Hiking with a dog
Discovering Nature Together
The national park offers a unique setting and invites people and their dogs to experience nature with all their senses. To ensure that these special moments take place in harmony with the flora and fauna that deserve protection, mutual consideration, thorough preparation, and adherence to the applicable rules are especially important. Be sure to bring a leash, water, a few treats, and dog waste bags for your four-legged friend. That way, every hike will be an unforgettable experience—for people, dogs, and nature alike.
Throughout the Kalkalpen National Park:
Keep dogs on a leash!
Hiking in the Alpine Pastures with Your Dog
Alpine pastures are popular hiking destinations at Kalkalpen National Park. If you are out and about with your dog, please take particular care when visiting alpine pastures. Mother cows have a strong maternal instinct and can react aggressively. If they feel their calves are threatened, they form a group and are sometimes determined to attack.
- Keep your distance: Stay on the trail as much as possible and keep at least 20 meters away from the cows. If they are on the trail, it’s better to walk around them rather than through the middle of the herd.
- Keep dogs on a lead: If dogs run into the herd, dogs will be attacked - because cows and bulls perceive them as a particular threat (wolf). Only if the cows attack the leashed dog must it be released immediately. Otherwise the dog owner would also run the risk of being attacked.
- Never seek proximity to calves: Mother cows and the herd see this as a threat to their offspring. Do not touch or stroke adult animals either!
- Take the cows' threatening gestures seriously: Lowering the head, scratching and bellowing are clear alarm signals. Keep calm and leave the pasture slowly!
Dog-Friendly Hiking Tips:
Look forward to unforgettable hikes—in harmony with nature and side by side with your faithful companion.
The selected hiking tips feature easy trails that avoid direct contact with herds of cattle:
