Anyone have any info on hiking this trail with a dog? I have read the entries at PCTA forum, but I need to talk with someone who has been out on the trail. I know the official regulations, but am hoping to discover practicalities:
Cross Country
After hiking with a half dozen dogs on the AT this year we came to the expected conclusion that they don’t fair well at all on the trail; Dana got a dogs version of Lymes, Sylvia broke a foot, Sage Rose got heat stroke, Dooky Bandit had growing issues, Walker harrassed wildlife and got an infection on his…um you know what. Then there were the fifty odd dogs that tried to bight us. Although the folks with the Boston Terrior had good luck since it was light weight. Bring a friend and leave “Raggs” at home. They just can’t tell you when they’re hurting.
Bushwack and Bramble
With every mile that clicks underfoot, my philosophy toward hiking grows. I believe that as hikers, we should try to move as quietly and lightly as possible across the fragile remnants of this wilderness. Generally, I prefer not to see, hear, touch, smell, and taste human development when I go venturing in the “wild.” I get enough of these sensations EVERYWHERE else!
Anthropocentrically, the golden rule, I feel, thus must be inacted to respect the natural minimal impact desires of others. We of course are bastions of civilization however hard we try to rid ourselves of these shackles of unnatural bounds --we are entities apart from the wilderness.
Non-anthropocentric love of the wild would have it that we also respect LNT principles and strive to not upset and harm the natural creatures of this environment, which we enter in as guests. It is our responsibility to preserve and try to keep the wilderness as pristine as possible while, at the same time, balancing our innate desire to hike and love nature (which is constructive as it plants seedlings of conservationism within us all)
So where does that put us with our four-legged companions? Well, it is our choice whether or not to take them with us. They, like us, are domesticated and thus are visitors to the wilderness. But unlike us, however smart, they are unable to comprehend the environmental ethics we humans dutifully (at least attempt to) impose upon ourselves. The result: a party hiking with dogs most assuredly will have a greater impact on natural settings (as B&B pointed out above: dogs really can’t help but to disturb wildlife) LNT oriented Hikers can try to pick up the slack for their beloved canines, but it will be an incredibly difficult and frustrating struggle at best and will almost assuredly end in futility.
Out of respect for non-anthropocentric environmental ethics, I feel dogs should really be left out of whatever wildlands they’re still allowed into and their wild oats reaped in already developed recreational parks.
Anthropocentrically and to help promote better conservation awareness in other human-impact arenas, dog-owners should seriously consider leaving the dogs at home when venturing onto the trail. Just my 2 cents.
Sweeper
are your tent,sleeping bag,300 dollar pack,gasoline powered stove,gore-tex, not signs of human devlopment? not to mention shelters trails YOU the hiker. If you get down to it if you dropped a common dog off in the middle of the wilderness it would have a better chance of survival than we would in the same situation. That said I aggree that you should not take dogs on the trail they stink worse than hikers and beg for food
Jesse
I apologize, Ever since that last post, I knew I flew off the handle somewhat. Forgive me if you can, I guess I read this thread at at a rough time, and I got a little fired up. Still, I got intense feelings over this issue, but must admit that I’ve had the honor to meet a few of a sacred minority of dogs and dog owners that were really great! I’ll be chill, I promise… And Jesse, you’re right on about how pathetic we humans are sometimes… But don’t get me fired up!
Sweeper
My dog stays on leash, doesn’t beg, bury her waste the same as my own. she carrys the trash I pick up from humans some of whom don’t seem to realize every can,candy wrapper,cig butt ,and worse toilet paper counts. My dog earns her right to hile in my oppinion. I also don’t allow her in the shelters or water suply Sorry I 'm going on but because a few bad owners (not bad dogs) don’t use common sense shouldn’t be reason to want all dogs off the trails, Of course when all hikers quit leaving trash all over I’ll reconsider. Happy hiking .
Cowboy
wasnt trying to dis you at all you can post what ever you want I love dogs but what i would really like to se more of is hiking cats (take care of mice problems at AT shelters)
jesse
When I was a boy (12 or so) I was hiking for a week with my mom and friends and we met an AT thru-hiker in New Hampshire or Maine that was hiking the trail with a Cat. He said he found the kitten before he started the AT (he was doing a long biking trip) and adopted it. When he started the trail the kitten at the time would ride on the top of his pack. When the cat got older it would walk with him… pretty crazy stuff.
Leif
That was Ziggy and his human, Geek. I read that the Baxter Rangers let Ziggy go up Katahdin.
atrerunner
I think there is an entire chapter on the cat in Lenny? Larry? Luxenberg’s book “Walking the Appalachian Trail.” From what I read, the cat was a rodent killing machine. something like 16 at one shelter. Yeah they’re there cause we humans litter all around the shelters, but 16??? Wow! Still I bet it was cute. Apparantly Geek, got the cat as he was rowing the Mississippi River. Once he started the AT, the cat hiked around 300 miles until it got drenched in a rain storm. Geek put it on top of his pack under some rain protection. The cat wisened up and sat up there the rest of trip. Sucka!
Grimace
Grimace
The Roanoke Times, on 9/19/00 and 11/17/00, reported on an NYC couple that found a cat on the trail (which they named Huck - after Huck Finn). Huck proceeded to hike with them for over 300 miles! It, too, figured out pretty quickly what an easy meal ticket the shelters can be for an industrious cat.
