Where Training Meets Trail Etiquette: The Secret to Responsible Hiking With Your Dog
Helping your dog learn to share the trail is a critical skill needed to ensure the endurance of our dog-accessible spaces. photo: AdobeStock
When you take your dog hiking, you're not just out for your own enjoyment. Whether you signed up for it or not, on the trail you represent all dog guardians. Dogs stay welcome on public trails only if they’re under control. If other hikers are pestered, chased, or jumped on, they complain to park officials. Enough complaints and the rules change. The result is fewer trails open to dogs.
My three dogs and I are avid hikers and backpackers, logging dozens of miles each week. That much trail time makes it clear how important it is to have dogs who can share the trail politely, especially in places that allow dogs off-leash. We want to keep it that way.
That’s why the most critical skill every hiking dog needs is simple: step off the trail and let others pass. This one behavior prevents your dog from rushing strangers, keeps nervous hikers at ease, and shows that dogs can share the trail responsibly.
Just as important, it gives your dog a predictable plan. Instead of guessing what to do when someone approaches (and risking that they guess wrong), your dog knows exactly what happens next. That sense of safety and clarity helps them stay comfortable and confident. Whether your dog is on leash or off, friendly or reactive, calm or excitable, stepping off the trail is the skill that protects our collective opportunity to enjoy wild spaces.
In short, please don’t be that entitled jerk who lets their dog run up on strangers, other hikers, or other dogs. Not everyone likes dogs, and no one appreciates having a peaceful hike hijacked by an out-of-control pup. Just because your dog is friendly doesn’t mean others want the interaction. When I’m hiking, I’m seeking quiet and nature and usually would rather nod politely than stop and socialize.
Ask any hiker what drives them nuts about dogs on the trail and you’ll hear the same two things: (1) dogs barreling up to strangers and (2) piles of poop left behind, often in those disgusting “I’ll grab it later” bags that never get grabbed. Both these problems are entirely on dog owners. One is solved by teaching your dog a simple “Step Aside” cue. The other is solved by carrying your dog’s waste all the way out. That’s it. Fail at either one and you hand ammo to every person who wants dogs banned from trails.
Choose Your Cue
There is nothing magical about the words you use to teach “Step Aside.” Words do not drive behavior. Reinforcement and practice do. I happen to use the phrase "Step Aside" with my dogs, but you can pick any verbal cue, such as “Let Them Pass" or "Move Over."
Here is the basic protocol:
Using your cue, you and your dog move off the trail when another hiker, bicyclist, dog, or horse approaches from ahead or behind.
You reward your dog for stepping aside.
When the other hiker has passed, you release your dog with a cue to continue walking. I use "Let's Go," which means follow me, we’re moving. You could also use a release word your dog already knows, like "Free" or "Break."
How to Teach It
Like every other dog training skill, success comes from repetition in a low-distraction environment before you and your dog try it under pressure. Luckily, all you need to teach this is a leash and some high-value treats. Start by practicing “Step Aside” when the trail is empty. Then try it when one person walks by. Only after your dog is solid at that level should you build up to groups of hikers, runners, bicyclists, or other dogs. Those are advanced challenges, not starting points.
Initially, you may need to give multiple treats in rapid succession when you step off the trail as another hiker passes. Then as your dog learns the drill, you can gradually slow the rate of reinforcement until “Step Aside” earns one treat and “Let’s Go” earns another. Some people ask their dogs to sit, but that isn’t required. In fact, for older dogs or when the ground is hot, wet, or muddy, standing is often the better option. Instead of feeding from your hand, you can also scatter a few treats on the ground for your dog to sniff out while people pass. The foraging helps them stay calm and busy, rather than fixating on the distraction.
If your dog is struggling with this new skill, start by stepping far off the trail to give them plenty of space from passersby. Some dogs may need 10 to 15 feet at first. As they improve, you can work closer to the trail.
It’s important to note that if your dog is off-leash this skill also requires a solid recall. You’ll need to call your dog to you first when you spot hikers, bikers, or dogs ahead, and then cue “Step Aside.” Without a reliable recall, this skill will not hold up in real situations.
