[pct-l] dogs

[jeffmoorehead1 at cox.net (Jeff Moorehead)]

   So in other words, not a good idea to try and include your dog on a thru
hike. Now I realize the whole HYOH thing and the lambasting that people take
when they suggest otherwise, but in all this discussion of dogs, I've never
heard anybody address the issue that the park service has with taking dogs
into wilderness areas. Dogs disrupt other animals. A dog has many innate
tendencies that often surprise their owner. They will chase small rodents,
birds, and large ruminants like deer and elk. Funny if you're the owner but
not if you're the rodent or the hawk about to swoop on it. Doubly not
enjoyable if you're the parents of a deer fawn or elk calf.  May not end up
being fun for the dog in the end, too.
    Don't get me wrong, I, like most other humans, love dogs for what they
are-- lovable creatures that easily fit into our social infrastructure
(there is a reason why dogs were domesticated early in the evolution of
modern humans). But they still possess instinctual behavior that leaves many
owners scratching their heads. I once came upon a slow-moving trio (an owner
and her two faithful canine companions) and had hell to pay in approaching
them in a 'surprise fashion'. The 'nice' dog was the one that nearly took me
out. Just doing what it is adapted to do-- defending its companion. The
owner was quite surprised but I was quite pissed off being that it was in
Kings Canyon NP and that she was utterly clueless about her own dog's
behavior.


> A dog did hike most of the PCT from Campo this year.
> The owner, however, revolved her ENTIRE hike around
> the dog's needs.  They hiked most of southern
> California entirely at night and in the early morning
> hours.  They slept all day long.  Not many other
> hikers ever saw them.