View Full Version : Best dog breeds for hiking??
I realize that individual dogs of all breeds are capable of doing a thru-hike, but which breeds may have some physical or temperamental advantages to hiking long distances over AT terrain)?
Lone Wolf
02-12-2006, 12:33
Jack Russells
Jack Russells
my friend hiked with a jack russell terrier and, although it was a good hiker, it hated the hike towards the end. it would yellow blaze every chance it got and my friend was happy to let her when she could. it's too far for any breed, just ask a wolf how far one migrates in a year.;)
Jack Russle Terrorists, i mean terriers, may be a good choice. My 2 Golden Retrievers love to hike. My biggest (100 lbs or so) gets extremely excited any time I break out his pack. He is a pack mule. Carries his food, our other dog's food, their water, some of our water, sometimes stove fuel and always our liquor all day long and loves it. They have done well on 4 day trips, but I would be wary on pushing them much more than that. I've worked hard (and worked them hard) training them for trail fitness and behavior and have never recieved any complaints, but then agian they are well behaved on the trail. Of course some people don't complain around you... they complain on forums like this, but oh well. Who owns that problem?
i hike with a 1/2 pit 1/2 red bone hound whose never had any problems at all. he doesn't quit, pure muscle. well, now he looks like he swallowed a watermellon, but he still doesn't quit. he could hike 20 more miles than me every day, with a full pack. he's had up to 18 pounds in his pack and didn't even know it was there. if i touch his pack in the house, he is ready to go, and then gets pissed off when we don't.
dje97001
02-12-2006, 13:16
Some hikers we met on the AT last year had their greyhound with them. They said that the dog didn't initially take to ups and downs (didn't like the stairs at home) but he eventually got over it--talk about running into a breed you didn't expect to see!
I have a couple of Blue Heelers AKA Australian Cattle Dogs. They are breed to work all day and do better on the trail with a pack than at home laying around.
They carry their own little sleeping bag amound other things and spent about 50 days and nights on the trail with me last season. They have lots of endurance and need the exercise.
I can't think of a single breed that I'd suggest for hiking. Dogs are wonderful at home, but not on the trail.
(Hiker who works in a pet store).
Let the flame wars begin.
Cheesewhiz
02-12-2006, 13:33
my dog is a super trail dog but she is staying at home for my thru hike this year. it is my hike not hers. She is a chocholate lab/ Husky mix.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=539&stc=1&d=1139765556
Let the flame wars begin.
Hey! I'm a dog lover (favorite breeds - Labs and beagles [beagles run off, chasing things and don't have an attention span - period, but both are sweet dogs]).
No need for a war.
When I hike, I'm there to enjoy the wilderness, not to play with or discipline someone else's dog.
My suggestion for hikers with dogs is that they use a tent/tarp away from shelters and keep their dog tied up in camp (loose on the trail is ok, if the dog will mind commands and doesn't jump up on people [I've seen kids hurt by loveable mutts, it isn't fair to them or their parents, and may land a hiker in court, something which would pretty well ruin a thruhike attempt]).
I had a couple of dogs try to get into my food at the Horns Pond lean tos (when there were two), and then he and his canine buddy decided to take a dip in the water source just before I filtered some water (thank God for the filter!)
They didn't mean any harm, but they did some, nonetheless.
I have a 4 pound toy poodle named Zoe. The little dog is very agressive, will climb anything, rock hops streams, and sleeps in my sleeping bag at the foot. Doesn't eat much food and is no problem to carry if she gets tired which she never does. I can put her in my jacket if I go somewhere where dogs aren't allowed and no one is the wiser. When she poops the mess is the size of a peanut and easily disposed of. She hates mice and will run them off. I would not recomend anyone bringing a dog over 5 pounds on the trail.:rolleyes:
Dances with Mice
02-12-2006, 14:05
I have a 4 pound toy poodle named Zoe. ...I think we need to start an ultralight dog hiking thread.
the best dogs for hiking are the ones that
DO NOT BARK
are kept on a leash
and don't run all over the place distrubing wildlife and other hikers
Those are the only dogs I wanna see out there.
DavidNH
mweinstone
02-12-2006, 15:53
i think rabid pit bulls,shepards that got kicked out of cop scool and dobermins that have criminal convictions should eat all the dogs on the trail .and patrol the trail to keep it dog free. dog upset the wildlife so tremendiously,the other animals die of shock and have miscarrages. i hate all dog owners who think dogs wanna live a humans life. real dogs live outside and do work like guarding. dogs arent your friend they are your slaves.
