daily, he also provides contact information for all beaches, parks, cities, and towns.

This book is obviously most appropriate for dog lovers but Gelbert also manages to pack in a lot of information about parks and the cities he profiles. It’s a great research tool for dog lovers.

The Canine Hiker’s Bible is available at www.hikewithyourdog.com.

Kathleen Ganster is an avid outdoor woman and owner of Bear, a Welsh Corgi and Lilly, a black lab – sharpai mix.

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