[pct-l] dogs on the PCT

[Josie Pegrum Hazelett]

Andrew-- sounds like you have got some good advice --I wasn't going to make a comment because people on the list are so negative about dogs, but what the heck-- this is a place to be helpful--

My giant border collie, Mr. Cody has hiked about 2/3rds of the PCT and about 1/4 of the CDT with me in long sections. We hike 20+ miles a day for 2-3 weeks at  a time so although we're not thru hikers we are experienced hikers. I have learned a lot about hiking with dogs through Mr. Cody. I have learned a lot from him and from the numerous dog lovers we meet on the trail (who invariably tell us their dog stories).  You cannot know if your dog will do well at long distance hiking until you try it, but what I can tell you is that if your dog is inclined to enjoy and be good at it, he will get better with experience-- I keep thinking my dog will slow up soon, and he will, at 7 1/2 years-old, but my experience so far, is that he gets better every year. They say dogs can't learn, but they can and do. However, some dogs will never be good long distance hikers and that's a fact. if your are in tune with your dog you will know when the time comes.

BTW I wrote the Postholer FAQ about dogs and food. Please keep in mind it's for a dog walking 20+ miles a day. I stand by what I wrote-- from the journal of our trip on the CDT last year, here's a quote: "We are not the only ones with this problem (hunger), having observed our gentle giant border collie turn into an adept hunter on the PCT, I decided that keeping him sufficiently fed might mitigate this tendency; a thought that turned out to be true. At home Mr. Cody (70+ lbs) eats 2 scant cups of dry food a day. On the trail, we started him at 3 cups, which rapidly turned into 4 and by the end of the trip, 5 cups of food seemed about right--and this was “active” dog food, which is higher in calories than what he eats the rest of the year. He did not gain weight and he wasn’t "hunting."  We on the other hand, did lose weight, and we weren’t hunting either. Note to self--if desperate for food, don’t feed the dog, he will undoubtedly be helpful in finding some!"

Another caution to keep in mind-- some dogs need more water than others--lab is one of the breeds I would put into that category. You probably think there would be plenty of water in Oregon, but in fact on the high PCT route, there is actually less, so you need to plan for adequate H20 as well as food. Don't expect your dog to carry too much weight either. I read somewhere they can carry 10-15% of their body weight but in my experience, especially with a big dog, much more than 7-10 % for a long distance hike at 20 miles a day is too much. You will need to carry at least some of your dog's food if you are out more than a few days. On big dogs, feet are also a huge issue-- I have written a lot about this in my journals, but if you have specific questions, Let me know.

If you are only walking 10 miles a day or so, you can adjust accordingly. It sounds like you are taking a sound approach-- give it a try and if your dog does well you have received a wonderful gift--enjoy!

Jo
PCT 2008, CDT in process
www.postholer.com/jo