Hiking with high prey drive dogs — gear that helps

Two scent hounds on the trail — that's a handful in the best way. The essentials for hiking with dogs are a well-fitted harness, a collapsible water bowl, and depending on terrain, boots for paw protection on rocky or hot ground. With a Catahoula and a Bluetick Coonhound though, the harness choice matters even more than usual — both breeds will hit the end of a lead hard the moment they catch a scent, so you need something that won't slip or chafe under real pressure. What terrain are you hiking on, and how long are your typical hikes?

That age difference tells me a lot — the Bluetick probably settles into a rhythm once he's had a sniff around, but a one-year-old Catahoula on moorland is basically a loaded spring. For dogs that pull hard and lunge unpredictably, the harness has to fit so precisely that it can't rotate, ride up, or let them back out of it. What are their weights roughly, and are they currently in any harness or just on collar and lead?

Right, collar on the Catahoula needs to change before your next hike — a lunge at that weight on a collar puts real strain on the throat and gives you almost no control. For both dogs at those sizes and with that prey drive, I'd go with the Ruffwear Front Range Harness. It has two leash attachment points — a chest clip that redirects a dog when they surge forward, and a back clip for calmer stretches — and the fit is genuinely precise with four adjustment points, so it won't rotate or slip even on a hard lunge. The padding holds up over long moorland days without rubbing. Get one for each dog; the Catahoula would take a Large and the Bluetick likely a Large or XL depending on chest girth — Ruffwear's sizing guide is worth checking against a tape measure before you order.

For the Catahoula, start with the chest clip as your primary — it turns the energy of a lunge back toward you rather than letting him build momentum away from you, which makes a real difference with a young dog still learning trail manners. Once he's settled into a hike and past the first burst of scent-madness, you can switch to the back clip for comfort. The Bluetick sounds like he's earned the back clip most of the time, but having the chest option ready for when you cross deer country is worth it. One other thing worth grabbing: a 2-metre bungee-style lead absorbs some of that lunge shock so it doesn't wrench your shoulder when they both go at once.

Good call — measure the chest girth snugly and go one size up if you're between sizes, as the harness is designed to be adjusted down rather than stretched. Enjoy the Peak District trails; once the Catahoula gets a year more experience under his belt he'll be a brilliant hiking dog. Those two together will have a great time out there.