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Thread: Best Dog Breeds

  1. #1
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    Default Best Dog Breeds

    What are the best dog breeds for long term foot travel, and being around people and other wildlife sporadically?

    Also been wondering what some average miles various hunting dogs might put in with an avid hunter out 4 or 5 days a week... Like a beagle or blood hound mountain Cur, Blue tic etc.. Or sheep and cattle dog high mileage at work.

    Don't think I would be busting many 10 mile days.

  2. #2

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    I heard that the military uses retrievers in .afg because Shephers can't take the mileage and heat.

    I saw a husky mix/sled dog on the PCT last year, doing 20-30 mile days just fine. I hear they have a prey drive, although I imagine it's bred out of many purely sled dogs. I'd avoid terriers, for the same reason.

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    You want to avoid hyperactive dogs like herders. You want to avoid big dogs like Labs. Medium sized dogs, on the smaller side of medium seem to do best on the AT. They don't have to eat tons of food and are light and agile on their paws.

    But the most important thing is training.
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    I’ve hiked a lot with my golden retriever and you couldn’t ask for a better dog. Really strong, carries a pack with ease.


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    I expect the individual beast would matter more that the breed, and agree that a mellow, mid sized dog would be the place to start.
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    A medium sized mutt.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rex Clifton View Post
    I’ve hiked a lot with my golden retriever and you couldn’t ask for a better dog. Really strong, carries a pack with ease. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
    Yea, labs are great, mellow dogs, but I wouldn't take one on a long distance hike. Get into difficult terrain like NH and Maine, they will have trouble. Where you plan on hiking will have a big impact.
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    A dog breed for walking long miles, like a Husky. Not the easiest to train though. But they do need high amounts of exercise. Some of them aren't bred to be as large. I'm strictly speaking academically. Don't have/never wanted a husky, but i do like them.

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    Quote Originally Posted by JJ505 View Post
    A dog breed for walking long miles, like a Husky. Not the easiest to train though. But they do need high amounts of exercise. Some of them aren't bred to be as large. I'm strictly speaking academically. Don't have/never wanted a husky, but i do like them.
    Expect they don't do well in the heat, and on a long distance hike your probably going to be hiking in hot temps at some point.
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    Golden Retriever. Those dogs love people more than hiking. Never saw one on the trail that didn't want to say hello.

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    Quote Originally Posted by JJ505 View Post
    A dog breed for walking long miles, like a Husky. . .
    No kidding. The Iditarod dogs don't walk miles, they run 1000+ miles at race speeds pulling a sled! Maybe you just need to shave them for summer travels.
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    Mine is a cross between a standard Manchester Terrier and a Rottweiler. 40 pounds of trail perfection. Best trail dog I've ever had.

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by Feral Bill View Post
    I expect the individual beast would matter more that the breed, and agree that a mellow, mid sized dog would be the place to start.
    Very much this. I got a rescue mutt, some sort of energetic terrier retriever mix. Mutts are generally healthier. Seemed like a great trail dog... until within weeks he developed a shoulder issue, so no distance hikes for me. Then he developed some sort of neck issue, and now he can't even handle day hikes. Thousands of dollars later, and I'm pretty much only hiking when I have a dog sitter now.

    You can plan all you want, and I've always suggested that people choose a dog that suits their lifestyle. Be certain you really want a dog in your life, even if that dog turns out not to be capable not to hike with you.

    Edit: Remember that the dog will likely wear out and get old before you do.
    Last edited by Puddlefish; 02-28-2018 at 18:55.

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    I raised a couple litters of beagles when I was high school aged....for hunting rabbit and deer. They could cover many miles in a day for sure...but I'm not sure about day after day after day after day
    knew some folks that had bluetick and other type hounds. Similar but they'd cover the ground a lot faster than a person can.
    but in my opinion hounds of any sort would be far too distractable zig zagging and hunting. They want to hunt and chase.

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    Quote Originally Posted by swisscross View Post
    A medium sized mutt.
    this^^^^^^^^

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    Australian Cattle Dogs (blue healers) were specifically bred for long miles in the heat on a daily basis. They could definitely handle the rigors of the trail and they are very intelligent and easy to train, but they CAN also be very energetic. The one I have is fairly mellow and I suspect if I would have gotten her out on the trails early enough she would’ve been very good as a Trail companion.
    The min thing is getting any dog while they’re young and exposing them to the elements of the Trail.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Puddlefish View Post
    Mutts are generally healthier.
    I'm curious about this statement. Do you have any data supporting that?

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    Quote Originally Posted by archie View Post
    I'm curious about this statement. Do you have any data supporting that?
    There is actually all kinds of evidence in animal breading to support that. Mutts may not meet specific needs as well as pure-bred animals bread for a particular purpose, but almost by definition, the pure-bread is good at what it is bread for at the expense of being good at many other general things.

    The common term is "hybrid vigor."
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    Quote Originally Posted by archie View Post
    I'm curious about this statement. Do you have any data supporting that?
    I've read and heard that in a lot of different contexts...and other times have observed the supporting opposite notion that some pure breads have know 'issues'...... such as common hp issues in some breads, as an example

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    Quote Originally Posted by archie View Post
    I'm curious about this statement. Do you have any data supporting that?
    Very well documented, pure breeds are the most susceptible to congenital diseases such as deafness, hip displaysia, and skin issues. Inbreeding can be rampant if you’re not careful with breeders, this seems to be especially true of SOME AKC breeders.


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