Gear for dogs - Appalachian Trail

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#1

I know from reading other threads that any questions regarding hiking with dogs can spark heated debate. So let me say that I have decided to take my dalmation with me on my '05 thru hike. I am therefore attempting to become as knowledgable as humanly possible on all related issues. He has begun training little by little with a Kelty Chuckwagon pack, which I have further tailored to fit him. Here is my primary concern. He is a short haired breed and will need some further insulation during the winter months. I would also like to outfit him with some sort of poncho. The poncho could probably go on over his pack, but I haven’t been able to find a coat that he can still wear with his pack. Does anybody out there have any helpful suggestions?

Helium

#2

Try doing a web search under Dog Sledding or equipment for Sled Dogs. There is also a good Dog Sledding magazine called Mushing. The magazine has a lot of “make your own” articles for dog stuff.

Having offered that I would suggest you leave the dog home.

gardenville

#3

First, ask your dog if the pack feels well on his back. For a coat, pick the one he hates the least. Then take him out in the freezing cold with no hope of shelter and ask him if he is warm enough. Just because he is not shivering does not mean he is comfortable. Why don’t you like this dog?

Blue Jay

#4

I accept that many of you out there feel I am torturing my dog. Please accept that I do not see it that way. If you have concerns about my dog’s health or comfort, please voice constructive comments, preferably from experience. I am aware of the risks involved. I have spoken to my vet. I am prepared to hike the dog’s hike rather than my own. I am seeking information, not criticism. Let’s just pretend the criticism is assumed.

Helium

#5

The chances for you completing a thru-hike are 1 in 15. Add a dog and chances are much slimmer. Most motels and hostels will not welcome you. It’s not the dog’s hike. It’s yours. The dog is not allowed in the Smokys or Baxter State Park and must be leashed at all times in the Shenandoahs. New Hampshire and Maine, if you get that far, will tear up a dogs pads especially if it’s carrying weight. I suggest you carry the dogs food and water.

wolf

#6

I have to agree with Wolf that you should carry all your dogs food and water. A dalmation is not a pack dog. Unlike most of the people who will answer this post I am not against dogs on the trail and do not think it is cruel to hike with a dog or that dogs do not enjoy hiking. I know my dog loves to hike. If I pick up my pack he gets all excited. Not all dogs like it however and my dog does not like sleeping in the woods. I can tell this by his behavior so I only bring him day hiking. A few suggestions though.

Train your dog to walk near you and to come when you call him. Have the leash handy at all times and use it when you get close to people and other dogs. A dog will not stop to drink or rest if its owner keeps going. Stop at all water sources for a few seconds so your dog will drink. If you take a drink give one to the dog as he will be thirsty too. When you eat he eats, bring lots of treats. Do not stay in shelters as far too many people do not like dogs and even the best behaved dog can be a nusance on occassion. Keep Fido out of the water sources near shelters and camp sites. Bring something waterproof that you can put over your sleeping bag to protect it from a wet dog. Because your dog is a short haired breed he will want to sleep in the bag with you to stay warm. When I had a dog who used to like to sleep out I would bring a small down blanket so I could open my sleeping bag, put the dog in and cover us with the blanket.

Its a huge pain in the ass but I always thought it was worth it to hike with my buddy. Have fun!

Big B

#7

Sounds like you have done a lot of research on the subject already. Here’s a link that may provide you with more…

Peep

#8

Search the journals and see if you can find one from last year or the year before by a girl that had her dog with her the entire way, yes even through the smokies. Yikes!!! Hmm come to think of it it may not have been a journal on here but a personal web page. Best of luck!

Zaphod

#9

Be VERY VERY careful. Our dog hiked the Long trail and 1000 miles of the pct with us. I carried ALL her gear and that is the ONLY way to do it as far as I’m concerned. Folks asked me about Lulu… and I ALWAYS said " I am hiking cuz I want to… she is hiking cuz I am " BIG difference. We spent alot more time in town… alot more hotels rooms. She and all dogs need alot of rest. You have to be able to shut the door on them when you do your chores. If your’e in a hostel or camping in town …FORGET it. They won’t get the sleep they need. Ww got off the PCt after 100o miles cuz LULU had had enough, not us. We thru hiked in 96 so would could care a less but even if we hadn’t we would have gotten off. She has a a living breathing wild little heart and MUST come first. be prepared to go home.She is way more imprtant that a dirt trail. Let me tell ya, I saw ALOT of sad stuff out there. Hikers Oblivious to thier dogs well being. It made me sick. Don’t just say… " Oh he is fine !"… having a great, thanks for asking "… KNOW it, keep looking, paying attention… NEVR getting angry out of your OWN frustration… and take LOTS of days off. If he is running away and hiding when you pick up his pack to leave a town …well, YOU have yourself a problem… and hikers are gopnna let you know one way or the other, by not hiking with you… not liking you much… or just avoiding you. All that said… Lulu loves hiking… be cuz I do it HER way, ALWAYS.

