For dog owners who share a love of the outdoors with their pets, it's important to carefully consider the different environmental factors that can affect a dog, including the weather, terrain, plants and other animals.

The Butler Dog Training Association hosted a presentation in May, featuring three speakers familiar with dogs and their interaction with the great outdoors.

Nancy Keiffer, the association's director of training, said she learned about the importance of planning any outdoor excursions ahead of time.

“Before you even decide to go anywhere with your dog: plan your trip,” she said. “Look at the temperatures you're going to be working with. Plan how long you're going to be out hiking. Are you going to do two miles or five miles? Is your dog physically fit (for that)?”

Regardless of the hike's terrain or duration, owners must bring fresh water, Keiffer said.

Fresh water can be crucial in staving off heat exhaustion, which dogs can be susceptible to in warm weather.

“People don't realize how fast it can happen,” she said.

She also said people often don't know that dogs can get sunburned, especially ones with certain pigment coats, like white fur. The snouts and noses of dogs are also susceptible to being burned. To prevent that, Keiffer said there is special dog sunscreen that is safe for them.

Especially when in the outdoors, it is important to monitor your dog for any signs of exhaustion or overheating, like panting or having bright red gums or tongue.

Regardless of the weather, dog owners should watch for different plants and animals that could make a hike less enjoyable.

Keiffer said she learned that stinging nettles can hurt dogs. Nettles are plants typically found near water or in wet environments but can also exist in meadows.

The nettles have almost-microscopic spears, called trichomes, which inject histamine to produce a stinging feeling when people and other animals come in contact with it.

Other than stinging nettles, owners must look out for poison ivy and poison oak. While they don't typically affect dogs, the poison can be transferred to the owner quite quickly.

“It's not so much that they're affected, but if they walk past it, even a branch of it, their coat can pick it up and then you can pick it up pretty easily from there,” Keiffer said. “They can certainly transfer it, all you have to do is pet them.”

But plants aren't the only possible sources for mayhem on a hike, according to Randy Pilarcik, a wildlife conservation officer with the Pennsylvania Game Commission who gave a presentation during the original session hosted by the Butler Dog Training Association in May.

Dog owners need to be aware of where they are hiking and what types of wildlife can be found there, he said.

In Pennsylvania, people may run into smaller animals like raccoons, porcupines and skunks, all of which a dog might attempt to chase based on dogs' nature, he said.

The best way to handle that situation is to maintain control of the dog and try to make sure it does not try to go after the animal.

This can be especially problematic when a dog goes after a porcupine.

“With the quills, if they go after a porcupine, they'll get a face full of quills,” Pilarcik said. “And that will take a vet to get them out.”

When it comes to raccoons, an owner needs to be aware that a cornered raccoon will try to fight, according to Pilarcik.

“(Generally) they'll try to run away, but if they're cornered, they'll probably try to fight,” he said.

If that is the case, it's important that dog owners ensure their pets are up to date on rabies vaccines, since a battle with a raccoon could potentially lead to a bite, he said.

Other than smaller animals, Pilarcik said there is a chance, albeit small, that a hiker and dog could encounter a bear.

“Usually the bear, when they see people, will run the other way,” he said. “The best thing to do is make loud noises and frighten it off. Control your dog and slowly back out of the area. We haven't had problems with bears going out and attacking people, but if a dog runs up to (a bear), it is a predator and it's going to react. Most dogs will have a pretty good sense about it.”

Pilarcik used the example of his own dogs who are afraid of the sight of even a dead bear, he said.

Finally, Pilarcik included a warning about the Massasauga, a venomous rattlesnake that can be found in the area of the Jennings Environmental Education Center.

They aren't very common, but dogs might be more likely to go after a snake, he said.

“It's just a matter of training the dogs not to go after the snakes,” he said. “I think because they're moving around, they're more prone to go after them. It's an endangered species in this part of the state. Not too many people see them, but they are around.”

Ultimately, the best way to handle any possible situation is to maintain control of the dog, according to Pilarcik.

Keiffer seconded that, saying that was one of the most important things she learned from the original presentation.

“It's just so important to make sure that your dog is right there where you can see them,” she said. That allows owners to keep tabs on the well-being of the dog and to maintain control in the event that something should happen.