Unfortunately, the Roanoke Times charges to pull articles off of their archives - but those of you who can get onto Lexis should be able to pull the stories pretty easily. Wild stuff!
(and if you’re REALLY interested, I have scanned copies of the articles in PDF format, which I’d be happy to e-mail to interesteed parties)…
Dingo
cats at shelters hmmmm not a bad idea! As far as dogs at shelters its just not a good idea. No more than someone wants to see 8 boyscouts or more packing into a shelter a dog is just not made as a companion for others. its your companion. bring a tent and keep it there. I mean I occasionally snore and I pack a tent. In the adge of ultra light hiking people consider a true shelter just extra weight. The responsibilty I think is to make shelters a refuge from the elements to relax. They are a privilidge. Dogs in shelters are a no IMO.
lostsole
I’ve done over 4000 AT miles nad the only bad times I’ve ever had were because of uncontrolled dogs at campsites and yes, in shelters. The dogs also are mainly half dead because their owners don’t know when to rest them.There were plenty of good dogs too of course but my vote is to keep them off the trail for their own good and mine.
bamboo bob
The dogs suffer. Very few of the dogs we saw this year on our thru-hike completed the trail. A large majority had to get off the trail because of health problems. Their feet and bones take a beating. Their diet suffers and most dogs are not up to doing long miles every day. I did not have a problem with thru-hiker dogs but the section and day hiker’s dogs was another thing. I was attacked (but not bitten) but other hikers were not so lucky (i.e. Patchfoot). The day hikers just let the dogs run free. My vote is for the dog. Leave them at home, the trail is hard on them.
Papa Smurf
hmmmm I would not agree to keep all dogs off the trail at all times… as far as a thru hike it does seem a tad extreme or even long sectional hikes perhaps because the guidlines for leashes are next to impossible to maintain, stress on the dog, stress on other hikers etc. HOWEVER as far as irratation I have found that other hikers are as irritating and troublesome as any dog ever was. Hikers because of there insensitivity to the land and there fellow hikers have made the trail at times impossible. I am sure we have all come to a campsite with a seeming boy scout banjoree going on or worse at a shelter… washing there dishes in the water source talking all hours of the night etc. This is not to mention almost all hikers disregaurding the NO COOKING in the shelters rule in the smokies etc etc etc. Its the inconsiderate hiker thats the problem be they a thru hiker or a day hiker. The trail was put there for the enjoyment of all and unfortunately the lack of consideration for others is the main issue. Dogs are fine as long as they are controlled … people are fine as long as they are controlled also.
lostsole
I want to hike part of the PCT alone and would feel safer taking a dog. However, I want to hike through California, and heard that dogs are not allowed in National Parks there. Does anyone know of alternate routes that would connect to the PCT trail on which I could hike with a dog? Also, has anyone had the experience of taking a dog on public transit?
Any information on this would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Heidi
Dogs are not allowed in many wilderness areas and the San Jacinto State Park. Forget about public transit except for airlines (in cages). If you want to be safe hiking alone on the trail you need two things No. 1: Pepper spray as a first defence. No. 2: A quality revolver. If the pepper spray doesn’t work or is not practical, use the pistol. I load mine with the first two shots that are ‘snake-shot’. The other four are .357 Silvertip. Snake-shot will scare off just about anything. But if you need more than that (usually for the two legged animals),then you have it.
Second Son (S.S,)
Hi Everyone. Just wanted to offer my advice if needed. I hiked the PCT in 2002 with my husband and my dog, Pocky (a mix breed of about 4o lbs).
We followed all the regulations and worked with local land managers to get around the tougher sections where we had to drop off the dog and hike without him (Yosemite). He was fine the entire way and aside from having to carry extra water for him in the desert we had no real problems.
The key is really the manners and sensitivity of the PEOPLE with dogs. Mostly, if the owner is responsible and polite, so will the dog be. Dogs are not a good variable to fit into an ulta-light hike or a hike where finishing is a do or die goal. You have to be flexible, may not be able to hike 30 miles a day (on the PCT), or you may even have to quit because of the dog. Dogs can’t talk- so you have to be remember that they may not be loving the hike as much as you are.
Obviously a big furry dog should not be in the desert (ie we saw a Great Pyranees in the south, he ended up going home). People who want to go ultralight should not bring a dog (duct-taping your dogs feet and forcing them to carry 15 lbs of food through the desert is not humane). And sometimes you may have to hitch out (High temps in the Mojave), skip a section (I got a ride with the dog through Lassen), or take an alternate route (hiking the road in Crater Lake). And rain can be just as miserable for you and your dog, just as snow and ice can be issues. (Can you self-arrest for you AND your dog)?
BUT- don’t be discouraged by all the naysayers. It can and is done. I think two other dogs finished in 2002. You just have to be flexible and responsible and realize that hiking with a dog is its own experience- much different than the experience you will have as a solo hiker or a thru-hiker in a group. You can miss out on some of the social aspects in towns. But, if you love your dog and you train and condition the dog, keep an eye on the dog on the trail, and make compromises to hike with the dog- it can be done.
Please e-mail me directly if anyone wants specifics on how we got around areas or dealt with trail conditions. You can also read our journal of trailjournals.com.
Thanks and Good Luck!
Cross Country
I can barely get my Great Pyrennes to go around the block in the summer(Minnesota) much less 2,600 miles. (He is 11 years old) I can’t believe someone would expect a Pyrennes to do well in the heat.
Paul P.