Dog Walking in the Hills
 

We wll be renting a house in an area 50 radius of Malaga for a 5 month Oct-Mar. we have 3 dogs ,2 are Wirehaired Vizslas, trained working gundogs, is the terrain up in the hills safe for long walks, when I say safe I mean for the dogs cutting there legs badly as I have been told it could be a problem.
Thanks for any help Keith

Re: Dog Walking in the Hills
 

Welcome; I'll be interested to see how anyone else replies. I don't know what a Vizsla is nor have you said what you intend to do with them, is it simply go for long walks? For myself I'd have said there were a few issues more likely than cutting their legs. Any chance at all they'd take an interest in goats/sheep? If so and seen by a farmer/goatman they could get shot! (sorry) ... Are they well trained to come back to heel? Because depending on location you could seem to be a distance from a road but actually not be! There are many many places around where if the dog's not got a good sense of footings, etc., it could make a blunder on a rocky edge or overhanging a stream (it would more than likely be dry) or something. How do they behave when faced with other dogs? Because many campo homes have dogs which are neither on tether or fenced. And there can be multiple animals at one location!
As I said, don't know what others will say.... good luck either way.

Re: Dog Walking in the Hills
 

Thanks for your interesting comments.
As I said these are trained gundogs, which will come back or stop at a whistle comand, at home they are used to retrive game that have been shot, sheep/goats are no problem, other dogs lose but guarding could be a problem, but my terrier will sort them out,lol.
The dogs are Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsles you can look them up on google if you like "Leiborschy".
Thanks again

Re: Dog Walking in the Hills
 

I do not know the specific area but ticks fleas, worse if goats/sheep are grazed there, also snakes and brown toads. Look for the the Coto de Caza signs, (hunting ground) although they are NOT always visible if there at all.

Also if in pine type tree area the deadly pine processional caterpillar ( not only pine type they do have oak also here I believe) ie wooly cocoon in the trees, white in colour if new. Peak times early spring and autumn.

Re: Dog Walking in the Hills
 

seriously, talk to an English speaking Spanish vet, there are "nasties" out here that would just love a little bit of fresh meat to have a go at, especially if it isnt protected by injections, collars etc.

some UK vets can talk to you about it from their own experiences, but the local guys (and gals) are very good. ours was educated in Cambridge Vet College.

good luck.

Re: Dog Walking in the Hills
 

I get the feeling the OP would have his pets thoroughly chipped, jabbed and generally looked after! (we don't know if they speak Spanish, they may not need an English speaking vet!!)

Re: Dog Walking in the Hills
 

I suggest tat you check the latest with a local vet, you can use mine:
http://www.petvetkamu.com/

Re: Dog Walking in the Hills
 

Thanks will do,
Keith

Re: Dog Walking in the Hills
 

We are about 40 km inland from Malaga, apart from the dangers already mentioned there is in these parts a very real danger from wild boar roaming the hills.

Re: Dog Walking in the Hills
 

I'm glad other folk joined in, I'd overlooked the bugs and beasties, wild boar etc!!
Once you're here, I and others would be happy to recommend vets nearer home if you're in this neck of the woods.

Re: Dog Walking in the Hills
 

Our small dogs were very wary of the wild boar. They could smell them when they had been digging outside the garden.

In some areas there are traps and poisoned meat.

Re: Dog Walking in the Hills
 

Thanks for all your help .
You have got me in deep thought as to weather its a good idea walking in the hills.
We may be better off keeping to the coast at least until we have been there a while. These dogs arnt cheap ie £1000 as a puppy untrained, 1 of my dogs is worth a lot, we pick game up on the queens land with him so the last thing we want is them getting hurt. The bugs arnt a problem the vet can sort that, its more the loose dogs, my dogs are used to being around dogs so would not be wary of dogs at a campo and would also not back off if things kicked off as as they say.
Wild bear shouldnt be a problem as they breed them at 1 of the shoots we go on, plus the boar would be off at the first sight of my dogs, I can stop my dogs following them. Maybe I should bring my guns with me, I have looked on line about the rough shooting in spain, not easy to come by but its possible.
Thanks again every body. I might put a thread on here about vermin control.
Keith

Re: Dog Walking in the Hills
 

Thankyou for that Fiona

Re: Dog Walking in the Hills
 

Please don't assume that the wild boar here are anything like the ones they breed in the UK, boars here are truly wild.
Even those hunters here that have a licence to shoot them (mandatory) have lost several of there hunting dogs to wild boar, they don't run away and just don't back off.

There are many places in the campo where it will be safe for walking your dogs, but do ask the locals first as their knowledge can be invaluable.
There is some fantastic scenery to be enjoyed not too far from the coast, I'm sure both you and your dogs will have a wonderful time....:)

Re: Dog Walking in the Hills
 

Thanks for all that