Sunrise Hiking with Dogs
Sunrise over Mt Diablo
All dogs need exercise and fulfillment, and that is especially true of certain breeds like huskies and husky mutts. It’s even more relevant for reactive dogs like Linus who hold a lot of tension and anxiety in their bodies. Exercise helps Linus build confidence, release some of his stress, and also helps with his sleep. Even for dogs like Luna who are not working through reactivity, exercise is important in keeping them out of trouble. Without exercise, Luna is known to dig up the yard, destroy property-especially shoes, be pushy about getting treats and attention, and even jump the fence!
Working full time and fulfilling our dogs, can be a challenge. But by adjusting a few things, namely our alarm clocks, we have been able to add some exercise time for ourselves and our dogs before work. It may not be my first choice to wake up at 4:50 AM, but our bodies somehow adjust and unfortunately even on the weekends, I find myself waking up around 5:00 AM!
Here’s the good and bad of hiking at sunrise-
The Bad
It’s totally dark and often cold when we start our neighborhood walk or nature hike at 5:45 AM! And we are not naturally morning people.
A few things that have helped besides a strong cup of coffee are a light up hat, light up dog collar, and rechargeable flashlight. Also since it can be chilly even in California, gloves, a warm hat, and a good jacket are a must!
The Good
These early morning hours are remarkably peaceful and calm with only the sounds of frogs, chirping birds, the breeze rustling through the trees, and an occasional hooting owl. The drone of traffic and the hustle and bustle of the day has not yet begun. It is a happy surprise to see other people out jogging or walking sometimes with their dogs or just on their own with their flashlights, headlamps, and reflective vests.
When the trails aren’t too muddy, we take Linus and Luna hiking. It’s especially great for Linus as we mostly have the trails to ourselves. He can run and explore carefree. For the most part, we rarely encounter triggers like other dogs unless we count the occasional wild “dog.” Hiking early in the morning is similar to hiking in the rain-very few people out! We also get to enjoy a beautiful sunrise over the hills, listen to the tranquil sounds of nature, watch owls silently flying overhead hunting for breakfast, and sometimes we even cross paths with a pack of coyotes.
Coyote stare down
After our sunrise neighborhood walk or trail hike, we can feel assured that Linus and Luna have taken care of all their bathroom needs, released some energy, and have been physically and mentally fulfilled. Linus will happily go into his crate for nap time and Luna lounges in her favorite spot on the deck. And we go to work feeling refreshed having started our day outdoors in the crisp morning air with the first rays of sunlight.
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