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(Global) Dogs and Trails Challenge - Spring 2022

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  1. Start Here - Global Dog Challenge
    2 Guides
  2. Follow Your Nose (presented by Star FM)
  3. Dog Tag (presented by Tag4MyPet)
  4. The Art of Dog (presented by Chilly Dogs)
  5. Chill Skills (presented by Hugs In A Mug Coffee Bistro)
  6. Top Dog (presented by Smoking Gun Coffee Roasters)
  7. Who's a Good Dog?
  8. Go With The Flow
  9. Pup Parkour (presented by Star 98.3 FM)
  10. 2 x 4 (presented by Stir Marketing)
  11. New Tricks (presented by Chestnut Springs)
  12. Training Day (presented by Bosley’s)
  13. Go Fetch!
  14. Twice As Nice (presented by Hofstedes Country Barn)

Dog Tag (presented by Tag4MyPet)

ACTIVITY OVERVIEW:

Do this Activity with a friend or friends and their dogs. (Everything’s more fun with friends.) You’ll all enjoy the time spent exploring outdoors, and the dogs will benefit from some doggy life-skills practice.

  • Route: Choose a dogs-allowed route that has two-parts, like: a “there and back” walk; a nature loop you’ll do twice, or a trail with an up-half (climb) and down-half (descent).
  • Time: 45 – 90 minutes
  • Distance: 3 – 6 kms

Make it more “Chill” or more “Thrill” → 

  • Chill: Opt for a neighborhood stroll or a nature loop with no/low elevation
  • Thrill: Go further and longer. Pick a nature loop with more elevation, or go all out and find a trail that starts with a significant climb.

Remember: Be smart and safe. Choose routes and modify tasks so that the Challenge’s Activities are appropriate for both you and your dog in terms of difficulty, age, health, fitness level, training and skill. Be mindful of conditions and follow local regulations. (See Etiquette & Safety.) Most importantly, have fun!

TASK: Dog Tag

Being able to walk along nicely in a pack of people and pups is an important life-skill for every dog to have. It’s not always appropriate to be initiating play, leaping about and hamming it up. 

So for the first half of this Activity (ie: the way out, the first loop, or the ascent), do just that:

With your dogs on-leash or in an off-leash heel (if off-leash is permitted and your pup can be trusted to stick close), walk or hike as a group. Keep it fun, of course, but make this a time for practicing good behavior in a group setting.

It can be harder than you think, especially with so many distractions. Use positive reinforcement to help the dogs succeed. Enjoy the opportunity to catch-up with your friend(s)!

For the second half of this Activity (ie: the way back, the second loop, or the descent), go from structure in a group setting to one of two options:

  1. Let the dogs “play tag”

    Are you on an off-leash trail? Go ahead and reward your well-behaved dogs with a chance to run, play and explore. Remember:

    – Only dogs with excellent recall should be allowed off-leash
    – Make sure you always have eyes on your dog
    – Never let your dog approach another person or dog without permission first
    – Don’t let your dog go off-trail, and don’t let your dog chase wildlife
    – Keep the training going by reinforcing your dog’s recall:

    Every once in a while, call your dog back to a heel, give them a treat and/or a pat, and then let them go run again. 
  1. Trade dogs!

    If you need or want to keep your dogs on-leash, change things up by trading dogs with a friend you trust. You’ll stay together in a pack, but give your dogs some valuable stimulation by having them experience walking with and learning from someone else.

    It can valuable for you, too, to see both how your dog behaves from a bit of a distance and to see how another dog behaves at your side. Practice some R+ basic obedience as you walk/hike, like: heel on the left, heel on the right; sit/stay; pivot/circle, etc.

PHOTO / VIDEO:

Make sure to take a photo or video (or 10) of Fido and his friends completing this Activity’s tasks. Bonus points if you can get a cute group selfie of you all! 

Tell us in the caption about the route you chose and what parts of the Activity were the most rewarding. Share online and include the #tentrailchallenge + #dogsandtrails hashtags so we can find and feature your post ❤

NEXT STEPS:

  1. Mark complete: Once you’ve completed this Activity, click the “Mark Complete” button below. (Note: You’ll see the “Mark Complete” button only when you’re registered and logged-in to your account.)
  2. Get your badge: After you’ve clicked “Mark Complete”, check your email for your Activity Completion Badge! (Simply save/download the Badge image from the email to your device so you can share.)
  3. Share: Share your Completion Badge on social media (and any photos or videos you captured during the Activity) with hashtags #tentrailchallenge and #dogsandtrails to be entered to win cool prizes.
  4. Connect: Connect with other Challengers by following the #tentrailchallenge on social media, or by making connections via your Profile here, inside your 10 Trail Challenge account.
  5. Earn points: By completing this Activity, you’ve automatically earned points you can use towards registration for future Chill and Thrill 10 Trail Challenges.

Questions? 
If you get stuck, check the 10 Trail Challenge FAQs here, or reach out to the Chill and Thrill team. We’re here to help and always happy to connect!