Why dogs attack hikers

[Percival]

If you saw Sex, Lies, and Videotape, the husband kept cheating on his meek wife until she had enough and started fooling around herself, where she finds true happiness. An analogy can be made with dogs and irresponsible owners.

Owners of aggressive dogs cheat on their pets in many ways, including but not limited to:

1. Letting them go unleashed when they are not well disciplined,

2. Failing to teach them that humans, not dogs, are on top the food chain, and most important,

3. Failing to properly train their dogs to respect humans unless a clear threat is posed to the owner.

The worst failure is #3, which when combined with #2 usually ends with the dog finding true happiness in an innocent hiker's leg or other fleshy spot (innuendo intended). Usually, the hiker does not consent to this intimate encounter, though the dog will argue the point.

The point (my point, not the dog’s -- remember I'M on top here) is, if your dog is not properly disciplined, don’t bring him on the trail. Remember that not all hikers are capable of discerning a "bluff charge" from the real thing, and some hikers may act accordingly when faced with a threatening dog and take defensive action.

As is the hiker’s right. If a dog is unleashed and snarls, snaps, and – most importantly – invades the hiker’s "personal space," the hiker would be a fool to wait until its teeth are in his flesh to assume aggression. The dog has already presented obvious signs of aggression, thus justifying a defensive strike.

So train your dog properly or accept the consequences when an innocent hiker defends home plate.

[Valmet]

Better yet, don't take them on the trails. I do not like dogs running loose. If one invades my space they get a whack across the head with my hiking stick. Believe it or not everyone does not like your dog.

[steve hiker]

It's usually not thru-hiker dogs that cause trouble, but the day trippers and weekenders. Some of those people do NOT belong on the trail, period, much less their dogs.

[borntired]

"It's usually not thru-hiker dogs that cause trouble, but the day trippers and weekenders."
-- I agree with that. All the dogs I've seen accompanying thru-hikers have been too tired to even bark.

[Chip]

Wow!! Sure are alot of replies regarding dogs on the trail. Yes I have posted 3 on other threads regarding Trail Hounds. I agree with Percival for the reasons why some dogs are aggressive. Some of the dogs I have seen running lose on the trail have no owner nearby. When you get near a farm or home close to a trail it may be the local dog. Sometimes I think a few of these dogs are strays. Yeah there are the day trippers & weekenders too who let their dogs run free.

I train my dogs and keep them on a leash at all times and believe it or not my dogs really have a great time being on a leash out on the trail. I don't own any trail and neither do my dogs when we are hiking.

My advice to anyone who runs into someone who has a dog running free is to let them know it is not appreciated and why. You can make a difference ! If more people with dogs would act responsibly, the better !!
Sometimes if not most IT IS THE OWNER WHO NEEDS TO BE TRAINED!!!
Thanks for reading,
Chip

[Brushy Sage]

While I was hiking through the Smoky Mtns, a large black animal bounded out of the thicket just ahead of me. I experienced a flash of fear, thinking I was almost face to face with a bear, until the creature started howling, and looking at me with its large, red-streaked eyes. While I was trying to figure out what to do with a large dog in a no-dogs-allowed environment, a hiker who had just gone ahead of me heard the dog's howl and came back to check on it. Turns out he was missing his own dog, which he had boarded during the hike through the Smoky Mtn Park,and would meet again at Davenport Gap. He took the dog with him all the way to Mountain Momma's. It apparently belonged to someone in Georgia, and the owner came to Mountain Momma's to get it. Strange happening, and I never did understand how the canine got lost out in the Smokies like that. Maybe on a bear hunt? Or followed some hikers? Who knows?

[retread]

Well....I am not a dog person, but I did meet some cool dogs on my hike. And I did meet some incredibly stupid dog owners. One woman was letting her dog drink directly from a spring then got pi$$ed off when I told her that while she might not mind drinking after her dog, I did.

[Mountain Dew]

When I thru-hiked in 2003 it was my experience that well over half of the A.T. "thru-hikers" dogs should NOT have been on the trail. I was charged twice by dogs. Once, two dogs came at me at the same time. Often I would see trail dogs either drinking in the water source or bathing in it. One dog that was with a husband/wife duo was always begging for food. I do think dogs should be allowed on the trail, but maybe a training certificate of some kind should be required before the dog is allowed on the A.T. Most people just can't or won't handle the extra responsibility of hiking with a dog.

[steve hiker]

I was charged twice by dogs. Once, two dogs came at me at the same time.

What happened with the two dog attack and how did you fend them off?

[snuffleupagus]

If I'm not mistaken, all dog's are direct descendents of the wolf. From there dogs have been bread to serve different purposes in respect to man's needs. Be it hunting, tracking, security, or just plain companionship. Most dog breed's are comprised of two or more dominant features which give that particular breed the characteristics of the breeder's needs. That being said, the internal intinct to fight for dominance is there in all breed's of dog's. Even though dog breeder's have decreased aggressive nature through training and behavioral modification, the nature of the dog is to fight for what it needs. If a dog is put in a place or a situation where the need for it's own security or safety arises, that internal instinct comes back, and hence, an attack. It all comes down to how well the initial behavioral modification process, and personalization skills have been taught. The more a dog is surrounded by people during training, the more comfortable the dog will feel around social situations..... Then again, take that same dog out of a social environment for too long and the insecure feeling may come back.
There are a thousand and one reasons why a dog will attack a hiker. For the most part though, it all comes down to good breeding, behavioral modification with positive reinforcement, and socialization skill training. In my opinion there is no such thing as a bad dog, only the bad owner of a mistreated dog.

