Hiking Hounds is one of the most popular Asheville Humane Society volunteer activities. Each month, volunteers take shelter dogs on hikes as part of the enrichment programming. You'll spend a few hours in Bent Creek hiking the trails with dogs who will love you for it.

Hiking Hounds takes place every Sunday starting at 9 AM.

Spots for two new hikers will be available on each hike.

If you are a new hiker… once you sign up for a hike you will be sent a link to a virtual orientation. You must watch this, and sign a waiver before attending a hike. All new hikers will come on their first hike without a dog; you will be paired with a hiking buddy to become familiar with the process of the program, and make sure this is an activity you will enjoy. 

If you are a seasoned volunteer… you are asked to watch the orientation as a refresher and you will be sent the link when you sign up for a hike.  

Note: New and repeat hikers alike are required to sign up in advance. If you'd like to sign up for this hike, email ahshikinghounds@outlook.com. Hikers are signed up on a "first come-first serve basis" and you must have a confirmed reservation to attend a hike. If you don’t get an email from Hiking Hounds, assume they didn’t get yours!

Please be sure you can actually make the hike; if we have late cancellations, a dog gets left behind without a hike.

Start time is 9 AM. Hikes are typically 3-5 miles at a brisk pace with elevation changes and provide vigorous exercise for our volunteer hikers as well. They do not cancel hikes because of rain, as our pups don’t mind getting wet. Hikers generally return to the shelter at 16 Forever Friend Lane, Asheville around 11:30 AM to 12 PM.

Hiking Hounds operates with the following updated protocol: PLEASE READ 

 AHS has relaxed their masking requirements for vaccinated individuals. Hiking Hounds has made some changes to our protocol as well:

• We will continue to ask all volunteers to stay in the parking lot, and not come into the front of the building. The hike leaders will sign in the volunteers and will bring the dogs out to them; it is safer for the dogs to keep them outside.  
• We will maintain a 6 foot bubble as usual, for the safety of our volunteers and the dog's safety and comfort; this includes the parking lot and the trail. 
•  We will continue to eliminate bandanas and cards about the dogs; we can promote them thru social media.
• We will continue to have one hiker go ahead of our caravan with all the Arboretum passes. That hiker will alert the security personal at the gate & will swipe ALL the passes so each hiker does not have to handle them. 
• When we return to the shelter, all volunteers will again stay outdoors and the hike leaders will come get your dog. This is our normal procedure as our dogs always need social distancing.  
• All equipment that we use will be sanitized between hikes.

 For more information visit the Hiking Hounds Facebook page.

Our friends at AVL TODAY have published a great list of dog-friendly bars and breweries in Asheville. Here's the intro...

"Sometimes, you just want to go out on the town to wet your whistle. But if you have dogs at home, leaving them alone can be pawsitively pitiful. The good news that won’t make those sad puppy dog eyes turn your way? Asheville is a doggone dog-friendly place, with a plethora of watering holes where you can bring your pooch. We suggest bookmarking this page so you’ll know where your four-legged friends are welcome when it’s time for you to hit the town for an adult beverage."

Find the whole list here: https://avltoday.6amcity.com/dog-friendly-bars-breweries-asheville-nc/?

Image by Sektkellerei Inführ from Pixabay

Most humans are aware that a certain amount of fiber can maintain and even improve our health. It turns out that fiber may be a good thing for your dog too. While most commercial dog foods provide adequate fiber for your pet, supplemental fiber may be recommended by your vet for certain conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, or digestive irregularity.

The proper amount of fiber in your dog's diet can promote healthy digestion, maintain a good weight and help regulate blood sugar. Common, safe foods that can be used to increase a dog's fiber intake include pumpkin, sweet potato and brown rice. Check out the helpful article about fiber in PetPlace.

It is essential to discuss the need for fiber with your vet before deciding whether or not to increase your dog's fiber intake beyond what he or she gets from dog food.

Photo by Kabo on Unsplash