What to Bring for Hiking on Open Moorland With a Dog

Mara stood at the stile last October with her 4-year-old, 22-kg Border Collie, scanning a mile of wet tussocks and low cloud with no obvious path. The forecast promised a 3-hour window before the wind picked up to 30 mph, and she had to decide: take the exposed 5-mile ridge traverse the dog could easily run, or drop into the sheltered 2-mile valley loop and save the big day for clear weather. She chose the valley, packed the long lead, and saved the ridge — a choice that frames every moorland kit list, because exposure changes what a dog needs for food, footing, and recovery.

That decision fork — exposed ridge or sheltered loop — should drive what you pack. Open moorland means few trees, boggy ground, fast weather shifts, grazing livestock, and ground-nesting birds in season. Your kit has to keep a dog hydrated, fueled, visible, warm when stopped, and findable if mist drops.

Go high or stay low? Make the call at the gate

Check wind, visibility, and your dog’s recall around stock before you commit. If cloud is below 400 meters, wind is pushing sideways rain, or your dog chases sheep, stay low, use a long line, and keep the route under 90 minutes. Save the long traverse for a day you can see your exit points.

For navigation, bring a charged phone plus a paper map and compass in a dry bag, and a whistle for recall. Moorland paths vanish in heather and peat, and phone batteries die fast in cold. As the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics advises, planning ahead with route, weather, and backup plans is the core of minimizing impact and risk.

Keep your dog visible and under control. A well-fitted harness with a handle, a 3- to 5-meter long line for open ground near livestock, plus a standard 2-meter leash for stiles and lanes covers most situations. Add a light-colored waterproof coat for thin-coated or older dogs, a blinking collar light for murk, and poop bags you actually carry out — there are no bins on the moor.

Water weighs more than you think out there.

Moorland pools look drinkable but often hold peat tannins, livestock runoff, and in warm months, blue-green algae. The American Kennel Club recommends carrying fresh water and a collapsible bowl for hikes and avoiding stagnant water where possible. I carry 1 liter for a medium dog on a 2- to 3-hour cool-day loop, more in heat, plus 500 ml extra for rinsing muddy paws or a small wound.

What food and joint support can realistically do on a big day?

Food will not make an unfit dog moor-fit, but timed calories may help support energy and recovery as part of a balanced diet. Feed the normal morning meal at least 2 hours before you set off to reduce bloat risk on steep climbs, then bring 20 to 30% of the day’s ration as small, high-value trail snacks for hourly stops. For my own patients, pea-sized cubes of complete food or lean meat work better than a single heavy mid-hike meal, which can sit poorly on rolling ground.

She learned that the hard way in June. A fit 6-year-old, 28-kg Labrador on his first 8-mile moorland traverse with two friends, no snacks until mile 6, and only one 500-ml bottle shared between dogs. By mile 7 he was lagging, lying down in shade, and refusing a dry biscuit until rested for 20 minutes. The owner had assumed fitness replaced fuel, and the boggy last 2 miles exposed the gap. Next time she packed double water and fed a handful every 60 minutes, and the same dog finished brighter.

Supplements deserve the same clear-eyed weighing. Glucosamine, chondroitin, omega-3s from fish oil, and green-lipped mussel may help support joint structure and mobility as part of daily nutrition, but they do not build trail fitness or dull pain like a drug. Ground an integrative claim in the nutritional evidence: daily omega-3s and a complete, balanced diet may help support recovery and normal inflammatory response after exercise, yet no chew compensates for excess body weight or a sudden jump from 2 miles to 10. If your dog is stiff after moors, shorten the next route and talk to your veterinarian before adding anything new. For context on water risk on warmer lowland walks, see How to Stop Your Dog From Drinking Salt Water at the Beach and Are All Dogs Natural Swimmers? What to Check Before the Water.

When the usual kit has to bend for heat, age, or bog?

The usual advice assumes a healthy adult dog in cool weather. Heat, age, and peat change the math. Dogs overheat far faster than people on windless, humid moorland, even without sunshine. The VCA Hospitals notes that heavy panting, thick drool, and lethargy can signal heatstroke, which is an emergency. Plan dawn starts, cut distance by half over 70°F, and carry a lightweight cooling towel and shade plan.

Late last August she met the exception on a Dartmoor loop: a 10-year-old, 18-kg Cocker Spaniel with early arthritis, whose owner wanted one last 6-mile family hike before autumn. Instead of the ridge, they did three 20-minute out-and-back legs from the car over 2 hours, with 10-minute sniff breaks, a fleece blanket for stops, and booties in a pocket for a granite section that had torn pads before. The dog walked 2.1 miles total, ate four small snack stops, and slept soundly that night without the next-day stiffness the owner feared.

Pack a small first-aid and comfort kit regardless of distance: tick remover and fine tweezers, antiseptic wipes, non-stick pad and vet wrap, saline pods for eyes, spare bootie or sock, microfiber towel, and any prescribed medication. Add your ID, vet number saved offline, and a recent photo of your dog for a lost-dog alert.

My recommendation for most teams is modest: valley loop fitness first, ridge fitness later, and a kit built around water, control, warmth, and feet. Test gear hands-on close to home, score it on fit, comfort, durability, and value, and cut what you do not use. For balancing effort on rest days, Mental Exercise vs Physical Exercise for Dogs: Which One Is Your Dog Actually Missing? is a useful check before adding miles.