yappy

#10

One more question… How old is your dog ? dalmations usually have long slender legs…NOT a good thing for hiking. The joints don’t seem to be as resilent as a stocky lab for example. Older dogs just plan can’t to a long hike … in my opinion. Sorry I am negative about this issue. It is just that I have seen alot of horrible stuff out there…not much good really. The AT unlike its’ fellow buddies out West is very busy and alot more focus on miles, competing etc. I saw way too many hikers concerned about themselves and what other were doing and not thier dogs. Finishing can’t be the reason you are out there is what I am trying to say. best of luck, We will be out next year on a sobo hiking starting in gaspe. Lulu won’t be doing the whole hike… long stretches from the mid states on, or maybe just stay up here in Alaska. I would miss her terribly but gotta do what is right for her.

yappy

#11

My friend 2x4 successfully completed both the AT and then the LT last year. He’s just finishing the CT right now, all 3 with Taiyoo his Akita mix dog. He uses some kind of poncho for him for rain. I also saw Sharkey use a neoprene type coat for Coral in 02 on the AT. I’m not much help as I don’t know where they got them, but they are out there for dogs.

Bluebearee

#12

Is a dog happier stuck indoors its entire life or happier given the chance to roam outside? Contrary to what some think dog thru-hiking is possible, but requires GREAT care, consideration of others, and the ability to know when your dog CAN"T go any further. Not every dog is a traildog, but many can be conditioned to be one.

Cap’n

#13

I must say that when I sat down to check the reponses to my posts, I was prepared to be extremely perturbed. I want to thank all of you who posted comments, good or bad. After reading these posts, I have decided to carry the dog’s food and water. I will probably continue to use his pack sporadically during training just to help him build up his strength. Since my girlfriend is coming with me, and we will both be going lightweight, I don’t think it will be much of a problem to divy up his stuff between us. This will solve the problem of how to clothe him. So thank you.

Freckles is around 3 years old. I recently adopted him from a shelter, and he is in great health. I have slowly started toughening his pads by walking regularly over uneven terrains. Still I will soon purchase some booties for him. I really love him, contrary to what dog naysayers might believe. I do not want him to be in pain. Ever. Although he is currently enrolled in obedience training, I plan to leash him at all times and stealth camp. It only takes one bad experience, and I’d rather be safe than sorry. I live near the Smokies so my parents will take him for that part, and I use a large homemade sleeping quilt which was designed with him in mind. The only time I will unleash him is if the terrain makes a leash more dangerous rather than less. I will just have to use common sense with that one.

Again thank you so much for your comments. See you on the Trail in '05, though not at the shelters I promise.

helium

#14

I am glad to hear you have been thinking this thru … giving lots of consideration to your pup. I can tell you that we hardly ever leashed Lulu. She did great off the leash and had a much better time becuz of it. As long as she come when you call her I’d let her have her freedom. . Lulu learned real fast that it is hard work… and didn’t do too much roaming She learned to conserve her energy. Also, she loves to swim and get wet. i tried to do that for her every day. fact is, she loves to eat our food as well !! if I had bagels so did lulu… salami… yep… granola bars… yes. her favorite is fig newtons with pb ! She was burning it all off too…:)) Well, best of luck to you. I hope it works out.

yappy

#15

You can find neoprene vests, I guess you’d call them, for dogs at places that sell hunting gear. They’re used for keeping dogs warm in cold weather, particularly if the dog will be in the water. Should be quite warm.
Try Cabela’s: www.cabelas.com I think

jac

#16

Great idea to take the dog on the AT.Just make sure to take rope and pilers when she gets into a porki.Rope to tie the dog down while you pull quills out of her mouth and nose.
Be prepared to spend time hunting her down when she chases a deer or fox or rabbit.Other hikers will love it when you bring the wet dog into the shelter.Iam sure it will be a riot when your dog confronts other hiker with barking and snarling,but who cares what others think.
Oh,and dont forget to take something to deodorize the dog
when she tangles with a skunk.I suggest taking a can of tomato juice,I hear that works.

