dogs and steep places

[squeezebox]

Just curious. What do you do with your dog on the very steep places? There are a few aluminum ladders on the AT, as well as the handful of rebar places. No dog I've ever had could handle that on it's own, How does yours?

[Tipi Walter]

Sometimes you have to hand carry them over obstacles. And sometimes in deep snow you have to carry their packs as they can't get thru deep drifts with the saddlebags.


Old Shunka trying to get thru the snow with his pack.


So you end up carrying his pack in deep snow. Otherwise, on ladders you take your stuff up first and then return to carry the dog. There's a tough trail in NC called the Nutbuster (Upper Slickrock Creek #42) which I often had to carry Shunka up and over stuff.

[July]

Carrying the dog over rough spots is great excuse to just hug the ole hound...

[freightliner]

This is another reason I think it's borderline cruel to bring a dog on the trail. If the dog can't find its own way up you have to carry it and there's a lot of places on the trail where it's going be really hard to carry a dog. One place that comes to mind is dragons tooth it's hard enough to climb up it or down let alone with a dog. I bet wildcat A B & C would be a lot of fun with a dog. To get the dog over a cliff face you would have to grab it by it's neck and drag it off and down how do you think your dogs going to like doing that. And if you got a lot of rain that year in Maine crossing rivers would be a whole lot of fun with a dog watching them getting swept down the river hoping they can make it. But on the bright side they get all the ticks that would normally get me so I like them on the trail. I've had lyme disease before so my next bite might be my last one.

[Sarcasm the elf]

This is another reason I think it's borderline cruel to bring a dog on the trail.

My dog catagorically disagrees with you.

[Tipi Walter]

This is another reason I think it's borderline cruel to bring a dog on the trail.

Total nonsense.

[Malto]

I talked with a guy on dragon Tooth whose dog was off leash following him right up. The dog took a different route than the hikers but the owner said he always finds a way up regardless of the terrain.

[Tipi Walter]

I talked with a guy on dragon Tooth whose dog was off leash following him right up. The dog took a different route than the hikers but the owner said he always finds a way up regardless of the terrain.

This reminds me of climbing the Nutbuster trail and pulling a tough section and waiting for my dog. Dangit, he didn't make it! So I waited and went back a ways and turned around to continue and there he was way ahead standing on a big rock looking at me like I was an idiot monkey. He found his own way up.

[FatMan]

The OP is a troll when it comes to dogs. My dog will find a way every time. She is much more creative than I am when it comes to getting through difficult terrain. But yes, if you are hiking tough terrain you better be ready to carry your dog if it is not as creative as mine.

[squeezebox]

Just asking a dog question. No accusations, no pointing fingers. My last dog was too old to hike.

[saltysack]

I've never been anywhere too steep...but the climb up albert mtn at night with ice was interesting with my dog...they find a way very quickly!


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[Spirit Walker]

I've seen dogs climb rocks like mountain goats. I've seen a 150 pound hiker carrying his 75 pound dog. I've seen hikers turn back because they couldn't carry their dog (Mahoosic Notch). I saw many hikers on the PCT leave the trail because it was so hard on their dogs. I've seen other dogs who hiked both the AT and PCT successfully. It really depends on the dog. I have to be careful with mine because he has absolutely no sense of danger or caution. I don't want to have to carry him out because he jumped off the wrong rock.

[Almost There]

It goes back to the same thing as when people ask if a certain section of trail is hard...and I think, for me, no, but I'm not you...I can't say what you'll think on it. Dogs are the same, some love it, and are built for it...others not so much. Know your dog, and you'll be fine. As for folks that say their dog "loves" the trail...yeah, mine like being out there too, but loves being with me far more...so like I said, know your dog...mine would kill himself to be with me, so I have to love him enough to know when is enough.

[Slo-go'en]

Getting a good sized dog up (or down) this series of ladders near Goose Eye could be a challenge. There isn't any way to go around.
DSCF0264.jpg

[Dogtra]

To the OP:

Practice with your dog. Train your dog to have the confidence to navigate different obstacles, with AND without you. This is something that Wilderness SAR and Urban Disaster SAR dogs have to go through on a regular basis.

At Home...
Train with ladders set horizontally above the ground and propped up against buildings. Work with wooden planks of various sizes. Go to playgrounds and use everything available. Practice with dog agility equipment. Practice different dog carries too. Some dogs aren't accustomed to being hauled around physically, so get him/her used to it BEFORE it is needed. Get creative.

In the wilderness...
Find any and all obstacles and practice going through them, over them, and around them.

You want your dog to be able to problem solve independently from you. Good luck and have fun.

[Another Kevin]

Getting a good sized dog up (or down) this series of ladders near Goose Eye could be a challenge. There isn't any way to go around.
DSCF0264.jpg

I've met dogs that could handle that with a top-rope, although that one bit of nearly bare rock face might turn simply into hauling the dog in his harness. And I've met dogs that were perfectly cool with long-line rappel. But you have to know what the ability, training and skill level are of your own dog. Not every dog is a wonder-dog like some I've met on the trail, and some simply aren't either athletic or cool-headed enough to be trained to that level. (Just as some humans never get up to hiking a trail that difficult!)

Believe it or not, I've seen a beagle manage this pitch free solo while his handler was digging in his pack for the rope and the dog's climbing harness. A beagle, for pity's sake. The dog gave his human partner a look like, "what are you getting that stuff out for, come on, get over here with me and let's hike some more!"