Dogs love to chase game, hunting breeds in particular. Bear will run from any dog, FOR A WHILE. Bear will turn and chase the dog. The dog comes back to you closely followed by an angry bear in hot pursuit. A hungry bear, finding a dog tied out, will walk to the point where the dog is tied, follow the lead out to the dog, and eat.
I’ve hiked with several dog breeds, Rhodesian Ridgeback (120 lbs), Tibetan Terrier / Australian Sheepdog mix (30 lbs), Terrier mix (20 lbs), Bull Mastiff (120 lbs), Pit Bull / Beagle mix (30 lbs). I’m familiar with my son’s dogs, German Shepherd, Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, and currently an Australian Cattle Dog (Red Healer).
The Terrier, the Rhodesian, and I would hike all day. I hiked in a straight line. The Rhodesian would venture about a little in the beginning of a hike but ended up walking in a straight line before the hike was over. Throughout the day, the Terrier would investigate the trail in front of us, the ground to both sides of us, and the trail we had already hiked. At the end of the day, I was tired and the Rhodesian was dragging. The Terrier always trotted past the car, seemingly in an effort to keep us walking, and balked mildly when I told her to get in. The Rhodesian would promptly go to sleep in the backseat while the Terrier would remain alert looking at everything out the windows. Both dogs were quiet. The Rhodesian wanted to be friends with everyone it met, loved to run, and would chase anything. The Terrier was only mildly interested in other people, and not at all with game. The best dog I’ve found for hiking was the Terrier mutt, the elder of the group.
Some hikers who hike with dogs firmly believe the dog should carry all the weight of its requirements, food, etc. Some hikers are willing to carry all or some of the additional weight. If you MUST take your beloved dog - and remember the dog doesn’t know what it’s in for and, therefore, doesn’t have a real choice - at least accept your minimal obligation: you carry all the weight.
I asked my veterinarian about taking dogs on a distance hike. He advised, dogs aren’t designed to go long distances. This caution will be ignored by some who simply want what they want; to take their dog(s) along. People are going to point to cases where dogs completed a long hike, indicating many have done this successfully (using varying definitions of “success”). Most of the cases I’ve heard have been word of mouth (rumor, hiker legend, suspect). Just because a dog lives through an experience, doesn’t indicate it was good for the dog.
Many people believe dogs are the ancestors of wolves. They extend the logic that, if some wolves cover long distances following migrating prey in order to survive, dogs should have much the same capability.
We are the ancestors of monkeys. I haven’t heard anyone suggest we should go the distance of the AT swinging tree-to-tree.
The best dog is a very small one. You can medicate it and send it to the next town in your bump box. That way you can enjoy your dog while in a trail town and while you are on the actual trail the US Postal service can ship your doggie to the next town. Your dog can experience the Applachian Trail and your fellow hikers will not have to yell at your dog, hide from the begger while eating, dry themselves when on wet days he shakes himself in shelters, and clean dog poop out of water sources. Of course you will need to put a little extra food and some water in your bump box so Fido or Spot can eat while being shipped.
smokymtnsteve
02-12-2006, 18:20
the Dalton gang team...14 dogs....which I helped train
have just ran 141 miles in just over 20 hours....
they would have ran faster but the weather is a little warm at 35 above.
these dogs will be running over 1000 miles in the next 9-10 days.
and they LOVE IT!
We are the ancestors of monkeys. I haven’t heard anyone suggest we should go the distance of the AT swinging tree-to-tree.
I believe it is the ape not the Monkey. Apes do not swing from trees. They live in social groups in the woods and travel (mostly short distantancees trail they establish.
As for the dog. We had a sucsessful hike with a dog. We had to carry a ball to throw a play with. If you did not swhe would drive you crazy wanting to run and play. And we hiked full days, averaging 16.5 miles a day. I would recomend most of the hearding breads. Ours was a Belgium Malinois. I trained her and she is now a drug dog in Georgia. Now that being said, I would not hike with a dog again. Not because it is bad for the dog (and I do not believe it is any worse than on a person if using a proper working dog). It just adds another complication to a long hike.
Pacific Tortuga
02-12-2006, 18:34
Anywhere on any trail at any time, Hebrew Nationals are the best dogs. I find them to truley be a breed apart, Koshers I think :-?
Dances with Mice
02-12-2006, 18:58
Anywhere on any trail at any time, Hebrew Nationals are the best dogs. I find them to truley be a breed apart, Koshers I think :-?
I nominate the above for the prestigious Most Humerous Post in a Dog Topic Award.
Anybody want to second?
