[pct-l] PCT with a dog?

[Ddd51 at aol.com (Ddd51@xxxxxxx)]

I do a lot of day hiking in the Sierra with my dog, a mix of black lab and 
Australian cattle dog.  There are three factors that would deter me from taking 
him long distance through arid terrain; heat, lack of water and the trail 
surface condition. How they handle heat may vary by breed, but a large dog with a 
thick black coat appears uncomfortable when the temperature is above 80. Dogs, 
never having read survival guides only drink when they are thirsty and then 
only enough to quench their thirst. I tried to explain to my dog the 
re-hydration rule, if water sources are limited drink until you can't drink anymore, but 
he never seems to comprehend. As a result, he needs to drink about every 
three miles. I've been told that the surface temperature in places like the Mojave 
can reach over 140 degrees, even when the air temperature is in the 90s. Dogs 
will hesitate to walk on a paved street on hot days, much less walking 25 
miles on a very hot surface.