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Dogtrekking with Your Dog: Every Kilometer Counts

Created

9/3/2026

Dogtrekking with Your Dog: Every Kilometer Counts

What comes to mind when someone says "dogtrek"?

Wild nature, a backpack on your shoulders, kilometers in your legs, a clear head? For us dog owners, trekking has one more dimension – four paws and a partner who shares every kilometer with us.

And that's exactly where the magic of dogtrekking lies. You don't have to be a top athlete or rack up dozens of kilometers. For some, a proper dogtrek is twenty kilometers of mountain terrain; for others, three kilometers is a great achievement and a shared experience.

Every kilometer counts.

Set up your dogtrek your way

Dogtrekking is an activity you can tailor to yourself and your dog. Choose the length of the route, the pace, and the terrain based on what you can manage together and what you both enjoy.

You can start with a route you know well. Gradually add a few kilometers, a hill, or more demanding terrain. And if three kilometers suits you, there's no reason you have to push it to ten.

Autumn is also ideal for hikes together. Cooler weather suits dogs better than summer heat, and the colorful forests are a good reason to lace up your boots and head out.

What do you need for dogtrekking?

The basics aren't complicated: a harness for your dog, a leash with a shock absorber, and a belt for you.

Thanks to the belt, you don't have to hold the leash in your hand, and you're connected to your dog through the shock-absorbing leash, which cushions the impact of sudden changes in pace.

The bigger question is usually choosing the right harness.

Short or long harness?

Both options have their place in dogtrekking.

A short harness is more versatile. It works well when your dog alternates between walking in front of you, beside you, or off-lead, and doesn't need to be pulling the whole time.

A long pulling harness is designed mainly for dogs that work in a pull. Its construction helps distribute the pulling force along the dog's body and, when used correctly, allows free movement.

So it's not about which one is "correct for dogtrekking." What matters is what suits your dog and how the two of you cover the route together.

Whether you choose a short or long harness, the key is the right size and a good fit on your dog's body.

Three kilometers, or thirty?

Dogtrekking doesn't need to have a predetermined distance.

You can head out for a few kilometers in the woods, plan a full-day outing, or eventually work your way up to really long routes. It's best to build fitness gradually – not just your own, but especially your dog's.

And that's exactly what makes dogtrekking so enjoyable. Every team can have its own goal.

For some, it's their first ten kilometers together. For others, a mountain route they've been planning for a long time. And some will eventually start eyeing races.

Dogtrekking Also Has a Competitive Side

If you're tempted to add a bit of adventure and competitive spirit to your kilometers together, you can try one of the dogtrekking races.

At the start, you get a map and an itinerary; checkpoints await you along the route, and after that, it's up to you and your dog how you handle the journey.

Here are a few tips for this autumn:

September 3–6, 2026: Fryštácký Dogtrekking – Fryšták, Hostýnsko
September 17–20, 2026: Dogtrekking Following in Banshee's Footsteps – Varvažov
October 2–4, 2026: Dogtrekking Za Šelmou (After the Beast) – Mostek u Dvora Králové
October 15–18, 2026: Dogtrekking Šlapanický Vlk (Šlapanice Wolf) – Šlapanice u Brna, Moravia

So if you're tempted to try dogtrekking a bit differently, maybe we'll see you at the start. And if not at the start, then somewhere along the route.