[Ramble~On]

I love dogs. I love cats. I love birds, fish, ferrets...all kinds of pets..
AND...THEY ARE PETS....
I also love hiking and have never felt any sympathy for any dog or dog owner who feels that any trail or trail shelter is a good place to have their dog.
In 1996 there were thru hikers with dogs that never caused (to my knowledge) any problems. But if it's okay for thru hikers to have dogs on the AT then it has to be okay for everyone to have dogs.

Scenario: It's been a usual day....you've hiked, you're tired and hungry
You see the shelter up ahead and you move closer... Then you hear the dog barking and growling...you see the dog moving in your direction. You see gear all over the shelter but don't see or hear any people. A long minute passes and someone eyes you up and calls to the dog. The dog returns to the shelter but still growls and barks. It's dusk and will be dark soon....
It's a big German Sheppard or Pit Bull or Doberman or Rottweiler
How do you feel ? What do you do ?

It's my opinion (OPINION) that most of the people who take their "LARGE" dogs on the trail are insecure and having that dog with them is their "security"
In which case that dog is....or could instantly become a weapon.
If you have a "big" dog and you disagree with me GOOD...I've already made my point because now you have my perspective and know how I...(the ordinary hiker) feels about your big dog. Not only that but you may feel that your big dog is intimidating.......a better word is "instigating"
Because I am going to sleep in that shelter...your dog is not....
If I want to make sudden movements around the shelter....I am going to make sudden movements....I'll be polite to you at first....and no I do not want your dog to sniff me....I do not want to pet your stinking dog and I could care a less how friendly your dog is once it gets to know me. I'm a really, really laid back person, open, friendly etc etc.....but your barking, growling dog has changed me....No, I am not about to be intimidated by your dog. No, I am not going to leave and let you and your girlfriend have the shelter to yourselves for the weekend. And YES....your dog is going to stay out of the shelter. And yes, I'd be happy if you and your dog went out and set up the tent.......AH Yes.....now you are being "COURTEOUS".
Trail shelters are designed for trail hikers......trail hikers are humans.
If your friendly big dog doesn't like sudden movements or me that is your dog's problem....not mine...but if you are unable to keep your friendly dog from barking and growling at me than that is going to become your problem and you are going to have to do something about it. If you are unable to control your dog or unable to have the common sense to tie your friendly, barking, growling dog to a tree (away from the shelter area) and your friendly, barking, growling dog continues to "instigate" IT is going to become a major, major problem for me to share the shelter with you....
" A FOOTPATH FOR THOSE WHO SEEK FELLOWSHIP WITH THE WILDERNESS "
Not a public dog walking area...But people will continue to take their dogs
I can tolerate people taking their dogs on the trail so long as those dogs are well behaved dogs....well behaved dogs do not bark and growl at hikers and do not exhibit any sign of hostility.....which says an awful lot about the owner of that dog......but I still do not feel that the AT is a place for dogs.
So....next time you set out for a hike on the AT or any other public "hiking" trail please keep in mind that people just like me are going to be using that same trail. People like me who leave the pets at home have the right to hike the trails and use the shelters without the threat or perception of being mauled by a dog.
If you take the dog with you on the trail you also take responsiblity for making sure that dog does not make anyone on the trail uncomfortable....and yes, by just being there your dog will make some people uncomfortable.

If the ATC were ever to consider it and surveyed or held a vote.....dogs would be banned quicker than dogs**t. If dogs were banned from the trail....the trail would get that much better.

[Jaybird]

keep FIDO @ home!
solves everything

[walkon]

Bring fido with you!!! i will always take my dog into the woods with me, i take him wherever i go. except work of course. but...
i do realize some people are different, such as spiritwind. spiritwind does not want to pet my stinky dog. 10-4 spiritwind. its all about respect and common courtesy. unfortunately, dog owners and non dog owners will forever be at odds over the correct usage of and place of dogs in the woods.
but just like any other facet of humanity it only takes a few misdirected folks to ruin the game for everyone. someone out there is mistreating their pet for reasons i will not even guess. the pet responds by developing an increasingly primitive attitude that will include unfriendliness and tooth sharpening.
so i would chance a suggestion- if you reach a dog inhabited shelter, and you dont like dogs, and the dog doesnt like you, and nobody likes the dogs owner, move on. youve got your tarp/tent dont you? instead of barging into the mutt infested shelter and just being mad about it, keep going a little bit. how important is staying in the shelter to you? important enough for you to ruin the experience not only for yourself but for the dog as well? never mind the owner.
this post is intentionally spacey because so is the argument, better left for unsolved mysteries.
walkon

[Ramble~On]

Walkon....read my scenario and what I said about that imaginary incident.

