Dog compound near Breck

[gooz]

Around mile 19 of Segment 6 (just before the North Fork of the Swan River), I saw some kind of compound a couple hundred feet from the trail with dozens of dogs in outdoor pens, most of which looked like huskies. The dogs were all barking and sounded very distressed. I couldn't find anything online matching the description of the place and I was wondering if anyone knew what the place was? I figure it's likely some kind of shelter/animal sanctuary but I found the noise fairly disturbing and wanted to check in case its something that ought to be reported. Thanks.

[Paddlefoot]

I saw that too.

I assumed it was someone who raises and trains sled dogs.

They tend to yap a lot.

[AndrewAZ]

I was a little surprised that it wasn't noted in the data book. A compound full of yapping/barking/howling huskies seems worth mentioning.

[Train Wreck]

Are you sure you weren't looking at a puppy mill?

[shelterbuilder]

If they were sled dogs, and they were NOT running, then they most certainly WERE distressed...and barking and howling to prove it! I've trained and raced Siberian Huskies for over 25 years in Pa., and I have seen this happen countless times. On more than one sled dog club camp-out, we've been awakened in the dead of night by a lone howl at one end of the camp, which is soon picked up by every dog in the camp, circling around several times (think "The Wave" at a ball game), before it finally dies out and everyone goes back to sleep! Howling is to canines like going out for a drink is to humans. It's a purely social thing, and if you sit and listen to the individual voices in the chorus (yes, they are all different, depending upon sex, social rank, and a host of other factors), you realize that they are ALL reinforcing their idea of being "one pack".:banana Of course, it might just have been "gettin' on toward supper time"....:)

[garlic08]

A neighbor in the CO foothillls is a musher and he had to get his huskies debarked. The county made him do it after numerous complaints. He loves his dogs and cares for them incredibly well, but yes, they do tend to yap.

A friend of mine lives in the area, is doing some trail guide research for the CDTA, and said he'll look into it.

[shelterbuilder]

Years ago - before the neighborhood changed and so many "non-working people" moved in (is that the politically correct way to say it?), we trained our dogs NOT to howl unless WE initiated the howl. We did it a couple of times a day - mostly when people were at work or when it wouldn't disturb people's sleep - and this largely solved the problem of the howling disturbing the neighbors. We figured that, since they were dogs and were going to exhibit this behavior anyway, we might as well shape it and direct into a "non-annoying" outlet. Of course, now that I'VE been debarked (vocal cord cancer), I can't howl with my team....:(

[On Track]

I think they're sled dogs (winter) and that this is the business:

http://www.goodtimesadventures.com/dogsledding.html

[garlic08]

My buddy hiked by there today and he says it's these folks: http://www.snowcapssleddogs.com/. I guess it's a growth industry and there's more than one in the area.

[shelterbuilder]

From my "quick read" of the adoptions page, I'd say that these folks REALLY care about the dogs and their ultimate well-being. As for being a "growth industry", that tends to run in cycles, but I'm sure that there are some really neat places in CO to mush. Mushing in S.E. Pa. is a "poor step-child" to some of the other outdoor sports (notably hunting) and often has to contend with regulations that don't address the sport, and with groups like PETA (which cannot seem to understand that you absolutely cannot MAKE a dog run if it isn't interested in running). If you get the chance sometime, sign up for a tour - and don't forget your camera!!! It is an experience that you will never forget.

[Wise Old Owl]

Well now this is cleared up I am glad I didn't weight in....

[HeartFire]

It looked new - there was active construction going on when I hiked through there. It does NOT look like a puppy mill. There are large runs. Big pens. I thought it was a boarding kennel

[Kookork]

For me the question is: Were the barking of the dogs stressful or just a normal social activity of a mostly husky pack because these two kind of barks are absolutely different and very distinguishable with trained ears and eyes.

[Kookork]

If they were sled dogs, and they were NOT running, then they most certainly WERE distressed...and barking and howling to prove it! I've trained and raced Siberian Huskies for over 25 years in Pa., and I have seen this happen countless times. On more than one sled dog club camp-out, we've been awakened in the dead of night by a lone howl at one end of the camp, which is soon picked up by every dog in the camp, circling around several times (think "The Wave" at a ball game), before it finally dies out and everyone goes back to sleep! Howling is to canines like going out for a drink is to humans. It's a purely social thing, and if you sit and listen to the individual voices in the chorus (yes, they are all different, depending upon sex, social rank, and a host of other factors), you realize that they are ALL reinforcing their idea of being "one pack".:banana Of course, it might just have been "gettin' on toward supper time"....:)

I enjoy your knowledge about the sledding dogs.

Once I was preparing for a medical exam back in Iran and I retreated to our cottage and I adopted a beautiful and strong Half german sheppard half Iranian shepperd stray dog for the 6 month I stayed there. She was never leashed but we connected right away.
She used to participate in howling and barking used to take place twice to three times from Dusk to dawn starting at dusk. The participants were owned and stray dogs as well as coyotes.

It seemed to me the howling was for sake of communication between rival animals to minimize the unwanted encounter.