Dances with Mice
02-12-2006, 19:02
We are the ancestors of monkeys.When did you meet my children?
irritable_badger
02-12-2006, 19:06
I chose not to take my dog on my AT hike primarily because a lot of people seem to have a problem with dogs on the trail. I think I am fairly considerate and I don't want to disrupt anyone else's hike but I'm not sure I understand the "No Dogs on The Trail" mentality.
Part of the reason people like to get outside and hike is to reconnect with nature, to exist, for a short time, in the element they were designed to live in.
What is wrong with dogs getting the same experience? They were designed to be outdoors as well. You can see the same excitement in a dog as you can in a person on the trail.
Is it because "people" built the Trail and it is only for use by "people"?
Is it because modern dogs are domesticated and no longer require the outdoor experience?
Is it because modern dogs aren't "natural" and should not be in a natural setting?
Is it because people without dogs are more entitled to enjoy the Trail than people with dogs?
If taking a dog (i.e. friend and companion) is part of an individuals hike, what happened to the "Hike Your Own Hike" mentality?
Why? What is the biggest reason(s) people don't want dogs on the Trail?
Not looking for a fight here, I'm just trying to understand what the issue is.
MtnBikerGuy
02-12-2006, 19:25
I agree 100%....and I protect them from the elements with a mustard coat.
nattyd123
02-12-2006, 19:27
[quote=PROFILE]I believe it is the ape not the Monkey. Apes do not swing from trees. They live in social groups in the woods and travel (mostly short distantancees trail they establish.
Actually...the only apes that don't brachiate are humans... The other species of superfamily Hominoidea combine brachiation, knuckle-walking, quadrapedalism, and bipedalism.
Lucky for us, bipedalism is the most efficient means of long distance travel;)
Any other paleoanthropologists out there?
irritable_badger
02-12-2006, 19:33
quadrapedalism
Wow! What a cool word. I can use it to appear super intelligent or as an insult toward the unknowing. Ha, I like new words, Thanks.
Border Collies. Mine is also the first member of the new breed: "Applachian ***** Hound", incredibly adept and locating and smearing any unburied human feces upon himself. He won't be along on my TH this year.
Then there are these dogs, best for hiking
Ultralite Trail Pups (http://www.stuffedark.com/indexdogcat.htm)
OR you can take one of these along just to keep people out of the shelter when it's full.....just set outside near the corner in a visible area:
Full Shelter Guard (http://www.stuffedark.com/skunk.htm)
Border Collies. Mine is also the first member of the new breed: "Applachian ***** Hound", incredibly adept and locating and smearing any unburied human feces upon himself.
Ah, a fellow border collie owner. My wife takes our dog, Bittle to work almost every day at a wilderness camp. Bittle is also quite good at rolling in whatever makes her smell like *****. When she goes backpacking with us she is too pre-occupied with staying close to us to get into anything. Never relied on a shelter with her though. I always feel better with a private campsite when we camp. Poorly disposed human waste is one of the worst problems humans impose on the backcountry.
[quote=PROFILE]I believe it is the ape not the Monkey. Apes do not swing from trees. They live in social groups in the woods and travel (mostly short distantancees trail they establish.
Actually...the only apes that don't brachiate are humans... The other species of superfamily Hominoidea combine brachiation, knuckle-walking, quadrapedalism, and bipedalism.
Lucky for us, bipedalism is the most efficient means of long distance travel;)
Any other paleoanthropologists out there?
No fair using big words. I had to open a new window to search for definitions. But I think I know some people who brachiate.
carolinahiker
02-12-2006, 21:17
I work for the Postal service i wouldnt mail a brick let alone my dog thru there package service i use Fedex. My lab loves to go for walks but i took him on a 3 day hike with a freinds dog pack to carry his stuff and he took it okay but when i pulled my hikin pack out next time he went out the doggie door like a shot and hid my wife said in the flower beds. I quest hes just a lazy house lab lol.
LIhikers
02-12-2006, 21:45
Here's a photo of my wife with our 80 pound shephard. He has no problem spending the night in our 3 person tent, doesn't bark, and doesn't jump up on people. He started out life as a guide dog for the blind and is obedient to voice commands. Never the less, we keep him on leash 100% of the time when he's not in the tent. And yes, we bury his waste just like we do ours. He loves the outdoors and we like to hike with him. We've been out for up to a week with him, on the AT and other trails too. All of that said, I wouldn't want to do a thru hike with him. It's a lot of extra work to hike with a dog and to do it right.
Billygoatbritt
02-12-2006, 22:32
Has anybody taken a cat on the trail?:bse
I've had dogs all my life. Many dogs and many breeds. Any dog can be a good trail dog.
