Ellen Eastwood Trail Hound's Handbook

Annotation

The lure of playing outside used to get kids up and moving. Today, however, mesmerized youth are plugged in to technology and connected by the web. They are as good as strapped to their chairs. Not to despair. The effort to roll America's youth off of the couch and back outside, launched by the White House in 2010, now takes on all the authority of a kid's own best friend--the family dog. The Trail Hound's Handbook: A Best Friend's Guide To Hiking With Dogs, aims to turn kids on to nature and hiking by introducing them to the highly skilled, naturally enthusiastic trail guide that is the family dog. The book encourages kids 8-15 years old to venture out, whatever their level of hiking experience, empowering them with:Tips for planning dog-powered hikesBasic hiking etiquette, safe practices, and rulesAn appreciation for every dog's unique wilderness skillsClues to recognizing wildlife along the trailAssorted text "kibble and bits" to make hiking with dogs simple and funEmploying full color photos, whimsical but easy-to-read typefaces, and succinct copy, The Trail Hound's Handbook reinvents the hiking guidebook as a pet-focused, outdoor activity guide for kids and their families. With a lighthearted voice and a slew of fun facts, the format provides immediate pay-off to the curious hiking novice and dog-loving kid, as well as valuable, common-sense skills to support a lifetime of outdoor adventure.The book's companion website, KidsHikeDogsHike.com invites young trail hounds to share their own dog-powered adventures with the world. Like the book, the website aims to keep the topic fun and dynamic, offering select news, and useful resource links, as well as fun, related videos and activities.