[pct-l] Tips for taking Dogs on the Trail

[Rod Miller]

> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 7
> Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:53:13 -0800 (PST)
> From: Kent Spring <kjssail at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Tips for taking Dogs on the Trail
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net, joph at piedmontbsa.org,
> 	postholer at postholer.com
> Message-ID: <500060.48664.qm at web55908.mail.re3.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
> 
> Hi Jo -
> 
> Two things that I think also need to be mentioned with dogs
> are
kind of related: the effect of snakes on dogs, and the effects of
dogs on wildlife. There also might be concern over how the dog
will deal with the relatively rare meeting with horses or other
stock on the tril.
> 
> I don't know how best to control a dog when you run across a
big (or little) rattler, but I think the dog owner needs to have
that well in hand before the incident. It might well be the first
encounter for either the dog or the hiker with a snake.
> 
> 
> Secondly: there is no doubt that dogs will reduce the chance
that you (or other hikers with-in a significant distance) have a
chance encounter with some of the more rare wild animals out
there - wild goats, bobcats, etc.
> 
> Kent
>
A couple of thoughts about dogs.

One can take their dog to a rattlesnake avoidance class. They are
offered in SoCal and Reno. In the class when the dog gets
curious about a real but de-fanged snake, the trainer shocks the
dog. The trade off is between the temporary but severe pain the
dog receives from the shock and the tissue loss and possible
death resulting from a snake bite.

Encounters with stock can be difficult. I hold my dog by the
collar and talk to the cowboys as they approach about how to
best handle the encounter. The few I've had went without a hitch.

A dog with a pack is so handicapped that he can't get serious
about the chase. My dog figured that out right away when he
encountered fleeing deer. In camp is a different matter; if the
dog is restricted to the camp area and not allowed to roam which
IMHO is required, problems will be averted. AFIK wildlife won't
approach a camp that has a dog present if they know it is there,
and if they don't the dog will make its presence known.

Rod