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Taking dogs into nature? Here’s how to keep both safe

July 9, 2023

Michaela Coats has seen off-leash dogs flush endangered birds from their nesting spots at the mouth of the Santa Ana River, where Huntington and Newport beaches meet.

She’s also watched dogs do their business in that same river, with the waste left to either contaminate pooled water or float downstream to those popular recreational beaches.

New research increasingly links both of these dog owner decisions with hazards for wildlife and watersheds across Southern California. So experts like Coats, a dog lover who serves as education director for the nonprofit Orange County Coastkeeper, are asking for the public’s help.

“‘Leave No Trace’ principles of course apply to all people, but also (to) your animals,” she said.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to responsibly take dogs into nature. And fortunately, experts say many of the same practices that protect the environment also lower the risks that such adventures can pose for our furry friends — particularly this summer, in the wake of a wet winter that has boosted the odds of unhealthy encounters with living things like snakes, ticks and poison oak, among others.

“It really does just keep the environment, (and) your pet, as safe as possible if you follow the rules,” Coats said.

Protect nature

The first step in making sure your dog isn’t going to harm any ecosystem is to research the rules before you visit. Those rules typically are posted online, while websites such as BringFido.com or tools like AllTrails can lead you to dog-friendly hikes or recreation areas.

People sometimes are surprised to learn, for example, that dogs aren’t allowed on the trails in most national parks and some state parks.

“Even ‘good dogs’ can cause problems by displacing and harassing wildlife, disturbing sensitive nesting and breeding areas, and spreading diseases,” noted Jorge Moreno, spokesperson for California State Parks.

Dogs look like a predator to most wild animals, Moreno said. That means dogs can disturb wildlife even if they’re calm and on a leash. So in areas with sensitive wildlife, or sensitive vegetation, dogs sometimes are not allowed.

And when dogs are allowed, the visit often needs to be planned and managed. The agency has a whole section on its website dedicated to the rules for dogs in State Parks, with details on which parks and areas allow canines. At Crystal Cove State Park, for example, Parks.ca.gov/dogs explains that, aside from service animals, dogs are allowed only on paved areas. But at Los Angeles State Historic Park, dogs are allowed throughout the park as long as they’re kept on a leash.

Few issues spark more heated debate in hiking circles than the question of off-leash dogs.

Coats — who frequently takes her parents’ tiny Boston terrier Archie and her boyfriend’s fluffy white Samoyed named Willow on adventures — isn’t against letting well-behaved dogs off leash in some circumstances. But she said it’s important to keep them leashed in sensitive places, such as the Santa Ana River mouth.

Matt Sylvester, left, communications director, and Raymond Hiemstra, associate director of policy and projects with Orange County Coastkeeper, watch dogs running around off-leash near the mouth of the Santa Ana River as they stand on the beach in Newport Beach on Thursday, July 6, 2023. New research shows off-leash dogs are creating problems for nesting birds near the mouth of the Santa Ana River. Pet waste is also being increasingly linked to water quality issues across Southern California. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A sign posted in Newport Beach lets visitors know about the wildlife protection area and that dogs are not allowed near near the area at the mouth of the Santa Ana River on Thursday, July 6, 2023. New research shows off-leash dogs are creating problems for nesting birds near the mouth of the Santa Ana River. Pet waste is also being increasingly linked to water quality issues across Southern California. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Off-leash dogs play in the water along the beach in Newport Beach near the mouth of the Santa Ana River on Thursday, July 6, 2023. New research shows off-leash dogs are creating problems for nesting birds near the mouth of the Santa Ana River. Pet waste is also being increasingly linked to water quality issues across Southern California. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