Also, shelters are for hikers. Thank you.
From what you just wrote it sounds as though you expect me and anyone else to accommodate you and your dog..."hike on"
"hike on"....I don't think so.
I'm sure your dog is well behaved and a really cool dog. I doubt there'd be any problems. But what happens when you get to a shelter with your dog and there is another hiker already there with his bigger, mean and nasty dog ?
If it's almost dark and you've just hiked all day are you gonna "hike on"
If not, do you expect all the other hikers in the shelter to be happy with listening to the dogs bark at each other ?
Are you going to find somewhere to set up your tent.... ?
Like I said...I'll be sleeping in the shelter with all the other humans.
Where are you sleeping ?

Also, I don't recall saying I didn't have dogs
And I am positive I never said I hate dogs

[loonyhiker]

I have had dogs and love them but like people love well disciplined children, dogs should be also. Nothing is worse than being on a hike, relaxing and enjoying nature as a form of relaxing from stress and then being confronted with a barking dog not on a leash. My adrenalin rushes, and the fight or flight response kicks in. This is something that I can not control. People with dogs can control their actions by putting their dogs on a leash. I am constantly thanking and praising those dog owners who I have hiked past who have had their dogs on a leash and actually take their dogs off the trail in order to let me pass. They seem to respect the fact that I may not feel comfortable around them. I think if all people would just respect others, and use good manners by being courteous to others, we all could get along...but that is the fantasy world I guess and this is just my opinion.

[walkon]

spiritwind, i love dogs and so do you. i never said you hate dogs(although some dogs inexplicably may hate you). i did read your scenario and as both a fan and writer of fiction i thought it lacked in character development as as whole but pretty beleiveable nonetheless. i didnt want to come back to this discussion because i always seem to come off like an "ass" i.e. the at and sex discussion. so grrrrrrrrrr all you want but ill see your grrrrr and raise you a durrrrrrp.
walkon

[ted holdridge]

My dog will be hiking with me again this year. I agree they have no place in shelters. I agree that they should be held off the trail so that others may pass without worrying about their safety. I will stop at shelters for lunch/dinner break. I will be on the trail. So will my dog. Everyone who has been hiking has had bad experiences with dogs. And people. But they are both welcome on my hike.

[flyfisher]

I have met several hundred hikers on the AT. None has ever run at me, rubbed against me, yelled at me, or put their nose in my hand.

I have met a couple dozen dogs on the AT. About a third of them have barked at me. Almost all of them not on a leash have nuzzled me, making me wonder if in a casual petting action I was going to be seen as friendly or something to bite. People tell me that dogs can sense when someone is afraid of them and they don't attack unless they get that sense. This does not make me feel comfortable when your pooch smells my palm to see if I am afraid. I hate going into tests that I know I will not pass.

Most of the dogs on leashes, with owners pulling the leash up and away from the trail have looked at me like I was something bad, otherwise why would their owners be protecting them from me. They are only confused about whether I am going to attack their master or whether they are going to attack me.

Once or twice, I was not sure if the owner was going to be able to restrain their dog's lunges at me. The fear in my eyes was reflected in the eyes of the owners.

Even well behaved dogs seem to get in fights with one another. I have never seen hikers draw knives on one another. If I did, I would expect the police to remove both hikers until the situation could be resolved. Why aren't dogs that fight put in jail? Because that behavior is normal. Why bring animals on the trail whose normal behavior is to fight?

I have seen very well behaved dogs on the trail. Probably half of them are absolutely lovable and friendly. However, it is not until the meeting is past that I have known which half this particular dog belonged to.

I have never, never, never, met a hiker with a dog who said: "Be careful, this dog is dangerous. I don't know if I can control him. Don't pet her." So I think some of the owners were not telling me the whole truth.

I worry whenever I see a dog. I don't worry when I see a deer. A deer has never charged me and I have never needed to poke one with my hiking pole to stop a charge. I have never started looking around me quickly for a self protection stick when I saw a deer, or a chipmunk, or a squirrel, or a robin on the path in front of me.

I worry when I see a moose or a bear. They don't have owners that tell me not to worry.

Until those people with less than well behaved dogs stop bringing the pooch to the trail, I will probably show prejudice against your perfectly behaved dog. That is just the way it is.

Oh, and if you do not bring your dog, I will never miss him. Maybe this is a luxury item which should be left at home with the color TV.

To clear the air. I grew up with a dog. That dog bit me and bit my friends. It bit me 4 days from civilization in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. My parents were very reasonable people that kept the dog until old age finally did him in. They thought it was as reasonable to get rid of this known biter as it would be to get rid of one of their children. So I know that all dogs are not nice. I know that people underestimate the bad behavior their dogs have.

Oh, and the first couple times I ran across bear scat in the middle of the NC trail, I thought it was sort of cool that I was that far in the wilderness. Till I saw the "bears" that left the pile.

I want to like dogs on the trail. I really do. But I don't. I just do not have it in me.

Oh, and if you meet me, my name is not:

[Blue Jay]

Great post Flyfisher. Best explaination yet for the fear we are forced to accept from Dog People.

[Tater]

Dogs attack hikers because they like it.