Yappi Dog

#17

You certainly CAN take your dog on your hike! IF you are prepared to get him properly ready. He most certainly CAN carry at least some of his own gear and food, but he must be conditioned to the weight. As for the cold, I would look into having a customade fleece suit made for him and a properly designed sleeping bag. If you condition him to hiking in cold he probably won’t need the suit while he is moving, but he may when you stop to rest and for the night. The bigger problem is HEAT. Dogs do not disapate heat well at all and when it is humid they have even more trouble. Be SURE you are prepared to treat him for heat exhaustion and that you CAN carry him out if you need to. Learn the proper treatment for heat troubles and make sure that at ANY time on the trail you can initiate those procedures. Be SURE that between you he and you can carry a safe amount of water.

Sled-dog sites probably aren’t going to help much, since sled-dogs have the coats and the training to cope with very cold conditions. But they DO have very nice “booties” to protect dogs feet and I would strongly suggest getting a set or two for when hiking conditions are very rough or very hard and dry.

Make SURE your dog is well trained in obedience! It is absolutely essential that they have a good, solid recall and down-stay. Those are the bare minimum. Dals can be difficult to train, but it is necessary. It is good, too, if your dog will bark on command - could be useful if you get hurt, but he must also SHUT UP on command and stay quiet!

Dals are endurance dogs, their original use as a working dog was to follow coaches for miles and miles and to act as guard dogs. Long distance hiking should not be a problem for a properly trained and conditioned Dal. It’s true they aren’t draft animals, but they can still carry at least some of their equipment.

Doggone/GA

#18

I have to say that I love dogs, especially mine. I am very fond of taking them hiking and backpacking; I plan on taking my alaskan malamute with my on my '05 thru. Helium, don’t feel alone in the critisism of bringing dogs on the hike. This is your decision, not anyone elses and you seem to love your dog and want to take the best care possible of him. There are a lot of people out there who bring their dogs backpacking. I met a gal that brought her golden retriever on the AT and PCT, both thru-hikes. She had wonderful experiences and recommened it to anyone. You know yourself and you know your dog, no one else does; you stated the fact that you have heard and read many of the heated debates about dogs on the trail, so why do people still feel the need to make snide comments? Good luck to you both and I hope to see you out there. When are you starting? I leave in February.

Trailblazer

#19

I don’t stop in here much, but my dog and I completed hiking the AT last year. She carried her food and bowl except in the whites. We went really slow and took loads of breaks—I would say this is the factor that contributed to making the whole trip. Time in town—I found very few spots where we had a hard time with lodging, just always be prepared with a backup plan. And as far as hikers on the trail, I was nervous about there reactions–98 percent were positive, mostly because she was well behaved. When it got cold I had a coat for her, I wish I would have cut down an old sleeping bag for her. I also fed her more in the cold. There is a guy in Asheville NC who makes dog gear and sells prefab stuff—trailhound–I think he has a web site. As far as the pack we used a granite gear, fewer straps the better. I cut and sewed some silcoat nylon for a orange cover during hunting season attaching it to her backpack–some how you could make that into a raincoat.
It was a fantastic trip with her, best of luck and hike your own hike!!!

right on

#20

hey helium…

sounds like you are getting good advice!! first of all, i’ll see you out there next year and will definitely give your dog some lovin’ as I will be missing mine dearly and will probably be very jealous :slight_smile:

i do a lot of short trip backpacking and my dog (a lab in great condition) comes with me usually. i noticed you are doing a lot of dayhiking to train her. that’s great. but it would be a really good idea to get her out there for a weekend and see if she likes the nighttime. my dog is a fantastic hiking partner and very well behaved- she loves it. but when it comes to nighttime, she’s a scaredy cat. she’s not a huge fan of the dark and often gets nervous. she deals with it and loves it overall, but i never take her out more than a few days because she needs full nights of sleep (as well as I!)

just something to think about and test with her-- not criticism. i love dogs, i just know i have more endurance than my dog :slight_smile: (although she would never ever admit that and go till she dropped, i’m sure!!)

good luck and i’ll see you out there!

greenie