An off-leash dog does its business on the beach in Newport Beach near the mouth of the Santa Ana River on Thursday, July 6, 2023. New research shows off-leash dogs are creating problems for nesting birds near the mouth of the Santa Ana River. Pet waste is also being increasingly linked to water quality issues across Southern California. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Raymond Hiemstra, associate director of policy and projects with Orange County Coastkeeper, stands next to a sign posted in Newport Beach that lets visitors know about the wildlife protection area near the mouth of the Santa Ana River on Thursday, July 6, 2023. New research shows off-leash dogs are creating problems for nesting birds near the mouth of the Santa Ana River. Pet waste is also being increasingly linked to water quality issues across Southern California. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Off-leash dogs wander along the beach in Newport Beach near the mouth of the Santa Ana River on Thursday, July 6, 2023. New research shows off-leash dogs are creating problems for nesting birds near the mouth of the Santa Ana River. Pet waste is also being increasingly linked to water quality issues across Southern California. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A sign posted in Newport Beach lets visitors know about the wildlife protection area and that dogs on leashes are allowed during certain hours near the mouth of the Santa Ana River on Thursday, July 6, 2023. New research shows off-leash dogs are creating problems for nesting birds near the mouth of the Santa Ana River. Pet waste is also being increasingly linked to water quality issues across Southern California. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A woman walks with her dog on the beach in Newport Beach as another off-leash dog approaches near the mouth of the Santa Ana River on Thursday, July 6, 2023. New research shows off-leash dogs are creating problems for nesting birds near the mouth of the Santa Ana River. Pet waste is also being increasingly linked to water quality issues across Southern California. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A woman plays ball with her dog on the beach in Newport Beach near the mouth of the Santa Ana River on Thursday, July 6, 2023. New research shows off-leash dogs are creating problems for nesting birds near the mouth of the Santa Ana River. Pet waste is also being increasingly linked to water quality issues across Southern California. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

An off-leash dog plays in the water along the beach in Newport Beach near the mouth of the Santa Ana River on Thursday, July 6, 2023. New research shows off-leash dogs are creating problems for nesting birds near the mouth of the Santa Ana River. Pet waste is also being increasingly linked to water quality issues across Southern California. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A man sits with his dog on the beach in Newport Beach near the mouth of the Santa Ana River on Thursday, July 6, 2023. New research shows off-leash dogs are creating problems for nesting birds near the mouth of the Santa Ana River. Pet waste is also being increasingly linked to water quality issues across Southern California. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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The area serves as a critical habitat for two endangered shorebirds, the California Least Tern and the Western Snowy Plover. These birds live in the area to raise their young, but Orange County Coastkeeper says off-leash dogs are threatening their ability to nest and feed. Both species have evolved to respond to threats, such as dogs, by fleeing and abandoning their nests and chicks.

During a year-long study of the 13-acre river mouth area, 36 volunteers with Coastkeeper kept track of what they saw in terms of dog activity. Despite rules requiring dogs to be leashed in the area, data recently published shows the volunteers found 71% of dogs were off-leash. That contributed to more than 9,000 “bird disturbances” witnessed by the volunteers in 2022. And despite leash laws being in effect along the entire Orange County coast, during Coastkeeper’s 1,275 observation surveys of the river mouth they never saw a dog owner cited for breaking those rules.

In addition to harming wildlife, Moreno noted that off-leash dogs can intimidate human visitors who sometimes travel long distances to visit these wild spaces. Some simply may not be used to dogs, while others may have had bad dog experiences in the past. So Moreno said leash laws are enacted to help all visitors feel safer in state parks.

Another major issue with dogs in wild spaces is owners not picking up their waste.

Bacteria found in fecal matter was detected in all but two beaches across California in this year’s Heal the Bay Beach Report Card. While Heal the Bay doesn’t track the source of that bacteria, other studies have found dog waste is the single biggest contributor, followed by birds and humans. A study in the National Library of Medicine, for example, noted one instance of a dog doing his business on the beach was the equivalent of 6,940 bird “fecal events.”

Yes, dogs defecating is a natural process and the waste will decompose. But domesticated dog waste is not natural to many wild spaces. And, as that waste decomposes, it can introduce harmful bacteria, viruses and ammonia, which Coats said can elevate nutrients in the water. That can trigger toxic algae blooms, not unlike what is currently harming sea lions and other animals along the Southern California coast.

As dead algae decomposes, it consumes oxygen in the water that fish and other aquatic life needs to survive. If enough oxygen is absorbed, the area can become a “dead zone” that can’t support life. An example of that cycle continues to unfold at the Salton Sea, east of Palm Springs, where fish and bird die offs are regular occurrences and dust blowing away from the dying lake is causing health problems for residents.