That being said, certain breeds are going to be better than others. Coonhounds and Beagles are breeds that go where the game is, they aren't concerned in the least where the master is. That is the main reason I switched from coonhounds to Mountain Curs and Terriers for treeing coon. Coonhounds hunt for themself, Curs hunt for you. Huskies are notorious for being independant and not having there own territory. In short, they are prone to wander. Some dogs are way to protective of their owners and their own space to be good dogs on the trail, I.E. Rotts, Pitbulls, gaurd type dogs. I am talkin breeds and not individul dogs so don't get all bent out of shape if you have a dog from these breeds that doesn't fit the mold. I would not recommend any of the above breeds for a hiking partner allthough there is some great dogs in each of the above breeds. But why chance it on an unknown. Which, if you are getting a pup, an "unknown" is exactly what you are getting.
So give yourself a leg up..........
and chose a breed that comes from close type hunting stock. Like retrievers. They are breed to hunt close and therefor "should" be the same on the trail. Had a Golden for 12 years that was just great. Have a Black lab now that is to lazy to annoy anyone. Either that or I would get a super smart terrier/mix. Although they tend to be more yappy.
I'd stay away from "ALL" show dog breeding and breeds if you want a dog with any brains left in em. Cocker Spanials and Dalmations were once good breeds till they bred the crap out of em. Now they have all sorts of phisical and mental probs.
Get a dog from "working" stock. Make sure the breed is known for easy handling and brains. Do some research.
Now for the people out there that say a dog can't handle a long hike:
B.S.!!!
Any dog breed that can't handle 10 times what a human can needs to be culled out of existance! They are not dogs and not worth anyone's effort. Buy a cat if you want something like that. But keep it the heck out of my way.
Now for the anti-dog on the trail people:
I put dogs and kids in the same book as far as this goes. It's not the dogs/kids fault, it's the owners/parents fault. Some, no doubt, need punched in the nose. You can do that, or you can be nice and ask them to control their dog, or you can be mad and ask them to control their dog, I don't care, pick one, all or none.
But if I have to listen to one more person complain about dogs (in general) on the trail I'm gonna puke! What makes you think that trail or sheter is just for you. Lots of people like to take thier dogs with them. If you have a bad experience, deal with the owner and then come tell us about it, we will be glad to listen and help you curse the party responsable. But to make blanket statements like "all trail dogs suck" or "leave your dog at home, I shouldn't have to deal with it" is just plain selfish and rude, deal with it the best you can or stay off the trail.
Well, that ought to start something, Enjoy,
Chris
Almost There
02-13-2006, 00:18
There have been articles written on this. I think the #1 breed in the best article I read was the Australian Sheep Dog. Herding breeds seem to be the best due to their energy levels. Regardless...it should be well trained!!! If you want to make your hike more complicated...more power to ya! Personally, at the end of a 16+ mile day the last thing I want to do is worry about anyone else!!!
corentin
02-13-2006, 06:00
Didn't Model T talk about a guy in his book who hiked the trail with his cat? was a world class mouser if I recall, like 20 confirmed kills at one shelter or something.
Didn't Model T talk about a guy in his book who hiked the trail with his cat? was a world class mouser if I recall, like 20 confirmed kills at one shelter or something.
yeah the cats name was ziggy,i was at mt.collins trail shelter in 1999
there was a guy that had a black lab that had i know for sure 11 confirmed kills,the dog would swallow mice whole like a frog swallows bugs,these guys were highly illegal,no permits,having a dog and tenting in shelter area,but they cooked us steaks and we were glad the dog took a few mice out:cool: neo
I have a Treeing Walker Coonhound and a part Lab / Pointer mix. Both are good trail hounds. The hound was a rescued pup so she is no hunter as I have trained her for the trail. The Lab/Pointer was adopted from the dog pound at 3 months of age and has been trained for the trail too. As with any dog training at a young age is key for success. I believe mid size to large dogs make better trail hounds. These dogs can keep up the pace and are strong to go the miles. A good example are the dogs Smokey Mtn Steve works with (his sled dogs). There are quite a few good dogs that fall into this category. All depends on what you are looking for. Some dogs take more time and work than others.:)
I nominate the above for the prestigious Most Humerous Post in a Dog Topic Award.
Anybody want to second?
I'll take a second... but hold the onions. :)
If you must bring a dog the thing to do is about a year before your hike purchase a Llama. Feed it Rogain or any other treatment to grow hair. When the hair grows out take it to a groomer and ask for a "poodle cut". Purchase an MP3 with an external speaker and record barking sounds on it. Now you are ready. As llamas are not allowed on the trail you can pass this one off as a very large poodle and it will carry your pack all the way to Maine. When you get to Baxter Park where dogs are not allowed give the Llama a haircut, die it brown and tell the rangers it is a baby moose.
