I haven't technically "been hiking" in a long time....when we did it regularly we had two enormous and very protective half-Rotties. They wouldn't let the kids lag behind, would actually grab my younger boy's arm when he did, and drag him along. Not particularly nicely, either, because the boy was generally sulking and resisting. If she couldn't drag him, she'd let go and bite his butt to get him moving. It worked.
We hiked in very remote country, lots of cougar. (Not that that's a necessity anymore for cougar, sheesh).