Dogs on the Trail

[Old CW4]

Do any of you folks use medium to large dogs on backwoods hikes?

When I used to go out like that I always had a pair of Great Pyrs along. Each one carried as much as 50 lbs in a belly pack with just two quick release buckles top side if you ran into possibly dangerous wildlife and wanted the dogs to be unhampered as the deterrent they can be.

They're great security around camp especially at night and quick to sound off if anything 'strange' approaches. A pair of Pyrs won't necessarily fight a bear but they will worry the hell out of it and drive it from the area. Mine did that on several occasions.

Even medium sized dogs can pull a travioux with a fair load and bigger dogs can drag large loads of firewood, water, and meat if you have to quarter out an elk or deer. They're a handy critter to have along and more than worth the dogfood you have to bring for them. Some of the high cal (and high priced) dog foods these days provide a lot of nutrition with relatively small mass and weight. They're worth the price. Hate to say this but it's true---in a pinch you can also eat the dogs. I never had to but that thought was always there.....

 

[Mannlicher]

We have gone back and forth many times, on the pros and cons of having a dog along.
I am not pet friendly myself, and prefer to not run up against someone's animal when I am hiking or camping.
While your dog may well be a comfort to you, that feeling might not extend to how others feel, particularly if your animal is off leash and running free.

 

[hoopster]

Our border collie doesn't carry anything but she's constantly going from the first hiker to the last to make sure everyone's still together. I bet she hikes 10x as far as we do. Our doberman carries all the dog food and 2 liters of water.
Usually the border collie is off the leash and the doberman is on even though the Doberman is the friendlier of the two. Haven't had an issue in 10 years. I'm going to miss these dogs some day.

 

[Bob W]

Sadie dog loves to go hiking in the mountains. When off-trail and a location that's familiar, I let her run around. Most times that's worked out well (the couple of times it didn't involved a bear and snowstorm).

Anywhere we're likely to see other people (lake, hiking trail, etc.) she has to be on her leash.

She's 13 now and with two knee surgeries in her past, so I mostly limit her hikes to short trails in the local state park, so leash it is.

 

[Zombie Zeke]

I always take my dog Stubbs with me on hikes, unless it's hot. It may sound harsh but I couldn't care less what anyone else thinks. I clean up after him, take extra water and go out of my way to make sure he is obedient, friendly and well socialized.

 

[Erasmus]

I've got 3 hunting lab pupps on my hands, nowadays. We've had a promising start in the upland bird fields, so far, and I'm working to socialize them to other people.

Easy does it out there, gentlemen.

 

[Sharman]

My shepherd/retriever cross used to love going hiking. On backpacks, she would carry her own food in a dog pack. (The only problem she had with it was understanding she was now suddenly wider than she used to be. Occasionally got stuck between two trees.) She was always on a leash tied around my waist, which gave me a power boost up hills.
Sadly, she has arthritis in her hips and may not be able to go as much any more.

 

[Old CW4]

Mannlicher, I hear you, partner, which is the reason I preferred the Great Pyrs. Their instinct is to guard livestock or 'their' human and they always stayed right with me in the back country. They'd generally range a few yards ahead and to the flanks. The Pyrs seem to have some sort of sense or intuition about what or who might be a threat and what isn't. In any event, where I went and sometimes still go, I rarely see another human. There's still country like that in the western states.

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Usually the border collie is off the leash and the doberman is on even though the Doberman is the friendlier of the two. Haven't had an issue in 10 years. I'm going to miss these dogs some day.

Years ago, Dobies had a rep as the kind of vicious killer dog that pitbulls have today. I used to run into them in the parks with my Boxer. The Dobies were the friendliest, playful dogs you could imagine.

Our neighbors had Doberman-Shepherd mixes that her family bred. They were the hounds from hell if anyone walked too close to the building, snarling and growling. Outside, playing with my dog and my daughter, they were bunny rabbits.

I still hate meeting strange dogs on the trail with no one with them. Friendly doesn't help when a big friendly dog jumps up on me. I am old and crippled and I am not impressed by "he won't bite". No, he won't bite his owner.

There are areas it is appropriate. Even in NYC there are fenced areas for dogs to run together off leash. There are fields without fencing where it's tacitly allowed.

But if you don't show courtesy to other people, they (we) won't show much courtesy to you either.

 

[Ed Fowler]

I never go anywhere without a dog or two with me. They will be as useful as you trian them to be.
The stories could go on a long time, but I would not be writing this, as they have saved my bacon many times. And always make the times better.

