Introduction

With more and more people wanting to experience the outdoors with their dogs, the phenomenon of doghiking is increasingly becoming more popular in our country. Doghiking encompasses trekking, climbing and camping, which are physical activities that comprise what is termed "mountaineering." However, not all doghikers are mountaineers. And while some get the needed training, guidance and support before jumping into this activity, others go ahead without really knowing what they're getting into, without knowing what is expected of them and that there are guidelines to follow. Although separately or together, trekking, climbing and camping can be fun, these could also be dangerous as past events have amply shown. The addition of a dog as a hiking companion adds to the fun but considerably adds to the dangerous element as well of treading the outdoors.

Skills development is not a barrier to having fun. Since risk and safety are relative terms, the skilled, properly trained and motivated doghiker can have more fun than the unskilled.

There are also those who are content with just being "mountaineers/doghikers, not environmentalists." Happily, the QC DogWalkers Group belongs to those who believe that a true doghiker is necessarily an environmentalist. And we have expanded the definition of the environment to include not just the natural environment but the community and culture as well.

Before one can become a doghiker, one must first learn at least the basics of mountaineering. This reading material hopes to point "doghikers," particularly the ones just starting, into the right direction, and form in them the right mind-set and attitude towards this activity called "doghiking." The information in this category is mostly about mountaineering, a necessary prerequisite to doghiking. This is in no way, however, replacing the invaluable Basic Trekker Course and/or at least the guidance and support from people with training. We will tackle the specifics of doghiking separately.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

With some modifications to the introduction, much of the information in this simplified mountaineering module is derived from the Sikap-Bundok Basic Trekker Course manual, which is the product of the collaborative experiences of the Sikap-Bundok club members as well as that of other clubs and organizations.

Similarly expressing the original author's sentiments, no copyright is claimed for this module. Others may freely copy and derive from it. Any acknowledgement would be very much appreciated. If none is forthcoming, the author and the club are grateful nonetheless for the opportunity to have contributed towards a better skilled and better motivated mountaineering/doghiking community.