[pct-l] Greeting...and Question...

[edmond at mydogmeg.net (Edmond Meinfelder)]

At 09:26 PM 1/13/2004 -0500, J. Bradley Materick wrote:
>First, I am planning to hike the entire distance with my newly adopted 
>dog, Banner.

Now I am going to say some things which are against taking dogs on the 
trail. You can take your dog anywhere you want on the trail excluding 
California State Parks and National Parks.  You can really can say you have 
a right to take your dog on most of the trail. I'm just bring up some 
issues I hope you will consider.

Not all dogs are great through hikers. Most people do not complete their 
through hikes and it's not any easier on dogs. Dogs only sweat on the pads 
of their feet leaving them to inefficiently shed heat by panting 
(evaporation from the tongue). The desert floor, at low elevations, can get 
scorchingly hot. Consider your dog walks lower to the ground and is likely 
barefoot. Likewise, the granite in the High Sierra and the lava beds in 
Oregon are hard on dog's feet.

Though dogs are domesticated they are still predators. As they go through 
the backcountry, they mark their territory. This can disrupt wildlife. 
Also, when dogs see big horn sheep, bear, coyote, rabbit or just about 
anything, many will give chase. It's really sad when a dog chases a 
protected animal off a cliff or into a road. It's even worse for the owner 
when a dog runs off and gets lost, falling prey to a pack of coyote.

Though by per capita attacks, dogs are relatively safe animals, however due 
to sheer numbers, many dogs attacks happen in the USA. As a result, many 
people have been attacked by and not everyone is a dog lover. In fact, some 
people have a strong fear of dogs. Your dog lacks the ability to know which 
humans like dogs and which do not. Though the person yelling at you to get 
your dog under control and on a leash may seem an ass, s/he may have 
legitimate fears based on experience. Though you may say it is a simple 
solution to keep your dog leashed at all times, the reality is more difficult.

Dogs bark. My dog barks whenever someone or some animal new enters her 
territory. It's not fun for me when I am hiking in the early morning, 
walking along the trail, to be barked at by someone's dog, waking an entire 
camp of people. I'm sure it's not fun for the people in the camp either. 
Bear and deer likely provoke the same barking at equally bad hours. Noise 
pollution can be just as unwelcome improperly disposed feces.

My cute little mutt, though precious, is a terror with other dogs, 
especially dogs smaller than she. Yeah, I love her, but she's a bully. 
Given a chance, she'll eat your expensive Bijon and come back for the 
Dachshund. After a few incidents I had to conclude my dog can not be left 
in uncontrolled situations with other dogs. She must be on a leash at all 
times or with a muzzle.

Have you considered what you are going to do about your dog's waste? 
Leaving it may not be the most polite action, though it's what many dog 
owners do.

If you have not, read 
http://www.faqs.org/faqs/dogs-faq/activities/backpacking/ it contains a 
wealth of information for canine hiking. Also, know the National Parks 
rigorously enforce the "no dogs" policy with fines and in some cases, a 
free ride out of the park.

If you and Banner do make the trip, I hope you both enjoy it. Really.

>If there is a list owner out there or someone else with authority, could 
>you please let me know what you think?

The list admin's address is: pct-l-owner@mailman.backcountry.net

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