Dogs and Water on the trail

[ocourse]

If someone complains about a dog drinking from a water source, I interpret it to mean that that hiker isn't prepared to either drink water from that source or to treat that water. That same hiker must be OK with wildlife doing a little bit of everything in the water, but will draw the line at canines drinking there, and that represents an unrealistic idea of backpacking. What about all the nasty cups, bottles, ZipLocs, hands, lips, tubes, and other various containers that are dipped into those same sources? They are all contaminated - far more than a dog's mouth. Small scratches in plastic harbor lots of harmful stuff.

[July]

If someone complains about a dog drinking from a water source, I interpret it to mean that that hiker isn't prepared to either drink water from that source or to treat that water. That same hiker must be OK with wildlife doing a little bit of everything in the water, but will draw the line at canines drinking there, and that represents an unrealistic idea of backpacking. What about all the nasty cups, bottles, ZipLocs, hands, lips, tubes, and other various containers that are dipped into those same sources? They are all contaminated - far more than a dog's mouth. Small scratches in plastic harbor lots of harmful stuff.

EXACTLY! It's funny how when some people travel through "mother natures house", for hrs, weeks or months, they form assumptions. Think of the wildlife down to microbes that "live" in and utilize these water sources 24-7-365. Example: I was just short of a crest'ridgeline on the At in Virginia. Came upon a short pipe coming out of the ground just spewing beautiful water with a little rock bed pool built underneath. As habit I sawyer filtered and cameled up. About 2 min up the trail I encountered a Ranger, and commented on the nice water source. He promptly told me that it actually was fed by a ditch that ran beside a small access road and was just channeled to the other side of the road and down into the woods with a small pipe. There was even a small piece of tin to protect the topside of the pipe. One would think WOW pristine.Think of all the roadside debris, dead animals, people wastes, etc that have laid in that ditch over time...

[July]

By the way this was a piece of 3/4 inch pvc that appeared to be tapping a spring...

[saltysack]

Bottom line....be respectful of others if trying to get water at same time....its that easy...my dog drinks from water sources and never had issue....


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[swjohnsey]

Why would anyone object to drinking after a dog?

[2dogs1girl]

Bottom line....be respectful of others if trying to get water at same time....its that easy...my dog drinks from water sources and never had issue....


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Thanks saltysack! I like the simplicity of what you said.

[Traveler]

Why would anyone object to drinking after a dog?

Probably the same people who object to stirring their coffee with your finger....

[saltysack]

Thanks saltysack! I like the simplicity of what you said.

I wouldn't want a dog tromping in the steam especially up stream from me while trying to fill my sawyer squeeze bag....take it down stream from others and shouldn't hear any bitching...


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[Sarcasm the elf]

Probably the same people who object to stirring their coffee with your finger....

Honestly I'd be more grossed out if a hiker stuck their dirty finger in my coffee...

[pickNgrin]

Here's something I'm surprised no one has thought of/mentioned: parasites in the water source that can infect your dog!!

Yes…. dogs can get both Giardia and Cryptosporidium, and it affects them just like people.

[CELTIC BUCK]

Every up stream is somebody' s downstream. Just respect the water but suspect that it may be less than pure.

[JumpMaster Blaster]

As a dog owner, I will allow her to drink directly from a water source under TWO conditions: 1- that she is downstream from where people would collect drinking water and 2- it's a flowing stream or creek. If it's just your normal piped or unpiped spring, she's leashed AWAY from it. I wouldn't want to drink water from where she was just slobbering & traipsing about.

Also- you should always carry a bowl for your dog. Always. Kurgo makes a nice collapsible bowl that only weighs 5.5 ounces. If you're unsure about your dog carrying a pack with it's own water and food, then you should be carrying it. If not, My suggestion would be to do what I do and leave your best friend at home for longer hikes.

[tim.hiker]

a responsible dog owner would carry a water dish and catch their water and let them drink from the dish instead of allowing them to stick their noses in the water source you know thats everbody's water source not just yours, everybody i have ever hiked with that had dogs carried a water dish and did not let their dogs get close to the water, i quess you'll allow your dogs to sleep in side the shelters too. if you can't be a responsible dog owner leave them at home

Good Comment there is no way I will be in a shelter with a dog that stinks it up some hiker are just as bad... more likely I will say take him some where else, I hike with my dog a lot but I never allow him to drink from a water source or take him to a shelter....

[John B]

May I ask how you plan to keep two dogs under control while hiking? From time to time, I take my dog on a short day hike, and holding a leash in one hand and a hiking pole in another can be a chore. I'm assuming that you don't plan to use a hiking pole?

[John B]

Here's a pic of my dog. I keep him leashed at all times. Sometimes I carry a 15-foot retractable leash, other times I carry a leash that attaches around my waist. When others are coming towards us, I move off the trail and keep him at my side because not everyone feels comfortable having an 80-pound dog brushing by them. I carry a Ruffwear collapsable waterbowl (http://www.ruffwear.com/Quencher-Dog...=2&category=10). I don't let him directly drink out of streams. I've only done one overnight with him, and we stayed in a tent and not a shelter. I never let him beg food from others or approach others unless they ask if they can pet him. That's pretty much my routine.

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[Water Rat]

When I take my pooches (sisters) hiking, I have them both attached to one leash using one of the Ruffwear leash couplers. (Mine is an older version of this: http://www.ruffwear.com/Double-Track...=2&category=15) This allows me to control both dogs, using one leash. If they were crazy dogs this totally would not work. However, my girls know that the leash means fun times, so they are on their best behaviors when their packs and the leash appear. I did start training them this way from the time they were just pups and they tend to wander next to each other anyway, so they are not the least bit bothered by being tethered together.

[perdidochas]

Why would anyone object to drinking after a dog?

Dog slobber.