AP Photo/Gregory Bull

In this April 29, 2015 file photo, oxygen-starved tilapia float in a shallow Salton Sea bay near Niland, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)

While fertilizer runoff and other man-made activities are major reasons why some bodies of water in Southern California have too many harmful nutrients, Coats said picking up your dog’s waste can go a long way toward protecting local watersheds.

If you’re far into the wilderness, or on a multiday trip, take care of your dog’s waste the same way you should take care of your own: Dig a cathole at least six inches deep and at least 200 feet from any water sources, and bury it.

“Under the ground, it can at least keep it contained and start to do a better job of that breakdown,” Coats said.

And don’t be that person who bags your dog’s poop and leaves the bag on the side of the trail. That’s worse in some ways, Coats noted, since those bags often are plastic and won’t decompose. If you frequent a high-use trail where this is a problem, Coats said consider advocating for whichever entity manages that land to add and service trash cans.

Protect your pooch

When it comes to keeping your dog safe in nature, two of the three rules above also will help.

Sometimes dogs are banned in certain areas because there are real risks to them. So, again, check the rules before you go and stick to them.

Keeping a dog leashed also will significantly reduce their chances of being bitten by a snake, wandering through poison oak, getting snatched by a mountain lion or encountering many other risks that are inherent in wild places. A leash and harness also reduce the risk of your pooch getting away from you on the trail and ending up lost, said Brandi Hunter Munden, a spokesperson for the American Kennel Club.

“The leash should be a sturdy one,” she said, “and your dog should also be tagged and microchipped.”

A woman walks her dog along the West Bluff Hiking trail through fields of blooming California brittlebush in the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve in Newport Beach on Tuesday March 15, 2022. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Even when they’re on a leash, Hunter Munden said to keep an eye out for wildlife and be ready to redirect your dog if necessary. That’s where good training for recall and having some high-value treats come in handy.

It’s also important to keep your dog’s temperament, preferences and physical needs in mind.

“Some breeds or older dogs may not do well with extensive exercise,” Hunter Munden noted.

Overheating is another serious risk, with summer temperatures in full swing. Be sure to bring plenty of fresh water with a bowl. And avoid letting your dog drink from water on the trail, which Hunter Maden noted can lead to parasites. Then watch for early signs of overheating, which include heavy panting, drooling and constantly seeking shade. Lower the risks by not hiking during heat waves, avoiding the hottest times of day, seeking out shady trails and taking regular breaks.

Ticks are another potential hazard. The tiny insects can latch onto dog fur if it walks through tall grass or low brush in wooded areas. Bites can become infected and can transmit diseases.

To play it safe (for you, too), stick to cleared trails and do a thorough check of your dog’s entire body, including spots like ears and between their toes, as soon as you finish your hike. If you feel a bump, part the dog’s fur and check to see if a tick has latched on. If it has, use tweezers to pull it straight out, then clean the bite with soap and water.

You should also be sure your dog is up-to-date on flea and tick medication and all vaccinations before heading out, Hunter Munden. Don’t use bug spray for humans on your dog, though. Typical ingredients like DEET are toxic to dogs, so seek out pet-safe repellent.

Tweezers are good to have in a dog first aid kit, which you should keep on hand. Most other recommended items should be in human first aid kits, too, such as alcohol wipes, gauze, non-stick bandages and Benadryl. Some people also carry dog booties, in case terrain gets tough, and a rescue harness that can help you carry your dog if it’s too injured to walk out. And you can talk to your vet and watch videos online about basic pet first aid.

Rattlesnake warning signs near the trails at Chumash Park in Simi Valley. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

As for snakes, you might consider a rattlesnake avoidance class that uses positive reinforcement to teach dogs to steer clear of rattlers. It’s also wise to track down and call the nearest vet in the area you’re exploring to make sure they have antivenom on hand. If your dog is bitten, carry them out and get them to that vet as soon as possible.

Once you get some simple gear and routines established, this all becomes second nature. And Coats said to consider it part of the deal you made when you chose to become a pet owner.

“If you’re taking on a dog and taking on ownership of the dog, you also need to take ownership in a responsible manner.”

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