Dogs are becoming part of the family to an ever greater extent, being taken on excursions and holidays, including to the hills and mountains. This requires a great deal of forethought and responsibility. The distance and terrain must be carefully chosen to match the dog’s fitness and abilities. The dog must also be well-trained, and its owners must attend to its needs along a well-planned route, with due consideration given to other walkers. Only in this way can dog-owners reduce the possibility of accidents and ensure that the hike stays long in the memory for the right reasons. This was just some of the advice offered by experts at today’s Triglav Lab event.
The number of accidents in the mountains is increasing year on year. Last year, rescuers took part in 687 operations, not including operations in response to the catastrophic floods, when they evacuated a number of people and animals (one of the best-known flood-related operations involved the rescue of a dog named Bolt in the village of Luče). Rescuers also come to the aid of dogs in mountains, with the last recorded case in February of this year, when they searched for a lost dog using a Slovenian army helicopter and thermal camera, sadly without success.
Invited guests at the Safety in the Mountains with Dogs event, which was overseen at Triglav Lab by Jure Gregorčič, journalist and dog-lover, talked about what dog-owners should be most careful of when taking their dogs into the hills or mountains, about dog rescues and about rescue dogs.
Paying attention to your dog’s level of fitness
“A visit to the mountains with a well-trained dog can be even more fun than going on your own. There are, of course, additional preparations you have to make for excursions involving dogs. You need to consider not only your physical condition but also your dog’s level of physical fitness, and to adjust the trip accordingly. Adhering to a few basic rules when raising and training your dog helps ensure that every trip into high ground with them is a special experience,” says Jure Pribičevič, founder and co-owner of the Alfakan company and specialist in raising dogs and addressing their behavioural problems. He took the opportunity to give a few tips on raising dogs.
Choose the easier path when walking with your dog
The Alpine Association of Slovenia recognises that increasing numbers of people are taking their dogs into the mountains with them. “We are keen to point out to dog-owners that they should not neglect their own safety when walking through demanding mountain terrain. At the same time, they need to co-exist with other mountain inhabitants who may be disturbed by the presence of dogs – indeed, whose existence may be threatened by dogs. Choose an easier, less technically demanding route when walking with your dog,” advises Janez Toni, climbing instructor and mountain rescuer at the Alpine Association. He advises hikers who wish to stay overnight at a mountain hut or lodge to check in advance whether dogs are accepted.
Check the weather before setting out, start the walk sufficiently early in the day and don’t forget to pack equipment for your dog: leash and harness, muzzle, paw protectors and a first-aid kit. If you suffer an accident in the mountains, you should call 112 immediately, regardless of whether the accident involves people or animals.
What does an operation using rescue dogs involve?
“In the mountain rescue service, working with dogs is not a job but a way of life. The training and conditioning of a dog takes place during every visit to the mountains, initially on nearby peaks, and for all kinds of possible challenges, from the high mountains in the summer and winter, to travelling in helicopters, boats, mountain rescue stretchers, snowmobiles and the like. It is important for mountain rescuers to be physically fit and the same goes for their dogs. A dog must pass through all the training stages to be able to move across all types of terrain with confidence and without problems when engaged in search-and-rescue operations,” explained Primož Bajt, mountain rescuer and rescue dog handler.
Treats are not just for you
According to Zavarovalnica Triglav veterinarian Bojan Nikolić, Slovenes are well-known as mountain- and hiking-lovers, and as careful and responsible people. “We must also behave that way in the hills and mountains. Before setting out, we need to consider whether we’re up to it, and whether the dog we are taking with us is up to it as well. We should not lead them across overhangs or along rocky Alpine paths, and we should always have them in our sights. And in all cases, we should not forget that they need a bowl, water and a few treats. Your dog will thank you for that,” says Nikolić.
How can you insure your dog?
Because the possibility of an accident is always around the corner, it is a good idea to arrange suitable insurance for your dog. Veterinary costs arising from injuries that your dog might sustain in the hills and mountains can be covered by a Zavarovalnica Triglav pet insurance policy.
Basic pet insurance enables owners to cover the costs of any veterinary services that might be required to treat unforeseen injuries or illnesses suffered by their pets. They can choose between three packages, each with a different range of basic types of insurance cover: Small, Big and Comfort. Additional cover includes assistance services; among other things, these provide transport for an injured dog and their owner to the veterinary clinic, and cover the costs of that transport.
Members of Tačke Pomagačke, the Slovenian Society for Dog-Assisted Therapy, were also present at the Triglav lab event, pointing out that “Everyone who takes a dog into the mountains must ensure that their dog is safe and, at the same time, behave responsibly towards other people when out and about.” They also explained that more and more children are frightened of dogs, which is why they are drawing up a handbook for parents and dog-handlers. For the event, members of the society prepared a booklet for young readers from Ledina primary school, containing informative content on safety in the mountains. Year Two readers read the booklet as part of their “reading hour” activities.
The Safety in the Mountains with Dogs event was part of the Let’s Clean Up Our Mountains campaign, which has been designed by Zavarovalnica Triglav to encourage safer visits to the mountains and ensure that hiking paths are kept clean for future generations. Mountain-lovers have until 14 June to cast their vote for the Best Hiking Trail on the Vse bo v redu website. As in previous years, the winning trail will be repaired and restored with the help of funds from Zavarovalnica Triglav and the hard work of trailblazers from the Alpine Association of Slovenia.