Ideally over time, the appearance of hikers, bikers, or other dogs on the trail becomes an environmental cue. The environment itself, not your words, will tell the dog what to do, just like at home when you pick up the leash and your dog runs to the door.
And remember: this skill does not work because you have filet mignon in your hand the one time you need it. It works because you have built muscle memory through dozens of easy repetitions. But the beauty of teaching this skill is that you don’t need to carve out separate training sessions. If you hike regularly, you will have dozens, if not hundreds, of chances to practice. Simply load up your treat bag and get going.
Every Dog Needs Trail Etiquette
Every dog should learn how to step aside as basic trail etiquette. This includes the overly friendly dog who wants to greet everyone, the shy or nervous dog who gets anxious when people suddenly appear, and especially the reactive dog who barks at other dogs and strangers or tries to chase runners or cyclists.
Even if your dog is not yet ready to be off-leash while hiking, they can still benefit from learning and practicing "Step Aside" while on a leash. The predictability and confidence this skill builds will carry over and prepare them for the time when they are finally ready to enjoy off-leash freedom responsibly.
To be clear: your dog should never run up to a person or another dog without your permission, no matter how friendly they are. Being off-leash in legal off-leash areas does not mean a free for all. It means your dog must be under voice control - and true voice control means your dog will come when called. If your dog cannot be reliably recalled, they should not be off-leash, even in places where it is technically allowed.
Some hikers may ask to pet your dog or let their dog meet yours. But hold off on that until your dog has mastered "Step Aside," "Let's Go,”, and the "Say Hi" cues. Once they’re solid on these, you can then introduce a specific "Go Say Hi" cue so their greetings are controlled and only happen when you allow them.
“Step Aside” Does Triple Duty
“Step Aside” is a skill that works on several levels at once. These include:
Management. It keeps everyone safe and prevents your dog from rehearsing unwanted behavior such as rushing or lunging.
Skills training. It builds a reliable behavior on cue, in this case moving off the trail and waiting.
Counterconditioning. By pairing the sight of people, dogs, or bicycles with good things like a treat, your dog learns that these triggers predict rewards. If your dog is fearful, reactive, or easily startled by sudden appearances (a phenomenon known as sudden environmental contrast), this repetition can be especially powerful. Over time, it can change your dog's emotional response entirely.
That is why "Step Aside" is not just polite. It is one of the most powerful tools you can use on the trail.
Right of Way on the Trail
Who goes first on a shared trail? There are long-standing etiquette rules every hiker, runner, cyclist, and horseback rider is expected to follow.
Here are the basics:
Horses and other pack animals (mules, donkeys) always go first. Step well off the trail, keep your dog close, and if possible, move to the downhill side. Standing downhill is safer if the animal spooks and also makes you less threatening. Stay calm and quiet until they pass.
Hikers and runners go before cyclists. Bicycles are faster and more maneuverable so cyclists are expected to yield to runners and hikers. Runners follow the same rule as hikers. They yield to horses but otherwise have the right of way over cyclists.
Dogs yield to everyone. Again, off-leash doesn’t mean a free for all. Whether on leash or under reliable voice control, it’s your job to prevent your dog from interfering with horses, hikers, runners, cyclists, or other dogs.
Happy Trails
On most hikes, when my dogs and I step aside, at least one hiker says, “Thank you.” That small acknowledgment shows how much this simple courtesy matters and that people notice when dogs and their guardians are considerate.
If we want dogs to remain welcome on trails, we must demonstrate to the public that dogs on trails are not a problem. Unruly dogs and unexpected encounters lead to complaints, which in turn result in rules and restrictions.
With more people than ever hitting the trails, conflicts and complaints can lead to tighter rules that limit where dogs are welcome. Outdoor recreation participation in the U.S. reached a record 175.8 million people in 2023, with hiking among the fastest-growing activities (Outdoor Industry Association, 2024).
Nature is not just a luxury. Getting outside is vital for dogs and people alike, and we all need exercise, fresh air, and room to move.
Teaching your dog to step aside is simple and effective, and it benefits every kind of dog. More than a courtesy, it’s a piece of good trail etiquette that protects the trails for everyone. Train this skill and we keep our trails dog-friendly. Ignore it and we lose them.
See you out there!