Over the last couple of years through forums with numerous Hikers talking about the Bear issue. If it really is one at all. Jen and I initially were planning on carrying Spray for added protection yet now we have come to the understanding that it is not nessasary and the cans can be quite cumbersome when carrying them externally. The odds of having a bad confrontsation with one of natures larger mammals is minimal. Personally wolves will be a larger risk than Bears.
Cross
Cross
Bears? It’s the dogs you’ll have trouble with. Owners didn’t give a crap about keeping them on a leash. We were assaulted no less than eight times by nasty critters. Bushwhack was to the point by the end of the trip that he was going to “take one out” the next time one charged us. Maybe we should bop the owners on the head? Don’t worry about bruins, they’re cool. Will spray work on mice?
Bramble
Then we should be on thier menu. “hiker funk”, def; the cross between a rancid smoked hotdog, a tennis shoe and an 11 year old brother who doesn’t know what soap is". Yep we should be mighty lickin’ good. Like the dog that passed us at Sunfish Pond and was all friendly until we passed the shelter a hundred yards off the trail and the dog saw us again. This time it tried to bight my wife on the a**. Dog bights me, bring a shovel. Properly accustomed to strangers dogs are fine and welcome on the trail or anywhere. Of the thirty we met only three would pass the stranger encounter and one (1) hiker apologised for the behavior. Did I mention that Bruce from Hikers Paradise had his hand broken by a dog belonging to two dcotors? The fled the state to avoid prosicution. Nice. Or the female there this year whos dog bit a kid in the parkinglot and she said it was the kids fault for getting to close. The dog had no leash. Dookie Bandit, you rock!
Bushwhack
Im wondering since the entire Appalachian Trail is governed by the National Park Service, isnt there anything they can do about the Dog Problem? I have listened to Dozens of thru-hikers that have complained about dogs.
Cross
Cross
I mean i’ve been around like (probably) 3000 dogs in my life and never been bitten. never been close even.
Animal Mom
I still have the scars on my butt. The trend this year was, “It’s my trail too and I can do what and where the hell I want with my dog.” Bring some spray of sorts if not for the dog for the owner.
Bushwhack
I was thinking of bringing my dog who loves people (lives in NYC), is used to crowds and trails and loves hiking but I don’t want to if people are going to be mean to me.
I’ll be tenting, so there would be no shelter issues.
Animal Mom
HI, I had my dog with me on the trail and everyone we met seem to love her. I keep her on leash at all times and she sleeps in the tent with me. We bury her waste the same as our own and I would hope all dog owners would be as curtious. No one ever complain to me and I hope to have as good a hike this comming year,Gyspy will be with me and she gets all the compliments, no one said I was beautiful. Happy hiking
Cowboy
As long as folks don’t get the idea that it’s a free-for- all when they hit the woods, we all get along. Dogs are scared by big packs AND trekking poles. And they tend to be very defensive of they’re owners and terf. On the good side we hiked with Scout aka Dookie Bandit, the Blue Healer puppy. Dana the Dog the black lab. An english teacher’s retrievers. And let’s not forget Mr. Malone from Upper Goose Pond cabin. All were super mutts and we loved hiking with them. Oops, Madison and Sage Rose. Some are just suited to the trail which is not much different than home life. It all depends on whether the owner lets the thing run wild or not. It will scare the crap out of you when you round the bend enjoying the day and get a rude awakening. Then there is having your gear trashed and mud covered and your food eaten when you turn your back. Okay, I’m done. You’ll be fine if you tent out and hopefully you don’t get uninvited folks coming to give you thier shpeel on why “your” dog isn’t allowed in the woods as we did. It was all very embarrassing as this person was another trailjournalist. This was my worst irritant on the trail. If your dog is cool the other hikers will love/him or her. And they will get quite a rep for cool trail hound as Dookie Bandit did. A puppy that can do twenties, take a ten minute nap and then run around the shelter thirty-seven times and then dig up the privy. What a nut.
Bushwhack
Oh, the Park Rangers will take care of any bad dog issues but they are really short handed. We met THE one and only ranger for the Smoky section. He was prommised four more until Dub-ya got into office. More stuardship on our part and educating the many others.
Bushwhack
I guess it stinks that, unlike when we were kids, we can’t just let our friends run like they want because of paranoid people. If it weren’t for the people that ruin it for all of us, just chaining the thing up in the yard, we would have more well manored furry types with us. Very few folks want to take the responsibility of companionship.
Bushwack
I agree with Bushwack - if your dog can’t handle being on a leash at all times, and NOT jumping on, licking, and assulting strangers as they pass by, then they have no business on the trail in the first place.
On a hike last weekend, in the space of 2 hours I was approached by a total of three dogs, all off leashes and all growling and barking. All three times the owners were able to get them under control, however one particuarly aggressive beagle was about 2 inches away from having the carbide tip of my Leki embedded in its skull. While two of the owners were apologetic, the third was a real jerk - as if it was my fault they can’t control their animals.
I’m a dog owner myself, however my pups aren’t happy unless they can jump and lick every stranger that’s remotely close by, therefore they don’t go hiking with me.
It just takes respect and common sense, and everyone can get along on the trail, dog or not.
Ed
Sorry 'Mom. What was worse was the torture the dogs went through. Heat stroke, sprains, absesses, tic poisoning, cuts, mange, one falling off a water fall cliff fourty feet. They can’t tell use when they hurt since they have such a high pain threshold. It would be like baby sitting a three year old. Now a cat on the other hand. One guy we heard of took his kittenin a small carpet box on his pack and let it do it’s thing…which was eat a hoot load of shelter mice…quietly. Made the whole trip and and cats are completely adaptable. Has everyone seen the photos of Snowball I think on Washington. Loves the -30’s. All frosted whiskers and what.
Bushwhack
I fear not the trail dog. Usually the owner, who is also a hiker, is aware that other hikers will need to feel safe.
The biggest problem I had with dogs was when someone thoughtlessly brought their dog out on a weekend outing in the woods with family. They let their dog run lose and thought nothing of the safety of others. These dogs, in unfamiliar surroundings, are nervous and are seeking to re-establish their domain and protect their pack.
I yelled a lot at owners in PA. I found it to be the worse in that respect. Dogs unleashed and allowed to threaten anyone close to them.
Also, I remember last year coming down on the trail leading to Partnership Shelter and crossing a field where there was a dog ready to pounce. I scurried away quickly before the beast could find me.
Mr. Boo
My only bad experience on the trail was when some day hikers came down the trail with 2 huge Great Danes who were way ahead of them. One of the dogs got a fright when it saw us and got quite agressive. Fortunately the owner came along in time to save the dog being spiked by our hiking poles. We figured the dog was spooked by our apparent size. I love dogs, but out hiking you just don’t know how they will react when they see you. This is a good argument for using hiking poles.
Downunda