Now that was a seriously creative post!
I suppose we could do the same thing with Lone Wolf.
UberPest
02-13-2006, 12:13
I think the best breed to hike with is the one that's best for you off the trail. Don't get a dog just for the 3-6 months you're going to be on the trail, then suddenly realize that German Shepherd is too big for your little apartment, etc. Standard and Miniature Poodles can be great choices, even if people do tend to think of them as "froo-froo." (remember, Steinbeck's "Travels with Charley" was a black Standard Poodle).
That said, I have a Catahoula (rare breed) that I hike with. Haven't had him on the AT, but have hiked up to 5 days with him. His longest day was 17 miles when he was 2 years old. Last season was about 150 miles with a pack on, plus many more just-for-fun walks and running alongside my bicycle.
Before I hiked with Beau, I had Lucy, a Catahoula/Australian Cattledog mix. I think for most people an ACD or Australian Shepherd would be good choices for their size, stamina, and ability to work in the heat. I'm leaning toward one of the [Swiss] Mountain Dogs (Bernese, Greater Swiss, Entlebucher, and Appenzeller ) as a future trail companion since all 4 breeds were bred to carry packs.
Like the others have said, don't let the dog mooch food, chase animals, bark, and generally be rude. Make sure you take the dog on a few shake down hikes so s/he learns what backpackers are, how to get over trail obstacles, and so on. If you plan to do other trails than the AT, expose pupper to horses, bikes, cars and such. You will meet them on the trail at some time.
Also, I wouldn't take a dog under 2 years on any kind of a long hike (more than a day or short overnight) and definitely no pack. Why? Joint problems. Hip and elbow dysplasia are common in many breeds, even smaller ones. While HD and ED are genetic and can't be CAUSED by a long hike, that much activity can definitely aggrivate even a mild affliction. For dogs that don't have the genes to cause those problems, regular old injuries can happen easily while the bones are still growing. Not to mention, in many of the larger breeds (anything you'd likely want to hike with), the mail man doesn't deliver their brain until sometime after their 2nd birthday. Trying to hike while holding onto a 95# puppy might not be too fun after a day, let alone 3 months.
That said, I have a Catahoula (rare breed) that I hike with. Haven't had him on the AT, but have hiked up to 5 days with him. His longest day was 17 miles when he was 2 years old. Last season was about 150 miles with a pack on, plus many more just-for-fun walks and running alongside my bicycle.
I have a Catahoula too. Great dog, best I ever had. He's too old to hike with now, but I bet he'd a been a great trail dog. They are rare, most people have never heard of them. My vet told me they are the state dog of Louisianna. Swamp dogs, trained to hunt birds. They are thought to be one of the first domesticated animals the Indians had. Their name means something about a lake, i forget exactly. The full name is Catahoula Leopard Dog.
The Solemates
02-13-2006, 14:08
my black and tan on the trail
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jcartne/detail?.dir=cfc7&.dnm=2496.jpg&.src=ph
among the wildflowers
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jcartne/detail?.dir=1b9b&.dnm=5283.jpg&.src=ph
with his pack
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jcartne/detail?.dir=8792&.dnm=596a.jpg&.src=ph
below 0F
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jcartne/detail?.dir=d6ea&.dnm=b62ere2.jpg&.src=ph
Squeaky 2
02-13-2006, 14:18
Trauma's dog Yoni is the most kick ass dog i have ever met. she is a st. bernard/colly mix. after this years hike she will have hiked 25,000+ miles along with Trauma. they will have done the triple crown twice plus the extra parts of the IAT, GDT, PNWT in the last 4 years!
UberPest
02-13-2006, 14:38
I have a Catahoula too. Great dog, best I ever had. He's too old to hike with now, but I bet he'd a been a great trail dog. They are rare, most people have never heard of them. My vet told me they are the state dog of Louisianna. Swamp dogs, trained to hunt birds. They are thought to be one of the first domesticated animals the Indians had. Their name means something about a lake, i forget exactly. The full name is Catahoula Leopard Dog.
My guy Beau is currently ranked #1 in the UKC.
Catahoula is a parish in Louisiana, and one of the traslations is "Beautiful Clear Water." There is also a Catahoula Lake in the parish. They are the State Dog of Louisiana. I've never had one that will hunt birds, but some will. Usually they're for herding wild cattle, hunting wild hogs, raccoons and such. They have been used in Search and Rescue, Assistance dogs, Therapy, and so on. Beau is certified to work in hospitals and nursing homes. He likes hiking much better, though.