 

[indian4]

Our Shepherd goes pretty much everywhere we go. He's well socialized and even tempered, so seeing other dogs/people on the trail doesn't bother him. Occasionally somebody will get sketched out at the site of him, but most people are just curious as to what he is.

 

[sicily02]

Hi all,

Yep, I take one. The thought of not having my dog with me when out hiking is like not having my knife lol. it just does not happen.

Bryan

 

[Barbarossa]

Our Shepherd goes pretty much everywhere we go. He's well socialized and even tempered, so seeing other dogs/people on the trail doesn't bother him. Occasionally somebody will get sketched out at the site of him, but most people are just curious as to what he is.

Nice dog! People probably initially get sketched out because they think he is a big bad black wolf. Really I take my dog with me most of the time. It has been my experience that dogs are a good judge of character and if my dog doesn't like you I don't either. I don't trust people who don't like dogs either, they are "sketchy".

 

[OwenM]

I still hate meeting strange dogs on the trail with no one with them. Friendly doesn't help when a big friendly dog jumps up on me. I am old and crippled and I am not impressed by "he won't bite". No, he won't bite his owner.

I don't care for dogs on the trail, personally, because anything you do with a dog inevitably becomes about the dog, and they're a pain sometimes.
I love dogs, though, and they love me.
Unfortunately, it seems like every time I encounter other people hiking with a dog, I meet the dog first.
Meeting the owners seconds to minutes later has always been a friendly thing(and they almost always make a big show of leashing the dog, after the fact), but I do worry that things might not always go so well.


That shepherd is gorgeous!

 

[Zombie Zeke]

I don't care for dogs on the trail, personally, because anything you do with a dog inevitably becomes about the dog, and they're a pain sometimes.
I love dogs, though, and they love me.
Unfortunately, it seems like every time I encounter other people hiking with a dog, I meet the dog first.
Meeting the owners seconds to minutes later has always been a friendly thing(and they almost always make a big show of leashing the dog, after the fact), but I do worry that things might not always go so well.


That shepherd is gorgeous!

It bothers me when people don't leash their dogs...

I don't how many times, I have hand one hand on the leash and the other on the handle of my knife or pistol, because out in the boonies somebody's big ol' happy go lucky Newfy decided to sneak up on me and my dog. Then mine growls, or the other one does and instant high tension ensues for a second or two, while they figure out whose butt smells better.

 

[WILLIAM.M]

I take Zeus with me whenever I can(even to the office-my patients love him)

But he is VERY well trained.

I do not need a leash anymore..and other than on walks at night -he never has one on.

But unfortuantly VERY few people train their dogs that well--in fact very few people train their dogs --at all.

I think people should leash their dogs if they can not control them on the trail.

 

[Zombie Zeke]

I take Zeus with me whenever I can(even to the office-my patients love him)

But he is VERY well trained.

I do not need a leash anymore..and other than on walks at night -he never has one on.

But unfortuantly VERY few people train their dogs that well--in fact very few people train their dogs --at all.

I think people should leash their dogs if they can not control them on the trail.

Doc Zeus is a beautiful, well trained, intelligent dog...but how many of those have you encountered on the trail? I know for a fact Stubbs is fine off the leash but for benefit of my own peace of mind, I keep him on one (well that and California has some pretty strict leash laws on the trails).

 

[mkhop]

Our Shepherd goes pretty much everywhere we go. He's well socialized and even tempered, so seeing other dogs/people on the trail doesn't bother him. Occasionally somebody will get sketched out at the site of him, but most people are just curious as to what he is.

Joe Your dog and mine could be twins except Cisco Kid has some black on his tongue , his mother was a Sonora black wolf and dad was a traditional shepherd , he has a huge fan club of kids here in Salem.

 

[DennisStrickland]

that black shepard is a 1st for me. flat out beautiful, have to admit that to a stranger coming around a corner & meeting that dog --might give a fright.
dennis

 

[WILLIAM.M]

Doc Zeus is a beautiful, well trained, intelligent dog...but how many of those have you encountered on the trail? I know for a fact Stubbs is fine off the leash but for benefit of my own peace of mind, I keep him on one (well that and California has some pretty strict leash laws on the trails).

I have NEVER met a better trained dog on the trail than Zeus--Nor have the people he has met hiking.

In fact I do not recall EVER meeting a trained dog on the trail

Trained I mean--you say "stop"--the dog "stops" --COLD.

You say "come"--and his ass runs to you like he is being chased by a Gorilla.(yes-Zeus is that well trained).

But I understand your point--few owners are as Anal as I am about training their Dogs to LISTEN.

It's SO MUCH more enjoyable and safer to own a trained dog too.